Low Budget Music Studio!!!, G4, G5, IBOOk, IMAC, EMAC??? Options

[riverron]

I've been recording on a digital 16 track station (Roland) for a while now and I'd like to make the leap to computer based recording, or maybe use the Mac for editing, mixing and mastering the cd. Since I'm starting out, I'd like to make this as painless as possible on my wallet. I wanted to get the latest EMAC with superdrive, or IMAC with superdrive. Honestly I'm leaning towards the EMAC with logic/pro tools.

Every person I talk to tells me to hold out longer and save my money for a G4 or G5, but none of these IDIOTS even work with music recording or editing.

I am buying a Mac this week, but I can't figure out which one to get for my needs. Every time I have tried to talk to someone about Macs and music...they always act like snobs and never really answer my questions. Then a friend of mine that owns a mac (but does not use it for music) told me about this site and asked me to post before giving up on people with Macs. So here it goes!

Has anyone ever used an EMAC with pro tools?
Does anyone out there currently use the latest EMAC with pro tools or logic and if so...how well does it work?

by the way the latest EMAC comes with a 1.25 GHz powerPC G4, 256 Ram(I'll upgrade to 1 GB of Ram), 80 GB Hard Drive and SuperDrive for around 1,200.00 dollars. And if I get the 160 GB Hard Drive 1,300 bucks. Not bad right? I've heard of people using pro tools in the past with Macs that were half as strong.

PLEASE HELP ME??? Sorry to sound so frustrated in this post but these last few weeks of asking around has been torture. I've done a search for EMAC info here in the forum and everyone seems nice and helpfull at this site. But no direct answer to my question. Any advice, suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Ron

[b-hamcomposer]

Ron, I'm no expert by any means but the new emacs look plenty powerful for audio, and the price is sure right. What you ought to be more concerned about is what audio interface you are going to use. If you would like to use protools software you must use digidesign hardware. It is really the best stuff for just audio, but its not the only option. If you don't plan on doing MIDI I would highly reccomend PT. Now, here you run into a problem.... the Emac has no PCI slot for adding in a mix card. How many tracks do you need at once? If just two, you can get an MBox for around $400 now which will be fine, especially if you just do your tracking on the roland and then load the files into PT for editing. If, however, you need more tracks you must go with either the DIGI002 or DIGI002 rack. If you want a sweet control surface and basic mixer, get the 002, but its bloody expensive. Otherwise the 002 rack is great. All of these are Protools LE based devices. That means you are limited to 32 tracks and are missing a few 'pro' features (the only one that really pisses me off is that you can't do video without a $700 plugin). It sounds just as good at Protools HD, though, except for the whole 192Khz thing. If you want to do really serious tracking directly into PT or really need the HD software, then you have to drop about $10,000 to get the powerPC and PT HD interface. Don't do it unless you are wanting to be a busy studio IMHO. You can get older PT stuff off e-Bay, like the 888, but it still needs a PCI.

Long story to say, get that Emac and an Mbox and be happy

Also, save the dough on the 160HD and get an external one instead. Better for many reasons...


nite

Chris

[b-hamcomposer]

never mind on the nite...

As for softare alternatives, there is Logic and Digital Performer, and don't forget our good friend Cubase. Of the three, cubase is IMHO the best, most intuitive and functional interface and is very flexible, but doesn't have the stablility on macs that you outta get. The new Digital Performer 4 is very powerful but not to stable yet in OS X. It is great for audio, and has a lot of nifty features... If you really wanted to do it I would just use the audio-only version of it called Audiodesk, which comes free with their firewire interface the 828MKII (from MOTU, mark of the unicorn). That goes for $750 and is probably the most stable and nifty recording system you can get on macs. Its a firewire device btw. If you do want midi I would try to find DP3, its much more stable right now. Finally, logic. I am about to purchase it myself. What I have heard is that it is the most configuable and powerful of all the sequencers, but its super expensive (i get an academic discount) and has a high learning curve. Again, its definatly big with people doing a lot of video work, midi, etc.

I think that for just audio, protools its the easiest to get around and works great. Audiodesk is a very very close second, and would be in first for me if you wanted to go for a firewire interface. If you spend that much to get the digi 002 rack you could get motu's 896HD, a firewire 192Khz interface with 8 xlr/trs ins. Its sufficiently powerful enough to track a full kit in one tack and the rest of the band in the next at DVD quality audio. pretty cool.

hope all this technobabble helps.

nite for real.


Chris

[riverron]

thanks b-hamcomposer, that helps. I will continue to do all my tracking with the Roland 16 track recorder and use the Mac with Pro Tools for editing. So I guess 2 tracks at a time isn't too bad. I might have to do the Emac and an Mbox combination. Unless someone else has an EMAC with a different set up? Please someone else have another way that wouldn't cost about 10,000.00 dollars.

[b-hamcomposer]

hey, the more I though about it, if you do want to track on your machine you oughtta consider getting the MOTU 896HD. Thats 8 analog ins at 192Khz with nice mic pres and some excellent software for tracking, mixing, mastering etc. You get a lot more than the PT setup and it will be the most stable. Also, no track limitations unlike Protools LE at 32 tracks. Check it out at http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp...nonetodaythanks

Good luck

[td3k]

Has anyone ever used an EMAC with pro tools?
Does anyone out there currently use the latest EMAC with pro tools or logic and if so...how well does it work?

We currently use an 800 eMac with ProToolsLE with an mBox and it does just fine, I am able to run several ReWire channels simultaneously (lets say 8 or so) with BombFactory Compressor on all of them and T-Racks on the Master fader with CPU to spare. Easily handles 24 tracks of audio without breathing. I'm sure the 1.2 would be even better.

Make sure to get a lot of RAM, and a Firewire HD to record to.

For the price the mBox is great, you get the interface and the ProTools LE software, and a great bundle (Reason Adapted, Ableton, SampleTankSE, ect.) for $450.

Then you could get Logic later if you decide you want to.

TD

[riverron]

td3k, you are my hero...lol!!! thank you soooo much for giving me the answer that I was looking for. I'm going to get the eman and mbox this weekend. Unless someone else out there has some reason for me not to, please speak now or forever hold your peace.

[jamie_lee]

I'd just like to put in another recommendation for M-Box. The ProTools LE software that comes with it is very good, and I found it a lot easier to learn than Logic (which I still don't fully understand).

One little point to note is that the iMac is quieter than the eMac. You might think this difference is worth the extra cash (I do).


Jamie.

[Dasa Soul]

THIS TWO MICS ARE FOR STUDIO RECORDING ,WHAT ARE YOU NEEDS, AS FAR AS APLCATION?