Apple G4 for running music stuff only?????

[Manicompression]

Hey dudes, I was just rocking out, lurking around Ebay. Im seeing alot of Apple G4s going for next to nothing. Ive wanted a computer soley for recording purposes. I do not have enough money to purchase any current Apple offerings.
Right now Im using a Gateway laptop running xp, with 1.5 gigs of RAM, and an external Lacie storage drive. I bought the Lacie because the Laptop has completely died once allready...... so yeah, that sucks when your working on stuff.
Im using a firepod and thinking about getting another at some point and after that Ill probably start working on buying more mics that rule, and some hardware compressors and eqs and so forth. I dont plan on doing much more than making demos for my own band for atleast the next couple of years. Im using the Cubase LE that came with my Firepod primarily, I plan on buying sx3 or 4 in the near future.
For my purposes would it be a pretty good call to get one of these G4 desktops (dual core), max out the ram and call it a day for a while. What kind of compatibility issues do you think I would run into ???
Please explain in as close to non computer genius terms as possible, because basically everything I know about the inner-workings of computers has been out of neccesity to track my music.

 

[Aaron Smith]

If you're planning on using Pro Tools at all, avoid the Quicksilver models from 2004, because for some reason Digidesign does not recommend you use them with Pro Tools 7. Unfortunately mine is a Quicksilver, which is a part of the reason I'm going to be upgrading this year. I'm curious why the Quicksilver models have specifically been singled out, though...

 

[Manicompression]

na, not planning on running pro-tools at all, thanks though... and yeah that is weird

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

How much are you wanting to spend?

Just wondering because this will SLAY any older model G4 even a dual core:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NIB-Apple-Mac-M...yZ111418QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Manicompression]

right on, Yeah thats feasable for me, like I would have to save a bit more, but if the benifits neccesitated it I could go that route, however the old dual g4s are moving for like half of that, and being that I dont plan on doing anything other than music production would it really be worth it to go with this, rather than say a dual core G4 with the ram maxed out. really I dont know jack about Mac's other than what I read on here.

 

[Transputer]

These old, old machines were dual processor not dual core.

Personally i wouldn't trust old unknown computers, hard drives don't live forever - roll yer own pc and if you must hackintosh it...

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I would say verses an old mac hands down mac mini for the win if you have to have a mac for cheap.

RAM isn't that much you could get started with that machine and grab the exstra 1.5gigs of ram later.

 

[beyond dead]

ya, and "just" for music production? i would say my music computer should be a good one, and browsing the net ect. would be slower. also, the g4 will be obsolete soon. the next version of os will not be compatible with power pc. also the intels are just ridiculously faster. get a quicksilver for internet/pr0n/pwning noobz and get a mac mini for music shit only!!! thats my advise. also, if you buy a g4, you could be buying alot of problems and there isnt really many parts for those suckas anymore. a new mac mini will be covered for a year, and you could get the applecare warrantee aswell!

 

[johnjm22]

Well, if you're interested, I have a Dual Processor G4 I'm looking to sell. I recorded my bands' whole album on it. Every song was around 32 tracks, at 24bit/48K with a decent amount of plugins running.

It even has the Marathon Computer Rackmount adapters which you can't buy anymore. PM me if you're interested.

Personally I would take an older G4 over a Mac Mini.

 

[Manicompression]

right on dudes, well that gives me something to chew on, It was really just a thought. So all I would need is a moniter, keyboard and mouse for the mini ?? and then wolla!! instant desktop thats capable of sweet performance ??

 

[beyond dead]

pretty much dude. i have an imac with 2gb of ram and a 2 ghz intel c2d, and it slays! the g4 can still work, and is cheap, but definitely will not last as long and support new software for as long. also, used computers have no warrantee, and are more likely to fuck up on you.