Deck On Os X.1.5 Vs Pro Tools Free On Os9, is deck better? Options

[cydonia2]

Hey everyone.

I actually have a few quick questions. First, i'm somewhat used to using ProTools Free, but have downloaded the Deck trial and am considering buying the entry level 8-track software. Besides the interface looking cooler, does it do a better job than PTFree? I know it uses a mac thing called core audio, which is supposedly new in OSX. I also know that Jaguar OSX.2 is supposed to work even better with audio and audio latency. Is it me, or is the latency in Deck less than PTFree? Also, PTFree has a MIDI sequencer, i guess deck doesn't, though it has midi maps. I don't know what that means, i'm just starting to dip my toe into midi. Midi capability is definitely something i want, even though i know there is a huge learning curve ahead.

2) I have a Yamaha PSR-270, just a cheap synth but it works fine. Through the headphone output, i connect it to a track on my Yamaha 4-Track cassette portastudio, and the aux (send?) from the 4-Track is connected to the Mac's speaker inputs. When i mix something down listening to the computer speakers, the sound is ok, but when i originally record the track, and monitor it through the 4-Track's headphone jack, it sounds like tape, washed out, with white noise, in stereo but just not "digital". Could you please explain to me why? Am i not getting the best sound this way, should i use my iMic instead? Is the 4-Track actually affecting the sound that goes into the sequencer?

Hope that wasn't too much, I'd really appreciate some responses.
Thanks!