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#661075 06/19/21 12:15 PM
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Has anyone changed to mac and is it any better than windows for audio , Biab etc.

i have bought a mini mac and thought is it worth the 199.00 to change over ?.

Looking for thoughts and advice from forum members who know both .

Also what is the best Daw software for the mac ?>

Last edited by beatmaster; 06/19/21 12:31 PM.

win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 .
https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases

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I have a Mac, but I'm not the expert on it that I am with Windows. Mac in general gives fewer headaches with digital audio (drivers and all). Most Mac users I know have loaded Garageband, and the more serious ones like Logic. But I have friends using Pro Tools or Digital Performer, too. I'll bet if you posted this question in the BIAB for Mac Forum, you would get answers from more qualified users.


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But you won't get RealBand which i think is an essential partner program

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Bob is correct.


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Originally Posted By: Bob Calver
But you won't get RealBand which i think is an essential partner program


Bob, I'll agree that it is a partner but I do not think it is essential. One can go from BiaB directly to their DAW bypassing RealBand completely.


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Macs come with a decent DAW GarageBand. Its big brother the excellent Logic Pro X costs $199 for life including frequent upgrades and additions to the vast effects and sounds library.

I used PC’s from their inception and switched to a Mac in 2011. I’ve never looked back.

I’m clueless regarding RealBand’s benefits so can’t help much there.

Bud


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Janice and Bud's comments mirror my experience.
Worked/played in the PC world for 3 decades.
Abandoned it 10 years ago save BIAB.
Abandoned BIAB windoze this year.

I Love LogicProX for a DAW. $200 is great value.
Logic not only provides a great piece of software but a large community of users that offer many forums/teaching videos etc. Many of these are free or extremely low cost. Very helpful getting started or learning tips and tricks.

I used RealBand for a year or two before Logic. It got the job done.
I prefer Logic


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Originally Posted By: Janice & Bud
Macs come with a decent DAW GarageBand. Its big brother the excellent Logic Pro X costs $199 for life including frequent upgrades and additions to the vast effects and sounds library.

I used PC’s from their inception and switched to a Mac in 2011. I’ve never looked back.

I’m clueless regarding RealBand’s benefits so can’t help much there.

Bud

In other threads, we've been told by PG Music that, because of GarageBand, it was thought that there was no compelling business reason for porting RealBand to the Mac. Like Bud, I've never used it so have no idea how true that is. I've never felt the need, however.

Also, like Bud, I've used PCs from inception in various work environments plus I've owned Macs since 1984. In 2010, I stopped using PCs altogether even though my day gig was a Windows house—my database ran much, much better on a Mac. I, too, never looked back and when I left the job, was told to keep that PC (no one wanted to pay the shipping) and I gave it away a couple months ago.

The best DAW? It depends. I use Digital Performer, many of my collaborators use Logic so I know it well, lots of ProTools out there. Anything you do in GarageBand can be opened up in Logic. One thing common to all 4 apps is telephone support (Apple does not advertise this but it's true).

Of the many collaborators I work with, cross-platform Mac & Win, the number of Audacity and Reaper users I deal with = 0. At a certain level, if you are under a deadline and you need to know something, you want the instant gratification of a knowledgeable person on the other end of the phone. Apple/PT/MOTU can log into your workstation and see what you're doing with permission. BTW, same is true with the MacOS for 3 years after release even if AppleCare has lapsed. Mojave is still under support through November 2021.

Although I've made many support calls to Apple for OS issues, only one for help with an app and it was iMovie. The tech logged in and determined that a) I was doing everything right b) it really was working but c) because I was using a 2010 iMac, the task was going to take many hours to complete—but it would (AV rendering—yikes!). He was right and the task showed a small progress bar hours later and finished late the next day.

I took the hint and bought my first iMac Pro a few months later so I could complete the same task in 20 minutes (my current iMP does it in 6).




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Mac is somewhat better when it comes to real-time audio. Less problems with drivers + drivers are multi-client (many apps can use your audio interface), you can use aggregate devices, built-in IAC port, etc.

The only current threat I see are problems with Apple Silicon (the new M1 chip) as there are apps not compiled natively for it (yet).


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This is a great thread. My only issue is that I prefer Real Band, and in fact have never even booted BIAB. And while I could generate on a PC and move the file to the Mac, that's a lot of money invested to buy the Mac and Logic, when I have Real Band and Pro Tools on my PC. That said, the underlying idea of that move is to leave Micro$oft and their intrusive business model behind. I despise their

"Take It Or Leave It - Flaws and All! Because we CAN!"

attitude. That's been my issue with them for years, but I have to say that along a long IT career path, Windows held up well. The Office Suite was the tool of choice everywhere I went except one that was Wordperfect. They changed over and had Microsoft trainers come in to teach the deeper and often ignored nuances of Word, like how to create styles, mailing list integration and such. The funny (funny in a sad way) thing there was that this was a law firm, about a half dozen of the legal secretaries were so angry about changing what they already knew (an attitude I see here WAY too often) that they actually quit their job than learn Word. One of them was telling me she was going to quit and I asked her if she had another job lined up. She said no. I then asked if she thought that she was actually going to find another law firm so behind the times that they still used Wordperfect, and did she somehow not notice that everything that was emailed in to us had to be converted because all the other firms used Word. Eventually she stayed because of that, and a few months into using Word told me "I have to admit, this is much better."

Just because it works doesn't mean there isn't better. "Better" works too once you get familiar with it.

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Thanks for all the advice , I do have access to a copy of pro tools first ,through hardware I just bought.

Eddie are you saying you use bIAB to generate your tracks etc , then over to a Mac for final mixing ,recording as biab for Mac will now set me back 199 to cross over !!

Also the mini Mac I have recently got is a 2011 one , would that be a problem ?, willing to upgrade it in the future if it works out better for me .

Mini Mac has an i5 . 16 ram !


win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 .
https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases

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I'd ring Simon up on this question. I don't know Mac at all. I do know that I'd probably enjoy having a Mac for everything BUT music since Real Band isn't available for Mac. Again, I have never used, or even booted, BIAB.

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There are two schools of thought and often very protective defenses for each O/S platform.

RealBand supports native chord input and generation of MIDI and RealTracks (without reliance on separate software, plugins etc), so it appears to have its advantages in some areas.


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Reviewing the thread, I see we haven’t mentioned that you can run a Windows emulator like Parallels on a Mac and use the Windows programs you like. Peter Gannon has said he develops the Windows version of BIAB on his Mac. So if RealBand is important to you, you can still use it.


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beatmaster.
heres my objective comments bout mac and pc ; haveing worked in tech.
a BIT OF A DIFFERENT ANGLE lol.
1. from your sig youve made a not insignificant investment in your current win rig. thus my question is WHAT ASPECTS of your current rig are you unhappy with ? btw i dont see your processor listed in your sig. what is it ? also whats your latency figure currently ?.
also in realband action>>test audio performance what does rb report for number of traks ?
2. both platforms have their plusses and minuses imho.
to quote monty python lol "its all very silly" .
if you want to get a objective analysis of both platforms cos i dont have the time to type all the various pros/cons of each platform ;
i would suggest you head to www.gearspace.com (formerly gearslutz) where zillions of recording studios from very large to small hang out and read tons of threads in the computer music section.
(enter in search mac versus pc).
the mac/pc topic has been debated at length on gearslutz.
which leads me to what i'm considering next... my strategy.
3. up till this point ive always used refurb pc's.
they have come through for me time and again. no crashes and no problems.
one of the reasons imho that people have probs with pc's imho is often they choose any old generic pc config.
then they go on the net ....
frankly THHERE IS A THIRD OPTION i'm considering.
>>> custom pc built by a company that specialises in building pc's for recording studios.
why am i considering this ?
a. i can get the expandeabilty i want. lots of internal ssd's // external/internal ports.
b. very low latency figures.
c. a system highly optimised "turnkey" for recording studios.
d. very high dsp processing power. for plug ns/processing.
d. very high trak and plug in counts.
e. good 2 year warranties for example.
f. some people on gearspace mention they did session after session useing such custom systems for 10 years.

so beatmaster check out such sites as adkproaudio, silent pc, purrfect audio, scan.co.uk where there are various interesting configs/articles relateing to recording studio computers. also on gearspace are lots of threads bout companies that make custom recording computers as well as huge threads on building ones own,
-------------------------------------------------------------------
beatmaster ; if you dig deep on gearspace and other recording forums on the net youll find some interesting facts emerge.
particularly that a lot of savvy studios after trying both major platforms have turned to a custom computer solution; because i believe due to all the factors above i listed. (a through f). particularly a lot of high end studios
need loads of dsp power and high trak/plug in counts
that only a custom build gives them.

yes its more expensive ; but the reason i'm looking closely at this custom solution is i get exactly what I WANT. rather than a generic computer solution decided
by other people. they start around 1300 bukkies.

best to you.
oldmuso



Last edited by justanoldmuso; 06/21/21 03:15 AM.

my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..)
https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs
(90 songs created useing bb/rb)
(lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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Originally Posted By: beatmaster
Has anyone changed to mac and is it any better than windows for audio , Biab etc.

i have bought a mini mac and thought is it worth the 199.00 to change over ?.

Looking for thoughts and advice from forum members who know both .

Also what is the best Daw software for the mac ?>


I switched to Mac full time around 2007 when I was given a broken G5 iMac (power supply failure, but I was able to fix that). At the time I was sick of Windows XP and Vista and wanted a change. Never looked back! I've since had a number of other Macs - Mac Minis, MacBook Pros, iMacs, and Mac Pros, and currently own a heavily upgraded 2009 Mac Pro tower (8-core 2.93ghz with 48gb ram, 512gb SSD, 2tb HDD, Geforce GTX 960, and USB3 card), a 2012 15" Macbook Pro Retina, and a 2009 iMac 24" (I think 2.8ghz dual core with 6gb ram and a 250gb SSD).

I also have a Windows desktop (mostly for gaming as it's connected to my TV) which has a 6-core i7 and 16gb ram with a Geforce GTX 1060 6gb, 512gb SSD, and 2x1tb HDD's in a RAID-0 - and while this is newer and faster than my Mac Pro (on paper at least), the Mac is able to get more done.

The audio system on a Mac is far superior to Windows, in that things typically "just work" as they advertise - I know, there definitely can be problems, but I personally experience far fewer problems in my day-to-day work with macOS than with Windows.

There is no such thing as a "best" DAW, only what works best for you. I personally use Logic Pro X for my songwriting, and I use Pro Tools for recording full bands, editing, and sound design for video. It's not that one is better than the other for each function, it's just that I'm used to each specific workflow in each program.


Originally Posted By: Janice & Bud
Its big brother the excellent Logic Pro X costs $199 for life including frequent upgrades and additions to the vast effects and sounds library.


Logic Pro X is $199 for life - that is, until they come out with Logic Pro XI. If I remember correctly, there was no upgrade price discount when they moved from Logic Pro 9 to Logic Pro X - but regardless, $199 is an absolute steal.


Originally Posted By: beatmaster
Thanks for all the advice , I do have access to a copy of pro tools first ,through hardware I just bought.

Eddie are you saying you use bIAB to generate your tracks etc , then over to a Mac for final mixing ,recording as biab for Mac will now set me back 199 to cross over !!

Also the mini Mac I have recently got is a 2011 one , would that be a problem ?, willing to upgrade it in the future if it works out better for me .

Mini Mac has an i5 . 16 ram !


So you're aware, Pro Tools First does not support 3rd party plugins at all, meaning the BIAB plugin will not work in it. You'd need to purchase the full version of Pro Tools for that. This is also true of some other DAWs - Studio One Prime for example. The free GarageBand and Reaper (trial) programs do not have this limitation.

Shouldn't be an issue using a Mac Mini i5 with 16gb of ram.


Originally Posted By: eddie1261
I'd ring Simon up on this question. I don't know Mac at all. I do know that I'd probably enjoy having a Mac for everything BUT music since Real Band isn't available for Mac. Again, I have never used, or even booted, BIAB.


Thanks for the endorsement Eddie!


Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
There are two schools of thought and often very protective defenses for each O/S platform.


Yep. Many people who have never used a Mac will happily deride it for whatever reason they can find (price, "inability" to play games, etc), while many Mac users who haven't used Windows at all since XP will tear apart anything they don't understand in Windows 10. I personally use both Windows and Mac in my day-to-day work here at PGM, and while I still personally prefer Mac I'm not generally unhappy with Windows 10.


Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Reviewing the thread, I see we haven’t mentioned that you can run a Windows emulator like Parallels on a Mac and use the Windows programs you like. Peter Gannon has said he develops the Windows version of BIAB on his Mac. So if RealBand is important to you, you can still use it.


Parallels tends to work quite well for most apps. I personally use VirtualBox on my Macs, although I don't use BIAB on that so I can't comment much on how well it may or may not work.


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One item not mentioned in this thread is the Band-in-a-Box plugin. The plugin is available on both the Windows and Mac platforms.

A major RealBand feature, Multi-riffs, is available in both Band-in-a-Box and the plugin thus reducing the need to use RealBand.


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All.
Re: REALBAND. WHOA !...lol.
much as my love affair with reaper continues like lots of pg and other users around the world. i feel compelled to comment on RB.
it is a truly great daw , getting better with every new release; abosolutely loaded to the gills with a humungous feature set. and deserving of serious user consideration if a user has never tried it imho.
and with its own UNIQUE advantages and huge feature set.

i'll let the very knowledgeable joanne cooper (a pg user that has used pg products longer than i ) make the eloquent case for RB.

https://joannecooper.co.za/blogs/latest-news/posts/eight-reasons-why-i-as-a-band-in-a-box-user-use-realband-as-my-daw-of-choice

i highly respect joannes deep knowledge of pg products
includeing realband.

let me also say why i feel some people might not "get" realband.
its one of those music software products that rewards you the more one is willing to delve into all its deep numerous features.
imho if a user doesnt delve into it, they are doing themselves a disservice.

(as an aside let me also say for the user not needing auto accompaniement, powertraks has got to be one of the best deals in pro audio. cos it too is jam packed with features for 50 bukkies. price of a meal out for 2 lol.
ive known over the years studio people spend a small fortune for daw software that could have saved a load of money by buying powertraks that i started on. and with those saveings bought a better signal chain !)

i guess what i'm saying is realband deserves to be mentioned much more. RB ROCKS ! POWERTRAKS ROCKS !
and kudos to the coders for such.

i'm sure RB guru Rharv can add even more reasons to use RB that ive forgotten.
best
oldmuso.

ps to pg. in realband stylepicker please add (like bb) ...
"play with my song chords".

Last edited by justanoldmuso; 06/21/21 11:04 AM.

my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..)
https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs
(90 songs created useing bb/rb)
(lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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Well thanks oldmuso food for thought , can anyone point me in the right direction for the Mac forum


win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 .
https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases

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Originally Posted By: beatmaster
... can anyone point me in the right direction for the Mac forum


+++ Mac Forum +++


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DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
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Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.

Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.

Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!

And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.

The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!

These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!

This Free Bonus PAK includes:

  • The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
  • Playable RealTracks Set 5
  • RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
  • SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
  • iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
  • 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
  • FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
  • MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
  • RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
  • SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)

Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!

All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!

It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.

What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?

XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!

Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!

The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.

The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.

The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!

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