Apology To Mazz & New ProTools Questions!

[mazz]

I wouldn't get a Mac Mini for any serious audio production except as a slave in a multi computer sample playback scenario.

As a longtime Mac fanatic, I will have to say that the Mac vs. PC debate is really becoming sillier and sillier because it's only always been and always will be what someone is used to and ultimately what software they use. I happen to use a Mac only DAW (Digital Performer) and I've been using it for so long that I'm used to it. For whatever foibles Macs have, I've gotten used to working around them. And I must say, I just installed Windows 7 on one of my slave machines and I'm pretty impressed with it. The problem with PCs, IMO, has always been the OS, not the machine itself. And now with Win7 there's an OS that actually doesn't strangle the performance of the PC. Because the PC is an open system as opposed to Mac, there's just a ton of variables for any OS and hardware maker to contend with. I doubt the average PC user is much of a tweaker or programmer, so an open architecture machine isn't as important to them as one that just WORKS, so it's a good thing that there's a bit more stability and standardization in the PC world going on. The issues with Apple have always been their tight grip on all things Mac, which is a double edged sword as well. There's always folks that don't have any problems whatsoever (or so they say) with any platform. I don't believe them.


That being said (whew!), I would always opt for a purpose-built DAW PC unless the purchaser is very savvy and up to speed on the ins and outs of motherboards, processors, etc. Just being able to call someone on the phone and talk to them about an issue related to some audio usage and have the person on the other end of the phone know what you're talking about is worth something for sure!

[mojobone]

I would probably be telling a very different story if I had purchased an off the shelf Dell or HP that was not designed for audio production.


Chuck

Agreed. A general-purpose machine that everyone in the house uses? That's the Mac; it's also my FTP server, since it's connected directly to the internet. The music machine is behind a firewall and a router, and nobody's allowed to use it without my direct supervision. For a long in the tooth XP machine, it's been fairly stable, but I spent months researching software and interface compatibility, and spent a chunk of change on it. Did all my own configuring and installing so as to learn how, and budgeted some months to get up and running. I know I won't have that luxury with the next machine, hence Mac and Logic. Doesn't mean I won't continue to use Windows machines, either.