At my job, I deal with very large WAVE files (around 1.5gig) recorded at 24/96.

The client gets data CDs with the 24/96 files on them, and also audio CDs of each file. We use PCs in our sound lab, but I recently aquired two Macs from our graphics department. On the PCs, we use Wavelab's batch processor to convert the 24/96 files to 16/44.1. This usual averages about 3 minutes file.

So today, I set up a batch process in Peak to convert the 24/96 files to 16/44.1, and to my amazement/disappointment, it was taking up to 40 MINUTES a file! That is practically real time! The PCs we use are standard Pentium 4's with about a gig or ram. The Mac I use is a 733MHz G4 PowerMac with 1.25 gigs of ram.

I just don't know what else to say. In addition to this devastating revalation, I have also found Peak and the dicontinued Spark to be less than comparable to the power of Sound Forge or Wavelab.

I won't be giving up my Macs anytime soon, but if anyone has any insight on the these issues, please bring your two cents to this post. Thanks.