On the subject of the best mac for Live use...
On the subject of the best mac for Live use...
Now that we all know about the coming wintel mac, what is the best setup for Live use for gigs? Most of you seem to be torn between the imac G5 and the powerbook or ibook. It will probably be awhile until the wintel machines come out so what is the best system until then? Obviously Sasha has been using the G5 imac and most other big names are using laptops.
What are you guys using to play gigs with? Which mac does version 5 run best on?
What are you guys using to play gigs with? Which mac does version 5 run best on?
I am neither a jockey nor do I spin anything....
-
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:41 am
- Location: Rome
- Contact:
At the risk of seeming like I"m taking the piss (I had to use that phrase as I can"t spell fasetiou... fascetios.... you know what I mean)... it seems that the best Mac to run Live 5 on is a PC..... having said that I"m just about to shell out for a dual P G5.... not for running Live though. Sorry just quaffed two bottles of Chianti.
Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays
well its obvious that version 5 will run best on the fastest macs (G5s) available.
that said, i get by just fine with my 1.5ghz G4.
for gigs i'm never cracking 50%. and while writing i've never had freeze more than 2 tracks to get back some CPU. it helps that i use alternatives for some more CPU intensive plug-ins (Live's Reverb, using AUMatrixReverb or WaveArts MasterVerb instead - Live's EQ3, i use EQ4 to do the same stuff.) but at the same time i do use plug-ins that aren't the most effecient (Hydratone, Kontakt 2, iZotope Trash, etc.)
whatever mac you get, get at least 1GB of ram in it (preferably even more)
Live 5 on OSX runs soooo much better with more ram.
I never think to myself "damn, i wish i had a faster computer". But when the MacIntel's do come out, i'll get one and i will be using alot more Reaktor 5 at that point.
I used to own an Athlon 64 3700, and about the only difference in my workflow from then to now is i use Reaktor less.
that said, i get by just fine with my 1.5ghz G4.
for gigs i'm never cracking 50%. and while writing i've never had freeze more than 2 tracks to get back some CPU. it helps that i use alternatives for some more CPU intensive plug-ins (Live's Reverb, using AUMatrixReverb or WaveArts MasterVerb instead - Live's EQ3, i use EQ4 to do the same stuff.) but at the same time i do use plug-ins that aren't the most effecient (Hydratone, Kontakt 2, iZotope Trash, etc.)
whatever mac you get, get at least 1GB of ram in it (preferably even more)
Live 5 on OSX runs soooo much better with more ram.
I never think to myself "damn, i wish i had a faster computer". But when the MacIntel's do come out, i'll get one and i will be using alot more Reaktor 5 at that point.
I used to own an Athlon 64 3700, and about the only difference in my workflow from then to now is i use Reaktor less.
2 x 2GHz G5 with Cinema Display. I never exceed 25% on the Live CPU, but I'm only running 6 audio tracks simultaneously max, minimum effects, no soft synths, but over 50 simultaneous MIDI tracks for lighting & video. But I need the rest of the power for Arkaos VJ, which is a CPU hog and will be until the HW version is released.
I don't mind the size or weight of the G5, but am looking forward to the Macintel Powerbooks. It remains to be seen how good the video for VJing is, though.
I don't mind the size or weight of the G5, but am looking forward to the Macintel Powerbooks. It remains to be seen how good the video for VJing is, though.
Last edited by hambone1 on Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-
- Posts: 1774
- Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2004 3:36 am
- Location: Toronto
- Contact:
I hear that this is what Sasha has been using lately.....
MD SPS-1 DARKENERGY JX-3P (PG200) Mbase01
http://soundcloud.com/cosmosuave
http://www.cosmosuave.com/
http://soundcloud.com/cosmosuave
http://www.cosmosuave.com/
-
- Posts: 1557
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:04 pm
- Location: Winter Park, FL
One thing that's nice about the iMac G5 is the small footprint of the unit.
Since everything is contained inside the screen, you can use the desk space right up to the front edge of the screen.
If you see how Sasha sets up his Maven, he has it pushed right up to the iMac screen.
I have noticed that while my laptop has a 17" screen, it still feels like I'm standing too far away from it if I place my MIDI controller on the table with the laptop behind it.
When I played a gig recently, I was cramped for space... so I placed my MIDI controller on the keyboard of my laptop. I found this much easier on the eyes, because the screen was closer to me.
So, for that reason... I really like the concept of the iMac.
Since everything is contained inside the screen, you can use the desk space right up to the front edge of the screen.
If you see how Sasha sets up his Maven, he has it pushed right up to the iMac screen.
I have noticed that while my laptop has a 17" screen, it still feels like I'm standing too far away from it if I place my MIDI controller on the table with the laptop behind it.
When I played a gig recently, I was cramped for space... so I placed my MIDI controller on the keyboard of my laptop. I found this much easier on the eyes, because the screen was closer to me.
So, for that reason... I really like the concept of the iMac.
do any of you mac giggers use a mac mini (with a cheapo lcd panel) or is the spec too low?
I'm curious, because I guess Jobbo will try out the first wintels on the more 'disposable' coffee table end of his market first - IE wintel macMini and iMacs . Because the apps mostly run on those machines are mail and word processing, not requiring rosetta too much.
just pondering.
BTW :
this is a classic machine: my second 'puter - complete with Greengate DS3 sampling card(s) and lightpen. It's the IIe all the way kids.
that one aint mine .. but it brings back happy memories. I am sooo Old !
I'm curious, because I guess Jobbo will try out the first wintels on the more 'disposable' coffee table end of his market first - IE wintel macMini and iMacs . Because the apps mostly run on those machines are mail and word processing, not requiring rosetta too much.
just pondering.
BTW :
this is a classic machine: my second 'puter - complete with Greengate DS3 sampling card(s) and lightpen. It's the IIe all the way kids.
that one aint mine .. but it brings back happy memories. I am sooo Old !
About the mac mini. I can run all the projects on it that used no more cpu then 50% on the dual g5. (they run at about 65-70% on it without dropouts)Angstrom wrote:do any of you mac giggers use a mac mini (with a cheapo lcd panel) or is the spec too low?
I'm curious, because I guess Jobbo will try out the first wintels on the more 'disposable' coffee table end of his market first - IE wintel macMini and iMacs . Because the apps mostly run on those machines are mail and word processing, not requiring rosetta too much.
just pondering.
BTW :
this is a classic machine: my second 'puter - complete with Greengate DS3 sampling card(s) and lightpen. It's the IIe all the way kids.
that one aint mine .. but it brings back happy memories. I am sooo Old !
I would hold out for the g5 mini though.
I run Live 5 on a mini and it works quite well (1gb RAM is a must), but if I had it to do over again, I'd probably buy a G5 iMac... I don't like seeing my CPU meter go over 50%.Angstrom wrote:do any of you mac giggers use a mac mini (with a cheapo lcd panel) or is the spec too low?
Mac Mini 1.42Ghz, 1gb RAM; OS X 10.4.5
M-Audio Firewire Audiophile - X-Session - M-Audio Keystation 49e - Roland V-Drums (TD-6)
Numark CDX (x2) - Allen & Heath Xone:02
M-Audio Firewire Audiophile - X-Session - M-Audio Keystation 49e - Roland V-Drums (TD-6)
Numark CDX (x2) - Allen & Heath Xone:02