Mac or PC

[jantheman]

Thanks for all the replies...this has become quite a lively topic with pro's and con's of each being outlined very well. Convincing arguments for either have been put forward and I find myself more enlightened to the benefits of each. What I dont find, however, is that I am any nearer to making a decision as to which way to go. I would be particularly interested to hear from anyone who has swapped from one to the other about whether they thought it was a good move or not. Something is going to have to give soon bearing in mind the pending VAT increase. Please keep the debate going and then maybe, just aybe, I will be ablle to make a decision in a week or two. Thanks to everyone who responded.

[MartinT]

Why not try to perform some set functions on each? There are Apple shops in many towns and you can surely borrow a Windows 7 machine for a while? There is nothing like hands-on to decide for yourself.

[jantheman]

Why not try to perform some set functions on each? There are Apple shops in many towns and you can surely borrow a Windows 7 machine for a while? There is nothing like hands-on to decide for yourself.

Fair point Martin....I have W7 already so am familiar with that...but Mac demo at PC World and its like isnt going to add up to much I think. My nearest Apple shop is 40+ miles away....travelling is a problem for me at the moment.
Has anyone tried 'Boot Camp' which allows Windows and OSX to work on the same Mac?

[lovejoy]

Has anyone tried 'Boot Camp' which allows Windows and OSX to work on the same Mac?

I've tried Boot Camp for running Windows XP, Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux. Running Windows is completely seamless and hassle free. Linux on the other hand can be a real pain and I've managed to hose the entire hard drive once by trying to install it.

[goraman]

Windows 7 is the best thing Microsoft has ever done.
It works with no flaws and it's very fast and easy to use.
I will not change till I am forced to,I'm ruined for another operating systum.
I will recomend Kapinsky antivirus software with it though as it was made to work with windows 7 from the foundation up,and it dosen't slow your computer down at all unlike a more popular brand .

[magiccarpetride]

OMG, I hear you say....not another one.......well,yea but no but yea...it is I'm afraid.
I feel strangely drawn to the shiny side, towards a Mac. Having been a PC user at home and spent a substantial part of my working life in a PC (not politically correct) environment, I find I have a hankering to have a go with a Mac.
Whatever I decide, a laptop is the way I'm going. Reorganisation of my living room means that SWMBO has banned my PC tower and all the other bits that are required to make it work. Can't say I blame her really...these things tend to take up as much spaces is available.
As it stands the main thing that is stopping me from dashing out (well not dashing but as quick as my dodgy frame will carry me) and laying down loadsamoney on a Mac is' you guessed it....the cost. Similar spec Mac and PC, the PC turns in at around half the price.
Software wise, I am using XP on the PC and using Media Monkey but I have to say, I do like iTunes. Output is to an M2Tech Hiface then to my choice of DAC.
So guys....what shall I do, continue with a system I know and dont particularly love or take the plunge, sell wifeys jewellry (maybe wifey as well) and get the Mac.
Oh yes....any comments on Mac reliability are welcomed....thats important to me.

I've switched to Mac four years ago, after being beaten badly by the Windows (extremely shitty house-of-cards OS that is super vulnerable to virus and malware attacks).

Mac proved its mettle to me, as it's been running super reliably without expecting me to become systems and network administrator. Mac is an appliance that just works.

However, I find Mac to actually be very troublesome because it is basically a proprietary system. Yes, it is super sturdy and super reliable, but you can't really do much with it. And I'm speaking mostly as a consumer of high definition music. Macs are shitty when it comes to my ability to enjoy high def music.

At this point, I'm considering switching wholesale to Ubuntu. I would never ever go back to Microsoft. Apple ended up being too locked-in, too proprietary for my taste, with a shitload of overt or covert DRM issues. Basically, this vendor is on the side of the whiney lawyers and the residual income crowd. I detest that. Plus, the Mac seems to be turning into an iPad (I think Apple is abandoning the desktop metaphor and switching wholesale to the mobile computing arena; I'm not too crazy about that either).

[trailer]

There isn't any DRM on hi-res is there?

Have you tried AyreWave as a player?

[lovejoy]

Macs are shitty when it comes to my ability to enjoy high def music.

How so? I've never had any problems with anything up to 24/96, but then I only have a 24/96 DAC, but I thought 24/192 was available too? There's always the fact that you have to change the Audio MIDI settings to match what you are playing, although since having an rDAC in the system I've left it at 24/96 permanently and had no cause for complaint. Pure Music or Amarra get around these issues too.

[magiccarpetride]

How so? I've never had any problems with anything up to 24/96, but then I only have a 24/96 DAC, but I thought 24/192 was available too? There's always the fact that you have to change the Audio MIDI settings to match what you are playing, although since having an rDAC in the system I've left it at 24/96 permanently and had no cause for complaint. Pure Music or Amarra get around these issues too.

My issue is that I cannot easily manipulate high definition DXD files on the Mac. Often times I need to downsample/dither down to 24 bit/92 kHz some DXD files in order to stream them properly to my Logitech Touch, and I can't seem to find the way to do it on the Mac.

Consequently, for me, Mac sucks balls in the high definition music arena.

[Stratmangler]

It's ironic, when you consider that most Pro-Tools manipulation in recording studios is done on a Mac.