Macs on a budget

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This semester I have been in a computer music class where we've been learning Logic and a little bit of Reason. I've grown to love Logic and would like to start using at home. I also would like to start some act that incorporates laptop/computer with live instruments.

The problem is I don't have loads of money to indulge on this desire (which is really at the impulse stage right now). I'm wholly unsatisfied with what I can do with my current setup at home (Win98 computer, Sonar 2.1). So I'd like to make my new music production computer a Mac, but I've got $500-700 I can put into this maybe.

Are there similar programs to Logic that are on PC that I should check out? My father has a newish PC laptop that he never uses, so loading that with another program is definitely an option. And if I decide to go with a Mac with Logic, what are the pros and cons of an iBook over say a Mac Mini? I like the price of the Mini, obviously, but it doesn't seem all that impressive. Also, despite being tiny, I can't imagine it being terribly easy to use this in a gig envirnoment, at least not as easy as a laptop.

― Loltenant in the Lmaoist Rofflution (Matt Chesnut), Friday, 2 December 2005 05:12 (nineteen years ago)

If you're looking at new Macs, keep in mind that they come woefully lacking in RAM. iBooks don't have audio inputs, but there are doohickeys.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 2 December 2005 05:42 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I was figuring in doohickeys as part of the cost (USB or Firewire audio interface from M-audio or something similar).

― Loltenant in the Lmaoist Rofflution (Matt Chesnut), Friday, 2 December 2005 05:58 (nineteen years ago)

before Logic went Mac-only, it was a PC app as well. You might find an older PC version of Logic on the cheap from someone on ebay or something like that...

I don't endorse software piracy which is why I've not mentioned it as an option. (DO look for student discounts on everything if you are currently a student tho.) Please anyone responding after me, try not to derail the thread regarding piracy. I apologize in advance if I've started something. :0

― martin m. (mushrush), Friday, 2 December 2005 07:02 (nineteen years ago)

Wait for a couple of months to see what might happen in January with rumors of Intel based Macs.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 2 December 2005 07:41 (nineteen years ago)

i love logic too. the whole thing seems very evolved, musical and intuitive. i would go for trailing edge software off ebay if poss. you can pick-up logic 5 for about £20.

also question for the boffs: will logic run on the linux platform? if so could he use a free OS and strip back all non-essentials to optimise performance?

― john clarkson, Friday, 2 December 2005 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

then can i customise OSX to roughly the same effect?

also, i'm unsure why there is such a big fuss about intel macs - what are the advantages?

― john clarkson, Friday, 2 December 2005 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not finding any old versions of Logic on eBay, unfortunately. However, depending on the specs of my laptop, I may look into getting Cubase. It looks pretty similar to Logic and seems to have some level of regard 'round here.

― Loltenant in the Lmaoist Rofflution (Matt Chesnut), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:50 (nineteen years ago)

then can i customise OSX to roughly the same effect?

I guess. I'm not exactly sure what the question is but I'm positive Logic won't run on Linux.

also, i'm unsure why there is such a big fuss about intel macs - what are the advantages?

Nobody knows for sure yet. They could be faster, they could be cheaper, and hopefully they'll be both. The main point is with rumors flying around of new laptops in January, now is a really bad time to buy.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

thanks walter

luckily i won't be in a buying position until march 2006 at least and i'll keep my ears up all over then

*drunken*

― john clarkson, Friday, 2 December 2005 22:38 (nineteen years ago)

Just to say that Logic will not run on an x86 machine without recompilation of the source code-- Macs are big-endian machines whereas x86s are little-endian.

also, i'm unsure why there is such a big fuss about intel macs - what are the advantages?

They will be fast. Very fast. The problem is that Apple can't get a G5 chip to run cool enough to go into a mobile device, whereas Intel have got chips that can run at mad speeds without melting the laptop.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Saturday, 3 December 2005 11:44 (nineteen years ago)

Wait for a couple of months to see what might happen in January with rumors of Intel based Macs.

I think the release date for these is waaaaay beyond that. They have to port all the software, etc. I think the goal is June '06, and you probably don't want to own the first generation of these, nahmean?

That said, I am holding out.

― Confounded (Confounded), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

I think the release date for these is waaaaay beyond that.

Most likely but I was just repeating the rumor from here

They have to port all the software, etc.

Well, OS X has been running on x86 processors for 5 years and Apple obviously has a head start on porting all of their own apps as well. Pro apps like photoshop won't be ready which is why the rumor focused on lower end ibooks and minis rather than the desktop models.

I think the goal is June '06, and you probably don't want to own the first generation of these, nahmean?

I've never really bought into the whole anti-rev-1 paranoia personally.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

Just to say that Logic will not run on an x86 machine without recompilation of the source code-- Macs are big-endian machines whereas x86s are little-endian.

Yes, but OS X 86 has mechanisms to emulate PPC code.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 7 December 2005 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

I've never really bought into the whole anti-rev-1 paranoia personally.

Nano.

― Confounded (Confounded), Thursday, 8 December 2005 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

I have a nano actually. What's the problem with it?

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

Scrrrrrratch

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Thursday, 8 December 2005 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure they'll release a patch to fix that problem.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

like an iron-on?

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 8 December 2005 21:10 (nineteen years ago)

That would be hot. Maybe Apple will go all glittery!

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:43 (nineteen years ago)

http://yesmuseum.org/collectors/iron_ons/ironOnGlitter.jpg

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:44 (nineteen years ago)

...is Logic Express worth the money?

― giboyeux (skowly), Monday, 19 December 2005 03:13 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

http://homepage.mac.com/nicowald/SubtleSoft/

ok this is really cool, it lets you do insane shit with midi. I used it to simulate a clock signal based on notes send to from PD (like max) for my external sequencer

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Sunday, 8 January 2006 03:23 (nineteen years ago)

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