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Original Message 1/28 10-Dec-01 @ 10:02 PM - recovering mac user

knowa

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just kidding--I'm still a mac user. I'm thinking about getting one of those 1+ GHz athalon machines, though. For my lifestyle--stuffed into a studio apartment with my girlfriend, her graphic-design computer, and maybe a dog joining the mix, full-time non-music job--time and space are big factors. With My G4 4OO, I'm finding that I can barely even use my new Renaissance Verb, and I have to mix down the Pro-52 contstantly. I really want to get something like Halion or EXSP24, but read a message from a Wizoo developer that said Halion is "useable on a G4 400", but runs better on the PC (and, I guess, on faster Macs). As I'll be a student again soon, there's no way I'm gonna be able to afford a faster Mac for a long time, and I'm considering moving over to the dark PC side before I'm living on some meager stipend. I'm not religious about my OS. Before e.g. I give up $1,000 for a TC Powercore, I need to know more about the PC option.

Anyway, I'm wondering what a 1.something GHZ Athalon machine actually costs. I've heard that the $1,000 machines that I see in the PC Mall catalog are not really set up for audio, but that's from Mac-loyalists. Is that true? I have no beef with my PC at work, and heard nothing but raves about the Win2k. Without starting "that debate", will you tech savvy-PC music makers give me an estimate/advice on an audio PC?

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Message 2/28 10-Dec-01 @ 11:45 PM - RE: recovering mac user

steve

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even in the uk 1gig athlons are stupid cheap so I figure they must be even .....errrr stupider cheaper in the US or somefing like that. They were right tho - its unlikely you`ll get a decent pc for audio stuff off-the-shelf, better to either put your own together or get someone to do it for you.

I can`t tell you any more as I`m stupid.

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Message 3/28 11-Dec-01 @ 12:32 PM - RE: recovering mac user

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Powercore - unproven; has a ways to go yet

Athlon - tonnes of power, less taxing on your wallet and now you can run all the software man has to offer

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Message 4/28 11-Dec-01 @ 01:03 PM - RE: recovering mac user

bedwyr

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marc_d put a pc athlon based box together the other month, very cheap. can you keep your mac monitor? even cheaper. off the shelf are no good, and you pay over the odds for shit you don't need.

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Message 5/28 11-Dec-01 @ 02:55 PM - RE: recovering mac user

knowa

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I could keep the monitor (it's a gateway). what about a good "roll your own" website? I'll search google, but I'm stupid too, steve, so I don't know a mobo from a mofo and stuff like that. thanks.

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Message 6/28 11-Dec-01 @ 03:13 PM - RE: recovering mac user

99devils

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http://www.prorec.com

Their "Roll Your Own T-Bird" article is really good, and there's dozens of people on that site running the same configuration that can help you with tech questions - If you don't deviate from the spec.

-Craig

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Message 7/28 11-Dec-01 @ 05:02 PM - RE: recovering mac user

knowa

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cool thanks. mac's have the "plug in and play" reputation, and I'm very confident in my ability to keep mine running fine. We once tried to reinstall windows 98 on a machine at work and basically killed it. that said, though, the one I use now is fine and doesen't feel "flaky" as PC's are often described by mac users. I'm only running IE, MS stuff and SPSS, though.

how much upkeep and fussing do you guys do? like I said, the only reason to switch platforms would be to use a softsampler like Halion extensively to save time. I'll happily wear the label "lazy" about my computer: even if a PC has much more 'bang for the buck' those benefits would not be worth it for me if I had to perform more maintenance.

I'll look at prorec. thanks

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Message 8/28 11-Dec-01 @ 09:09 PM - RE: recovering mac user

99devils

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You may have to perform more maintenance, but with the new Windows 2000 based OSes (2k or XP) I suspect that will lessen. These OSes are really friggin' solid as long as all your hardware is supported.

Having said all that, I had a mac that started to flake out after about a month and a half of use. My 98SE machine could beat that. Just keep the machine clean (like you do at work) - no bullshit programs, no cr$cks, etc..

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Message 9/28 11-Dec-01 @ 09:50 PM - RE: recovering mac user

knowa

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$1400 for a 1.8 ghz, 7,200 rpm SCSI drive...sound reasonable? thats from pcbuildit.com.

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Message 10/28 12-Dec-01 @ 09:40 PM - RE: recovering mac user

influx

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nah man. thats ridiculous. I could build you a way better machine for way less. you could yourself as well

Asus A7v266
Thunderbird
you can go IDE for drives now. no reason not to
say...a gig of RAM?

thing I dont understand..the A7v uses DDR RAM? ONLY that type? isnt that shit expensive? Theres always the A7v133, which really otta be fast enough right craig?

dunno, man. I think...you could build a VERY solid machine for say $700 (assuming you already have a soundcard and you DO have a monitor)

check this place out
http://www.star-components.com/index.cfm

its a shame they dont sell MoBos, but...

you know...ebay is a good place too. just find the exact parts you want and look for them there

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