New DAW advice for PC?

Mr. Grinder

Hey y'all,

Could anyone here give me some advice on switching DAWs please?

I've been using Logic for about 2 years now, and I really really like it. But I want to get a very powerful PC, as I'm running into memory issues on my Imac. Unfortunately Mac Pros are way too expensive. So I've decided to switch back to a PC, as I could get a behemoth for half the price.

Basically, I'll be doing a two types of music. Heavy guitar stuff as well as dark electronic stuff (Logic was great for those).

So I'd need a DAW that can do both really well. I was thinking about Pro Tools, but a lot of people say it's not that great with midi or for Electro type stuff.

Some people have been suggesting Reaper, but that it's effects are not great. I'm not too bothered by that as I have a lot of third part AU/VSTs that I could use. As long as the sound engine is up to the job, and it handles midi well for synths, etc. Then I'd be happy.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

G.

PS - I know there's a way to do a 'mackintosh' for a PC, but I'm not the may west when it comes to computers. So I just want something that is as hassle free as possible.

madtheory

What sort of memory problems? What's the spec on your Mac? Can you put more RAM in? Can you put a faster Intel in?

Learning a new DAW will do your head in. Logic is great, if you like it you should stick with it.

PaulBrewer

I know little about PCs.

However, I think you need a very strong argument for changing DAWs .

In my observations PTools and Logic are the 'top' two.

Why not buy a secondhand Mac at the price you can afford, replace the drive (effectively the only part that might break down) fill her up with RAM ( not expensive these days) and rock on ?

I'm using a £650 Mac Quad G5 with Protools HD - I cloned the old drive and RAMmed her up to the gills.

I do my Repair Permissions regularly and Disk Warrior every few months and she's rocking away with no problems for the last 2.5 years.

Mr. Grinder

Thanks man,

I'm actually quite sad to be leaving Logic, as I think it's a wonderful DAW. I just think Apple's prices are way over bloated.

I hear what you're saying about buying a second hand Mac. But TBH, as I'm pretty krud with computers I'd be afraid of screwing it up by opening it, and tampering with it. Plus, there's always that fear of buying a dud.

Also, as I work as a designer (sound is just a hobby for me) so I'll now need a PC for certain applications that are unavailable on a Mac.

I've been so tempted by Pro Tools 'cause I do the whole guitar thing as well, but I've been hearing that it's a little behind on the midi front. Just from what I've read form a lot of electronic artistes say.

Thanks.

Mr. Grinder

madtheory wrote: »

What sort of memory problems? What's the spec on your Mac? Can you put more RAM in? Can you put a faster Intel in?

Learning a new DAW will do your head in. Logic is great, if you like it you should stick with it.

Ah, it's all the 3rd party plug ins I use making (or trying to) Drum N Bass. It's an i5 Imac, it's not a quad core or anything like that.

I don't really mind a new learning curve tbh, as long as I'll be able to get the job done (eventually).

Thanks!

Reaper should nearly be considered..

Mr. Grinder

Deleted User wrote: »

Reaper should nearly be considered..

Reaper certainly peaked my interest after I read a post from Genius DnB producer, 'Dom & Roland'. He basically switched from Logic (after 15 years) to Reaper, and said he'd never go back. High praise indeed!

madtheory

Mr. Grinder wrote: »

Ah, it's all the 3rd party plug ins I use making (or trying to) Drum N Bass. It's an i5 Imac, it's not a quad core or anything like that.

So it might be a dual core? But we'd need more info than that!
1. Post a pic of the memory error dialogue box- it might be a software issue or something odd that you're doing. Are you freezing tracks?
2. Have you maxed out the RAM?
3. Do you have a 7200 rpm drive?
4. You can upgrade the processor, it's socketed.

Maybe you need to go to "About this Mac..." and read the basic specs off that.

Ya, Macs seem expensive but actually a Windows box with a similar spec is about the same price if you're using the same brand and speed of HD, optical drive, display etc. Even the cooling system needs to be taken into account- Windows boxes save money by being noisier!

Mr. Grinder

madtheory wrote: »

So it might be a dual core? But we'd need more info than that!
1. Post a pic of the memory error dialogue box- it might be a software issue or something odd that you're doing. Are you freezing tracks?
2. Have you maxed out the RAM?
3. Do you have a 7200 rpm drive?
4. You can upgrade the processor, it's socketed.

Maybe you need to go to "About this Mac..." and read the basic specs off that.

Ya, Macs seem expensive but actually a Windows box with a similar spec is about the same price if you're using the same brand and speed of HD, optical drive, display etc. Even the cooling system needs to be taken into account- Windows boxes save money by being noisier!

Thanks mate. But I'll still need to switch back to a PC irregardless of my Mac specs. As I need to use 3ds max for my job, an it's not available for a Mac.

Cheers.

madtheory

A Mac can run Windows too y'know...

Mr. Grinder

madtheory wrote: »

A Mac can run Windows too y'know...

Maybe, but I want as little hassle as possible... So, like I said, I'm going back to a PC.

madtheory

Noooo! You cannot go to the darkside!!

fitz

Mr. Grinder wrote: »

Maybe, but I want as little hassle as possible... So, like I said, I'm going back to a PC.

If you want as little hassle as possible, keep the iMac for audio (unless you're completely hammering it with excessive amounts of plugins and loads of virtual instruments at the same time, it's should be well up to the task), and get a PC for 3D SMax.

Trying to get audio up and running with a PC could end up as a bigger headache than you're trying to avoid.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

reaper on windows 7 with a quad core and 6 - 8 gig ram will sort you out

Adyx

fitz wrote: »

If you want as little hassle as possible, keep the iMac for audio (unless you're completely hammering it with excessive amounts of plugins and loads of virtual instruments at the same time, it's should be well up to the task), and get a PC for 3D SMax.

Trying to get audio up and running with a PC could end up as a bigger headache than you're trying to avoid.

Attach interface (USB/Firewire/PCI/whatever you're having), install ASIO drivers, launch DAW, job done. No hassles or headaches. Maintaining 2 computers when one will do fine is a bigger headache if you ask me.

Mr. Grinder

fitz wrote: »

Trying to get audio up and running with a PC could end up as a bigger headache than you're trying to avoid.

Cheers, but I'd prefer one 'uber computer' that does both. I don't really want 2 computers taking up too much space in my rather small home office.

Plus, I used to use my PC, a few years back, when I was originally using Ableton, and it was handy enough to set up. However, it did crash just as much as Logic does on my mac.

DaDumTish wrote: »

reaper on windows 7 with a quad core and 6 - 8 gig ram will sort you out

Sounds good! I've just installed a demo on my Mac to see how it goes before making the 'big switch'.

Incidentally this is what 'Dom & Roland' said about Reaper on Gearslutz:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/602301-apple-logic-x-rumours-20.html

That's some recommendation coming form a producer of his caliber.



Thanks for everyone's suggestions btw!!

Adyx

I use Reaper and Ableton Live. I honestly don't think Reaper has ever crashed on me, Live has a couple of times. As I said in another thread, I don't like doing midi stuff in Reaper. It just doesn't feel as intuitive as Live. That's a personal preference though and the flip side is I much prefer recording and mixing my typical band stuff in Reaper.

flyswatter

PaulBrewer wrote: »

I know little about PCs.


In my observations PTools and Logic are the 'top' two.

Is this not only the case in a pro studio environment?

If it's a home project studio, I personally find Pro Tools to be slow and bloated, inconvenient needing an external hard drive and dongle.

Reaper would be a good option and you most likely could customize to act and feel like Logic being the highly customizable pup that it is.

You could look at Sonar, Cubase also.

I'd love to see what that Presonus Studio One is like. Looks sweet.

Adyx

flyswatter wrote: »

Is this not only the case in a pro studio environment?

If it's a home project studio, I personally find Pro Tools to be slow and bloated, inconvenient needing an external hard drive and dongle.

Reaper would be a good option and you most likely could customize to act and feel like Logic being the highly customizable pup that it is.

You could look at Sonar, Cubase also.

I'd love to see what that Presonus Studio One is like. Looks sweet.

There's a free version available now. Not sure what kind of limitations it has compared to the full price version though.

MilanPan!c

In the States the obvious answer to this question is Cakewalk Sonar X1, which is brilliant and is used by hobbyists and pros and in professional studios.

It's extremely close to Logic in many ways and for PC I wouldn't choose anything else.

Here though, few use it or know it. But that's not a reflection on it's quality!

http://m.musicradar.com/gear/all/computers-software/digital-audio-workstations-daws/sonar-x1-332533/review

Btw., the issues they mention have been adressed for months... It's really worldclass!

Here's the SoundOnSound review:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr11/articles/sonar-x1.htm

frozenfrozen

Why don't you go hackintosh, it's a lot of fiddling but its the best way to get a very powerful mac for a fraction of the price. http://tonymacx86.com/ is a very helpful website if you're interested and there are plenty of really basic step by step tutorials out there. Just a thought but you should really try stick to mac if it's what you've been using so far.

shayleon

love my Cubase, but from everything I read about Reaper, if I had to start with a new DAW, it would have been Reaper without any doubt. I was especially convinced by Mike Senior, main mix guy from SoundOnSound who favours it on others.