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[bblackwood]

It seems like every year or two I get so sick of dealing with Windoze I renew the search for a counterpart to Sequoia in OSX. Over and over again I've found that there really isn't anything that's 'there' yet - is this still the case? Here are the requirements in no particular order:

• DDP import/export
• multitrack support
• decent plugin support (I occasionally de-ess or do a slight bit of corrective EQ ITB and like to leave a limiter across the stereo buss to catch overs from crossfades, etc.)
• rock-solid stability

Other things may be added to the list as I think of them, but these seem to be the core issues that weed out potential replacements.

Man, I wish Sequoia ran in OSX...

[mcsnare]

Tell me when you find it!
It's kind of shocking that there is so little to choose from in the Mac world.
You Soundblade folks can yell all you want, but from what I hear it's not ready for prime time. I work so much there is no way I'd chance things for SB right now.

Dave

[David Glasser]

Different strokes....

Having used Sonic for almost 20 years, soundBlade is a no brainer for me. Like Sonic Systems of the past, I do very little processing ITB so I'm not pushing any envelopes.

Any new system will involve some degree of brain damage to assimilate - I've been going through that as I slowly learn my way around ProTools.

Brad - why not demo a sB system for a couple weeks. That's the only way you'll know if it's a good fit....

[Barry Hufker]

I'm die-hard Mac and I freely admit there is nothing like Sequoia for OS X.  I use Nuendo, Peak and soundBlade (which if you've read other threads here, I have complained loudly about).

BUT.  I'd rather own a Mac and run Windows (via Bootcamp for instance) than ever one a Windows machine...

Barry

[bblackwood]

Barry Hufker wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 14:54

T.  I'd rather own a Mac and run Windows (via Bootcamp for instance) than ever one a Windows machine...

Well, my Windoze boxes are custom built jobs that utilize parts at least as good as anything Apple uses, so that isn't the problem. The OS is the weakness compared to OSX...

[joeaudio]

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 20:57

Barry Hufker wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 14:54 T.  I'd rather own a Mac and run Windows (via Bootcamp for instance) than ever one a Windows machine... Well, my Windoze boxes are custom built jobs that utilize parts at least as good as anything Apple uses, so that isn't the problem. The OS is the weakness compared to OSX...

How so?

Joe

[bblackwood]

joeaudio wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 15:05

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 20:57 Well, my Windoze boxes are custom built jobs that utilize parts at least as good as anything Apple uses, so that isn't the problem. The OS is the weakness compared to OSX... How so?

XP isn't close to being as stable as OSX, ime. I've used both side by side for about six years now and there's little comparison. Sequoia has never crashed, but Windoze certainly has during that time period. OSX has been far more stable for me.

[joeaudio]

Ah, stability. The last Mac system I used on a daily
basis was running OS9.2 with Sonic HD. It was a little shakey
sometimes. Sonic Classic on OS 8.6? was rock solid day in
day out. With XP I do the Ctrl s often (sometimes not often enough.)

Joe

[turtletone]

I'm using a Frankenstein setup with way to many programs. But I'd rather have one machine that I can do everything on rather than 2 or 3 different machines, and be on a Mac. So I deal with it. I do CD's, live stuff to video, or audio for film mastering, etc... so I really need to have an all encompassing system which makes me a little crazy at times but no where near what I used to be on a PeeCee.
Every year I try SB and every year it seems to get a little better so I may start to ease into it a little bit at a time. I still rely heavily on PTools for processing and routing but it sucks because it's not an all in one.

screwed either way IMO.

[Noah Mintz]

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 16:10

joeaudio wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 15:05 bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 20:57 Well, my Windoze boxes are custom built jobs that utilize parts at least as good as anything Apple uses, so that isn't the problem. The OS is the weakness compared to OSX... How so? XP isn't close to being as stable as OSX, ime. I've used both side by side for about six years now and there's little comparison. Sequoia has never crashed, but Windoze certainly has during that time period. OSX has been far more stable for me.

I couldn't agree more.

I've been using a windows box since Samp 4 in 1999 but I've always had a powerbook/macbook beside me. MacOS keeps getting better while Microsoft OS keeps getting buggier. Granted, I don't get the blue screen of death much anymore, but I do get drivers that stop working for no reason and registry entrys that corrupt all on their own... and virus's... even with protection.

[jdg]

i recently moved to a new mac pro from a last gen imac for my sB setup.. the stability of the app has increased 1000%.

i find that kinda weird. but, makes me happy nonetheless.

i've never used the multitrack option ( i assume you need them for stems and the like?)  but i have a work flow now that is fast.  i dont do fancy things with plugs, just run audio thru analog loop and capture, trim the heads and tails, put in marks and burn.   once in a blue moon i need some fancy xfading that the amazing fade editor in sB allows me to do.

i think the only way for you to know is just to run a parallel system for a minute that u can use during unattended/not-time-critical sessions to get a feel for the stability and usability.

the upside for me is that i am so fast with OSX and my related utilities that run on OSX, any slowness in sB is well worth the speed i gain other places.

sB tho, still has TONS of gotcha's that will drive anyone crazy.

audiofile engineering is working on an update (a while off i assume tho) to add mature "mastering" features to Wave Editor (such as analog loop, etc etc etc)
i've given them my wish list and EVERYTHING i asked for was on their list too.. which makes me hopeful

[bblackwood]

jdg wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 16:53

i've never used the multitrack option ( i assume you need them for stems and the like?)

No stems, but when mastering different versions (vocup, snrdn, etc) I like to have them 'stacked' beneath the primary version so new refs with the various versions are easy to cut. It's perfect for radio singles, just part of how I've gotten used to working.

[dietrich]

I use OSX with Peak+Logic Pro. No matter what I do Peak crashes when I close it-I've learned to deal with it. Maybe it wants a newer G5...

People complain about Peak but my only issue with the newest update is the crash job.

I do not multitrack master that much and Logic8 has been solid when needed.

[jdg]

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 15:12

jdg wrote on Thu, 02 April 2009 16:53 i've never used the multitrack option ( i assume you need them for stems and the like?)   No stems, but when mastering different versions (vocup, snrdn, etc) I like to have them 'stacked' beneath the primary version so new refs with the various versions are easy to cut. It's perfect for radio singles, just part of how I've gotten used to working.

makes sense.

the way that sB deals with outputs and its different panes could make this super easy.  
that said, the screen realestate is dealt with oddly in sB.  

the 8 ch option makes it so you kinda have to use the "small" view.
you get 3 (or is it 4) views.. normal, large, and jumbo.

you can kinda see the 8ch option in this screen cap:
http://www.sonicstudio.com/pic/sb/8chanoption.jpg

honestly, i cannot think of any other app that can do one-stop-shop for mastering for OSX except slingBlade, and i'm pretty sure you'd want to throw your computer out the window pretty damned quickly after using sequoia for so long.

i could be wrong.

[JimK]

I just contacted Bias about Peak 6.1 crashing when attempting to burn a few masters in a row. They said there is a known issue and that the current work around is to revert back to v. 6.0.5. I've experienced a few other random crashes as well. I keep hoping for the latest versions to resolve most of the issues I've had with the program along the way, but it's consistently one step forward, one sideways, and one back and I only use the program for assembly and burning of masters.