I've gotta sound off on the whole Live - MAC vs. PC thing...

[elxicano]

Why all the posts about less headache with Macs than PC's? I don't see it. I've been using both Macs and PC's for several years now and Macs definitely *equally* have their share of problems too. Yes, Macs crash too and yes just as much as Windows computers.

The big difference really is that there are so many manufacturers of PC's that you have to really do your homework, or else you can get a serious piece of crap computer. With Macs, there is one manufacturer, so you know who to blame, but yes, they can crash just like a PC.

Anyway, fun conversation because everyone gets to chime in all but-hurt because someone said something negative about a Mac. By the way... I prefer macs, but mostly for aesthetic reasons.

[ze2be]

Hm.. It looks like a new version of my X61! I love this machine. Its actually sturdier build then a mac book pro. I have a power book g4, and everything has cracked on it: The screen, 2 times! both the usb ports, the track pad, the cd burner.. I loved it, and at the time I thought it was the best build laptop! last year I got a Lenovo, and ive never looked back. Its smaller then a macbook air, its got 3 usb ports, 1 firewire, 5 hour battery, all the wireless stuff, but most importantly: its built like a slim tank! what more, its go a handy keyboard light, and the keyboard will drain liquid if you spill on it! Also, the hard drive is super easy to change. I once changed my moms macbook drive, and it took me half a day! Insane. I know that some new mac laptops have fixed this.

Its been almost a year, and I haven't had a single problem so far. I run 2 systems though/dual boot. Keeping a pure safe system for live and studio use, which are never exposed to the net. Still, my net system runs with no problems at all. It cost me about the same as yours.

Its a great machine, enjoy it!

I recommend using Total Commander for your system file browsing. And as long as you don't install any dodgy crap, and stay on safe web pages, you'll be fine. Running XP, but looking forward to 7.

[twisted-space]

(we got plenty PC based audio systems at work, because of a moron boss, who doesn't understand this fact, so i know what i am talking about) costs you way more money... trust me on that. it's a housewife calculation to think a mac costs more because of the initial investment price...

Why do you keep banging on about this pc's cost more in the long run? My current and previous laptops cost less together than a single macbook pro of equivalent spec to my current machine.
The previous one is now almost 5 years old and still runs well (single core 2.0 Ghz Dell Inspiron) and other than replacing the battery hasn't cost me a single penny after the initial outlay.
My current laptop (t9300 2.5 Ghz Dell XPS M1530) cost almost half the price of the equivalent macbook pro when I bought it, and apple didn't offer the same size HDD or same rez screen AT ANY COST.
Some of the other threads on the forum at the moment also show that macs simply don't "just work".
If you like macs, then that's cool, I'm happy for you, but your saying that a pc will work out to be more expensive than a mac in the long run is crazy and makes you sound like an irrational fan boy.

[Hidden Driveways]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
::sleep emoticon::

[UKRuss]

I bought a new PSU for my macbook today. The old one died over the weekend. It was a shame as i was in the middle of some cool stuff that i wanted to keep working on, eventually the battery died so i had to stop working on them.

I went and had some fun with my kids and we walked and talked before visiting a french market that had come to town.

£4 for one packet of Churros! Fleecy frenchy market types. Still, it was ncie to see my dad over there and they had a demo at the fire station which the kids loved as they cut off a car roof in a simulated emergency scenario. I quite liked that myself actually.

Then we used some cheese we bought at the maket to have a fondue which the kids loved, and had some choccy dipped strawberries for dessert.

The psu is quite expensive but the old one lasted me a good three years I suppose.

yeah, so...there we are.

[8O]

I bought a new PSU for my macbook today. The old one died over the weekend. It was a shame as i was in the middle of some cool stuff that i wanted to keep working on, eventually the battery died so i had to stop working on them.

I went and had some fun with my kids and we walked and talked before visiting a french market that had come to town.

£4 for one packet of Churros! Fleecy frenchy market types. Still, it was ncie to see my dad over there and they had a demo at the fire station which the kids loved as they cut off a car roof in a simulated emergency scenario. I quite liked that myself actually.

Then we used some cheese we bought at the maket to have a fondue which the kids loved, and had some choccy dipped strawberries for dessert.

The psu is quite expensive but the old one lasted me a good three years I suppose.

yeah, so...there we are.

[glitchrock-buddha]

and my Performance Test Results:

1 ) Ableton Live CPU Meter % - 38%
2 ) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? - Lenovo Thinkpad T400
3 ) Operating System? - Windows XP Professional SP3
4 ) Ableton Live version? Live 8.0.4
5 ) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? - Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 @ 2.8ghz
6 ) Amount of Ram? - 4 gigs DDR3
7 ) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? - Asio4All v2.0
8 ) Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 7200 rpm
9 ) Number of playback tracks? 8

and for fun:

16 tracks - 65%
24 tracks - 93% (slight crackle first time i ran it, but then stabilized with no interruptions and never crackled again after that first go)



And someones Mac Pro from page 10 of the performance posts (this is a quad core system btw)

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 38%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Mac Pro
3) Operating System? OS X 10.5.6
4) Ableton Live version? 8.0.4
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Quad Core 2Ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 9 GB
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Digi 003R Digi Core Audio Manager
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 7200
9) Number of playback tracks? 8


/end self serving rant. just needed to get that off my chest.

That's some great performance there. A similar spec'd macbook would use almost twice the power in the performance test. And crap out earlier too. I've contemplated going PC for years, but besides weaker performance, I do love the macbooks otherwise for general computing and every day tasks. Just wish they could be as powerful as they're PC counterparts.

[Donnie]

Never been able to jump on the Mac hype machine. I find it funny how everyones Macs seem to crash more than my music PC's. Seems like everywhere I go Macs are crashing, especially since they got the intel treatment.

All I see is more money, limited software selection, and hype. But hey, at least they look cool lol. I have no problem using Macs, doesnt really matter to me, its just for me personally id rather have the extra gear than an overpriced limited use hypetop.

[shuutobi]

After using a Macbook and OSX for almost 2 years, I can say I much rather prefer windows.
Of course I've been using windows for 15* years...

If were to ever go on a tour I would have a dedicated laptop, all my library content would be on an external drive and I'd use a netbook for browsing the web.

[ethios4]

[quote="SubFunk"]and on top of it, because of OSX, it's a myth that a mac is more expensive... the money you spend buying it, you save tweaking, maintaining and troubleshooting, restarting, driver installing, learning how to optimize your windows system for audio... etc, etc, something most people never think of... /quote]Speaking of myths.....

Yes, I spent a few hours learning the ins and outs of using a windows machine for audio production, but since then I have had almost no problems whatsoever in nearly ten years of using windows for audio production. I spend zero time on PC maintenance. I admit it's not as flashy and wonderful of an OS as OSX, but I'm not interested in that anyway. I do know that I got an amazing computer for $1200 that would have cost more than double that for a comparable Mac. Furthermore, I would have had to spend countless hours learning to use OSX to the same degree I know Windows. I think people are mistaken if they think switching from PC to Mac will solve their problems.

That being said, I've recommended to several people to get a Mac and not a PC - because they had no previous computer experience, and they had the money. Not because Mac's just magically 'work'.

Use what works for you.

[Donnie]

being said, I've recommended to several people to get a Mac and not a PC - because they had no previous computer experience, and they had the money. Not because Mac's just magically 'work'.

Gotta admit I do the same thing

[Gerald]

I can't believe I'm getting sucked into this but here goes...
1. Core Audio does "just work" right out of the box. Why would I want to install ASIO4all?
2. I support PCs and Macs for a living and I am still waiting for a Mac user to get a virus. (If they download and install infected software it's their own stupid fault, but that hasn't happened either.)
3. Why aren't you running Vista? (Don't answer that.)
4. Antivirus software sucks.
5. Why are we even having this conversation? If you love your T400 then make music with it instead trying to accuse Mac users of being smug.
6. I have a perfect right to be smug, you just have a problem with smug Mac users and there are support groups for that.

Now, go make music.

[d-track]

use pc at home.
use macbook at live gigs.
the white apple states implicitly "i am artist".
thats count.
just believe me.

[beats me]

Buy a PC

[SubFunk]

i love those mac vs pc discussions only bad and boring thing is that never an actual evil war emerges...

my hate for windows comes from plain experience with windows... and the funny thing is that whenever i needed to use a PC in my entire life (i am 40 years old using computers since i am a teenager) it was for professional audio use, cause that is what i do for a living... and it has cost me so much headache and grief and waisted time... i don't even want to start to tell all the tales. macs are far away from being perfect or never crashing, but they do it in a fraction, absolute fraction compared to windows based systems (about 10% of that what windows gives you or gave me on problems over the years)... at least that is my experience in over 20 years of computer based audio work.