Distrust Digital!!!

[lee harvey analog]

OK ,I know I gotta live with this ,but ,why is digital SOOOOOOOOOOO complicated?! Give you an example!!!! OK...a Mac G4 2.5 Ghz Duel Processor Computer running a 16 channel MOTU 896 in mixdown mode with 8 effects/dynamics programs per channel with 4 band EQ per channel.Even a G4s gotta get bogged down sometime right?! Worse case scenario. Can anyone count the number of delays in processing per channel and per plug-in?! Zero-Latency or not ,if ProTools has delays ,so do all the other systems out there!!! And they say digital DAW is the only ticket in town for modern civilized recordists I STILL don't believe it!!! Anyone care to set me straight???:classic: :angry:

[cmchamp]

Well, besides there isn't a Dual 2.5GHz machine yet, though if you've got one, I wanna talk.

Presently, I've got a G4-400 AGP with 1.25G of RAM editing 32 tracks of a Jazz Band at Hillsdale College. Just finished the project. You're right, a Jazz Band doesn't need a lot of processing power with plug-ins, etc. Didn't have any problems with the MOTU gear working correctly.

Have worked with a Christian rock band in the past having used 24 tracks with them with dynamics and EQ on all channels, a few busses used as EFX auxes for toms and vocals, everb on the kick and the snare. No bog down at all.

The faster the processor, and the more RAM you have in the machine, the more DSP power you have. With the new 424 cards, there's DSP on the card which should speed things up even more.

RE Latency. . . I don't monitor my source through DP. If it's a vocal, I give the vocalist a bit of verb with my ART FX1 and feed them from the board.

[lee harvey analog]

Right ,a duel 1.25 which is a 2.5 ,I stand corrected. But why would you want one if you're running fine with 32 tracks?

[cmchamp]

I'd like to have better response time. 32 tracks is just OK to deal with. That way, I can upgrade my G4-400 to an 800 and use it soley for artwork. Changing extension sets back and forth all the time is driving me nuts.

Besides, I'll be getting into DV soon and need to have the ability to work with video and audio at the same time. Don't think my 400 will keep up.

[lee harvey analog]

But what is the best Mac to get in the G4 class to run 16-32 tracks with upto 8 effects/dynamics/eq with audio only? The G4 800?

[cmchamp]

Probably the G4 867, which is the present low end, would do the trick. It depends on which EFX your using with DP3. eVerb and the MasterWorks PlugIns use the most processing power. Here's a link to what was expected out of DP3.0 on a G4-800: http://www.motu.com/english/other/press/index.html

If you could find a good used G4-800, it should do the job FOR NOW if your running 24/48. If you're thinking of going with 96 or 192kHz sample rates, you're probably better off with the faster machine.