Hi All
I'm currently doing research into my next studio upgrade and my aim is to make my studio more users friendly for me when working on my own rather than when just working as an engineer for someone else, but I still need to keep my options open to be able to deal with recording drum kits or whole bands.
I generally record at 48k 24-bit and see that as what I'll be carrying on doing maybe at a higher sample rate the computer i use is kept clean and only for music so no internet just music apps, I have the usual plug-ins stylus RMX, waves, Phatmatic etc, the music that I am working on for my personal project includes lots of audio and a mix of midi and software instruments.
Currently my set up is Logic 6.4.3 Mac G4 1.25 firewire drive 3 x Uad-1's 1 powercore 7 slot magma chassis, Motu 2408III Midex 8 2 x Yamaha O1v's Tascam MM1 line mixer
about 8 different effect unit's and various outboard / 2 keyboards , sampler 4 x sound modules, Yamaha dtxpress III ( just sold the drum kit as it was a physical impossibility for me to play and mic etc all on my own ) I use 4 different monitoring systems, I also have a dat machine, mini disc, and a Revox B77 ( which i love but is a bit of hassle because I have to store it in my live room ).
Now I'm open to all suggestions but I just want get a system that works for me, I like the idea of everything being feed into my DAW and mixed down there, using a hardware control surface but I am worried about latency and monitoring for clients, or changing mixers (maybe just adding another O1v) and mixing down to hardware digitally.
number 1 I want to upgrade my computer I am still open on platform and DAW as I'm not to sure about Logic 7, I would like to have full PDC in the DAW that I use I have used Cubase and Studiovision Pro in the past, the reason's that I'm not sure about Logic as the DAW even though I think it's fantastic are no full PDC, seems to be buggy and the lack of updates ( although there will be one just before NAMM which I feel a bit cynical about it's timing ), also the midi file dragging that crashes Logic if you have more eight midi devices enabled in core audio/midi is another pain also the Lack of information from Apple and lack of real support, also the treatment of Logic user's on the official Logic forum has me very worried to the point of after using Mac's for over 11 years I'm prepared to look at another platform for my studio computer needs.
Now I know that I will be adding 1 more UAD-1 and a firewire powercore and a few more software instruments and plug-ins I'm going to be buying some used stuff as well as new stuff if I go for a control surface and sell the desks I'll buy some more Motu interfaces and maybe an Focusrite octpre, but I would then have to have some kind of small mixer just to control my monitors and cd players etc.
maybe i could upgrade my desk but then if I'n not feeding everything into my DAW I would need a large amount of inputs to take care of 32 channels of audio and my sound modules and virtual instruments, I would like to centralise my mixing so that I'm not mixing on the desk and the DAW, I hope this kind of gives people an idea of what I'm trying to do any help a serious suggest is welcome and if you need any more info just ask I've got about two months research before i start buying I just want to get it right and a good solid working system that suits and helps my work flow.

TFFN
Activezound