Buying a new Mac.

[ChrisHubb2448]

I had heard that buying a new Mac was pretty easy. All you really need to run Pro Tools is a good, fast system. A computer with at last 8 GB of RAM, and a nice size hard drive would be great. You also need a nice, fast processor. The Macbook Pros are great computers as long as you get them with the right size memory and the good processors. Nobody wants to run a session on just any old Mac. For my system, it's not much, but I have the Macbook Pro with Retina display. For its processor, it has the 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 and 8GB of memory at 1600 MHz DDR3. This can handle Pro Tools quite nicely, you just need to be aware of how you setup your audio drivers and playback engines. My headphone jack is slight messed up for some reason, and I can't figure out why. Also, my Pro Tools system says that my playback engine (which is my Mbox mini) wont support a playback of 48 KHz. Does anyone know why this may happen?

- Chris Hubbard
http://chrishubb.wordpress.com/

[CME]

Originally Posted by jimlongo

@CME That's a reasonable approach, especially if you need the pcie slots, but I would add that the i7 quadcore 2.6 outperforms a quadcore nehalem 2.66 by a factor of 1.5 in benchmark tests.

http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks

True. But I now have a 3.2 ghz 6-core processor. With it I score around 14k on the 32-bit geekbench. I may pay for it someday so I have access to the 64-bit versions. Anyways before hand I was according around 8500. So totally worth the money to get the 6-core.

[jimlongo]

Originally Posted by CME

True. But I now have a 3.2 ghz 6-core processor. With it I score around 14k on the 32-bit geekbench. I may pay for it someday so I have access to the 64-bit versions. Anyways before hand I was according around 8500. So totally worth the money to get the 6-core.

Lookin' marvellous!

[Marco Bernardo]

I've just order my first iMac.

I've sold my early MacPro 2008 and trade my Avid PCIe HD2 system for an Avid HD Native Thunderbolt system and bought the 2013 iMac 27" with 3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7 / 512SSD / 32GB (crucial.com) / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M 2GB GDDR5

I hope i don't regret this move and at the end of this year I'm selling this iMac to get the nMacPro (2013) I hope not, it's to damn expensive the nMacPro.

Anyone with the same iMac specs? How the experience? anything to point?

(I'm waiting to be delivered at 6 of November)

Regards,

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Marco Bernardo

I've just order my first iMac.

I've sold my early MacPro 2008 and trade my Avid PCIe HD2 system for an Avid HD Native Thunderbolt system and bought the 2013 iMac 27" with 3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7 / 512SSD / 32GB (crucial.com) / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M 2GB GDDR5

I hope i don't regret this move and at the end of this year I'm selling this iMac to get the nMacPro (2013) I hope not, it's to damn expensive the nMacPro.

Anyone with the same iMac specs? How the experience? anything to point?

(I'm waiting to be delivered at 6 of November)

Regards,

Hard to say as you're probably going to have Mavericks as the os and not Mountain Lion. Mavericks has not yet been approved for use with PT. Some people are using it and have major problems and some don't so there's no way of really telling what'll happen. Other than that the new machine should scream. Nice thing is the 27" has two Thunderbolt ports which makes up for the lack of a second port on the HD Native Thunderbolt box.

What I don't understand is this: you just purchased this new iMac and already you're talking about selling it when the new MacPro is shipping?

[Marco Bernardo]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Hard to say as you're probably going to have Mavericks as the os and not Mountain Lion. Mavericks has not yet been approved for use with PT. Some people are using it and have major problems and some don't so there's no way of really telling what'll happen. Other than that the new machine should scream. Nice thing is the 27" has two Thunderbolt ports which makes up for the lack of a second port on the HD Native Thunderbolt box.

I'm using Mavericks for about 3/4 weeks in my Macbook Air 11 and Pro tools 11HD/10HD (upgraded system from ML o Mavericks, not a clean install) and everything is running ok, Spotlight it's kind of broken (some weird pauses when searching something but they will resolve in the next updates.

My Plugins all almost AAX64, waiting for Audioease Altiverb and Speakerphone, Steven Slate VCC and VTM and I'm done with plugins.

Originally Posted by musicman691

What I don't understand is this: you just purchased this new iMac and already you're talking about selling it when the new MacPro is shipping?

I was just joking, I've forgot to put a smile on that statement

[propower]

Well I bought this exact machine (except 256 SSD and a mere 16G apple ram - will add two more 8G sticks when it becomes an issue) - and run it with HDN TB and an AVID 16x16. So far the computer is handling my stuff with no issues! I only track and mix smallish things with acoustic instruments at 96K and 64 buffer. I was always MP before (2009 Nehalem 2.93 quad + HD2) - tried to make do with a mini for a year - was waiting for the nMP but really needed a new machine now. So far, no regrets!!!!

FWIW: I bought a store model the week they came out and did two BTO's to get to the exact config I have. All of these shipped with 10.8.4 (though I received the last one 10/18 before official Mavericks...

If you are going to do 96k work with this set up I would be very interested in your experience (http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=345632). And I do run with Hyperthreading OFF pretty much all the time. But the imac is wonderfully fast - nice low noise level - reasonably well heat sinking (70% pro tools CPU load = 75degC CPU and no additional fan noise....

Let us know how you like it....

I too am totally prepared to get a nMP if this machine doesn't keep up but compared to the new quad - it is hard to imagine. If you need a Hex -- well there ya go!

[Marco Bernardo]

Originally Posted by propower

Well I bought this exact machine (except 256 SSD and a mere 16G apple ram - will add two more 8G sticks when it becomes an issue) - and run it with HDN TB and an AVID 16x16. So far the computer is handling my stuff with no issues! I only track and mix smallish things with acoustic instruments at 96K and 64 buffer. I was always MP before (2009 Nehalem 2.93 quad + HD2) - tried to make do with a mini for a year - was waiting for the nMP but really needed a new machine now. So far, no regrets!!!!

Nice, I think I will not regret too, My work is essential for mixing TV Series, Short Movies, Movies, Publicity @ 48Khz/24bits. I make some soundeffects at 96Khz but thats it.

I used to have a Mac Pro early 2008 dual-quad 2.8ghz / 14GB / HD2 + 192 Interface.

Originally Posted by propower

FWIW: I bought a store model the week they came out and did two BTO's to get to the exact config I have. All of these shipped with 10.8.4 (though I received the last one 10/18 before official Mavericks...

I'm using Mavericks for 3/4 weeks (GM and now the official release), My rig is working ok (I'm still in a Macbook Air 11", the iMac it will arrive 6 of November), I think spotlight must be updated, it's kinda slow compared to Mountain Lion.

Originally Posted by propower

If you are going to do 96k work with this set up I would be very interested in your experience (http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=345632). And I do run with Hyperthreading OFF pretty much all the time. But the imac is wonderfully fast - nice low noise level - reasonably well heat sinking (70% pro tools CPU load = 75degC CPU and no additional fan noise....

Nice to know that. I mainly work at 48Khz/24bits

Originally Posted by propower

Let us know how you like it....

I will, I'll test with the latest movie I've done.

Originally Posted by propower

I too am totally prepared to get a nMP if this machine doesn't keep up but compared to the new quad - it is hard to imagine. If you need a Hex -- well there ya go!

I think the same way. (I don't think i need an Hex), but let's see.

Regards,

[MarkH]

Originally Posted by Marco Bernardo

I hope i don't regret this move and at the end of this year I'm selling this iMac to get the nMacPro (2013) I hope not, it's to damn expensive the nMacPro.

I don't see any reason why you would have regrets. I've got an early 2013 MacBook Pro with 16GB and Pro Tools 11 HD running OS X Mavericks. PT HD 11 screams on this machine!

Your iMac has great specs and will be even more powerful than my setup. I'm quite certain you will be more than pleased. I used to have a 2010 Mac Pro tower with 32GB and while Pro Tools 10 ran well, there is no question that PT 11 on my MacBook Pro is just plain awesome.

[drumzalicious]

I would look at the i7 Mac Mini in the price range you're talking. It's a Quad Core and you can max it out to 16gb of ram and still come in under $1,800.