Which G5 To Get?, How much power is needed? Options

[thegrapeguy]

I am new to the board but based on the purchase I'm about to make I will probably be visiting often. I am entering the world of computer-based recording because the Roland 1680 hard disc recorder I had been using is finally crashed due to disc fragmentation beyond repair.

In my research I have zeroed in on a G5, Logic Pro 7.2, Apogee Ensemble, and a Tascam 2400 audio control surface.
My questions are:

Which G5 should I get? - I have as many as 60 or so single song recording progects at any one time ranging from 16 - 24 tracks of audio. In the summer I offer a Music Video camp and will occasionally produce a "simple" music video with simple editing. I've heard for anything to do with video that the quad core is 2.5 the way to go. However I would like to get away with the 2.3 dual core if it can handle simple video. To what effect does the choice of dual core 2.0, 2.3, or quad core 2.5 G5's have to do with day to day music recording?

Are there any other alternatives for an audio control surface that has 24 faders than the Tascam US 2400? I feel I need this type of unit so that when I mix it will be as "old school hands on the faders" as possible.

I posted this in the "hardware" area as well since I didn't know where to put this post.

Thanks in advance!

[fishboisfo]

I strongly feel that you should pick up a quad G5 tower. Its video rendering and audio rendering capabilities alone make it well worth the purchase. It really goes back to how long you want to sit in front of your computer or walking away and come back to your project. If time is important to you, video and audio ( depending on the track load, effects, compression, EQ, etc ) can take a long time to render. If you are doing say an hour of video on a 2.3Ghz machine, it may take you a VERY long time. Add to that new audio, effects, etc -- and your talking . . . paint the garage and come back later kinda wait. DVD authoring and burning is another process to consider. If a 2.3 Ghz machine would normally take an hour to render, a quad will do it in 15 minutes. It has 10 Ghz of processing power; and, although it's pretty steep in price, you will not need to upgrade or want for more for a very long time. The Intel chips are new -- very new -- and although they are quick, G5's with IBM chips have been running exceedingly well and virtually "bug-free" for quite sometime now. Just make sure you max out your RAM -- a 23" screen would be great, and for God's sake get Apple Care -- It will cover your monitor as well -- and that's a really important thing to do -- with any monitor that cost more than $1000 bucks !!

I hope this helps.

Ce message a été modifié par fishboisfo - dim. 19 févr. 2006, 08:23.

[thegrapeguy]

Thanks Fishboisfo! I definitely want to make this purchase last a long time. Is what you're saying that the G5 quads that are shipping now have the new Intel chip or the IBM chip?
I thought the Intel chip was not due out for a while. Any potential issues with the Intel chip?

[emgcarra]

Hey, that stuff sounds great...! "fishboisfo" did a great job too, I would like to suggest a couple of external HD "free of anything else", just to storage
all that songs and their files...Good Luck..!! (joke) May be you must wait till
the G6 come out...!!!

[fishboisfo]

No -- The current G5 quads DO NOT have the Intel chip. The intel chips currently are only in the iMac and the MacBook Pro. The release dates on the Intel chips intro in the products in store and shipping were the middle of January / Feb (( Imac the MacBook, respectively )). I am not certain of any problems or "bugs" with any of the new Intel machines -- as I do not own one. I am familiar however with the awe inspiring speed and power of a G5 quad. I really can't speculate on anything else for you, but I do know a lot of facts with regards to Mac machines.

[drewott]

I actually bought the Intel-iMac a few weeks ago. I have had nothing but trouble with it! I am not going to list the problems (they are numerous and a pain in the arse!) , but lets just say when I brought it in to my local mac store, they let me return it w/ little to no questions asked .

With any complicated production process there will be sub-par products. Every car manufacture has produced a piece of crap, cpu's are the same - hey they can't all be roses! From what I have heard the iMac I bought was the exception that proves the rule that Mac produces quality products.

If you have the dough - GET THE QUAD!

Good luck to you.