Hello guys! I will try to be brief with my question.

Currently I have a Macbook Pro Mid 2012, which I use to produce when I travel or when I go to spend some days in someone's home, besides using it to help me in college.

At home I have a Windows desktop, which I also use for production, in addition to playing a few things.

The question is, on the macbook I end up using many plugins in AU, and on Windows I end up using VST2. All my projects that I finish producing in Macbook Pro I can not export to the Desktop to continue working there, since I end up losing the plugin.

Thinking about this problem, would it be feasible for me to have a hackintosh on my desktop and only work with OSX?

What is your opinion?


The configuration of my desktop is:

I7-7700K Processor
Motherboard Gigabyte Z270X UG
16GB RAM
GTX 1080i

 

Hi,

Your pc configuration is fully compatible with hacky, just google around and you will find "how to".
If your start project is with OSX (not only recording but also mixing as i understand) is logical to continue with OSX.
Your motherboard seems good on hackintosh...so...go for it!

 

Doing the hackintosh is not the problem, I've done it several times on my desktop but never with a purpose and simply out of curiosity.
The question was whether it would really be worth taking into consideration that I use a macbook pro for production.

I believe that I will follow your advice and carry out the hackintosh on my desktop to be able to produce in both without any concern.

Thanks!

 

1) which DAW do you use? (if it's not Windows-friendly, then stay with MacOS)
2) what's your current use of MBP and PC tower? (let's say you record on laptop, but would mix on PC in another room/house? do you really need to switch between MBP and PC so often with projects, or could you eventually bounce/freeze so you'd remain compatible as you wouldn't use non-applied plugin FX?)
3) do you see any bottleneck in your current MBP performance for the use you need?
4) is there any particular problem (lack of HDD/SSD or connectivity) to have dualboot of MacOS and Windows on your PC?

me, I got 2012 MBP in recording studio, running Reaper and High Sierra
then I have hackintosh for mixing and all the various stuff in my place, different building, same Reaper, same High Sierra; it's dualboot with Windows 10 just in case I wanna play some heavier games; also have Windows 10 in Parallels and Crossover so I can run Windows-only apps within MacOS

actually I'm thinking about building another moderately powerful Windows 10 rig just as Vienna Ensemble Pro server host, so I could offload virtual instruments and maybe even mastering from my hackintosh workstation

 

1) I use Ableton Live 10. I have no problem with Windows or with OSX, I use both daily.
2) I use MBP for college and work, as I spend a lot of time outside the house during the day I end up producing at intervals. I also spend a few days at my girlfriend's house once in a while.

When I get home I end up producing on my desktop in my room (I do not have separate recording / monitoring rooms yet) so I end up wanting to finish my projects on the desktop.

3) Not currently.
4) I have no problem, I even had dualboot. I currently use a 500GB SSD and a 1TB HDD and a 3TB External HDD.

 

Last edited: Dec 31, 2018

hmm then if I were you I'd go with hackintosh, being able to move projects around freely,
would keep Windows as another boot option though,
that way you could basically split production and gaming/entertainment which would overall let you be less distracted and more creative as well

 

It's pretty obvious that you would benefit from having both, or just MacOS on the desktop, so you can easily transfer your projects from the laptop. Also, you're more future proof with MacOS for audio IMHO, and you can easily use it for Internet, too. Unlike Windows.

However, have you considered networking them? Connecting two Abletons with something like ReaStream [cockos' free plug-in for streaming multiple channels of audio and midi over network] and using laptop for playback, while mixing on the desktop?

Although, my opinion is actually that Windows 7 is the best, and most efficient, with more audio programs and plugs, for audio. It's also great for gaming. Just sucks for Internet. But if you're satisfied with MacOS, just use that. The best thing to use is what works best for you!

edit: there is a much more "sinister" [lol] usage for ReaStream... if you only have one audio interface, you can ReaStream any number of audio and midi channels [incl. MTC!] from any computer, with any OS, in your network, to the computer connected to the audio interface, with minimum latency. That's why there's option to use "Dummy Audio" driver in Reaper. Just imagine the possibilities.

 

Last edited: Jan 5, 2019