VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Rena · Lovely and Talented Joined: 10 Apr 2013 Posts: 63

Okay, I'm going to try this again. Deirdre said this is a legal subject to discuss. Wink

I do realize this is something that has been talked about before, but I would like the MOST updated information and suggestions. As I mentioned, I just began working with Nancy W. I'm seriously considering converting back to MAC before I design my home studio. I have owned several MACs in the past when I was a graphic designer, so I am comfortable with the platform. I am a military spouse, so that means military housing and moving every 2-4 years. I'd like something portable. I want some kind of MAC book, I think, but I'm open if it's the right thing. But since this is for a home studio, I also want something very quiet. I still have my old MAC mini, but it's probably about 8 years old at this point and is currently collecting dust in a closet. I have no idea what the specs on it are, or if it's something I could consider for my home studio.

Here's my question:
What kind of MAC would you suggest, and why are you suggesting it? What are the features that would be beneficial in my situation? I am prepared to spend MAC prices, as this is an investment in my career.

Thanks, everyone!

P.S. We changed my name.
Wink

_________________
Rena
I am officially Rena for good.

heyguido · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:28 am Post subject:

Dave....

See the Fan Noise thread currently going on in this very same forum....

Noobz. Rolls Eyes

_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

Rena · Lovely and Talented Joined: 10 Apr 2013 Posts: 63

I appreciate that advice, but I would like to hear people to respond to my specific questions, if possible.
_________________
Rena
I am officially Rena for good.

heyguido · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:34 am Post subject:

Wow. Dismissive. Muting....
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

todd ellis · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:21 am Post subject:

hi rena - i'm no mac fan-boy, i built my own dual-boot machine from intel parts, sticks & mud, but it's been solid as a rock for 3 years - running lion now. i have the luxury of keeping my rack case with it's 6 fans in another room - because it sounds like a cessna 172 skyhawk on takeoff. that said - the mac mini seems pretty popular around these parts. i know the air is quiet & small, but i also know they have their own issues - heat mostly.
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

Rena · Lovely and Talented Joined: 10 Apr 2013 Posts: 63

Don, please don't mute me! You won't hear the beautiful music! Smile

Todd, being a very non-techy person, I have no idea what half of those things are.
_________________
Rena
I am officially Rena for good.

Rena · Lovely and Talented Joined: 10 Apr 2013 Posts: 63

Don, please don't mute me! You won't hear the beautiful music! Smile

Todd, being a very non-techy person, I have no idea what half of those things are.
_________________
Rena
I am officially Rena for good.

Jason Huggins · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:56 am Post subject:

I'd recommend doing some research. This question has been asked and answered this week...pretty much everything you're asking is there.

Dave Waters · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:05 am Post subject:

I have an iMac in the studio and a MacBook Air on my desk and for travel. I also have an iPad.

For recording, you can get the same results on the Air, plus it is very quiet. If I could only have one computer, it would be the Air. The iPad has Twisted Wave, but I haven't had the need to use it for recording; it's just for scripts.

Just my opinion, but MacBook Air along with Twisted Wave or Audition, your choice of mic and pre/converter and you should be good to go.
_________________
Dave Waters
www.davewatersvo.com

Dave Waters · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:06 am Post subject:

I have an iMac in the studio and a MacBook Air on my desk and for travel. I also have an iPad.

For recording, you can get the same results on the Air, plus it is very quiet. If I could only have one computer, it would be the Air. The iPad has Twisted Wave, but I haven't had the need to use it for recording; it's just for scripts.

Just my opinion, but MacBook Air along with Twisted Wave or Audition, your choice of mic and pre/converter and you should be good to go.
_________________
Dave Waters
www.davewatersvo.com

Bish · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:13 am Post subject:

I have my big rig the other side of the wall... it's a MacPro with all drive bays full & a five-bay Drobo for backup. I run three screens, 2x23" cinema displays in front of me, and a third (an Acer) mounted on a copy stand. Partly because I grew up with DOS and am very picky with my filing systems, backups etc., I am sticking with Snow Leopard... Lion just seems a little dumbed-down and I can't be bothered to learn the fixes to give me the granular control of the filing system (and the multi-screen flexibility) of Snow Leopard. Someone said that Snow Leopard is Apple's Windows XP Smile

Anyway... for voice work my rig is overkill, and as much as I like spending someone else's money, if I was building a rig from scratch I'd do the following...

Buy a used Mac Mini from a reputable source. Go with a core 2 duo processor and a min of 4GB of RAM. With a keyboard and mouse, that should cost around $350. As I said, I would go with one that still had Snow Leopard installed, but that's me. There are many good monitors available, you don't have to get an Apple cinema display... $150 will get you a fine 23" screen. Spend another $100 or so on an external USB back-up drive.

The new units are certainly nice... but you really don't need the higher specs to run all your household software (iWork, email, browsing, etc.) or even higher-end (more resource-hungry) audio software like Adobe Audition. I don't know where you are with your mic chain, but add something like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 as your interface (currently a steal at Amazon for $120) and then you just have the mic and your environment to worry about.

Peter
_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

georgethetech · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:00 pm Post subject:

Mac Mini for sure, unless you really want to travel with it, then Macbook Pro.

I don't usually go for iMacs because if you are reading from the display you now have a very sensitive mic in close proximity to the fans, and I find you pay dearly for the "ooooo, look at my skinny Mac" factor. You can get a honkin' 27" IPS display for under $500 with the same panel as in the Apple Cinema 27, or two cheap 24" 1080p LED displays for under $300 (what I did). Plus, the ONLY current model Mac (not Mac Pro) with a Firewire port is still the Mac Mini, so keep that in mind.

Definitely get the SSD drive, absolutely worth the $300 premium for the 256GB SSD, upon which you install your OS, applications, and record your audio. Then use an external for Time Machine backups, turning on when necessary to avoid the noise during sessions (if it's not outside the room).
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder

Ben Amos · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:20 pm Post subject:

George - I saw what you did there...
_________________
"Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish." - Jean de la Fontaine

heyguido · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:31 pm Post subject:

Yeah.... Something about Mohammed and mountains, I think....
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

markt · Been Here Awhile Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 217

Yea, verily...Atta boy, George!
_________________
"Dammit Jim, I'm a voice actor, not an audio engineer!"
Leonard McCoy