PC vs. Mac - Thinking of Getting a Mac

Nikki Saco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 465

I'm thinking of getting an Apple Mac Pro (MA356LL/A) to be my primary computer for video and audio production. This from a 20 year PC veteran. Anyone out there have experience with both Mac and PCs? How do high-end Mac's rate as far as sound editing? I've heard a lot of positive comments from Mac owners but it would be helpful to hear from someone who's actually done a comparison and primarily with respect to sound editing functions.
irre

And here's my big question: is anyone using Adobe Audition on Mac through an emulator or dual boot with XP loaded? I don't think Adobe has an Audition version for Mac OS so . . . if not what sound editing program are you using on Mac?

Thanks in advance for your input. computer

Gary Johnston · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 57

Hi Nikki,

I think I can begin the discussion because I use both and added the Mac only recently. For cost reasons I went with the top Mac mini (Intel Dual Core 2) and I use a KVM switch to share the monitor, keyboard and mouse.

I've been using PCs since the early 80s and had always kind of left Macs alone. When my older PC was having "stuttering problems" with what I was asking it to do I decided to upgrade and chose Apple. A relatively painless experience to date and I've been pleased at the quality of sound I can get and how much I can throw at it before it squawks. It's also cool that the iLife suite is included. I just finished some family sound track/video projects and I was able to do everything I needed to without additional software, except the audio software of course, although they even include GarageBand, which can be used.

I faced your dilemna as well with software because I've used Cool Edit, now Adobe, for years. You are right, they do not have a version for Mac. I then started researching and came across a package called Tracktion made by Mackie. Read some great reviews, tried it out for a bit and bought the software. It comes with BOTH Mac/PC versions! It's a whole new experience but so far I'm pleased. I use a Tascam US 428 as my sound source and control board and it interfaces nicely on the Mac, giving me tactile fader and motion control in the booth. Unless you totally go for it and get Pro Tools, I'd suggest the latest version of Tracktion2 would suit your needs and it's about $120.
Make sure that whatever you choose is capable of exporting in mp3 format. That doesn't seem to be included in a lot of the lower end software bundles.

Good luck with the decision, Nikki.

Pierre Maubouche · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007, 11:04 (GMT) Post subject:

And now watch the PC and Mac brigades come and try and tell you their gear is best Laughing

Personally I have a Mac G5 dual processor 2.5 gig and protools just flies 0 plus it never crashes. Some professional studios use PCs, many use the same computer than mine, at the end of the day it's what you prefer as both work OK for sound.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007, 11:50 (GMT) Post subject:

The same thing applies to computers as it does to microphones:

The best computer to use?
- It's the one that works best for YOU.

Freddie Molina · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007, 13:21 (GMT) Post subject:

Nikki Saco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 465

I did go for it. It arrives today.

Freddie Molina · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007, 14:01 (GMT) Post subject:

Todd Ellis · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007, 21:50 (GMT) Post subject:

Nikki - You've joined the Dark Side ... Nooooooo!

Tom Greenlee · **Voice Talent** Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 945

Nikki....just to reassure you....I have the MacBook Pro that boots into XP and I use Adobe Audition 2. Works great. So I use XP for my recording/editing but Mac for everything else. It's a super quiet machine and it sure is nice having both OSs on the same machine.

Todd Ellis · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007, 22:38 (GMT) Post subject:

Tom Greenlee: Noooooo!

Tom Greenlee · **Voice Talent** Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 945

TODD!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! That's a recent thing too.....I've been strictly a PC user from the very beginning, but 4 months ago got the new machine. EXTREMELY happy with it. hahahahaha The force is with me young Todd....you too will see the light. Laughing

Nikki Saco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 465

I've joined the Dark Side?!?!? Who are you kidding?! lachtot

Nikki Saco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 465

Yeah, Tom. I honestly think I'll still load XP and run Audition; probably a couple other programs. I'm transitioning 20 years of habits. Doable, but not overnight. Anyway, the MacPro can certainly handle both OS's. I'm really looking forward to learning the new system.

Todd Ellis · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007, 01:41 (GMT) Post subject:

Gates is the anti-Christ - he doesn't count.

I'm just teasing - I was dual-platform when dual-platform wasn't cool. I had a 1st gen imac, a 1st gen ibook (orange) and a 1st gen power book. (I was in publishing and the boss had to have EVERYTHING as soon as it came out.

Here's my mac tip - NEVER upgrade to an even numbered release - only odd numbers - every-other OS release BLOWS!

Tom Greenlee · **Voice Talent** Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 945

Nikki....you will absolutely love it! Mac shows your windows partition as an accessible disk. You can Navigate to files that are on your windows partition and bring them over to your mac partition. For instance....you record and edit a file in xp and have it saved as an mp3 file on your desktop (or any folder). You want to burn it to cd, but you do all your burning in mac using itunes. While you're in mac you go to your windows partition (in mac it shows up on your desktop as a disk drive icon), and you navigate to the file in whatever folder you have it in and drag it off the xp navigation window onto your mac desktop and wah lah....there it is....you can now burn it using mac. However, the process is not reversible in the sense that when you're in windows you cannot access your mac partition, but when you're in mac you can access your windows partition. anyway....the best of both worlds and you don't have to invest alot of money in new mac software to replace your windows software....you can still use it until you WANT to switch over completely.