Mac Vs Viewsonic Monitors Options

[ourmanflinty]

If you're doing music mainly on your mac why do you need perfect screens?? the Apple's are perfect let's not dispute that but they pride themselves on detail and colour balance, very important for the art and print world but, discuss, not so much for the audio industry?
Sony also put out outstanding monitors, I saw Sonys in Roger Waters home studio, are they not good enough for the rest of us mortals?
I would argue that unless..

a. You're heavily into desktop publishing / animation
b. You're absolutely loaded / you're not paying the bill!!
c. You really need the Apple aesthetic
d. You're buying second hand or 'previously enjoyed'

...you don't need Apple screens.
My Samsung syncmaster's such a versatile little screen, AV input, SCART input, speakers ( pants ), TV tuner.

[jimmynitcher]

You've hit the nail on the head with the music application vs graphics, (I assumed as this forum was called Mac music...).

What prompted me in the first place was the vast difference between my laptop's LCD and old Formac 17" I still have.
All of a sudden it occurs that I don't even know the difference between that and a TFT - is a TFT as sharp as an LCD?

Looking at the Samsung it seems even more competitive than the Viewsonic on performance and price.

thanks v much

J

[PhilTrueman]

Yup,

It really is 'horses for courses'. If music is your main thaaang - you don't need a top of the range monitor - something that would satisfy the graphic artists.

There are plenty of good, great looking monitors out there that will do just fine for the music fraternity.

As with all things computer - you have to think 'what am I going to use this for?'

As much as I love Apple and want their stuff to be used - we all have pocket that only go so deep.

PT

[Nels]

2 more cents from me.....

Valid point(s) in reference to audio as opposed to video............

Granted, for working with your DAW of choice and for normal viewing of movies and such, the un-Apple will do just fine. However, it's a good to have at least one exceptional display, when using 2. That way, if there are any future Video/ Final Cut Pro indevours, you'll already be set and, will probably save money in the long run.

Nels

[lepetitmartien]

ourmanflinty is perfectly right, you don't need da perfect monitor for the job, an ok is sufficient. You can even buy 2 of them.

For exemple Dell makes great 19" TFT for a nice price…

[jimmynitcher]

Thanks a lot everyone esp ourmanflinty, I am now the proud owner of a 19" Samsung Syncmaster, I checked the specs as outlined by Dixiechicken and apart from the extra inch and resolution it beats the Apple(!?)-incredibly good service from Macwarerhouse BTW- I ordered it 5am and it came the following morning!

And I have an Apple display - my Pbook! That is now the 2nd monitor (plugs), I switched the menu bar in Display Prefs to the Samsung so all sequencers now boot up there by default.

I'm well pleased and especially glad I used this forum for research before I shelled out the wonga - I saved myself a lot of cash which I can now blow on another gadget, as is our way.

cheers folks!

J