Whether to buy a Mac or PC is a hotly debated topic among home recordists. Most professional studios used to favor Macintosh computers for recording audio. PCs were thought to have too many bugs to work well for audio. Even if this were true in the past, it’s not true anymore. Your decision between a. We investigate 10 reasons why Macs are better than PCs as we ignite the age-old debate, dispelling common myths about price, spec, choice, and compatibility. Find out if you should choose macOS. Learn lots of different things with music producer pro. Mac or PC: Forget the I/Os, forget the gear (for now). Heck, even forget about the talent. In today’s music production world, you cannot record anything of any kind without a good computer. For the audiophiles out there, I too am a tape guy when the opportunity presents itself. Neither is better for music production. If the software you want works well on it, whether it's Mac or PC, it will work the same way and the result will sound the same. Speed is dictated more by specs than the OS. That being said, if if your.

1. What Better For Music Mac Or Pc Free
2. Pc Or Mac Desktop

These days, the inside of a PC could be very similar to the inside of a Mac, yet both platforms still come with their own pros and cons...

What Better For Music Mac Or Pc Free

Although the cases and, in particular the operating systems, of a PC and Mac still have a somewhat different look and feel, after so many years of fundamental internal differences it still feels slightly bizarre that nowadays you could find almost exactly the same set of hardware components inside. Nevertheless, for the musician there are still a few fundamental differences between the two platforms to bear in mind, which can prove both a blessing and a curse.

The PC musician still benefits from the intense competition between many PC and component builders that drives hardware prices down, compared with Macs of an almost identical specification. However, the resulting huge number of PC-component variables can also be a curse, because it's almost impossible to guarantee compatibility with audio hardware/software, unless you buy from a specialist music retailer who checks this out for you. Finding a PC laptop that provides good low-latency audio performance is a particularly tough challenge nowadays, as you can't swap out components that cause audio interruptions, as you can with a desktop machine.

Conversely, the Mac musician benefits from Apple enforcing a largely fixed specification and set of components for each of its computer models, because audio interface manufacturers then find it far easier to make sure that their products are totally compatible. Indeed, a few interface manufacturers, including Apogee, have totally abandoned PC support — partially, I suspect, for this very reason.

The Format Wars

Unfortunately, Apple also have a habit of moving the goalposts with the fixed specification of their new Mac models, and — for instance — their recent abandoning of Firewire ports hasn't endeared them to the host of musicians who already have a serious investment in Firewire audio interfaces, and who subsequently have to find another (and non-standard) way to plug them in when they upgrade their computers.

On the plus side, Apple's replacement for the Firewire ports is the new (and potentially wonderful) Thunderbolt technology, which has been enthusiastically welcomed by many computer users because it can transfer a huge amount of audio, video and data in both directions, at high speed, to a chain of external devices. Apogee, MOTU and Universal Audio have all expressed great interest in developing new audio products for it but, sadly, Thunderbolt has yet to arrive on PC, because Apple helped finance its final development and, hence, got first dibs on it.

USB Who?

But what about USB 3, offering 10 times the transfer speed of its USB 2 predecessor? Well here we have the opposite situation: many new PCs now sport USB 3 ports, but Apple have largely ignored it — at least until now — with rumours that they are exploring its integration into future Macs.

Coming soon to a PC near you? The AVnu alliance already includes plenty of heavyweight pro audio companies who are promoting a new format of audio-visual streaming using the once humble Ethernet port.I feel sorry for the poor audio interface manufacturers, whose customers are openly clamouring for new devices in the new USB 3 and Thunderbolt formats, neither of which are currently cross platform. Some manufacturers do seem to be quietly abandoning Firewire as it disappears from the Mac and suffers from increasing compatibility and driver efficiency problems on the PC platform, and moving over to USB.

However, a few manufacturers have already abandoned these format wars in favour of more traditional I/O ports that are more likely to remain on both Mac and PCs for the foreseeable future. Focusrite, for instance, are now championing the humble Ethernet port with their new Rednet interface range, which uses the Dante digital audio networking technology to offer up to 256 simultaneous channels of high-resolution audio (128 in and out channels at up to 96kHz, reducing to 64 in and out at 192kHz), with a claimed round-trip latency of less than 3ms.

Meanwhile, Avid and a host of other professional audio companies, including Presonus, the TC Group and Yamaha, are promoting a competing Ethernet networking standard named Audio Video Bridging (AVB), using the same Ethernet port and with a claimed latency of significantly less than a millisecond. Find out more from the AVnu Alliance (www.avnu.org).

So where does this leave the PC musician about to choose a new interface? Well, it's always wise to wait until the dust has settled when new formats emerge, to make sure that products have been put through their paces and teething problems eradicated. At this point, it's almost impossible to say which, if any, audio interface format will be the clear winner.

PC Snippets

Five thousand of these Samsung Tablets running Windows 8 were given away to software developers at Microsoft's recent BUILD conference in California.

Windows 8 gets the boot: It looks as though we can expect significantly faster boot-up times from Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system, even compared with the improvements found on Windows 7. Using a new hybrid shutdown and boot process that combines a normal cold boot with a modified 'resume from hibernate' mode, only the operating-system kernel processes get hibernated, but not applications or user data. The resulting hibernation data is therefore much smaller, and Microsoft claim boot times will be 30 to 70 percent faster than with Windows 7. Those with Windows 8 installed on Solid State Drives can apparently expect their PCs to boot up in around eight seconds — just the ticket when inspiration strikes!

First Windows 8 Tablet: Meanwhile, the huge mobile-phone manufacturers Samsung Electronics have collaborated with Microsoft on a new tablet computer running Windows 8, which was unveiled at the Microsoft BUILD developers' conference in California in September 2011. Prior to this, Samsung relied heavily on Google's Android operating system, so let's hope that this heralds wide acceptance of Windows 8 for future tablets: we need some stiffer mainstream competition for the ubiquitous iPad, and plenty of new music PC-based apps!

Pc Or Mac Desktop

The debate over which type of computer reigns supreme has raged on for decades now. As with sports teams and political parties, people began to huddle into distinct camps, devout in their allegiances. In the computing world, these camps became Mac vs PC. And this battle has also bled into the world of music. For producers and musicians, the question of Mac vs PC goes beyond computing alone, but Mac vs PC for music production, specifically.

Today, people still tend to cling to one or the other. However, years of competition and exponential technological breakthroughs have shrunk the gap between Macs and PCs even further. This bodes especially well for music producers. More processing power means shorter export times, more plugins, faster workflow, higher quality sound, and so much more. But even with this overall improvement in computing power, most producers want to work within a single system. And Macs and PCs remain the two most viable options. So when it comes to Mac vs PC for music production, which is better?

What do we mean by Mac vs PC?

Before we go further with the specifics of Mac vs PC for music production, let’s briefly describe what we mean by Mac and PC. These labels get thrown around as general markers for Apple and Microsoft products, but this isn’t exactly right. Apple alone produces Macintosh computers and its operating system, macOS. Microsoft also manufactures computers and its operating system, Windows. However, several other companies such as Dell and Lenovo make computers that run Windows as well. To make matters more complicated, Windows can run on a Mac, and some people hack macOS onto their PC.

So in short, we’re really referring to the unaltered package here. If you buy a Mac, you’re likely running macOS, and if you buy a PC you’re probably using Windows.

What are we looking for?

We should first outline the parameters which will inform our decision when duking it out between Mac vs PC for music production. Which hardware or operating system does a particular thing better than the other? What are these particular things? They might be numerous, depending on how technical we want to get. We’re mostly concerned with music production, of course. So to keep things simple, let’s break it down into four categories: ease of use, compatibility, functionality/power, and cost.

Compatibility

Aside from ease of use, compatibility plays the biggest role in the Mac vs PC for music production debate. This includes both hardware and software. Both Apple and Microsoft have to walk a tightrope to keep up with advancing technology while not leaving average users in the dust.

Hardware

When we say hardware, we’re talking about the physical components of the computer. Depending on the model and year of Mac or PC, the hardware can vary. The most recent MacBook Pro, for instance, abandoned the standard USB 2.0/3.0 port entirely and strictly adopted USB C. Yes, the latter is much faster, but most products still rely on USB 2.0 or 3.0. So if your interface is a standard USB model, you’ll have to dish out for an adaptor, which Apple is happy to sell you.

New MacBooks also lack a CD/DVD drive. Because most files are shared and stored digitally now, there isn’t much of a use for this drive, but it can still frustrate some users who enjoy using their physical collections or uploading/downloading data to and from discs. Likewise, you’ll need a special lightning cable adapter to hook up an HDMI cable to your Mac.

On the hardware side, PCs might win the day here. Because PCs are made from parts that can come from more than one manufacturer, they’re highly customizable. More customization means more compatibility. But even without purchasing add-ons, PCs generally come equipped with more universal hardware out of the box. You won’t need special adaptors for USB, HDMI, or disc drives. Even beneath the hood, swapping out parts like graphics chips and processors tends to be a lot easier and cheaper for PC owners.

Software

This isn’t to say Apple completely fails the compatibility test, however. Several music production companies design products with Apple in mind, since they understand their audience often uses Apple products. Apple’s iPhone has even found a niche in the mobile DAW market (check out these great iOS DAWs). In this way, Macs and other Apple products push the industry forward, but some fallout is inevitable.

As for add-ons, plugins, and software, you’ll generally find way more plugins available for Windows than for Mac (but check out these 25 free Mac plugins). When it comes to free plugins and VST instruments, PCs fare better as well. It takes a lot of research and time to find the best plugins for Mac, and even more time to find freebies. As for DAWs, if Logic is your program of choice, it will only run on Mac. Conversely, Sonar can only run on Windows. PCs can run more DAWs natively than Macs as well. You really have your pick on a PC: Cubase, Reaper, Ableton, FL Studio, Pro Tools, etc. While many of these top-tier DAWs also run on Mac now, they tend to work a bit better on PC.

Functionality and power

This factor stems right from the previous one. Out of the box, Macs are typically more functional and stable than PCs. They even come pre-loaded with GarageBand, a good stepping stone for the amateur producer without a professional DAW. Macs are designed with optimization in mind already. PCs, which have a more general audience, vary a bit more in their functionality and processing power. If you only use your PC for light web browsing and emails, you don’t need the bells and whistles. But for music producers, artists, designers, and gamers, the more power and functionality the better.

For some, even a high-end Mac doesn’t offer enough speed to handle everything, even if it’s generally more stable. And, as we mentioned, since PCs offer more customization, some creative types simply modify or enhance their PC to handle their work and play. Of course, not everyone has the money, skill, or knowledge to transform their PC into a powerhouse. So it’s really a draw here. Do you want more right away, or the potential to add more down the road?

Ease of use

Your ability to navigate your computer matters more than just about anything. You won’t get very far if you can’t get a grip on the design philosophy of your computer. Macs have dominated this space with intuitive design both inside and out. They’ve become known as the “creative person’s computer” in part for this reason. The applications of the MacBook touchpad alone make navigation and precision control incredibly simple. In Logic Pro, for instance, the touchpad acts as a multi-purpose mixing board, and it feels great.

Cost

Macs cost more, sometimes by a lot. This is partially due to fantastic branding by Apple, which drives up demand regardless of the product itself. But the product usually backs up the price. Macs run well, crash infrequently, offer a lot of power out of the gate, feature an intuitive interface and design, and live a long time. With fewer maintenance costs, the price of admission is usually worth it. These machines really are perfect for music production and creative endeavours in general. If that’s the experience you want, just be prepared to dish out a grand or two.

PCs typically cost less to start with. But, again, if you plan on modifying your hardware or software, the dollars begin to add up. Still, you’d have to modify your PC quite a bit to reach the cost of the highest-end Mac. In that case, your PC would likely perform better anyway. PCs might require more maintenance than Macs, but that gap is narrowing as well. So in the end, you could end up shelling out as much for a PC as you would have for a Mac, but it’s unlikely. And if you did, your PC would take the cake by a long shot.

Mac vs PC for music production: and the winner is…

Truth be told, you can’t really go wrong either way. Both Macs and PCs get better every year, and they’ll continue to improve so long as people continue using them. If you want a computer strictly for music production, maybe consider a Mac for its ease of use and built-in features. But if you plan on using your computer for several purposes in addition to music production, get a PC and upgrade it to your liking. The Mac vs PC for music production war rages on, and we all benefit from the competition. In the end, the winner is us.

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