Imac G5 For Audio, question about conveniet mac hardware Options

[rickenbacker]

Although saying that, in 3-4 years you'll probably be ready for a new computer anyway. Bluemover mentions the new Quad PowerMacs - imagine what Macs will be like in 2009!

Dual processor PowerMacs are always the most flexible and powerful option, but the iMac is a terrific all-round machine and the built-in iSight is a pretty cool extra, so I wouldn't knock it as a music-making/all-round home computing bundle. It can do both. Remember: RAM, RAM, RAM!

Having external audio interfaces won't help with processing power for plug-ins, though. For that, you might like to look at TC PowerCore's FireWire FX box (I can't remember its name), which has its own processor. The UAD-1 from Universal Audio is even better (IMHO), but it's a PCI card, which is another area where PowerMacs score highly. You can't install PCI cards in an iMac.

[Bloot]

I'm just reading an article about Waves, bringing out a new hardware "accelerator for plug-ins" to connect to the host computer by ethernet - it looks to be promising and quite a few £££'s
(Waves fan)

[ngreen]

I have had a wonderful experience with my 1.8 GHz G5 iMac. I run Logic Express and use a lot of effects and software instruments. I have on RARE occasions ran into a few glitches when I have too many tracks--like 30-40.

[johnnyboy]

i was reading through the posts here and just had a question. I just purchased the new imac G5 20", with 2.1 Ghz, 512 Mb, I have had some experience of error messages when up to about 4 tracks using the software instruments with Garageband. The tips suggested all kinds of things to save on power, since the message I was getting was that I had too much going on to play the song in real time. i exhausted all the tips except mixing down to a song and then importing back to the tracks as a real instrument. Finally I did this and still had some problems. I am using the presonus Firebox, can anyone tell me if this is the normal fare for what I am using. Or is there something I can do to eliminate this problem. This might help the guy too that is wanting to get the imac g5, I kind of wished I would had gone with the PM if this is the case. (I was using some of the newer software instruments in Jam pack 4, the really great sounding orchestral instruments, steinway piano, etc.)

[Bluemover9999]

1. Upgrade your 512MB RAM in you imac to the Maximum of 2GB

2. I'm a logic Pro user but I just had a look at someones Garageband, and if you go to PREFERENCES - Audio/midi and select the Maximum tracks...option you should be able to play back.
Obviously this will impact on recording quality, but playback should be fine.

Hope that helps...

[fastlanephil]

The new iMac G5s hold 2.5 GB of ram now.

Johnnyboy, go to your energy saver pane in system preferences and make sure you have it set to highest in options.

[rickenbacker]

GarageBand is not the world's most efficient music app, so that won't help, plus you're running virtual instruments. Max out the RAM. It's the simplest and most effective speed-up tip. I don't know if you can freeze tracks in GarageBand, but that would also help - rendering them to audio and reimporting them is a similar fix, only less flexible. Whatever, you should be able to get a ton more tracks out of that iMac, so let us know what happens.