Nord User Forum

Well there's another option, although i'm not saying that this is the way to go or encouraging you into doing this but since budget is part of the criteria.... Try searching this online, "hackintosh". Something i read somewhere. Apologies to those who may be offended by this post.

Personally, I do not like OSX very much (but I know many of you do). Even though they are very highly praised, they are not without their faults, just like PCs. My brother right next to me has his iPhone doing random reboots and his macbook pro randomly ejecting the disc while not in use. I am not trying to say mac is worse, just pointing out that getting a Mac does not mean you will never experience issues. Also, getting a PC does not instantly mean troubles. I lived in Germany for about 2 months and a half with just my WIn7 netbook, constantly surfing the internet, without antivirus. I have yet to experience trouble. If you know how to give maintenance to your Windows 7 computer (for example, the only thing I do is run CCleaner on startup), and avoid installing a load of useless programs, you'll be more than fine.

I would go for a custom made, Windows 7 PC. But do try to get the Windows 7 Ultimate x64, as that one is the most stable. Another advantage of Windows is compatibility.

To keep it short I would get:

• Windows 7 Ultimate x64
• Intel Core i7-3770
• A Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H-WB Motherboard (has wifi, firewire, USB3 and SATA3) or an equivalent Gigabyte Motherboard
• 16GB or RAM
• 1TB SATAIII HDD
• BluRay Disc Drive
• A very good audio interface (can be USB3, Firewire or PCIe)
• A Samsung Monitor (screen)
• Logitech mouse and keyboard

All of that (not including the audio inteface) could be had for about $1,200 USD on Amazon.com or around 800 GBP, if I checked correctly. And that is not your average computer, that would be a short a video card of being a supercomputer. You could buy a cheaper mobo, or a cheaper processor and have a more than good computer. In fact, yesterday I bought 2 computer for around 430 GBP for work, they got a more than capable processor and are quite speedy.

Saludos,
Gustavo

Ok just read your post clearly and I sense that you are not going to do a lot of producer work, at least you do not seem to need it. and that you need the whole rig for 800 GBP

What I would do and in fact I did, is get a Mackie Onyx 820i and buy the small license for REAPER ($50 USD, even though you could use the fully functional demo forever). Then with the money left get a mobo that has a firewire port, wifi (if needed) and SATA III. Then get the best Samsung LED Screen (not a TV) you can get (I have a SA300, its terrific). Then get 8GB RAM at the highest speed available for your MOBO, then get the HDD and a DVD burner/reader. Then get the best Intel core i7 you can get (be sure to get an intel core i7 3xxx, that 3 means its the newest generation). For that you'd probably be more than well covered.

Saludos,
Gustavo

You'll get a low latency built in sound card that can be share with all applications with a mac.
With a win7 pc you'll have to install asio4all to get low latency with the built in sound card, only one application will have access to it.

That may be not very important and of course you'll probably buy an external sound card and get low latency anyway, but this shows how things are done : mac is a much more integrated Software+Hardware solution.

I find having no external sound card usefull when I go playing with a simple setup : QSC K8 + Laptop + Microkey + 4 cables. I carry only a small bag in my back and the amp in one hand, need only 2 chairs (one for the laptop, one for me).

My wife recently switched to an iMac with a 27" screen, very disappointed in the size of the font of the menus. I cannot understand why a customer-focused company like Apple refuses to upgrade the graphics of its menus (check the forums). What's the point of having a large screen if you need to strain your eyes to read the minuscule fonts in the menus. Just for that I will not make a move to Apple.
If you keep your PC clean and running the strict minimum of programmes you will not experience any problems.
I have devoted an internal hard disk to the music making activities and haven't had a problem in years.

I cannot share the apple hysteria out there unless they take simple customer requests like giving us larger fonts in their menus into account.

shark wrote:What's the point of having a large screen if you need to strain your eyes to read the minuscule fonts in the menus.

I have the same 27" iMac, and also a 30" Dell monitor for my PC running at an even higher resolution, and I like the fact I can fit more stuff on the screen.

I can understand the attractiveness of one setting to enlarge the fonts by say 25% (like you can on Windows), but that doesn't always work correctly in all applications. For example, if you enlarge the font on a Windows machine (Mac would have the same problem) some web sites aren't very usable anymore. Instead of basing sizes (i.e., where to place menus, etc.) on the font size of the user viewing the page, the web designer assumed everyone was using the same font size as him/her (often 12 pixels) and just reserves a fixed amount of room (in pixels) for menus, etc. If you enlarge your font and visit web sites that were (arguably badly) designed like that, you'll have problems with text being obscured by other text, graphics, etc.

This video might have some solutions that work for you:

If all else fails, you could just install Windows on the iMac and turn it into a very expensive Windows machine

mjbrands wrote:
This video might have some solutions that work for you:

If all else fails, you could just install Windows on the iMac and turn it into a very expensive Windows machine

Thx, mj done all that but the only thing I want to make bigger is the apple menu bar and its fonts which is impossible and Apple quite arrogantly refuses to upgrade it's os to make it possible. Yeah you can reduce the resolution and thus making everything a bit bigger but also more out of focus, what's the point of having a retina display then? DUH!

It's like having a Ferrari with a handbrake that doesn't release...

Mind you I like my iPad and iPod but on this little issue Apple really disappoints.

The last computer I bought myself was an Atari 1040 and it was perfect for music. I borrowed at my former job last year a 6 years old Mac and it was working very well with Cubase 6.5. Changing job has made me postpone my purchase ( because I needed to give the Mac back to my previous job) but it will be a Mac mini, with two basic 27 inch screen, no need for high quality retina stuff, it will be used for music only....
For the rest, I still have my 7 years old PC for Internet browsing and word and excell...that's it

Linux? Nah, just kidding. It probably doesn't matter too much actually. A suitably equipped PC running Windows 8 from a good retailer with appropriate software bundles will work just as well as the latest iMac. Admittedly the display on a Mac is bet-wettingly brilliant, but for a musician that's not such as a high priority unless you're getting into video editing. And of course, PCs are a little bit cheaper. I've got a 2009 Mac Mini and it's now starting to show its age a bit, with programs complaining about a lack of memory. If I can find a c.2012 refurb, which I've seen go for around £300-350, I might grab one of those.

DoctorC wrote:I've out grown my current PC, and I'm starting out with a clean sheet - so no previous DAW software bought to influence choice.

Which should I go for: A good-spec PC or an iMac / Mac mini / Macbook?
Pros / Cons of each?
Is the extra price of buying a Mac justified?

I'd appreciate advice or experiences (good or bad)

Thanks.

Buy the Mac. It's a superior os and a great piece of hardware.