[Rick Stone]

So I've been happily putting along with Samplitude through several PCs
and OS's since 1999. I'm still using version 6, which works fine. But
Swee****er was offering a really nice deal on Protools 9 and I had a
store credit that I needed to use anyway, so I took the plunge.

The thing is, PT9 only runs on Windows 7 or a Mac OS 10 and up.

I have Windows 7 on my laptop, but my 2 desktop PCs in the studio are
all still running XP. They're fine for recoding audio, but are showing
their age and I don't really think they can handle upgrading Windows 7.

I can run the Protools on my laptop with the Mbox2 mini that they threw
in with the deal, but my main studio interface has been a Motu 2408
which is still working great for my purposes.

For awhile I've toyed with the idea of getting a Mac, and while I could
get a pretty decent iMac for about the same price as a PC, they don't
seem to support PCI cards, so then I'll need to get a new audio
interface as well.

So my question is this. Should I:

1) get an iMac and shop for a new audio interface (something that will
support 24 channels like the MOTU)?

2) stick with the PC and go on happily using my 2408?

3) consider a used Mac (if so, what's a good source?)

Alternately, is there a way to use a PCI card with an iMac (some sort of
hardware extension)?

My studio is in my basement and although I've made a few friends CDs
here, it's mainly just used to record my own group's rehearsals and for
mixing/editing. We record only live acoustic jazz, so we really DO use
all those inputs all the time. On the other hand, this has never been a
profit motivated operation, so keeping the expenses down is a very real
concern.

Some opinions and feedback are welcome here.

--
Musically Yours,
Rick Stone
Website: http://www.rickstone.com
Recordings: http://www.cdbaby.com/all/jazzand
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/jazzand
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rickstonemusic
EPK: http://www.sonicbids.com/rickstone

[rakmanenuff]

On Dec 18, 10:04*pm, Rick Stone wrote:
So I've been happily putting along with Samplitude through several PCs
and OS's since 1999. *I'm still using version 6, which works fine. *But
Swee****er was offering a really nice deal on Protools 9 and I had a
store credit that I needed to use anyway, so I took the plunge.

The thing is, PT9 only runs on Windows 7 or a Mac OS 10 and up.

I have Windows 7 on my laptop, but my 2 desktop PCs in the studio are
all still running XP. *They're fine for recoding audio, but are showing
their age and I don't really think they can handle upgrading Windows 7.

I can run the Protools on my laptop with the Mbox2 mini that they threw
in with the deal, but my main studio interface has been a Motu 2408
which is still working great for my purposes.

For awhile I've toyed with the idea of getting a Mac, and while I could
get a pretty decent iMac for about the same price as a PC, they don't
seem to support PCI cards, so then I'll need to get a new audio
interface as well.

So my question is this. Should I:

1) get an iMac and shop for a new audio interface (something that will
support 24 channels like the MOTU)?

2) stick with the PC and go on happily using my 2408?

3) consider a used Mac (if so, what's a good source?)

Alternately, is there a way to use a PCI card with an iMac (some sort of
hardware extension)?

Some opinions and feedback are welcome here.

Hm. Could you just keep recording the way you do now
on the old PC, then export the Pro Tools project to
PT9 for any further editing or processing? Via USB
stick or something.
Exporting Pro Tools projects between computers usually
straightforward and easy. (exporting back to
the older version can't work though).

It seems that a Firewire to PCI expansion
chassis costs almost as much as a MacBook Pro.

http://www.initpc.it/cb1h-adattatore...source=pangora

If you're using a Motu 2408 Mk1 or Mk2 you can't
use the PCI 324 card with newer Macs for instance,
but you could keep using your Motu 2408 with a Mac Pro
(or a newer PC I'd imagine) if you bought a PCI 424 card,
which is PCI express.

How do you get 24 channels on the Motu? Are you
using the adat ports? There are only 8 analog jack inputs.

If you had a laptop with a mini PCI-e slot there are products
like these:
http://us.startech.com/product/PEX2P...-Expansion-Bay
http://www.acquitek.com/2-slot/pci-e...on-system.html

IMO the Motu 2408 sounds better than many other
interfaces (including the MBox mini).
Getting 24 channels at the same level of quality as
the Motu 2408 isn't gonna be cheap, you're nearly
at the point where you could go Mac Pro/ PCI 424 and
stick with your 2408 in that case?

(The Motu 2408 has a sweet sound, more tops and
less mid than most interfaces, the MBox mini sounds
harsh and mid-rangey, more "rock". To beat the Motu
you'd have to go for a quality brand and spend some
money IMO.)

[Rick Stone]

On 12/18/2010 6:30 PM, rakmanenuff wrote:
On Dec 18, 10:04 pm, Rick wrote:
So I've been happily putting along with Samplitude through several PCs
and OS's since 1999. I'm still using version 6, which works fine. But
Swee****er was offering a really nice deal on Protools 9 and I had a
store credit that I needed to use anyway, so I took the plunge.

The thing is, PT9 only runs on Windows 7 or a Mac OS 10 and up.

I have Windows 7 on my laptop, but my 2 desktop PCs in the studio are
all still running XP. They're fine for recoding audio, but are showing
their age and I don't really think they can handle upgrading Windows 7.

I can run the Protools on my laptop with the Mbox2 mini that they threw
in with the deal, but my main studio interface has been a Motu 2408
which is still working great for my purposes.

For awhile I've toyed with the idea of getting a Mac, and while I could
get a pretty decent iMac for about the same price as a PC, they don't
seem to support PCI cards, so then I'll need to get a new audio
interface as well.

So my question is this. Should I:

1) get an iMac and shop for a new audio interface (something that will
support 24 channels like the MOTU)?

2) stick with the PC and go on happily using my 2408?

3) consider a used Mac (if so, what's a good source?)

Alternately, is there a way to use a PCI card with an iMac (some sort of
hardware extension)?

Some opinions and feedback are welcome here.

Hm. Could you just keep recording the way you do now
on the old PC, then export the Pro Tools project to
PT9 for any further editing or processing? Via USB
stick or something.
Exporting Pro Tools projects between computers usually
straightforward and easy. (exporting back to
the older version can't work though).

It seems that a Firewire to PCI expansion
chassis costs almost as much as a MacBook Pro.

http://www.initpc.it/cb1h-adattatore...source=pangora

If you're using a Motu 2408 Mk1 or Mk2 you can't
use the PCI 324 card with newer Macs for instance,
but you could keep using your Motu 2408 with a Mac Pro
(or a newer PC I'd imagine) if you bought a PCI 424 card,
which is PCI express.

How do you get 24 channels on the Motu? Are you
using the adat ports? There are only 8 analog jack inputs.

If you had a laptop with a mini PCI-e slot there are products
like these:
http://us.startech.com/product/PEX2P...-Expansion-Bay
http://www.acquitek.com/2-slot/pci-e...on-system.html

IMO the Motu 2408 sounds better than many other
interfaces (including the MBox mini).
Getting 24 channels at the same level of quality as
the Motu 2408 isn't gonna be cheap, you're nearly
at the point where you could go Mac Pro/ PCI 424 and
stick with your 2408 in that case?

(The Motu 2408 has a sweet sound, more tops and
less mid than most interfaces, the MBox mini sounds
harsh and mid-rangey, more "rock". To beat the Motu
you'd have to go for a quality brand and spend some
money IMO.)

Well, I've got the ORIGINAL Motu 2408 (got it in January 1999). I
already had to upgrade to the PCI 424 card a few years ago when I went
to Windows XP (I think it was SP2 that was finally incompatible with the
324 card). I do like the Motu quite a bit, so am reluctant to retire it
since it does exactly what I purchased it for just fine.

I'm actually still using an Alesis Studio 32 mixer for a headphone mix
and running 16 channels out to two ADAT-XTs going into the 2408 via
light-pipe. I use the 8 Motu analog channels for various tape decks,
mixers & preamps.

--
Musically Yours,
Rick Stone
Website: http://www.rickstone.com
Recordings: http://www.cdbaby.com/all/jazzand
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/jazzand
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rickstonemusic
EPK: http://www.sonicbids.com/rickstone

[Rick Stone]

On 12/18/2010 6:47 PM, rakmanenuff wrote:
On Dec 18, 10:04 pm, Rick wrote:
So I've been happily putting along with Samplitude through several PCs
and OS's since 1999. I'm still using version 6, which works fine.

Ok sorry. I missed the "Samplitude" bit. Don't even know
what Samplitude is. Parts of my answer didn't make sense
in that case. Unless there's a way to export audio from
Sampltude. (IMO digital bounce degrades the sound slightly
but that's another debate).

Samplitude is a PC only high-end audio program by Magix. Just upgrading
my Samplitude was going to cost more than the Protools 9 purchase, and
since Protools is the industry standard, I figured this was a good time
to make the jump. http://www.samplitude.com/us/

--
Musically Yours,
Rick Stone
Website: http://www.rickstone.com
Recordings: http://www.cdbaby.com/all/jazzand
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/jazzand
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rickstonemusic
EPK: http://www.sonicbids.com/rickstone

[Peter Larsen[_3_]]

Rick Stone wrote:

Samplitude is a PC only high-end audio program by Magix.

My level of information is that it started out on the Amiga.

Just
upgrading my Samplitude was going to cost more than the Protools 9
purchase, and since Protools is the industry standard, I figured this
was a good time to make the jump. http://www.samplitude.com/us/

You need to be able to try making a production on a protools rig and find
out if you like the sound of the result or not.

Kind regards

Peter Larsen

[Arny Krueger]

"Rick Stone" wrote in message


So I've been happily putting along with Samplitude
through several PCs and OS's since 1999. I'm still using
version 6, which works fine. But Swee****er was offering
a really nice deal on Protools 9 and I had a store credit
that I needed to use anyway, so I took the plunge.

The thing is, PT9 only runs on Windows 7 or a Mac OS 10
and up.

I have Windows 7 on my laptop, but my 2 desktop PCs in
the studio are all still running XP. They're fine for
recoding audio, but are showing their age and I don't
really think they can handle upgrading Windows 7.

I've found that Win 7 doesn't run badly on older machines, provided they
aren't too humble. Without more information about them, it is not possible
to comment further.

Desktop PCs themselves are really pretty inexpensive these days, especially
given the horsepower that you get.

[Mr Soul]

What is the difference between option 1 & 3?

I wouldn't get a Mac because I just can't see paying the extra money
for one, plus I like to build my own DAWs because I can pick my own
components. I've been really happy with Win 7 on a Core I7 930
processor. I can now do some pretty heavy audio & video processing.

I also put Win 7 on my kid's Core 2 Duo and it works pretty well
although I do need to get some more memory.

Mike C
http://www.pcDAW.net