Upgrading my Setup

[fai31188]

I am finally coming around to upgrading my prehistoric rig. I need to keep up with the MacIntel upgrades for DP, and sooner or later my G4 dual 500 is going to be beyond obsolete. So, I am thinking about buying a macbook pro or a mac pro. The obvious advantages of the macbook pro is portability -- although I don't record offsite. I would use it on gigs (if at all) to trigger soft synths. The obvious advantage of the mac pro is processing power and all in oneness.

If I go with the laptop, this means I'll be giving up my UAD1 card. Is there a way to integrate my old/current G4 with the UAD1 in a new recording set up with the Macbook pro?

What would you do?

TIA,

aL

[emulatorloo]

If I go with the laptop, this means I'll be giving up my UAD1 card. Is there a way to integrate my old/current G4 with the UAD1 in a new recording set up with the Macbook pro?

Just a note -- you will give up your UAD1 with the Mac Pro as well -- Your UAD1 is a PCI card. The Mac Pro's have PCI express slots which arent compatible w PCI cards. UAD probably has a PCI express version by now though. So you could buy that.

That being said, I use a second G4 sometimes with VI's on it, using RAX. If your UAD plug-ins are AU's then RAX might work for you that way.

http://plasq.com/rax

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They also have wormhole, which is for routing audio around over the net from computer to computer. This might work for you too.

http://plasq.com/wormhole

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PS Since you don't really need a laptop, if it was me, I would get an imac core 2 duo rather than a macbook/macbook pro -- seems like it would do everything you want that a macbook/macbook pro would do, but more bang for the buck. Plus apparently the imacs have a socketed processor, the macbooks have a soldered one. Which means you will be able to pop a faster intel processor in the imac someday.

[fai31188]

Thanks for your reply. I should have been clearer about the UAD1. I understand that I'd have to buy a new UAD-1e.

I also understand that I'd need a new audio interface... I was just wondering if there's a way to integrate my current G4 set up into a new setup revolving around a macbook pro.

aL

[HCMarkus]

If you are doing serious audio work, I would encourage you to stick with a MacPro over an iMac, as the iMac does not allow HD expansion other than on the Firewire bus, which is also the only available bus for audio I/O. I believe you can get an eSATA card for the MacBookPro, which would allow you to keep your audio and disc I/O segregated.

You will be loving the plugin counts you will be able to achieve with either approach! Unless the UAD-hosted plugs are a big part of your sound, you may find yourself not needing the card anymore.

[BallPein]

[quote="HCMarkus"]If you are doing serious audio work, I would encourage you to stick with a MacPro over an iMac, as the iMac does not allow HD expansion other than on the Firewire bus, which is also the only available bus for audio I/O. I believe you can get an eSATA card for the MacBookPro, which would allow you to keep your audio and disc I/O segregated.]

SATA is lovely and all, and probably ideal... but, based on the OP's needs, it's hard to justify spending twice the money on a macpro just for SATA, unless he's mixing mad numbers of tracks. In addition to Firewire, the iMac offers USB 2 which should prove pretty darned capable as a secondary audio scratch drive, once you've daisy'd one or two onto your Firewire port, behind your interface. I have a firebox at home and an 828MKII at work... both seem fairly happy with media drives chained behind them, although we rarely run more than 48 tracks of audio or 6-8 tracks of video).

Alternately, you could always run your OS off an external USB drive, and use the sexy internal SATA for media... might require a bit of hackery, but definitely do-able. (I imagine you'd keep a backup OS on a partition of the internal drive just for emergencies.)

Also, there are other storage options like gigabit networking that would be worth looking into.

I'm in the process of shopping to replace my MDD G4 dual 1.25 ... which is still very capable but I need to catch up on this Intel business. I'm almost convinced that iMac, or maybe even mini, will be the way to go, at least until the ol' G4 rusts apart on my desk. Logic Pro has a 'node' system which allows you to do distributed processing over a network; I haven't looked into it too much, but could be very promising. Adobe After Effects has a similar feature, which is super handy... allows you to render
across the network. Something along those lines for DP would be sweet.

[emulatorloo]

I was just wondering if there's a way to integrate my current G4 set up into a new setup revolving around a macbook pro.

Wormhole and/or Rax would probably work well for you -- there are downloadable demos for both I believe at those links. GOOD LUCK!

[emulatorloo]

I'm in the process of shopping to replace my MDD G4 dual 1.25 ... which is still very capable but I need to catch up on this Intel business. I'm almost convinced that iMac, or maybe even mini, will be the way to go, at least until the ol' G4 rusts apart on my desk.

I too am on a Dual 1.25 G4 and my thinking is similar to yours. I got to borrow a 2ghz dual core macbook pro to play around with for a couple of days. I was THRILLED w Digital Performer on that machine. Files that nearly fill up the CPU meter on my G4 barely cause the meter to tremble on the macbook. It felt to me as good as a dual G5 . . .

So I feel like an imac Core 2 Duo (I am not a laptop person) would tide me over for a while until I felt ready to go to the pro machines. JMHO, FWIW

[Frodo]

I have to agree with a bit of what everyone has said. There are pros and cons of each computer type:

1. MBP--
pro: cost effective and CPU capable
con: no pci expansion, limited RAM

2. Intel-Pro
pro: more horesepower, more expandable with RAM and PCI-- more serious workstation
con: costlier, bulkier, not portable

3. iMac
pro: convenient, cost-effective, and CPU capable
con: no pci expansion, limited RAM

Another note: there are early reports still in confirmation (I believe thru MacFixit.com) of data leaks in projects over 2-2.5GB on MBPs and perhaps iMacs. They are still sorting this out at this time. I'm sure it won't be a long-term issue if it is an issue at all.

Thing to remember is that any of these machines will run DP quite admirably. It's all the plugins in combo with audio and MIDI tracks one uses at once that will be the real test of whether a particular type of machine is best suited for their needs.

The most crucial aspect to monitor is the quantity and use of virtual instruments. Even on the new iMacs and MBPs, limits can be quickly reached-- and options to run VIs in standalone mode to any respectable degree is probably not an option considering RAM limits.

The "interim" solution is worth considering if you find that your current setup is holding you back. Otherwise, it might be worth waiting at least until January announcements are made. There may be new machines at current prices, and current machines will get cheaper.

If you already have a G5 (or a model less than 2 years old), hold out and get the best Intel you can afford.

Just my 2•.

[HCMarkus]

I have a firebox at home and an 828MKII at work... both seem fairly happy with media drives chained behind them

BallPein, I am sincerely happy Firewire works for you, but I have seen so many problems reported here at UNation that were resolved by getting drives off the Firewire buss that I am loath to encourage anyone to adopt a platform that does not allow expansion. Remember audio tracks are not the only issue these days... VI's place a heavy load on drives and I/O.

[fai31188]

Thanks everybody for the feedback.... Very helpful indeed. I intend to wait until January anyway for any serious move. If I do go the Laptop way, what set of native plugins could possibly replace my UAD-1 plugs. I mostly use the Fairchild 670, Pultec EQP-1A and the 1176 SE.

TIA,

aL

[gearboy]

Maybe an older Dual G5 is the way to go for you right now. You can always do this, keep your UAD-1, and upgrade all of your software to Universal Binaries. I've seen my Dual 1.8 G5 (June 2004) going for $900 on eBay.

For me, the problem is not plug-in or track count anymore. Look at what I am using in my signature. Not much RAM, older Dual G5. I know that some of you need over 100 audio tracks. For me that's just nonsense, but some of the current mixes I am doing are 32-48 mono audio tracks easily, not counting Aux tracks. My machine works well for me and moving to Intel, even for field recording (I use a PB to field record -barely use plugs - and I mix on the G5), is distant future.

However, and this is the issue, combining the Audio and VI worlds together is not happening on my machine. I mean, I can get places, believe me. I can Rewire Live 5 into DP and push my machine pretty hard at 1024, but if I am playing keys with no latency at 256, forget it. I can create stems of audio, start a new project, do some VI work, bounce VI to audio, and then import into Master project as a work around, but if I have 48 audio tracks with tons of plugs and want to add some Reaktor or Kontakt Steinway Baby Grand tracks, forget it. More RAM may help, but stemming (I don't freeze tracks, maybe I should) is the only work-around for me, unless I want to hook my PB up to my G5 via a second 828.

But I haven't really gotten to this point yet. It's just a line in the sand that I'm going to have to cross at some point if I truely want to do everything real-time in the box as huge 48+ track productions. Until then, I have work-arounds that actually make me feel like I'm engineering!

Jeff