# Any one on a Hackintosh?



## MATAHARI (Aug 22, 2014)

Any one on a Hackintosh?

Im thinking of building one... but am nervous about having problems when Im in the middle of a film or commercial score.

I need something that will be able to stream large sample librarys. The new mac trash can is cool... but is just too expensive.
Pc slave.. with mac mini front end.... or go back to Cubase and run Pc...


ive never really liked Pc... but want a super stable system.

Im looking to spend around 4 grand.


any suggestions?


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## IFM (Aug 23, 2014)

Well I do the mini/slave route here. In fact most of my samples are on the mini and the big Hollywood series are on slaves. It depends on what you want to stream.


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## simonmac (Aug 23, 2014)

I'm not using one, but am seriously considering it. Some info here providing hardware specs which seem to just about fall within your budget.

Apple's High-End Mac Pro; Total Price: $9,599

2.7 GHz 12-Core Intel Xeon E5 processor
64GB 1866MHz DDR3 ECC memory
Dual AMD FirePro D700 with 6GB GDDR5 VRAM (each)
1TB PCIe-based flash storage

High-End Hack Pro; Total Price: $4,162.85

Corsair Graphite 600T Case
Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 Motherboard
Intel Xeon 2.8 GHz E5 10-Core Processor with Corsair H60 CPU Cooler
EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti
64GB Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz DDR3 RAM
960GB Crucial M500 Solid State Drive
Corsair AX760 Modular Power Supply
TP-Link PCI Express Wi-Fi Card

The Mac Pro is still faster but it's negligable and certainly not + $5000 faster...


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## marlboro (Aug 23, 2014)

Check this out, pretty cool !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrOHPm_7PDo


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## gsilbers (Aug 23, 2014)

if it was easier to do and update id be all for it. but from what i understand you just can't update anytime, you have to research what you can or cannot install etc, which for pro work starts getting cumbersome. 

also, i tried doing it on my pc when i first got it but was not successful. follow directions etc but coudnt do it. hardware was corect etc so its not that easy imo.


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## Rv5 (Aug 23, 2014)

MATAHARI @ Fri Aug 22 said:


> Any one on a Hackintosh?
> 
> Im thinking of building one... but am nervous about having problems when Im in the middle of a film or commercial score.
> 
> ive never really liked Pc... but want a super stable system.



A Hackintosh has the potential to be super stable, but I would say less so than a PC these days. 

It was on the TonyOSX forums that someone actually said something along the lines of: If it's so important, don't risk a hackintosh. 

If you spent the same time and dedication to building a PC into what you'd need to to build a hackintosh (hardware compatibility from motherboard, memory, cpu, graphics cards, firewire eg PCs don't come with firewire built in.. do hackintosh's recognise third party firewire cards? etc), then you'll get a great PC.

Installations and updates - say for example Kontakt 6 came out and you needed it for a library that only supports Kontakt 6 and in turn that needed a new OSX update from the on you were running and then in turn that meant maybe other features might not work on a hackintosh... well, that's the risk you run and the kind of time you'd need for something that isn't even necessarily going to be super stable.

My PC is Windows 8, i7-3960x, Gigabyte X79-UP4, 64gb Corsair and I would say it's a super stable system, very powerful, and cost less than a mac (eBay for new parts at cheap prices is a goldmine)


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## Nick Batzdorf (Aug 23, 2014)

That high-end Hack Pro has a $6xx graphics card. We don't need that for audio.


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## José Herring (Aug 23, 2014)

Nick Batzdorf @ Sat Aug 23 said:


> That high-end Hack Pro has a $6xx graphics card. We don't need that for audio.



+1

Personally, I wouldn't dick around with a Hackintosh for a DAW. If you truly have 4k then just get a real mac pro. They have 6 core models for around 4k. Comes with 16 gigs. Get at least 32 gigs and a good external Thurderbolt drive and you're off with the real thing.


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## fish_hoof (Aug 23, 2014)

Yes and I love it. Just built it this year for about $2k and it out benchmarks the new Mac Pro at $5k. Super stable and runs rock solid after I had a few quirks I had to work out.


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## José Herring (Aug 23, 2014)

c'mon fish, you can't just post you have a working system without sharing your specs. Please 

I'd like to build one for just general office and internet and entertainment stuff.


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## TGV (Aug 23, 2014)

I had a colleague with a Hackintosh, and it took him quite some time to get it stable. It drove his GF crazy, because the computer would freeze even during browsing. Would not recommend.

If you still want to proceed, perhaps this can help you further: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/quo/projectq-run-any-os-the-unique-motherboard?ref=discovery. I tried to look up the manufacturer's website, but it seems dead.


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## LaurensGoedhart (Aug 24, 2014)

I am. Had some trouble with setting things up, and turned out my graphics card was not as compatible as it seemed, so I had to replace that early on. But now it's as stable as a normal Mac! All drivers work as they should; Focusrite for my audio interface, Blackmagic drivers for my Intensity pro... And since a few OS updates, updating goes smoothly and I do not have to reset or reinstall anything for it to work! Still haven't figured out how that's possible, but I'm not complaining.

For the specs nerds:
Mobo: Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770 (3,4 Ghz)
RAM: 16 GB Vengeance (really want 32 GB though)
GFX: EVGA Nvidia Geforce GTX 650 Ti (2GB VRAM)
Additional Dawi Firewire PCI card
Additional Blackmagic Intensity Pro (PCI) card
SSD boot disk, 5x2 TB HDD with 4 of them in RAID
Interface: Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56

And I'm on Mac OS X 10.9.4, with PT 11 and Logic X. Works perfectly!


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## EastWest Lurker (Aug 24, 2014)

But what happens when you eventually want to to go to Yosemiie?


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## PJMorgan (Aug 24, 2014)

I've considered going the Hackintosh route but there's always something that could go wrong with it especially if you want to update to the latest OSX often.

I would suggest going for an i7 Mac mini with 16GB ram, I've been running one for a while now & it's been able to handle everything no problem. If you need a lot more RAM a Mac Mini along with a networked PC running VEPro would probably be more stable than a Hackintosh.

I was considering the Networked PC route but my daughters starting media/movie studies soon so I might have to upgrade to a 27 inch iMac, don't really want to go back to PC as I much prefer the OSX / Unix / Linux environments. A pity Linux is still pretty crap for music production but that's another story entirely.


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## LaurensGoedhart (Aug 24, 2014)

EastWest Lurker @ 2014-08-24 said:


> But what happens when you eventually want to to go to Yosemiie?


I'll backup really well (as usual), try the update the normal way, and if that doesn't work I'll try something else (there are a lot of tricks to make it work). Bear in mind that the Mac OS X I'm using is as normal as possible (and completely legit), coming from the installation file available in the Mac App Store. If nothing else works, I'll revert to my backup. Such an update can take half an hour to half a day, so I always make sure I'm not in the middle of a project or on a day where things have to be done fast. Even with a normal Mac, I wouldn't update in the middle of a project, cause there's always a chance things go wrong!


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## EastWest Lurker (Aug 24, 2014)

Forgive me my ignorance Laurens as I have no personal experience with Hackintoshes but I have friends who have gone that route and my understanding is that upgrading the OS of one is a much dicier undertaking than on an actual Mac.


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## Christof (Aug 24, 2014)

I am on a Hackintosh for some weeks now, has the same specifications as the new Mac Pros, it's an incredible workstation.
Major OS updates are tricky, minor updates are no problem at all.
But who does major updates more than once per year maybe?


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## LaurensGoedhart (Aug 24, 2014)

EastWest Lurker @ 2014-08-24 said:


> Forgive me my ignorance Laurens as I have no personal experience with Hackintoshes but I have friends who have gone that route and my understanding is that upgrading the OS of one is a much dicier undertaking than on an actual Mac.



Well, yeah, that was my experience before too. But since a few updates, everything runs very smooth here. I'm not gonna deny that an actual Mac is easier to update, because that's the truth. And if you're going the Hackintosh route, you need to have a bit more advanced computer skills set than changing the start-up source in your BIOS. But once it runs, at least in my case, it runs very well!


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## fish_hoof (Aug 24, 2014)

Sorry Josef, didn't really think about positing specs but should have.

CPU: i7-4770k 3.5 ghz
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD3H
Memory: 32GB (8GBx4) G.Skill Ares 1600MHz F3-1600C9D-16GAR 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 240M 
PSU: Rosewill Capstone-550-M 550W 
Chassis: Fractal Design Define 
Graphics: Gigabyte GV-N65TBOC-2GD GTX 760Ti BOOST 2GB
SSD: Samsung 840 Evo 250GB 
Optical drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST DVDR/RW burner 
Firewire card: Vantec 2+1 Firewire 800/400 PCIe UGT-FW210

All the pieces were hand picked to be compatible with the Mac OS and I had some weird freeze quirks when I first installed pro tools and some of my drivers and UAD card, but after some repair permissions, it has been rock solid. I even accidentally upgraded to 10.9.3 from 10.9.4 and everything worked perfectly.


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## fantasiom (Aug 24, 2014)

I've been on a hackintosh for about 9 months and I love it. There are pros and cons, but I built mine using the specifications on the tonymac x86 site. Mine is just as stable as a regular mac.

The big disclaimer with building one is that you kinda have to love it and be computer savvy. It's all on you. If something goes wrong you can't call apple support. For me building computers is a bit of a hobby so I enjoy it, it really depends on how you are with computers.

Pros:
-Much Cheaper. I built mine for $1500 and it is faster than the 2013 4-core mac pro, but slower than the 6-core. Plus that includes a graphics card, SSD's, 32GB ram, the works, unlike the new mac pro where you'll have to invest in a bunch of thunderbolt stuff. For me it was $1500 all in and that was it. I built the "Custo Mac" option, I use VE Pro so there was no need to go bigger for my main machine.

-You can build what you want and customize to your liking, using the mac specifications. You don't need to get more than what you need.

-You can over clock! I have mine sitting at 4.3 Ghz and it runs very smoothly.

Cons
-Major OS updates will take some time and tweaking. But for me this wasn't a concern, I usually stay on the same operating system as long as possible once I have a stable system.

-Some things in the OS may not work. The only thing I was unable to get to work was the "messages" app. but I'm not using this as a personal computer so I didn't care or spend any more time investigating. 

-The initial setup will require patience, you will always run into little things here and there to get it running smoothly, but once it's up and running I didn't have a problem. It will be easier if you build one from scratch using the tony mac specifications.

-No apple care or tech support, you're on your own if you have problems.


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## José Herring (Aug 24, 2014)

fantasiom @ Sun Aug 24 said:


> -Some things in the OS may not work. The only thing I was unable to get to work was the "messages" app. but I'm not using this as a personal computer so I didn't care or spend any more time investigating.



Oh.....

I actually built a hackintosh several several years ago using an old P4 I had, as a test run. The OS loaded up fine but I couldn't get the OS aps to work like the chess game ect.... So I thought it was a failure and ended my experiment. Never thought to load up other aps.

Is this pretty common? OS not working or are other people running OSX like it was a real mac?

I might just give it a go again with my slave machine and make a dual boot situation. 

Thanks.


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## germancomponist (Aug 24, 2014)

For what reason do some people use a Hackintosh?


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## José Herring (Aug 24, 2014)

germancomponist @ Sun Aug 24 said:


> For what reason do some people use a Hackintosh?



For me it would be better performance at a cheaper price point and the ability to sort of design your own system based on your needs. 

Plus I hate the trash can look of mac pro.

But, mostly it's just a curiosity for me. I still won't trust any serious work on a hackingtosh. But, it would be fun to make a nice multi media computer out of a hackintosh. Wife can surf the net, kids can play games, I can watch shows and movies as research of course. :lol:


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## fish_hoof (Aug 24, 2014)

germancomponist @ 24th August 2014 said:


> For what reason do some people use a Hackintosh?



I can get $5000 performance on a $2000 budget. You then also get the fun of building a computer that's easily upgradeable in the future.


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## G.E. (Aug 24, 2014)

The only possible reason I can think of for building a Hackingtosh is Logic. If that's the case, is it really worth all the trouble ? Why not just move to Cubase and build yourself a powerful Windows machine ?


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## germancomponist (Aug 24, 2014)

G.E. @ Sun Aug 24 said:


> The only possible reason I can think of for building a Hackingtosh is Logic. If that's the case, is it really worth all the trouble ? Why not just move to Cubase and build yourself a powerful Windows machine ?



Exactly what I mean!!!!

+ 1000


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## Mike Greene (Aug 24, 2014)

G.E. @ Sun Aug 24 said:


> The only possible reason I can think of for building a Hackingtosh is Logic. If that's the case, is it really worth all the trouble? Why not just move to Cubase and build yourself a powerful Windows machine ?


Because then I would be running Cubase. And to add to my misery, I'd be running it on a Windows machine.

:mrgreen:


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## germancomponist (Aug 24, 2014)

Mike Greene @ Sun Aug 24 said:


> G.E. @ Sun Aug 24 said:
> 
> 
> > The only possible reason I can think of for building a Hackingtosh is Logic. If that's the case, is it really worth all the trouble? Why not just move to Cubase and build yourself a powerful Windows machine ?
> ...



.... and Windows machines are much better now than Macs... .  o-[][]-o


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## Mike Greene (Aug 24, 2014)

Okay, I was just teasing. A more serious reason is that there are quite a few more apps besides just Logic that are Mac-only, not to mention Mac-only plugins. Admittedly, all can be easily replaced with Windows alternatives, but I'm in no mood to learn new apps just for the sake of saving a few bucks on a computer.

Plus, I've gotten so used to the Mac OS that I have a hard time getting around quickly on Windows. I do have a Windows 7 laptop and it seems every bit as good as a Mac OS. I believe the days of Macs being "better" are over. I'm just not as expert with Windows as I am with a Mac. I don't know where any support files get stored. I don't know what the equivalent to "Repair Permissions" would be. (A magic fix when things act weird on a Mac.) I don't even know a more efficient way to access my programs. (Like the dock on a Mac.) I'm sure there's a way on Windows, I just don't know what it is. Sure, it's all there, but this dog is past the age for learning new tricks.

Oh, one other issue: illegal characters! I use characters or file naming methods all the time that Windows doesn't like. Asterisks in file names, for instance. Not to mention all my old hard drives that are Mac formatted. If I switched to a Windows machine, it would disaster when I called up some of my old sessions.


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## MATAHARI (Aug 26, 2014)

Thanx for all the input!

I ended up going with the mac Pro... now I have to figure out how to migrate everything over form older mac pro machine?

migration assistant? or drag folders over?

Ill be going from snow leopard


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## Nick Batzdorf (Aug 26, 2014)

> I can get $5000 performance on a $2000 budget.



I view it more cynically. The new Mac Pro is $2000 worth of performance on a $5000 budget.

It's too much for a computer. And the reason is that we no longer have to upgrade machines every 2-1/2 years to keep up with the software, so the economy of scale isn't as favorable.

You're better of spending $2k for a computer and $3k in Apple stock. 

***

My experience with Windows: it's just as good until something goes wrong, at which point it's much harder to troubleshoot.


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