Mac Or Pc? Convert Me!, also cubase v emagic logic 6 v protools Options

[alexlively]

Ok here's the deal. I've been a PC user all my life. I know they're not sexy and crash lots. That's what has brought me to this forum. I want to change, but I need to be convinced.

I'm a singer/ songwriter in the need of a fairly decent set up to be able to write/ record and down the line do live performances with. To date I have been using other studios but it is about time I got to grips with the production myself. Some mates use Logic Platinum, some use Cubase. However I go it will be in the portable direction -laptop/ notebook. I want to go to the cheaper end- if it will do a good enough job ie buy up stuff that is a couple of years old. I will be doing mixture of midi and audio, with up to 10 inputs although for the time being it will mainly be one instrument at a time. So:

Mac or PC
Cubase or Logic or Protools. Which versions for value for money.
Any probs going laptop route?
I've got an old (4 years ago) Maxi Studio Isis interface (I think that's what it is)- is that still suitable for what I need.
What other software would I need if I went for one of the above, or should that be all I need.
What should I expect to have to pay- I'm hoping to do the whole thing for within 2k. Can go more or less, but it will all be a loan to add to my ever increasing debts!!!!

I've wandered round sites, read others posts. I'm a little tired, and confused and I'm needing a bit of tender loving care. If you can help, please do!

Lots of love Alex,

[PeeBee]

Hi Alex
I can't give you a technical reply cos being a mere orchestral musician I don't know what most of the words mean. However I have been using Cubase since version 1 a looooong time ago and I regularly use both macs and PCs at work for this task.

To cut a long story short, if I (or any of my students) ever got stuck, it was always because of the way the PCs worked. These Pentium 2s and 3s did the job OK in the end but life just seemed easier with the macs, which, incidentally were quite a lot older.
Needless to say, the macs were always the most popular and actually never crashed.
I personally couldn't care less what the things look like (well yes, the new iMac is really cool!) but the macs definitely feel more user-friendly (if that isn't too old an expression!)

If your main aim is to create backing tracks for yourself you could probably get by with Cubasis VST (which is fine so long as you don't have OSX) and can be bought for around £45 UK money. Update to something newer/bigger later if you get good at it.
Good luck