System upgrade recommendations for amateur (but experienced) recording setup

[rsilverst]

Hi. I have been hobbling along with ProTools 9.0.5 (MP) on a mid-2011 Mac Mini with 8GB RAM, running OS X 10.7.5.

It's getting to the point where the poop is going to hit the fan because much of my regular software (Chrome, iTunes, Spotify) is telling me that my OS won't be supported anymore, but if I upgrade my OS then ProTools 9 won't be supported. The system I've got has never been quite powerful enough, with instrument plugins causing me to often need to toggle hardware buffer settings. I know this...

So I am thinking of updating both the hardware and the software (to PT12).

Let me tell you what I typically do, and then I have a few questions:

I am typically recording only one audio track at a time, occasionally two tracks. My drums are always programmed, and I use the Slate SSD4 (that, I assume, is my biggest resource hog). Then I might have 1-2 other instrument tracks, and a bunch of reverb, compression, EQ plugins during mixing. That's about it.

Here are my questions:

1. If I'm starting over, is there any highly compelling reason to abandon Mac and go to PC (I'd prefer not to do so).

2. If I am going with Mac, is Mac Mini a non-starter? I was kind of thinking either a Mac Pro or iMac, but I really don't know. I know that more power is better, but I don't want to start going up the steep end of the price curve if it's not needed.

In any case, I am leaning toward 16GB, with an SSD drive for the OS and ProTools and a 7200 RPM drive for the data. But I am open to thoughts/suggestions.

Oh, and I guess that raises one more question:

3. With PT12 will I still be able to use my M-Audio ProFire 610?

Thanks in advance. I have tried to do searching and reading to answer this but every person's situation is different, so... here I am.

[albee1952]

Mac is still a fine choice, but get the right one. Example, the new Mac Mini is only a dual core and not up to the task(especially since you are already unhappy with your quad core mini). A 2011 refurb with a quad-core i7 and maxed RAM is better(is yours an i5?). A fast i7 quad iMac 27" is better still, or maybe buy the last tower version of the Mac Pro with 6 or 12 cores. The new Mac Pro is dandy, but everything you add will be external(fine if you are happy using Thunderbolt drives and interface). PC is also a great option, and there are a handful of companies that do turnkey PC's built for Pro Tools(like pro-tools-pc.com) and those can save you serious $$ over a Mac with stellar performance(or you could do a hackintosh)

Sampled drums do take some power, but its spread over a few things; cpu, RAM and where the samples reside. Best performance is with 3 drives(1-system, 1-recording, 1-sample libraries). Storing samples on the recording drive is the worst. Storing on a fast SSD system drive is better, but having samples on their own drive is best. Lots of RAM is always a good thing, as long as its compatible and matched(these days, 32GB is the norm)

As for the ProFire, I would retire it and avoid M-Audio interfaces completely. RME, MOTU, and UA are pretty much the tops(RME has the best drivers in the biz). Focusrite is the budget option these days(although the new Clarett lineup is getting better reviews). If you want to use UA plugins, then Apollo is the ONLY choice that makes sense. Using a UAD card and any other interface makes tracking with the plugins a "no-go" due to latency.

[Trainwreckmusic]

Proceed with caution.

1st study this RE PT9 http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...535&popup=true

Then really study this..RE PT12
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...rue&popup=true

If your MP PT 9 system works and gets the job done and its other programs that are the issue.
Buy a cheap laptop for your browsing & Itunes ect and leave your mini as a PT 9 stand alone system.
That is your simplest ,cheapest & best bet!

Avid has abandoned M powered and LE along with the 32bit architecture.
All new AXX plug in format too so all of your old sessions plugins are useless history.

Apples new OS X & computers are a nightmare & geared towards getting consumers to buy into all of their new gadgets & services.

Their computers are nothing but a way to integrate your Apple pay, Apple music, Apple TV, Apple watch. iphone ibooks Ipad Itunes icloud ect.
Getting the picture?
Apple is not a computer company anymore they are all about selling you things & services and data mining and selling your info to advertisers.

Upgrading to PT 12 is going to be expensive & buggy!
Get ready to never stop paying Avid for Protools they are moving to a subscription model if you don't pay you wont even get bug fixes.

Or just switch to a PC & Studio One and save yourself a lot money & headaches.

Don’t say you have not been warned or given better options.
I am sticking with PT10 even though I own a PT10/11/12 perpetual license.
When my subscription ends in december I am moving to Studio One, Avid has gotten the last penny they will ever see from me!
MY Pt 10 system will be a legacy product that I will eventually put next to my ADAT recorders.
TWM

[K Roche]

Originally Posted by rsilverst

Hi. I have been hobbling along with ProTools 9.0.5 (MP) on a mid-2011 Mac Mini with 8GB RAM, running OS X 10.7.5.

It's getting to the point where the poop is going to hit the fan because much of my regular software (Chrome, iTunes, Spotify) is telling me that my OS won't be supported anymore, but if I upgrade my OS then ProTools 9 won't be supported. The system I've got has never been quite powerful enough, with instrument plugins causing me to often need to toggle hardware buffer settings. I know this...

So I am thinking of updating both the hardware and the software (to PT12).

Let me tell you what I typically do, and then I have a few questions:

I am typically recording only one audio track at a time, occasionally two tracks. My drums are always programmed, and I use the Slate SSD4 (that, I assume, is my biggest resource hog). Then I might have 1-2 other instrument tracks, and a bunch of reverb, compression, EQ plugins during mixing. That's about it.

Here are my questions:

1. If I'm starting over, is there any highly compelling reason to abandon Mac and go to PC (I'd prefer not to do so).

2. If I am going with Mac, is Mac Mini a non-starter? I was kind of thinking either a Mac Pro or iMac, but I really don't know. I know that more power is better, but I don't want to start going up the steep end of the price curve if it's not needed.

In any case, I am leaning toward 16GB, with an SSD drive for the OS and ProTools and a 7200 RPM drive for the data. But I am open to thoughts/suggestions.

Oh, and I guess that raises one more question:

3. With PT12 will I still be able to use my M-Audio ProFire 610?

Thanks in advance. I have tried to do searching and reading to answer this but every person's situation is different, so... here I am.

First note and be clear that "will not be supported" is not the same thing as "will not work".
That said looking to the future at some point outdated OS's may in fact not be able to run newer software .

#1 Not really , the only objective advantage of PC is if you are wanting a computer to specifically run only your OS and DAW and no other applications, then you can get a better performance per dollar ratio simply because you are not paying for all the included software that comes with Mac .
However if you use and prefer the the Mac environment and ease of integration then Mac is still a completely viable choice .
Also ignore emotional, superfluous, hyperbole and tedious Apple/Avid bashing replete with buzz words, which serve no objective informational purpose.

#2 the particular choice of Mac is probably more user preference and realistic budget based
No matter which I would recommend go with an i7 processor and yes flash/SSD storage for the boot drive and I agree with "albe" 32 gigs of RAM will be more future proof and your session data on a 7200 HD is fine. That is in fact the type of set up I use (see sig line below) which BTW is running very stable .


The only fly in the ointment is the Profire which looks to be firewire based and the new mac's do not have firewire ports .

[jarrydee]

I had to sell my profire a long time ago. There was a mac update that killed it. There was a work around posted but that was the last for the profire. My first mac was a 2012 mac mini and it kicked ass, 100+ track session with no problem. Gave it to my dad and bought a late 2014 imac 5k and it also kicks ass. I have 3 regular USB 3 external drives, no SSD necessary. One for sample libraries, one for all my PT sessions, and one just for time machine. I am having no problems with 100 track session with tons of Vi's all over it. Kontakt, SSD, all kinds of them.