Advice needed for Mac Logic and monitors

Junglist_007

Junglist_007

learning difficulties
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Hi Guys, I need some advice i got Mac Pro yestday for production. I got two things on my mind if someone can point me in right direction.

1.I want to get Logic package but don't know what to go for theres Logic Studio, Logic Express 8 and Logic Pro 8. I'm bit confused can some one help me out?

2.I need to get some monitors for it only slots i can see are USB ports, does that mean i need USB mointors? Or can i get other monitors. I can't seem to find any USB monitors part from this one:
http://www.westenddj.co.uk/Product/ALESIS/Sound/M1-ACTIVE-320-USB/

I been looking around on the net for info but can't really find much. I know you guys will help me out. Thanks for any advice you can give. Thanks :) :) :) :) :)
 
1) I would go with Logic Studio, as it's the most "bang for the buck". It's $500, but it's well worth it IMO.

2) Ok, for the monitors...first of all, you should invest in a decent audio interface. There are numerous USB interfaces on the market that are quite affordable. If you're looking for something inexpensive, check out the Digidesign M-Box Mini. It has 1 mic preamp, 2 TRS inputs and 2 TRS outputs to which you can connect monitors. It also has a headphone out. But the big selling point it that it gives you the Pro Tools LE software. Very good buy IMO. If you don't get an interface, you'd have to use the headphone out on your soundcard to connect your monitors (I'd stay away from USB monitors). Using the onboard soundcard will have increased latency, and the sound quality will be sub-par. You can however get an adapter to go from the headphone out to a set of monitors, but I would try to avoid this. If you don't have the money for an interface and decent monitors, invest the money in a top-notch set of headphones first (Beyerdynamic DT series are great). These will be far more accurate than a cheap pair of monitors, and when you DO get nice monitors the heaphones will still be a great reference.

What's your budget?
 
1. Logic Studio is the high end package will set you back about £270. It includes Logic Pro 8, lots of good quality VSTi's, effects and more samples than you can shake a stick at! Link >>>>>>>>> http://www.dv247.com/invt/45995/
Logic Express is a stripped down version that includes the VSTi's and effects.

2. You will need to buy an external soundcard to plug in to your Macbook Pro then you will have the outputs from the soundcard to go into whatever monitors you wish to buy. Something like an M Audio Fast Track or Emu 0202 soundcard will do you. They are between £60 - £80. Monitors are very dependent on budget as you could blow £1000+ on some high end monitors. What's your budget?
 
Nice one for the replys guys. I wasnt excepting that i thought monitors would just plug in. But never mind just have to work harder to get the money. My budget for monitors i could go up to £150 - £200. What ones would you suggest? The external soundcard does that plug straight into Mac? Or do i have open the case install it? Cheers for replying nice one guys :)
 
Junglist_007 said:
Nice one for the replys guys. I wasnt excepting that i thought monitors would just plug in. But never mind just have to work harder to get the money. My budget for monitors i could go up to £150 - £200. What ones would you suggest? The external soundcard does that plug straight into Mac? Or do i have open the case install it? Cheers for replying nice one guys :)
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There's a bunch of USB audio interfaces that you just plug in to the Mac, and they're typically bus powered (no external power needed). With that budget, you'd be better off with some good headphones IMO. There are a few sets of monitors you could get (KRK RP5, Tapco S5, Mackie MR5) but they all have 5" woofers that don't provide the best bass response. If I were you, I'd get the M-Box Mini (interface that includes Pro Tools software) and heaphones, save up, get good monitors. IMO.
 
monsters_R_real said:
With that budget, you'd be better off with some good headphones IMO.
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Not sure I'd agree with that, I dont think your ever better off with headphones for producing really, they can be good for doing little bits but not for doing an entire mixdown. I can see where your coming from because a lot of cheap monitors won't sound any good at all, but with a good look around I'm sure there will be something decent enough to get started making tunes on. And theres always the fact that you could spend 1500+ on a something like a Blue Sky 2.1 system, and without a well designed setup with good acoustics, it'd still be very inaccurate.
 
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If you can stretch to £250 for monitors id pick these up: Alesis M1Active MKII.

About to get some myself, and for producing and transparency of sound they smashed the krks and mackies when i tested them.
 
For USB interfaces I'd say Lexicon make the best, tehy have a few in the range and the latency is pretty low. But have you not got a spare firewire port?

I also agree, mixing with just headphones is not better than mixing on a pair of "alright" monitors.

I suggest you get one really good monitor (is that 200 for the pair or 200 each?) and use standard/hifi speakers and headphones for day to day production, using the decent single monitor for referencing and mixdown. It's best to hear your production on a range of speakers anyway
 
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