PC / Mac for recording - advice
 

Hi all

I am considering changing from recording into my IPad into a laptop or desktop of some sort.

I use an Audient ID14 interface.

I don’t want to spend a great deal on a new machine so will look for something used - my questions are;

1. Mac or PC - does it matter? Any advantages of one over the other for this purpose? (Price also a factor)

2. What is the minimum usable spec I would need for something like Presonus or similar DAW? (How old can I go without compromising performance)

I would only use this machine for recording so would clear everything else off it.

Thanks in advance.

In general Mac Or PC does not matter (with the exception that a few DAWs only work on one or the other platform) If only for recording you can get a basic PC with only windows loaded at fairly reduced price compared to a similar spec Mac (because Mac OS automatically comes with a large pallet of additional software).


And that your interface has drivers for both (most do)
Presonus works on either platform

Here are the minimum specs from Presonus

Mac®
macOS® 10.11 or higher (64-bit only)
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor
(Intel Core i3 or better recommended)

Windows®
Windows 7 (SP1 + platform update), Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 (64-bit only)
Intel Core Duo or AMD® Athlon™ X2 processor (Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon X4 or better recommended) Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD® Athlon™ X2 processor
(Intel Core i3 or AMD Athlon X4 or better recommended)


Mac and Windows systems
4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
Internet connection (needed for installation and activation)
Monitor with 1366 x 768 resolution (high-dpi monitor recommended)
A multi-touch-enabled monitor with TUIO support is required for touch operation
40 GB hard-drive space

To add to the good advice that Kev contributed, it really depends on what you're planning to record and produce when it comes to the CPU and RAM.

If you're simply recording audio and using logarithmic plugins, you can get a computer that has only the minimum spec for whatever DAW you're using. On the other hand, using convolution plugins and large sample libraries require something more powerful with a lot of RAM.

For the most part, it doesn't matter, as the Audient ID14 is compatible with either computer and compatible with either's current operating systems (Windows 10 or MacOS Mojave).

A few thoughts:

1) Cost favors a PC.

2) Most current DAWs favor either, although some DAWs only work on one or the other (e.g., Logic only for Mac, Cakewalk/Sonar for PC, Reaper and ProTools for either).

3) Each DAW uses software plugins, the format of which may be different for one DAW compared to another, e.g., VST/VST2, AAX, AudioUnits. Nearly all plugins come in each of these formats.

Thanks very much all - great advice. Will be recording simple two track acoustic with some plug ins added in post.

Then you shouldn't need a super fast computer. An i5 CPU with 4 cores should be more than sufficient. One other point - fan noise. Try to get a computer that has no fan, or at most an ultra-quiet fan.

Thanks - good point re the fan..

If you decide to run DAW software on a Windows machine there is a fair chance you may run into audio latency issues that cause audio dropouts and clicks and pops.

If this happens it is normally due to a poorly written driver supplied by a third party such as a wifi driver.

Here is a link to an article on trying to fix the problem on Sweetwater:

https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare...atency-issues/

Here is a similar article from Focusrite:

https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-...-on-Windows-10

Unfortunately you may never be able to fix it for a particular machine.

These problems are much less common on a Mac.
That's why I gave up using Windows for recording some time ago.

There will not be significant latency issues recording and mixing a couple tracks - unless one were to put hundreds of plugins on them.

Not true, if you have DPC latency issues with your Windows PC it will be a problem with only one track and no plug-ins. I've been there and got the t-shirt on several different Windows PCs.

What is a "t-shirt" ?
I am a Mac guy and bask in ignorance of Windows :D

It is a common expression in the UK for saying you have experienced something first hand, like going to a gig and buying a fanboy t-shirt while you were there.

Oh OK got ya, I thought maybe it was an expression like in Mac parlance the "dreaded spinning beach ball"

Yeah, you're right. Without knowing how to change settings that will make a PC work efficiently for audio, this can happen.

No I'm saying that with certain PCs no matter what you try it cannot be fixed. Unless you can re-write the problematic driver(s) yourself.