Could get a deal on a DP 2.0GHZ G5 but...

[mykie_a]

I don't want compatibility issues slowing me down more since i'm using two cards. (currently on a DPG4 533).

Co-worker is selling for $2500 (US) and that includes the cinema 23\" monitor.

I'm also using cubase vst/32 5.2 , should i move on or try SX2 or 3 or somethin' ?

I am also using a MOTU 2408 MKII but read I'll need the newer PCI card, $295 for that upgrade.

Or should I just buy it and wait for software to catchup?

thx in advance

mike

 

[max cooper]

I upgraded from a dual 500 G4 to a dual 2 G5, albeit running PTLE. Once my RAM was more than 3G, recording was a whole new experience for me. I say that in view of the bigger picture, I'd go for it. I really credit the G5 with making recording fun for me again. That G4 is just gonna get older, and that's a good deal on the G5. The UAD's run fine for me now that I've got the configuration happy.

 

[Dragon_Huang]

For me , my current G4 dp 1.25 is still good enough..

so , I will try to get G5 when next generation is out ...

 

[Pier NYC]

I upgraded from a dual 500 G4 to a dual 2 G5, albeit running PTLE. Once my RAM was more than 3G, recording was a whole new experience for me. I say that in view of the bigger picture, I'd go for it. I really credit the G5 with making recording fun for me again. That G4 is just gonna get older, and that's a good deal on the G5. The UAD's run fine for me now that I've got the configuration happy.

I'm curious, how much RAM did you have before upgrading to 3G? What differences did you notice?

Also, have you tried maxing out your UAD DSP usage? My understanding was that the two faster models of G5s actually don't get the UAD bandwidth that G4s do.

Thanks.

 

[max cooper]

I had 1.5G RAM when I bought the machine but I quickly upgraded to 3G. Then a while later I upped to 6G.

I have 2 UAD cards, but pretty much just use one right now. I don't know if the UAD is better in a G4, but it's possible. I do know that just about everything else is better on the G5. This is the closest I've come to recording with a tape machine since I used to record with a tape machine (as far as stability...sound, we won't go into....)

I would prefer having all the UAD plugins in RTAS versions running native (without the UAD card). I don't use more than one 'verb per mix so I don't have a prob. with plugin count on my cpu. The whole wrapper/pci/G5 thing takes more cpu, it seems, than if the plugs were running native as RTAS. I use 'em because they sound good.

 

[mykie_a]

thx so much for the input fellas!

 

[UAJames]

There are still specific issues with the PCI-X G5s that we are still ironing out with Apple. If you need to upgrade to a G5, the newest Dual 1.8 G5 (store model M9454LL/A) is performing the best with the UAD-1, just like the G4s. We also speculate the new single 1.8 would perform similarly, but we haven't had our hands on one yet to test. The workaround we currently have in place for these units changes the way DMA access is done and a side effect is that there is a small host load per-plugin as the host CPU now has a to do some of the DMA work. The other thing is that performance seems to vary between models; some users have reported better usage than others using the same machine, some even the same sound card. Bottom line, if you rely heavily on the UAD-1, or have multiple cards, shy away from the original seriers G5s as well as the new dual 2.0 and dual 2.5.

Macworld is also right around the corner. I have always gone by the rule \"don't buy a new Mac right before Macworld\" cause all the hot new stuff gets unveiled at SF Macworld