iMac Pro Customization Options - Thoughts?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by appledude

I would love to get a thunderbolt interface but when u spend your life savings and mortgage your house to buy a computer it leaves you a flat earth. So to speak ��.

They want $300 for the TB3 OWC. More ouch.

Yes but that OWC critter does a lot, and is probably the best one in that class of toys... and maybe the only mainstream one with FW Out. I like that for use with my MBP because it has FW and S/PDIF on TOSLINK out, and you can never have enough USB-A ports for iLok etc.

BTW I get conflicting info from Apple's specs page (https://www.apple.com/imac-pro/specs) and iFixit (https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iMac_Pro) if the iMac Pro has optical mini-TOSLINK output. Something I hated to see going away from some Macs.

Buying the OWC Dock may hurt less than continuously buying all the small Apple dongles. I've misplaced a few, that gets old very quickly.

Either way getting from Thunderbolt 3 to FW400 should not be a problem.

[DAWgEAR]

So, after much deliberating ... order placed.

10-core, 64 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD, base-level graphics. I've been a Windows guy exclusively for almost 3 decades; I've been working with various DAWs for just over 2 of them. This marks the beginning of a new era for me.

Should be here around the first of the year.

[appledude]

Welcome to the club. Mine just shipped this morning be here on the 28 th.
10 core, 32 ram, 1 tb ssd but I got the upgraded graphics card ( hoping it helps with the 4K video in premier pro). Purchased the reinstatement of pro tools and just ordered the OWC Dock. Wife knows about the computer but not the extra $600: I’ll be in the doghouse when she finds out.

[propower]

The current iMac i7 is very close in performance to the Cylinder 6 core. With the new 8 core being 2X what those are (at least) it becomes hard to imagine who will stress that machine or need more (though we know they are out there). Also for strictly audio work (with the internal SSD speed) 32G of RAM is plenty again for most.

For the OP I would imagine the base config is all that is needed. If video is a consideration though - all the RAM and GPU upgrades may be significant. The change from 8 core to 10 seems minor but again - if $$$ aren't an issue - why not.

I have been running off a 2017 iMac i5 3.8 1TB 32G for 6+ months and the thing I would change from the config i bought would be to go for a 2TB internal SSD. It would let me put all my sample libraries inside (~1TB). That said I use a Akitio TB3 4 bay SSD cage that gets the full SSD speeds off all my 2.5" drives. Can RAID if needed but so far - not an issue. The extra CPU headroom of an 8 core with HT would be awesome as well - though I have yet to be CPU limited High Sierra is the best performance I have seen but sadly I can not comment on that for PT since I rarely use it these days...

[DAWgEAR]

Thanks for the input, propower.

I have already committed (12/27-29 expected delivery) and perhaps I will have some excess capacity in terms of CPU and RAM, at least initially. I feel that the 2 GB SSD will be good for sessions and samples. My total sample libraries amount to ~ 1 TB.

For my needs personally, the graphics are lowest on my list - I need this machine strictly for audio production; no video.

My experience has been that it is a good idea to assess my current needs and go with a bit more to allow for future growth. The magnitude of this purchase was very significant for me and I hope to make this system last at least 5 years, and hopefully much more.

[appledude]

Mine is on the truck for delivery Woohoo.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by appledude

Mine is on the truck for delivery Woohoo.

Just hope it's not coming via UPS - have you seen some of the videos on TV on how a couple of their drivers have been delivering packages? Seriously - if there's any sign of damage to the box take pictures of the outside of the box before you open it. And have the driver verify it as well.

Been wondering - which keyboard did you get with it? Now that Apple has stopped selling the long wired keyboard (it was their only wired keyboard) they're all wireless. Don't forget to turn off the mouse & keyboard when done working if you want to save battery life. Before I went all wired I'd forget to do that and have a dead device the next day or so.

[appledude]

Its coming Fed EX. Just got the wireless. Oh wait -what's that the doorbell

[appledude]

First post on IMac Pro. All migrated from old iMac.

[appledude]

Just did a DVERB test. Created 128 tracks. Used signal generator to create about 4 minutes audio. inserted DVERB to all ten inserts for all 128 tracks. Ran fine with no errors at 32 sample buffer - Around 75% on the meter. Also downloading and install premier pro at the same time.

Not sure this thing has a fan - dead quite.