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  #1  
Old 04-17-2020, 11:04 AM
b mcgibney b mcgibney is offline
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Default Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

I'm on fourth mac in 20 years of using Pro Tools. Currently a 2010 12core mac pro with all sad drives and 32 gigs ram.

I typically have maybe 10 audio and 10 instruments and maybe some midi to trigger external synths. For just tracking audio it works fine but the fact that I'm stuck at High Sierra tells me I'm gonna have to get something new.

As for interface I'm using a RME UFX first version and I really like it. I also have a rme ff800 and a digi 003 although I am not using them except for mobile tracking with my 2012 non retina laptop.

I am also in the process of learning FCP X so I think I'm stuck with Apple.

Given the above I'm wondering why to acquire next:

Imac, mac mini, traschcan or bite the bullet for the new mac pro. ?

I'm retired and on a fixed income so I want to get the most band for my buck as long as having the system that will ward off obsolescence as long as possible.

Happy to entertain the thoughts of this great group.

Brian
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  #2  
Old 04-17-2020, 11:55 AM
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falcowe falcowe is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

Given your use case and stated workload I would recommend either the Mac Mini or iMac. There are great deal I am sure to be had on trashcans however the possible need for thunderbolt accessories (which are very expensive) might make that purchase moot. If you want a screen upgrade I'd go with an iMac, if you want a desktop drop in replacement I'd go for the Mac Mini. I certainly wouldn't recommend the new MacPro because of cost primarily. I think the big question here is do you need a screen, and PCIe extensibility? Also remember that any new mac will likely only come with and be able to use OSX Catalina (or whatever the current version is).
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  #3  
Old 04-17-2020, 11:55 AM
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nigelpry nigelpry is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

Sorry for going off topic ... I’m curious ...

Humour me ... connect up your 003 to your Mac Pro.

Load up a Pro Tools Project and choose 003 as your playback engine.

Now change the playback engine to your RME. It should save and close the project file, and then reopen it.

$64,000 question .... when the project reopens, with the RME as the active audio device, does your 003 spring into life too? i.e. do the faders move up to mirror the settings in the project?

If they do (and they do for me) you now have the control surface part of the 003 working with the RME providing your audio i/o.

Just thought it worth mentioning, as you have a 003, and its a pretty good control surface for Pro Tools still!
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Mac Pro 2009 with 2010 firmware, 12-Core 3.46ghz, 64gb RAM & working Thunderbolt, OS 10.14.6 and Windows 10
iMac 2012 27", 3.4ghz i7, 32gb RAM OS 10.14.6
Digi 003 Console for control surface only, Focusrite OctopreLE and MOTU Traveler for extra analog-ADAT conversion, UAD Apollo Quad Silver with Thunderbolt card, Apollo x4 and pci-e Octo, Adam A77X monitors.
Pro Tools 2022.4, Media Composer 8.9, Sibelius 8.7, Cubase Pro 11, Wavelab Pro 11, Logic Pro X 10.5.1, Mainstage 3.
Various apps, soft synths, FX plugins.
Plenty of hardware synths, rack gear, microphones etc.
And then there's the studio ;-)
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  #4  
Old 04-18-2020, 04:22 PM
itsjustmeee123 itsjustmeee123 is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

I just updated my studio a few months ago. I was stuck on a much older OS as well and had a 2010 quad core Mac Pro. I went with a new iMac 27 inch 3.6 Ghz 8-core and 64 gigs of ram with an internal SSD. I also transferred all of my sample library as well as my work drives to Samsung SSDs. Everything runs beautifully. Even with lots of tracks and virtual Instruments running my system usage is pretty low and everything boots up in a fraction of the time.
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  #5  
Old 04-19-2020, 03:21 AM
ChuckS ChuckS is online now
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

You may just need a Metal capable video card to get you past High Sierra. Check around about upgrading your machine. Give OWC a call and see what they recommend (https://eshop.macsales.com/).
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  #6  
Old 04-19-2020, 03:26 AM
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nigelpry nigelpry is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

A metal compatible card (I’m using A Nvidia Quadro K5000 for Mac) will get you to Mojave, but no further.

There is a patcher made by by dosdude to get it to Catalina, but I haven’t tried so can’t confirm how well it works.
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Mac Pro 2009 with 2010 firmware, 12-Core 3.46ghz, 64gb RAM & working Thunderbolt, OS 10.14.6 and Windows 10
iMac 2012 27", 3.4ghz i7, 32gb RAM OS 10.14.6
Digi 003 Console for control surface only, Focusrite OctopreLE and MOTU Traveler for extra analog-ADAT conversion, UAD Apollo Quad Silver with Thunderbolt card, Apollo x4 and pci-e Octo, Adam A77X monitors.
Pro Tools 2022.4, Media Composer 8.9, Sibelius 8.7, Cubase Pro 11, Wavelab Pro 11, Logic Pro X 10.5.1, Mainstage 3.
Various apps, soft synths, FX plugins.
Plenty of hardware synths, rack gear, microphones etc.
And then there's the studio ;-)
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  #7  
Old 04-19-2020, 02:44 PM
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K Roche K Roche is online now
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
You may just need a Metal capable video card to get you past High Sierra. Check around about upgrading your machine. Give OWC a call and see what they recommend (https://eshop.macsales.com/).
Thats what I did (I am not certain though if you have to at least a "Mid 2010" mac pro to run Metal ??) I got a Radeon Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5 graphics card and it works great , albeit no startup apple logo until just before desk top appears (which was weird at first but now seems like SOP and not really an issue at all)...
So far not going to Catalina is not a problem and I will probably stay with this for another 3 -5 years
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  #8  
Old 04-19-2020, 02:47 PM
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JFreak JFreak is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

Quote:
Originally Posted by nigelpry View Post
A metal compatible card (I’m using A Nvidia Quadro K5000 for Mac) will get you to Mojave, but no further.

There is a patcher made by by dosdude to get it to Catalina, but I haven’t tried so can’t confirm how well it works.
Assuming that the cheesegrater already works well with Mojave, the dosdude patch should get Catalina going too
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  #9  
Old 04-19-2020, 03:26 PM
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nigelpry nigelpry is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

Quote:
Originally Posted by K Roche View Post
Thats what I did (I am not certain though if you have to at least a "Mid 2010" mac pro to run Metal ??) I got a Radeon Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5 graphics card and it works great , albeit no startup apple logo until just before desk top appears (which was weird at first but now seems like SOP and not really an issue at all)...
So far not going to Catalina is not a problem and I will probably stay with this for another 3 -5 years
My Mac Pro is originally a 2009, updated with the 2010 firmware patch, and subsequently with a new processor board and processors.

The advantage of the Quadro K5000 is that it is officially supported in Mojave, so i still get the option key boot menu.
__________________
Mac Pro 2009 with 2010 firmware, 12-Core 3.46ghz, 64gb RAM & working Thunderbolt, OS 10.14.6 and Windows 10
iMac 2012 27", 3.4ghz i7, 32gb RAM OS 10.14.6
Digi 003 Console for control surface only, Focusrite OctopreLE and MOTU Traveler for extra analog-ADAT conversion, UAD Apollo Quad Silver with Thunderbolt card, Apollo x4 and pci-e Octo, Adam A77X monitors.
Pro Tools 2022.4, Media Composer 8.9, Sibelius 8.7, Cubase Pro 11, Wavelab Pro 11, Logic Pro X 10.5.1, Mainstage 3.
Various apps, soft synths, FX plugins.
Plenty of hardware synths, rack gear, microphones etc.
And then there's the studio ;-)
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  #10  
Old 04-19-2020, 03:27 PM
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nigelpry nigelpry is offline
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Default Re: Thoughts on buying a new (and maybe last) music computer

Quote:
Originally Posted by JFreak View Post
Assuming that the cheesegrater already works well with Mojave, the dosdude patch should get Catalina going too
Thanks Janne, I’m not sure I have a reason yet to go down that road ;-)

Mojave is working well for me.
__________________
Mac Pro 2009 with 2010 firmware, 12-Core 3.46ghz, 64gb RAM & working Thunderbolt, OS 10.14.6 and Windows 10
iMac 2012 27", 3.4ghz i7, 32gb RAM OS 10.14.6
Digi 003 Console for control surface only, Focusrite OctopreLE and MOTU Traveler for extra analog-ADAT conversion, UAD Apollo Quad Silver with Thunderbolt card, Apollo x4 and pci-e Octo, Adam A77X monitors.
Pro Tools 2022.4, Media Composer 8.9, Sibelius 8.7, Cubase Pro 11, Wavelab Pro 11, Logic Pro X 10.5.1, Mainstage 3.
Various apps, soft synths, FX plugins.
Plenty of hardware synths, rack gear, microphones etc.
And then there's the studio ;-)
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