Cubase Mac vs PC for upgrade

WaveLab
#1

Hello all and I hope you are able to offer me some advice:

My current setup is on Intel Core Duo CPU ( 4 years old) with 4GB Ram using a Focusrite Liquid 56 via Firewire and a UAD 1 card running FX, windows xp SP3. I have run into audio issues when my CPU hits 100% vie the firewire, using Cubase 5.

After working with Focusrite tech support it would seem that my computer is not upto the job of running more than 30 audio channels with a few fx (UAD) before I get audio artifacts (pops and distortion) when the cpu hits 100% for any lenght of time, and I have experimented with ASIO lataancy with no real sucsess and verified that the Chipset is supported (firewire from motherboard not tested with PCI or PCIe supported firewire as yet).

So my plan is to upgrade my computer and the choice is:

Mac Pro twin Xeon 12GB Ram + Focusrite Liquid 56 via firewire + Cubase 6.5

Self built twin xeon 32gb ram windows 7 64 bit + Focusrite Liquid 56 via firewire + Cubase 6.5

I would like to be able to use the UAD1 but will upgrade if that is not possible
I also use NI Komplete Ultimate, Halion Symphonic Orchestra and XLN Addictive Drums

I am starting to get more work doing Orchestral compositions and Foley to corporate video, its generally short time scales so what ever I get has to be rock solid and able to deal with 20 to 30 tracks of VST insturments (probably orchestration) and 20+ tracks of foley and FX, but I want a system that will be able to handle that and much more.

Now I know windows inside out as in a previous life I was a network trouble shooter and I can make a windows system that is stable and runs like a dream and I have no experience with Mac at all but I am willing to invest if I am going to get rock solid performance.

Also how noisy is the Mac Pro if anyone knows under a good load?

So do any of the good people on the forum run anything like my proposed setup and are you able to let me know that I will be able to do what I need to do before I spend £3500 on a new system.

Thanks very much in advance.

#2

Cant go wrong with Apple. Their hardware outlasts PCs significantly! Also you have the option of running BOTH OSX AND Windows, either virtually or with BootCamp natively.

Cant help with other questions, sorry.

#3

That’s a bold claim, any evidence to back that up?

#4

it’s that age old war again :unamused:

#5

If your gonna drop that sort of money, Do yourself a favour & buy this! Its a no brainer :wink:

http://www.carillonac1.com/tower-xt-test-rig.html

#6

Ya lets not have a Mac vs PC war. I would probably agree that a Mac may hold its value more than a PC over time but I am not convinced that a well sourced quality PC will last less time than a Mac.

I like the Carillon idea as the spec is virtually the same as the Mac Pro and it will save me buying the parts and building it, also I would hope that Carillon have done some compatibly testing and worked out any kinks but I will have to talk to them to find out how loud it is.

But still very open to more opinion and thanks to all so far.

#7

Given the same hardware, Windows 7 outperforms OSX, as can be seen here. But ofcourse, there’s always the ‘shine’ factor, and the feeling of being part of ‘the club’.

#8

lmao! No war going on over here! I need NO BEEF, with a Vegan ego. :wink:

Whats not to like about macs though? They run OSX, Linux and Windows, natively! = No brainer!

They each have their ups n downs. It depends on what you want to do with em. I used Windows FOREVER, then bought my Dual G5 second hand, and it was like WOAH! (NOTHING to do with being in some “club”) There were no more issues or worries to deal with. No tinkering with drivers or installations. Hell, uninstalling is as simple as just deleting the damn app and plist. Not that Im a dumbass and couldnt handle Windows (I was always fixing people’s Windows boxes), its just that I had more time to do what I WANTED TO. Havent looked back since!

I use Windows ONLY for FL Studio, which I rarely even touch anymore. Macs tend to come with tons of apps/utilities too, which is nice. No need for tons of 3rd party shyts. Windows machines are nice because theyre cheaper and customizable. Also Cubase gets SLIGHTLY better performance on Windows.

OSX is becoming iOS though, and thats NOT a good thing, imo. VERY DISAPPOINTING. Im sticking with Snow Leopard as long as I can.

#9

One major thing; they’re made by the company Apple. A company I will have nothing to do with, ever.

Good for you.

Heh heh, “slightly”. :laughing: :laughing:

#10

Oh dear what have I started :blush:

#11

I gave a look at the benchmarking link and man o man, Windows is killing ish. I had no idea it was that drastic. I tend to not pay attention to the “wars” though and just do me (make music). That being said, im impressed by Windows performance and am thinking about looking into building a PC…eventually. Im quite content as of now, but when its time for me to upgrade, I may give Windows another try. Its very likely. Thanks for sharing the link Arjan P.

#12

While it’s true Windows is today lightyears ahead of MacOS, when it comes to DAW performance, you may still consider this: with which OS you want to work with? If you find MacOS better, you may be more creative by sticking with Mac. I did the same years ago: I stayed with Windows when I upgraded my studio from reel-to-reel recorder into a DAW-based system, even though PC/Windows was considered inferior to Macs back then. Why? Because that’s the platform I feel confortable with. And yes … I do own a Mac, too. But as a DAW platform, it’s always Windows. Not because of performance, but because of workflow.

#13

Apple doesn’t make the Mac Pro anymore. Surely, you don’t mean the – overpriced even for 2010 when they were last refreshed – Mac Pro’s still inexplicably available for sale on the Apple Store? :confused: It’s borderline criminal that they’re still taking money for those.

You’d be paying an outrageous premium for a 2010, stock Xeon E5645 2.4 Ghz based machine that would only give you 6945 points on the PassMark scale. A new, stock Intel Core i7 3770K delivers 10419 PassMark points and is cheaper. And, over-clocking it yields non-linear floating-point (what most plugins use) gains over older processors; each 100 Mhz you overclock gets you ever increasing performance.

Notice the crappy CPU value (CPU Mark / Price): http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Xeon+E5645+%40+2.40GHz


And of course the kicker is that Cubase and most VSTs, all other things being equal, are better performing on Windows v.s. OS X – no one is quite sure why this is, but it’s been observed and documented over at Dawbench.

So, it’s cheaper, faster out of the box, faster when overclocking as compared to overclocking previous generation processors and faster still compared to OS X. And, ASIO performs better at lower latencies than Core Audio as the final kick to the gut.

(My Mac Pro died a few months ago. I just switched to a home-built 3770K on Windows 7 x64 and have seen all this first-hand.)

#14

I am feeling the way forward is Windows 7 and I may not even have to spend a small fortune.

Thanks to everyone so far who has offered advice it is very much appreciated.

#15

to the OP,

i seriously DOUBT you have any need for a dual Xeon regardless of who makes it.
but particularly the very old Apple.
to Apple peeps i always recommend the singl 3.33GHz vs a dual.

for windows people the best money can buy is the SINGLE 3930K over clokced to 4.5GHz.
this will blow away all dual Xeons past (apple) and present unless you buy a Dual 3.1GHz (about 7k)

you need to seriously reconsider a dual Xeon…