I Want to Switch to MAC...Please Help

[ImNoDJ]

No doubt! I appreciate real conversation. Nothing gets me more fired up than computer issues...ya know?

Dell Latitude E6420

Yes, when Traktor is redlining the KA6 is also spiking and saying this PC is not optimized for streaming audio or some such. I'll have to screen shot it. (Of course it wants to work currently)

Ok, this one should be easy, if a fair bit of work.

Ive got a similar model, but with an i7. It looks like yours is an i5, which should be fine. Ive got an E6510, and I run it at about 6ms with zero pops/clicks or dropouts.

How comfortable are you with PC work? If you arent, you might want to get your friend, the one who is good with computers to come over and do it for you while you feed him pizza and beer.

Are you using the Dell factory image or a clean OEM install? If you are using the factory image, youll need to:

- backup your stuff
- format the pc
- reinstall windows7/8 from OEM install, not from the factory restore disk.
- Download all the right drivers from the Dell support site (do this before formatting!), and then install them manually after you install the Windows OS updates.
- Only install Traktor, and your soundcard drivers, not your controller drivers yet.
- Play with traktor, look for spikes. If you have none, then start installing your other drivers and software and just do checks to see that Traktor is still behaving.

The reason for this is that factory installs are made for the average home user that wants all the multimedia bells and whistles and services available at all times.

This bloatware leads to terrible real time audio performance and interrupts. This is where CoreAudio is a bit better than the Windows implementation.

I can also see how you might not want to be bothered with all the above, and just get a new Mac.

I thought Id just lay out the options for you.

[DJBBWB]

Thanks for laying out the instructions. I sure this can help many people.

I think I'll just use my PC for work and do the conversion. I'm not that technical and there are too many touch points that can lead to my face melting.

[mostapha]

1. what is the absolute standard (MAC) that should be used for DJing with entry level music production capabilites?

13" macbook pro.

You'll want as much ram as you feel like paying for, but at least 8gb. It's been a long time since I've had less than 16 in a laptop, and I've never regretted it. You can get a good aftermarket 16gb kit for at most $200. You can also get aftermarket SSDs up to at least 480gb for $300-400 depending on speed. Somebody might make a 512gb that works with them now, I just don't know exactly which drive thickness they use. I've always done aftermarket upgrades and never had a problem.

The drives that come in apple laptops wind up being given away at this point, at least for me.

You do not want an Air unless you know you do. They're more fragile and harder to upgrade (ram is soldered to the board).

Also, keep in mind budget for backup drives.

2. What does a high end MAC give me that a low end doesn't?

Not much.

i7s don't increase performance in ways that matter to you, at least not enough to offset the cost. Larger screens give larger screens but cost more and are harder to transport.

iMacs are cool, but I think they're hard to upgrade now to.

Mac Pros are a total fucking joke that no one takes seriously unless they absolutely have to. You can't even really add storage without buying external chasses....same with PCI cards for things like Pro Tools HD, though a lot of that works is slowly moving toward thunderbolt.

You get a lot more both for your money and objectively with a hackintosh build if you're willing and capable of supporting it yourself. I've also had zero problems with mine, but it's not worth doing on a laptop.

3. Will I be able to convert all of my NI programs over to MAC (i think this is possible based on info from NI website)?

Yes. You own a license to the software. Go to the re-download page and it has links for Mac and Windows.

If I were buying a Mac today for music and expecting it to work for several years and owned nothing, I'd buy a 13" macbook pro, 16gb of ram from OWC, the biggest 6G Intel SSD I could jam in it (OWC Mercury if no Intel drive fits), a synology DS414j, and 4x 4TB WD Red drives, set up in a RAID-6 for backup (~8TB usable).

But I don't do things halfway. It wouldn't be hard to scale that down to something more manageable.

The switch will take some getting used to, but as far as I'm concerned windows has nothing to bring to the table anymore.

FWIW, my 2011 MBP is still going strong, but I only use it for music at this point (which means it sat off for about the last year). I use my other computers (I run a homelab because I'm a computer dork) for everything else. Most casual use is on a phone or tablet.

[howsey16]

Be aware that if you go with a PC, if you are running 32bit operating system it can only utilise a maximum of 3gb ram. If you are wanting to upgrade (and use) you ram you need a 64bit system.

Also like mostapha said above, i7 devices are mainly used in the world of intense video/photo editing and are useful for music creation using Ableton or logic (or any other daw but they are my preference) so an i5 would do you. You might even be ok with an i3 with plenty of ram although I haven't tested this.

Are you an apple lover or hater? This ultimately will determine what you buy haha

[ANdrw]

Get a minimum of i5 CPU, and a pre-retina model. The onese from 2011-2012. You can upgrade those with more ram, swap hard disks and some other cool stuff. Retina models have parts soldered which make a pain to remove / change if needed.

Other than that, it's up to you if you want a 13" or 15" model.

[mostapha]

Can you still buy computers with 32-bit operating systems?

[LucidSFX]

Still shopping? I have read tons on ADK Pro Audio Computer. Their laptops rock real hard. I am picking up their 9000X model....but the more affordable laptops kick serious ass too with better specs and support than Apple. If you check out their website: http://adkproaudio.com you will be impressed Scott from ADK is always on gearslutz website. You'll find loads of posts with props to Scott and AdK. His team is solid and very knowledgeable. I wont break everything down but know that they not only pick choice components but also do cust bIOs and RAM. For a non tecky guy their lifetime support is the icing on the cake.

PC's are great so are Apples....but I have seen my share of Apples blowing up on stage ad with Pc's...ADK takes all the guesswork out of PC's and are built by musicians for musicians.

Cheers!!
LucidSFX