iMac vs laptop for live use.....?

[jimkost2002]

Hi Folks!

 

I am considering an i7 iMac (21.5") for onstage use rather an a laptop......reasons being less $$$$, more power and larger onscreen real estate.....

 

I got this idea in part from seeing a youtube video of Herbie Hancock's current setup. (I would get a custom ATA 3 road case as well.)

 

Does anyone know if the base is easily detachable? .....what about heat issues?

 

Thanks in Advance!

Jim

[Ken Beaumont]

I hope they have gotten a lot better than the iMac G5. I replaced the motherboard 3 times at apples expense until the warranty expired. Apple did right by me, but it was a pain in the rear.

I don't remember the base being easily removable. The iMac had a decently designed fan setup. I don't think it could be any harder to cool them than the laptops. If you do end up using one, please post picks! I would think a Mac-Mini and rack mounted touch screen would be awesome mounted in an angled mixer rack. Nasa has quite a few nice control room displays that would be perfect. I'm afraid to ask what they paid for them!

[Littidy]

Interesting, my new set-up is a mac mini server rack mounted in an angled DJ rack case with a 17" rack mounted Dell screen. Didn't go with touchscreen as I got the new trackpad that can sit on my main keys to control the occasional necessesities. Got my rack mounted LCD for $299 from racksolutions.com. Will let interested folks know how it all works soon...parts arrive this week.

[Joe Muscara]

Don't compare it at all to the original iMac G5s as far as reliability. I have one, and replaced the motherboard several times as well. Even the later iMac G5s were better. The Intel-based iMacs are awesome from what I hear.

 

There was a way with the original iMac G5s to remove the base so you could wall mount it with a standard VESA wall mount. I don't know if that applies to the current models, but I'm sure it's documented if it is.

 

That said, a mini and an external display might be easier.

[Ken Beaumont]

I assumed the iMacs were much improved since then. In fact if I had the cash, I would have bought a new one by now. When it was working I really liked that computer! No cluttered chords, fast and stable! Couldn't ask for more. I have 2 intel based laptops a macbook and a macbook pro. Would love to put away the plain jane macbook and get an iMac for my studio.

[RABid]

A big difference is visibility of the computer on stage. If you think computers should be heard and not seen, go with the MacBook. If you think computers are part of a cool stage setup, go with the iMac.

[humannoyed]

Interesting, my new set-up is a mac mini server rack mounted in an angled DJ rack case with a 17" rack mounted Dell screen. Didn't go with touchscreen as I got the new trackpad that can sit on my main keys to control the occasional necessesities. Got my rack mounted LCD for $299 from racksolutions.com. Will let interested folks know how it all works soon...parts arrive this week.

 

Yes, please do let us know. I have been wondering about using a mac mini, headless with a program like Forte which can auto-boot at startup - no monitor needed.

[timwat]

In large part I think it depends on type/frequency of gigs and your typical load-in demands. With the crazy venues I often play (tiny setup footprint, unrealistic load-in time frames, gear jostled, kicked and dropped...), I'd be terrified to bring an iMac into the rig - I'm hesitant enough with my MacBook Pro. At least for me, the one thing that consistently holds true is if bad things can happen to gear, eventually they will. To me, a glorious 21.5" screen is a 21.5" accident waiting to happen.

 

Maybe that's just me. Your mileage may vary.

[zephonic]

I happened to have my iMac with me on a gig a few weeks back and decided to give it a try. It worked perfectly, with my Saffire interface @ 128 samples. For schlepping it, I use an iLugger case.

 

I'm gonna do it again this Friday and see how that goes.

[Mr. B.]

My gosh I thought Apple was so much better than that. I have a Dell with a 17" screen and have taken it to too many gigs to think about. I do pack it like it's a diamond and no one ever make fun of it. My Dell ran so poorly the first year that they had to change the mother board four times and then Dell techs don't reinstall any of the software correctly. None of the software was turned on.

I have always wished I'd bought an Apple, I would sure never have another Dell. I lost my reinstall OS disk, I called Dell, they told me I should not have lost it and would not sell another cd at a reduced price. I went to a local discounter told them the story and the store manager gave me one. He told me he wanted my business when I was ready to buy another pc/laptop what ever the flavour. You can't beat that for PR.

[Joe Muscara]

If you read the posts, you'll see that Apple covered both of us even out of warranty (I didn't mention it, but they did).

 

OTOH, Dell ran around telling even corporate clients that the issue was the software they were running, not their hardware. If I find the link, I'll post it for the rest of you.

[Joe Muscara]

Here's the article about Dell and their downfall.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/technology/29dell.html?_r=1

 

Here's the Wikipedia entry on what technically happened to the various manufacturers.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

[Ken Beaumont]

I only had issues with the one G5 iMac. I still have an old ibook G3 that still works perfectly! Slower CPU compared to today and no more software is made to run on it, but it still works like it did when I bought it. Unlike windows, OS X doesn't get slower with age. And Apple supported it through out the warranty. I had a three year warranty and every year like clock work a new main board. Unlike Dell, I wasn't hours talking to a support technician reading from a book who's primary language wasn't English! I have owned 5 apple computers since 1999. I spent nearly 2 full days last year on the phone with Dell trying to get them to repair a laptop for my previous employer. When the technician came and replaced the laptops main board, they broke the keyboard ribbon cable connector on the new main board.

And left it unfixed, this resulted in another 4 hours on the phone.

[RABid]

My Dell story. I bought a Dell at work as a trial to see if I wanted to make them a repeat vendor. The computer came in, I set it up for the CEO's secretary, and everything was fine the first day.

 

Next day the Dell would not boot. I called support. They talked me through a HD format, told me to reload everything, and the computer worked.

 

Next day the Dell would not boot. I called support and told them the same thing happened the day before. They talked me through a HD format, told me to reload everything, and the computer worked.

 

Next day the Dell would not boot. I called support and told this this was the third time with the same problem.They talked me through a HD format, told me to reload everything, and the computer worked. I asked for a new hard drive and was told if they can get the computer working by phone support they cannot issue any type of replacement.

 

Next day the Dell would not boot. I packed it up and put the old computer back on the secretary's desk.

 

Two months later an accounts receavable person from Dell called to ask why the bill for the computer had not been paid. I told her the story and she looked up the record of service calls on the machine. The next day a tech under contract from Dell came to the office and replaced the hard drive. He left me to install everything again.

 

I don't know what would have happened if I had paid for that computer in advance. The only reason I got service from Dell is I was holding the check. I've bought hundreds of computer since then, none of them Dell.

[Bridog6996]

My Dell story:

 

I have a Dell Vostro laptop that I use live, and the thing is a beast. It runs like a champ at 128 samples with my Mackie firewire card. It could probably go lower, but 128 is the lowest buffer the Mackie will allow. It's handling a full load of duty too (multiple audio tracks and racks upon racks of VST effects and instruments) and never a hiccup. I've never had a better computer.

 

With that said, when it comes to PC, the biggest downside is that you definitely have to tweak your way to satisfaction. My computer certainly didn't come out of the box like that. It was a good computer for 95% of the public, but certainly not stage-ready in the least for music production. The upside is that after taking the time to tweak it, it smokes any Macbook I've ever seen, but there were definitely some headaches along the way. I've never bothered with Dell customer service. I've dealt with both HP and Dell customer service a bunch in the past, and it's just a waste of time and effort. Crappy support seems pretty much universal for PC manufacturers.

 

Anyway, not to get off the subject...an iMac (or any desktop style computer) is totally fine for live use if you're willing to deal with the added set-up. Actually, it would be much better performance-wise. The only major advantage to using a laptop is the portability factor. And don't worry about heat. The iMac will deal with heat much better than a Macbook. Macbooks have horrible ventilation.

[Clifton]

Macbooks have horrible ventilation.

 

So I've read, which is what prevents me from using it on outdoor gigs. I've used it on indoor gigs a couple of times without issues.

 

I'd still much rather use a laptop with a big fan pointed at its back, than a desktop computer on stage, let alone the iMac with its huge glass screen (disaster waiting to happen)! Mac Mini or even an XServe, but not the iMac!!!

[timwat]

That's what I was thinking - I'm sure performance would be fine and it would be very cool having all that screen real estate (especially with stage lighting changes), but I'd be afraid of someone knocking the sucker on its face, or it getting hit by something.

[stillplaying]

and it would be very cool having all that screen real estate

 

Maybe - or you might be tortured with questions about how much of the performance is coming from the computer - fine if you want to talk VSTs with guys with a few drinks in them who were in a band once "back in the day when it was all talent, no computer magic."

 

Either will be ok but a laptop is easier to hide away. That's if you play functions and corporate dos. Maybe you're well up the ladder from me and are on tour with Lady Gaga with security to keep the public away from your delicate rig.

 

 

(P.S. If you are on tour with the "Lady" - anything we should or shouldn't know? You're among friends. We're very discreet).

 

 

[Joe Muscara]

This is why the mini + display can be such an appealing idea. The mini can be in your rack or otherwise out of the way and protected, and you can get 20" displays for a couple hundred bucks.

[Phil Aiken]

I'd be interested in setting up a mini to be used live without a screen or mouse.

Boot up directly into main stage or the like and handle patch changes via midi.

Have my iPad handy to vnc to the mini in the event of emergency....

[Phil Aiken]

Interesting, my new set-up is a mac mini server rack mounted in an angled DJ rack case with a 17" rack mounted Dell screen. Didn't go with touchscreen as I got the new trackpad that can sit on my main keys to control the occasional necessesities. Got my rack mounted LCD for $299 from racksolutions.com. Will let interested folks know how it all works soon...parts arrive this week.

 

Yes, please do let us know. I have been wondering about using a mac mini, headless with a program like Forte which can auto-boot at startup - no monitor needed.

 

Yes, this....

[NewImprov]

Maybe - or you might be tortured with questions about how much of the performance is coming from the computer - fine if you want to talk VSTs with guys with a few drinks in them who were in a band once "back in the day when it was all talent, no computer magic."

 

Man, I get that often. I use a laptop, and and it sits off to my left, so it's pretty visible to the audience. I have no programmed loops or backing tracks, the laptop is just hosting VST's I play live. I also play left hand bass with this band. I've found a surprising number of people who assume that the bass lines are all programmed, even had a guy ask me how the drummer stays in sync with the bass lines from the computer, well, it's easy, I'm playing them live. I suppose I should take it as a compliment to my playing, but I find it a little frustrating.