Does anybody here have any experience tips using an i7 Mac as the “front end” (meaning running midi only) and using a connected PC to host plug-ins?
Questions:
Where to bounce audio: PC or Mac?
How to connect: Midi over LAN? Vienna Ensemble? VST System Link?
Are sound cards needed for both client (Mac) and Host (PC)?
My systems:
PC i7 second generation 6-core/32 GB ram/Windows 7 Pro 64bit/Hammerfall 9652 sound card
Mac Core i7 2.8 Ghz /8 GB ram/OSX 10.6.3/digi 03
thanks,
rf
Aloha t,
Since this is more of a hardware/gear question, you might find this forum:
a bit more helpful.
HTH (hope this helps)
{‘-’}
Hello,
iMac with i7 is good enough (I can say, it’s too much). Don’t worry about this. I’m using as “master” computer MacBook Pro with i7 too, and I’m using around 150 MIDI tracks, and full HD movie. No problem here.
As a connection, I could recommend VSL VE Pro to you. I’m using it from the start of this project, and I love it! It’s very useful, very easy, and very stable!
Btw: As slave, I’m using Mac Pro. But the Windows alternative is good choice, I believe. Maybye, my next slave computer will be on Windows 7/8 too.
You don’t need sound card on the “slave” computer by using VSL VE Pro. My recommend: sell the Digi 003, and buy modern sound card, like RME (or Steinberg, of course). 
If you have some questions…?