New gear purchases....somebody talk me out of it...

S

Shredfiend

Member
Sep 2, 2004
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well, I'm looking to upgrade my equipment, using a VS2480CD.

I'm looking at probably picking up a Quad Core Mac Pro from MacMall later t5his month. Then Picking up a large monitor, a Duet, and Logic 8 later next month.

I'm still keeping the 2480 for recording some drums on location with a friend.

I also have a friend who's going to be working in a new studio in my town using a ProTools HD system who, I think would like to see me get a PT system of some sort. any thoughts?

Thanks.
 
Balls to Pro Tools.

Logic is good, but can be a bit fiddly with audio. I'm using Logic at the moment, and there are a few annoying things about it; been trying to work out how to do a simple tap-tempo ala Ableton Live, and if its possible, it's also well hidden!
 
You can get an MBox, or something...I say fuck PT though that's just my opinion. Not going to get into details or anything.

You can always use Reaper on OSX ;) It's "free", or $40 if you want to get rid of the screen you get when you open the program. Other than that it's fully functional and does pretty much everything. Pretty neat IMO. I've been fiddling with it for a couple of weeks off and on. It definitely won't take the cake from Cubase 4 for me, but not much can :)

~006
 
Actually, I'd say the Mbox stuff is garbage. Don't bother with that. You can get the sort of quality you'd get out of one of those things from an M-Audio Profire or something similar! Digidesign gear doesn't really get any good until you start spending big bucks, in my experience. the 192 stuff is great, but the Mbox's and the 002's and 003's are just overpriced shite.

Reaper on OSX is still a work in progress. It'll do most things, but I'm not sure how functional it is. I'm using Ableton Live and Logic 8, myself. Ableton 8 is looking like it's going to be a lot more helpful as far as recording guitar based music is concerned.
 
That's the reason I don't want to go protools.
I don't wan't to spend a bunch of money on extra hardware and a less than full on version of their software. It would be nice if we could all hae an HD system, but I don't want to spend a bunch of money and only get a lesser version of there full on software.



If I went with Reaper, which has crossed my mind, I'd probably just go with a cheaper PC and not worry about the MAC. Also seems like Logic and someof these other programs come with a lot of extra stuff like effects and virtual instruments.....if I go with Reaper seems like I'll have to hunt around for good freeware(don't know how good that will go) or buy extra VSTs.

The one thing is, I've never heard anyone regret going Mac and I've never hear anyone really regret choosing Logic......I can't say the same at Cubase or Sonar.
 
Yeah, honestly, Logic is the only way I think I could be happy (meaning, not impoverished) going Mac, since my complaints of there being no good free software for Mac would be nullified by the apparently awesome plugins that Logic ships with stock! (including a convolution plugin, w00t)
 
Metaltastic said:
Yeah, honestly, Logic is the only way I think I could be happy (meaning, not impoverished) going Mac, since my complaints of there being no good free software for Mac would be nullified by the apparently awesome plugins that Logic ships with stock! (including a convolution plugin, w00t)
Click to expand...

The included plugins are a lot better than what you get with most other hosts, in my estimations.
 
yep, i went the mac way a couple of months ago, i was a pc reaper user and absolutely loved it, so had my reservations about the mac.....however i think its the best money i have spent in my life (and no im not rich or anything, on the contrary im qyite the poor student), i have logic 8 and so far am really enjoying getting to grips with it, havent figured it out completely yet.

and i would agree the stock plugins that come with logic are really great

just my opinion ofcourse
 
So inspite of coming from a PC with reaper your real happy on the Mac with Logic so far. Do you think you made a wise investment?



I just have a feeling If I buy a PC and start working with Reaper, Cubase, Sonar.....whatever.....I'm gonna have buyers remorse 6months from now and wish I'd went with a Mac and Logic.
 
You could always do a Hackintosh. It's not that hard, and there are guides out there that are very easy to follow.

Of course it's also illegal... but who gives a fuck....?
 
MetalJonesy forwarded your post RE. Roland VS2480CD. I used to run the earlier model the 2400CD and about a year/hlf ago made tthe move you are about to do, here's a few pro's and coms of your options.

Staying with the Roland first - not really a good idea if your serious about engineering/producing - i loved the Roland and liked having real faders etc - but looking back the limitations regarding plug-ins etc are immense. i can now add any plug-in of any genre to my setup i a second and be using said plug-in on my mix. Even with the full expansion boards the Roland is years behind the modern engineers needs and for that reason i made the move to computer based rec.

Pro Tools - well - i have very mixed feelings about Pro Tools. On one hand it is a very good platform for editing track working with a tempo map/grid. Very quick snap to grid editing makes for quick non destructive workflow, and for editing/writing midi it is as easy as playing bass. haaa!
On the other hand it is a f**ckin nob. Pro Tools likes to disallow everything possible - any excuse it has to pull a hissy fit and it will - upload a plug-in that works fine in another platform to Pro Tools and it will freak out -
You can only record into Pro Tools using a Pro Tools hardware - which like folk have said are silly price for what you get until you go very high to Pro Tools HD.
The standard 003 - offers - wait for it... 4 XLR in. 4! what the hell is the use in that! yes you get line in's etc to make the input count up but i work with drum multitracking of at least 10 tracks in just don't understand the reasoning behind putting anything less than 8 XLR in on any modern device unless it's to make money. Which is Pro Tools favorite downfall - they are so obseessed with copywrite/illegal software that using Pro Tools is a suffocating/complicated experience unless you have serious money, every function you get as standard on any other platform is an "added extra" with pro tools - even down to something as simple as Continuos Scrolling Waveforms!

that said - it has it's uses and if you can get it set up with enough inputs and plug-ins it works well and is recognised as a leader in sound production, handy if you ever want to go for work in this industry.

The option i went for was to get a device with a sensible input count - expand it to a better input count Via ADAT and run signals into my PC to a platform that doesn't dissalow everything. So a MOTU 8pre - a Behringer Pro 8 ADAT (tho DO NOT GET ONE OF THESE!!!!! - get another MOTO or another quality ADAT 8 preamp device. These cheap Behringer devices have the worst preamps ever installed and with the "stepped" gain input - it is impossibe to set a level. IMPOSSIBLE!)
this setup allows 16 signals into Steinburg Nuendo etc and from there i can import the tracks into Pro Tools for adding midi etc should i choose to, or mix/produce withing Nuendo which is an excellent platform.

I have never used a mac so to talk about it would be laughable - my only concern would be the availabilty of plug-ins around compared to PC. but like i said i know nothing about this subject so meh...

For more technical info on equipment options regarding the above you would be better speaking to my mate metaljonesy as he advises me on a daily basis as to what equipment is about for each job i do - and keep asking here on the forum as i learn a great deal from other folks posts!

good luck! Tommie Vox - Available for Songwriting/Re-Mixing/Song Development/Production.
 
In my bands studo we use a Mac and Logic and have done that for the past years and we are seriously considering changing to Pc.
The amount of Plugins available for example VST is much higher than to AU.
Some features is good in Logic, and you get alot of good plugins from the start, but when you need something else, I feel like it never is available to AU or Mac.
Besides that, Logic is great to work with as a DAW and some things I think is easier than for example Cubase.
But if I could choose whatever i wanted it would be a PC and Protools.
But, the cash is always the limitation.
 
Shredfiend said:
So inspite of coming from a PC with reaper your real happy on the Mac with Logic so far. Do you think you made a wise investment?



I just have a feeling If I buy a PC and start working with Reaper, Cubase, Sonar.....whatever.....I'm gonna have buyers remorse 6months from now and wish I'd went with a Mac and Logic.
Click to expand...

yep i deffinately think it was a wise investment...no regrets whatsoever. there are alot of features in logic i still need to grasp. however i thought i would miss reaper a lot, as i absolutey loved it, but that hasnt hapened at all.

from a financial point i think its a good investment as well, as it has MUCH MUCH better resale value. and from my experience the apple service has far surpassed my expectations...that could not be said the same of with my expirience with dealing with HP

sash
 
So I was recording drums for my bands to be self-released album, today. I was using Pro Tools HD, with a 192 card, on a Mac G5. There was this point where a few tracks would only produce white noise... a restart fixed it, but it was definitely fucked up.

Never had that with Logic or Reaper.

Makes me laugh though... you get all these guys saying "well, Pro Tools might not have every feature... but it's really solid for audio" ... not in my experience, mate.
 
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