Ableton Forum

I did the performance test now as well in snow leo, 25% cpu load in ableton live 8.04 (tested both 32 and 64 bit kernel, pretty much the same result). Mac spec is 2.4 Ghz Quad and 8 GB Ram.

Since when has it been cool to own a Mac if you're a musician? Surely being cool involves not conforming and being different?

I have a Mac for a simple reason, I trust it when performing live, Windows XP was a fucking nightmare, I could turn up to a gig, go through soundcheck fine, leaves everything as it is, come back and something won't work and on occasions, couldn't sort the issue there and then, I was only lucky at the time I wasn't totally reliant on the laptop.

The amount I've properly delved into Windows and OSX, they aren't much different to use and neither is better or worse. Someone will probably post lots of facts and figures, but I couldn't care less, as long as it's turns on so I can make music, it really doesn't matter.

Sage wrote:Since when has it been cool to own a Mac if you're a musician? Surely being cool involves not conforming and being different?

I have a Mac for a simple reason, I trust it when performing live, Windows XP was a fucking nightmare, I could turn up to a gig, go through soundcheck fine, leaves everything as it is, come back and something won't work and on occasions, couldn't sort the issue there and then, I was only lucky at the time I wasn't totally reliant on the laptop.

The amount I've properly delved into Windows and OSX, they aren't much different to use and neither is better or worse.

Someone will probably post lots of facts and figures, but I couldn't care less, as long as it's turns on so I can make music, it really doesn't matter.

The Truth

Yes, and of course the real issue here is the simple fact that those figures don't exist. It's all just wind in sails. So logically, how can one make the claim that Mac is worth more unless they just have money to burn?

The truth, they can't.


And that my friends is exactly why 90% of the Mac users who attempt to justify their BELIEFS are faith based fanatics bent on converting the "lost souls" of computerdom.

Hallelujah britches and siestas! Now pass that plate so's I can affords me a Mac!

håkan bråkan wrote:I did the performance test now as well in snow leo, 25% cpu load in ableton live 8.04 (tested both 32 and 64 bit kernel, pretty much the same result). Mac spec is 2.4 Ghz Quad and 8 GB Ram.

23% here...

how much more proof does everyone need before you start believing in PCs???

umm, yeah, that ain't proof, is it? So it's not a matter of how much your missing, it's simply just missing.

Sage wrote: Windows and OSX, they aren't much different to use and neither is better or worse.

They are however much different to maintain. Daily use is the same, problems on a mac are much easier to solve though. I've never had a driver from a larger audio company not instal on a mac, I have run into issues with drivers on PC where they simply wouldn't work, in both an HP laptop and a roll your own PC.

I'm not saying that justifies the Apple branding mark up that macs get, and especially their parts! just saying for some it's justified. Core Audio and Core MIDI are widely accepted as the standard on macs, on PC it's a little further removed, that's all. Plus audio programs on mac can access higher amounts of RAM in 32 bit.

Personally though I've been seriously thinking about a Panansonic Toughbook, as taking this gig into punk bars etc. is more common than dance clubs. If Windows 7 turns out stable and ass rapes OSX for the audio/midi stuff etc. then I'll definitely think about it.

knotkranky wrote:umm, yeah, that ain't proof, is it? So it's not a matter of how much your missing, it's simply just missing.

Missing what exactly?

DrXparaMental wrote:

knotkranky wrote:umm, yeah, that ain't proof, is it? So it's not a matter of how much your missing, it's simply just missing.

Missing what exactly?

agreed

Machinesworking wrote: Plus audio programs on mac can access higher amounts of RAM in 32 bit.

really?

knotkranky wrote:umm, yeah, that ain't proof, is it? So it's not a matter of how much your missing, it's simply just missing.

you're pretty thick in the head, aren't you?

let me try to explain this to you...

my computer cost about half as much to build than a comparable mac pro but outperforms a mac pro quad core. that is definitely proof by eery definition of the word! it's all in the numbers buddy!!!

SubFunk wrote:[not good???, show me an 8 year old PC actually still good for anything... probably he want not even be able to run word on it...

I use two 8-year-old PC's all the time. I am writing from one now. it has word on it!!! my other one has only open office and word perfect. also do photoshop elements on there and some cad (turbocad 10) it doesn't really run live 8 well but can do reason or energy xt

the one i'm typing on is worth $79 without OS. only 40g HD and 1g ram. I paid $1,000 for the other one in 2001 including XP pro. 80g HD +512 ram at the time (now added another 80g but still only has probably 768K of pc133)

my other screaming machine for music is a p4 2.6C (may 2003) which runs live8 fine for basic purposes. can't get crazy

McQ714 wrote:

knotkranky wrote:umm, yeah, that ain't proof, is it? So it's not a matter of how much your missing, it's simply just missing.

you're pretty thick in the head, aren't you?

let me try to explain this to you...

my computer cost about half as much to build than a comparable mac pro but outperforms a mac pro quad core. that is definitely proof by eery definition of the word! it's all in the numbers buddy!!!

yer thickerer cuz we're suppose to take you on yer werd.

and i don't see no #'s

This is fun, I wanna play!



I don't care what they cost, which is a better value, which looks better, or which crashes more, using a Mac for music is ten times better than using a PC.

- Built in Coreaudio support for almost any samplerate or bitdepth (does WMP even play 24bit files yet?)
- Aggregate devices
- Pro quality plug-ins stock (AUplugs derived from Logic)
- Less fragmentation issues (though OSX does still fragment files)
- Easy partitioning built in, so you can put critical audio files at the outside of the drive platter for greater throughput if needed.
- No viruses. It's possible yes, but there aren't any yet that people need to worry about. I can (theorectically) have Live open and the nastiest porn websites in the world, and never fear about a virus. Not the smartest thing to do of course, but it's one less thing to worry about.

wmp lol

DrXparaMental wrote:

Machinesworking wrote: Plus audio programs on mac can access higher amounts of RAM in 32 bit.

really?

Yep, Windows all 32bit versions can address 3GB in a single application tops, 2GB really.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... S.85).aspx

OSX Leopard can address 4GB.