Will NI Massive PWN my laptop?

logic_user99 · Post by **logic_user99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:34 pm

I want a new synth, and don't really have the facility for a hardware synth right now. I'm thinking of getting NI's Massive, but don't know if it's going to completely PWN my machine...

I'm running a G4 Powerbook 1.5ghz with 1.25gb ram; this is over the minimum spec listed on NI's site.

Any users on here who'd care to post a viewpoint? I've got Reaktor and Battery that both run fine, but I'm after a 'do it all' synth. (Reaktor's awesome, but I want something a little more 'instant'!)

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:37 pm

Should be fine - thats almost the spec of my apple (you have more ram, but my processor is 1.67 i think).
2 or 3 massives running at once cause me bothers but i just set them to ECO mode and reduce voices to 4 on each and it usually works okay (just reset to Ultra and 16 voices for render).

smutek · Post by **smutek** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:44 pm

I've got a dualcore G5 that I do most of my music on, there are certain massive patches that will pretty much suck the life right out of it.

But, like jeskola said, it's all about how you use it.

condra · Post by **condra** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:44 pm

I dont think you wlill regret getting Massive.
I always loved Zebra II, and still do, but the more I use Massive the more I apprecate how enjoyable it is to use. It has the least stressful interface in synthland. Sounds fucking crazy too.

Still, if I was in your shoes I would buy a 2nd hand macbook. You could probably get a CoreDuo Macbook for what? - 380 sterling?

logic_user99 · Post by **logic_user99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:40 pm

condra wrote:I dont think you wlill regret getting Massive.
I always loved Zebra II, and still do, but the more I use Massive the more I apprecate how enjoyable it is to use. It has the least stressful interface in synthland. Sounds fucking crazy too.

Still, if I was in your shoes I would buy a 2nd hand macbook. You could probably get a CoreDuo Macbook for what? - 380 sterling?

£380? I wish! I've been lusting after a new Mac for ages, but family comes first (ya know, bills, food, bills, clothing etc etc!). I recon I'll have one by the end of the year!

So, the general concensus is that Massive is a good move, even though my current machine may struggle slightly at times? Excellent.

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:49 pm

I see Komplete is down 30% just now... might be worth you buying that if you have a spare lump of cash.

http://www.native-instruments.com/index ... ourdaw&L=1

R.J.Dubya · Post by **R.J.Dubya** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:27 pm

Great synth, but yes, be warned. Use it monophonically, and it'll take a quarter or more of the resources of your computer, on Eco mode. Polyphonic will easily sore it past 50% in Ableton with your specs. Don't even think about using it in high or ultra quality mode.

As much as I like it, there may something else equally as awesome that might hurt your cpu less. But if you don't mind bouncing a lot, you'd still enjoy massive.

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:52 pm

+1 on the brilliant interface

ewistrand · Post by **ewistrand** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:56 pm

Sorry to say, but your G4's going to have issues. Massive computes voices in groups of four using the parallel stream capabilities of the Altivec/SSE instruction set (it's more efficient that way). And, while in eco mode it'll run as maybe an eight voice synth (if you're lucky), for your higher quality modes you will have problems.

Your Massive forum moderator,
ew

condra · Post by **condra** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:21 pm

logic_user99 wrote: £380? I wish! I've been lusting after a new Mac for ages

A first gen CoreDuo Macbook will trounce the G4 and is worth around £400 max dude. They regularly sell for around 500-550 euro on my local second-hand site (adverts.ie) I vote spending the cash, then gettng what you can back for the G4, then run Massive and really take advantage of its power.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:42 pm

in your situation I would say DONT get massive, save the money and buy the new computer sooner!

pieter · Post by **pieter** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:18 pm

massive works fine on my G5 but i can't use it on my powerbook G4. but i don't use the ECO mode.

doc holiday · Post by **doc holiday** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:27 pm

Machinate wrote:in your situation I would say DONT get massive, save the money and buy the new computer sooner!

+1

i recently stepped up from a dual 1.8 G4 to mbp. the performance gain is unreal.

all the sets I could barely use open right up and hardly tap the cpu.

mr.adl · Post by **mr.adl** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:37 pm

Yup, having a quick computer is really a nice thing. Makes producing much more fun

logic_user99 · Post by **logic_user99** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:34 am

Thanks for the replies, boyos!

A new laptop it is, then. So one of the 'older' Macbooks would do me, would it? Anything that'll put me on until next year (MacBook Pro!) is good in my books...

Live 7 is pee'ing me off so much right now, I've gone over to using MilkyTracker and ReNoise! Not as 'pretty', but they're so much lighter on the CPU! Hell, even Logic Pro 7 is lighter on the CPU.

No Massive for now...Laptop first...