How to Make Any Build Into a Audio Editing Build

[tonymacx86]

How to Make Any Build Into a...
Audio Editing Build
​

About
Any CustoMac Build can be a great Audio Editing Build for both OS X and Windows. There are some additional hardware and software recommendations as well as setup tips below that can turn a good machine for audio into one that rivals any pro recording studio.

The following links can help turn your machine into a better rig for audio editing. If you have any other tips and tricks, let us know!

Build-Specific Hardware

Audio Devices
For a list of additional devices see this thread.​

Device	FW/USB/TB	Extra Setup
Tascam US-1800	USB	Driver	Amazon US (CAN UK DE ES FR IT)	Newegg
Presonus Firebox Mobile	Firewire	Control Panel	Amazon Us	Newegg

Monitors

	Yamaha HS5 Monitor (single speaker)	Amazon US (CAN UK DE ES FR IT)	Newegg
	Yamaha HS8 Monitor (single speaker)	Amazon US (CAN UK DE ES FR IT)	Newegg
	Yamaha HS8 Subwoofer	Amazon US (CAN UK DE ES FR IT)	Newegg

Build-Specific Software

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Avid Protools	"Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation for Microsoft Windows and OS X, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film and television post production, musical notation and MIDI sequencing. Pro Tools can run as standalone software, or operate using a range of external A/D converters and internal PCI or PCIe audio cards with onboard DSP." Source: Wikipedia	Details
MOTU Digital Performer	"Digital Performer is a full-featured Digital Audio Workstation/Sequencer software package published by Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) of Cambridge, Massachusetts for the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows platforms." Source: Wikipedia ​	Details
Apple Logic Pro X	"Logic Pro provides software instruments, synthesizers, audio effects and recording facilities for music synthesis. It also supports Apple Loops – royalty-free professionally-recorded instrument loops. Audio effects include distortions, dynamics processors, equalization filters, and delays. Logic Pro can work with MIDI keyboards and control surfaces for input and processing, and for MIDI output. It features real-time scoring in musical notation, supporting guitar tablature,chord abbreviations and drum notation." Source: Wikipedia ​	Details
Apple Garageband	"GarageBand is a software application for OS X and iOS that allows users to create music or podcasts. It is developed by Apple Inc. as a part of the iLife software package on OS X." Source: Wikipedia ​	Details
Propellerheads Reason	"Reason is a computer program for creating and editing music developed by Swedish software developers Propellerhead Software. It emulates a rack of hardware synthesizers, samplers, signal processors,sequencers, and mixers, all of which can be freely interconnected in an arbitrary manner. Reason can be used either as a complete virtual music studio or as a collection of virtual instruments to be used with other sequencing software in a fashion that mimics "live" performance." Source: Wikipedia ​	Details
Adobe Audition	"Adobe Audition (formerly Cool Edit Pro) is a digital audio workstation from Adobe Systems featuring both a multitrack, non-destructive mix/edit environment and a destructive-approach waveform editing view." Source: Wikipedia ​	Details

Build-Specific Setup
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Optimizing Your CustoMac Audio Workstation
http://www.tonymacx86.com/music/892...timizing-your-customac-audio-workstation.html

Thunderbolt 2 Setup
http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-h...e-ga-z87x-ud7-th-thunderbolt-2-0-testing.html

Other Links:
http://www.tonymacx86.com/music/87502-old-dog-new-tricks-using-hd4000-your-pro-audio-daw-builds.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/powermac-g5/86498-boomrs-recording-studio-g5-case-mod.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/golden-bu...o-rig-i7-2700k-ga-z68x-ud7-radeon-hd6870.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/golden-bu...core-i7-3770k-ga-z77x-up5-th-32gb-hd4000.html

This is only a partial list, if you have some suggestions, please add them here and we'll try to add to this post.

 

[BoomR]

[DRAFT] How to Make Any Build Into a Audio Editing Build

I really like the idea of the thread!! Looks good thus far. LOVING the guitar image at the top of the thread, too!!

Some things that you might want to include that would really help round this out (my $0.02):

1. A link to the audio interfaces thread that has become a pretty comprehensive listing of all the audio interfaces that are known to work with CustoMacs. That might be an easier contribution to the article vs. building your own table of audio interfaces. That would be a HUGE undertaking in itself...
2. Some other DAWs that you might consider adding to the list (because I know guys that use these on Mac): Ableton, Cubase, PreSonus Studio One, and believe it or not, Band In a Box
3. KB articles on audio interface connectivity for smaller form factor, hobbyist, or entry-level devices. These are written by the folks at Apogee (tops in the biz) about Apogee, but the logic & theory applies to pretty much all audio interfaces in this category:

• Why not USB 3.0?
• Why not Thunderbolt?

Of course, having included #3, now that TB controllers are getting a little more affordable, we're seeing some less-expensive devices with TB (the Apollo 2-channel one, and a MOTU 828 now with TB and USB 2.0)

 

[tonymacx86]

Moved to main forum - The Clubhouse > System Usage > Music

 

[crashputer]

Awesome. My next build is going to be specifically for a portable recording/performance rig. I'm waiting to see if the X99 chipset will be a viable option before I build.

I'm planning on using the PreSonus Firestudio Project (http://www.presonus.com/products/FireStudio-Project) as my interface because it's inexpensive and also chainable for more inputs. This will require a working thunderbolt port and a firewire adapter (http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Thunderbolt-to-FireWire-Adapter/dp/B008RXYOKY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412701352&sr=8-1&keywords=thunderbolt+firewire).

My plan is to install this into a rackmount case along with at least two PreSonus interfaces, amps, and other related gear.

The only drawbacks to this system is the rack will be *heavy*.

 

[BoomR]

his will require a working thunderbolt port and a firewire adapter (http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Thunderbolt-to-FireWire-Adapter/dp/B008RXYOKY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412701352&sr=8-1&keywords=thunderbolt+firewire).

That's not the only way to get Firewire on a CustoMac. There are a few good PCIe Firewire card option that also work well - you should do a search of the forums to check out what some people are using. Here is a link to one of them. I actually have 2 different FW cards in my Studio 2.0 build - feel free to check out the link in my signature.

The only FW card I would avoid would be the card specified in the thread "The Only 100% Compatible Firewire Card" (or some name similar to that). That card worked very well with older builds that did not have UEFI - but had the traditional BIOS to control motherboard parameters.

Good luck with your build!
--B

 

[Robbish]

Please add the following Mac compatible software DAWs to your list;

Cockos Reaper
http://www.reaper.fm/index.php

Bitwig Studio (the only commercial DAW/Live hybrid that also works with Ubuntu, Windows and Mac)
http://www.bitwig.com/en/home/recent-news.html

Ableton Live
https://www.ableton.com/en/

Steinberg Cubase
http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cubase/start.html



P.S. I also have a Focusrite 2i4 usb audio interface which works plug and play in OSX Mavericks, Reason Garage band and iTunes but i have not tried the included Focusrite audio routing/recording software yet but would expect it to work the same.


iLok Users:- anybody using an iLok on their Hackintosh, BoomR recommended in a previous reply to a post from way back to install the iLok software firstly after a fresh install of OSX BEFORE installing any other software in OSX.

After iLok is installed and activated for the software that you wish to use then you can install your software DAW(s)

 

[thegabezone]

That's right .. ANY BUILD

i5 4670k
Z87M-D3H
16GB RAM (G Skill on 1600Mhz)
2x GT 610
HD 4600 (Enabled just to enable AirPlay .. I find that connecting a screen to it makes for a slower boot)
120 GB SSD (Samsun EVO)
Misc HDDs
M-Box (Original Version) with a "home brewed" driver (No support for years now)

Ableton, Logic, Reason you name it .. it'll work.

It's a working beast !

Thanks to y'alls for showin' me the Hackin'Way

 

[zadik]

DO NOT buy a persons firebox.!!!!!!!!---- its a POS---i had one and their OWN firmware BRICKED the card and then presonus told me it was gonna cost me $80 to fix it and i had to pay for shipping...Awesome company. there are a plethora of sound cards that work with hackintosh. UAD apollo, apogee duet and motu to name just a few

 

[Manic Harmon1c]

DO NOT buy a persons firebox.!!!!!!!!---- its a POS---i had one and their OWN firmware BRICKED the card and then presonus told me it was gonna cost me $80 to fix it and i had to pay for shipping...Awesome company. there are a plethora of sound cards that work with hackintosh. UAD apollo, apogee duet and motu to name just a few

Yeah I've had bad experience with Presonus hardware as well... Buggy drivers/firmware and terrible customer service. I would never reccomend buying anything from them.

 

[tonymacx86]

I can recommend the MOTU 8Pre- I use the Firewire version, and it works great with Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter. The most common one now is the USB version. Perfect for 8 track XLR no fuss inputs with nice preamps in Logic Pro X.



MOTU 8pre USB 24-bit/96kHz USB Audio Interface
http://www.amazon.com/MOTU-8510-8pre-USB/dp/B00EN2WHRK/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1TT19M6738