G5 With Ibm Chips Options

[petra]

Hi,

I'm getting ready to buy a new computer for my future studio. After emailing, posting messages in forums, long considerations etc. it looks like I will go in the direction of a PC.

Why? I talked to an employee of Apple, and he told me that if I buy a G4 today, I should be ready to sell it when new processors come out at the end of 2003.

I wanted to ask Mac users, what do you think about this new, what I think they call "G5" and what is it going to mean for you? Will your current software and recording hardware work with the G5?

Also, how is Cubase SX with OSX?

Please elnighten me, I might still change my mind and go Mac if it makes sense.

Petra

[Presto]

As in any area of computing, you have to choose the software tool first, then the computer and OS, and any other equipment that it works with.

Cubase was brilliant when it first came out on Atari and Mac, but in my opinion it's lost alot of ground. If you go for PC, I should imagine its quite appropriate though.

Protools from Digidesign is used by lots of professionals in the music business and has been considered the best, but midi users seem to think its a bit lacking. If you don't just work with audio, and need midi, I should have a look at Logic as, judging from what people say on the French side of this site, I've a feeling that it's got more potential.

I'm a songwriter and use a G3, and its perfect for my OS9 Protools/Mbox setup. I'll only go for another computer when I get new software or an important update that requires it. Perhaps in a couple of years I'll get a G4 17" ibook.

I've had macs since 1984 and felt the need to change every 5 years, although they still worked fine! I've kept my last mac for everything besides music.

My son was brought up on Macs but got a PC because he wanted to borrow his friends' computer games (he says it was because it was more appropriate for the apps he thought he would have to use in his particular profession). I must add that it was also a little cheaper than an "equivalent" Mac, but it wasn't long before he had hardware problems.

In the music area the Mac and related audio equipment seem to be quite superior - most serious music amateurs use Macs (I may be biased there), and most professionals use Macs (that's the truth). If you only need lowish quality sound then you could go for the latest PC, but with a second hand G3 on OS9 you'd get much better quality anyway.

It all depends what you want. Some people would prefer to wait for a G6 because its the technical specifications they are after, and they don't need to actually do any serious work with a computer now.

I suggest you go and see your Apple salesman's boss, and tell him he should be more careful who he employs.

Macs and their apps have always been excellent, but although Apple is also great at marketing, they have always been very bad at the retailer end (at least in France). I once had to go for PCs for a big order for a new project at the university, simply because the Apple retailers didn't give me any help (perhaps I should have shaved more often and worn ties). The PC retailers bent over backwards to help. Many other departments followed my lead and Apple ended up losing a lot of their most faithful clients at our university. I think it was the same scenario elsewhere.

Still, if you want quality, and your project is not something nobody's done before, you shouldn't make your choice from what a salesman says.

You're quite right to use the internet for information and music makers' opinions. Beware of salesmen and sales hype.

Ah, just a thought: If you ask PC users opinions, they may not tell you of the problems they have for music, because they may think problems are normal. Mac users tend to be more demanding.

You mention IBM. I can't resist saying that IBM are quite aware they lost market share partly because of their snobby sales policy (also, right from the start of 'PCs', they couldn't be bothered writing an OS, so they just used a rather bad and 10 year old DOS from a bloke called Bill Gates). Oops, I'm going to get told off by the moderators - that's off topic

Almost forgot: tell us what you think you'd like to do with your future set up, and we can advise you. I don't have experience with OSX yet, but it looks quite promising for music. Anyway other members will advise you.

This post has been edited by Presto: Thu 30 Jan 2003, 22:06