Setting up a Mac studio - advice?

[Petie]

I'm about to get an iMac G5 and, as I'm used to working with PCs for recording, I'm gunna have to relearn everything from the ground up! Can anybody recommend options for recording software and mac-compatible drum machine programs? I'm used to using Fruityloops/FL Studio for my drums, but that's not available in a Mac version.

My budget is probably what could be described as "midrange hobbyist".

[Armann]

Digi 002 rack, ProTools 7.0 LE and Reason 3.0 for drums
and every sound/sample you will ever need.

Even with a low budget you should be able to buy at least
the Digi 002 rack, buy it with the Factory Bundle.
It includes ProTools 7.0 LE as well.
(1695$ listed on the website.)

It goes without saying that you won't get a better bang for buck
or better quality.

http://www.digidesign.com/

http://www.propellerheads.se/

That's what I'm using on my PC but I'm changing to MAC in february.

[klp2332]

Originally Posted by iceland

Digi 002 rack, ProTools 7.0 LE and Reason 3.0 for drums
and every sound/sample you will ever need.

Even with a low budget you should be able to buy at least
the Digi 002 rack, buy it with the Factory Bundle.
It includes ProTools 7.0 LE as well.
(1695$ listed on the website.)

It goes without saying that you won't get a better bang for buck
or better quality.

http://www.digidesign.com/

http://www.propellerheads.se/

That's what I'm using on my PC but I'm changing to MAC in february.

thats pretty good advice.

But i personally dont think macs are good, well there ok for studio work. But in the future if you ever decide to use the mac for something else or sell it, you will have problems there. On the other hand with pcs, there probably easier to use for other things and easier to sell...

But if you like macs then go for it!

[Armann]

Pro Tools 7.0 runs extremely well on XP.
That is making me think twice about changing to MAC.
I'm not 100% sure, because I'm a PC IT person.

[Petie]

My girlfriend does graphic design, which is generally mac-based, so this will be a shared computer. I'd prefer PC so I can still use the stuff I'm using now, but that's the way the mop flops.

[Petie]

Any opinions on MBox2?

[Armann]

Well I personally haven't tried it.
It's much more limited in the way of inputs and outputs and other things.

I think it's a great tool for beginners, the people I know that have
bought MBOX have been happy with it but after awhile they want
to change to the rack.

[Petie]

Everything except vocals will be recorded direct (unless I can find a way to plug someone's voicebox directly into a computer), so the number of inputs isn't a huge concern.

I've heard bad things about the first Mbox so I wasn't sure what to make of the new one.

[The Euphor]

The new MBox2 is better than the old one, still with good mic preamps and everything of inputs/outputs you need to record your music. If you need more i/o then you must consider something else. If you don't need them, I would go for the MBox2.

Also make sure you decide on a Mac that has been tried and tested, and try to avoid the new IntelMac. But I think you know your IT, so I won't lesson you.