Advice Buying DAW

[VRW]

It´s definitely right that Pro Tools 11 doesn´t "like" i5 processors a lot.
There have been many issue reports with i5 processor Macs unlike with i7s.

Thus Avid officially requires mainly i7 processors for the use with Pro Tools 11.
And believe it or not, a powerful right specified computer is one the most important
parts of a well working audio recording system.

More important than even interfaces in the end of the day just because the computer
has to manage the most critical tasks at any stage of the production and it never will
be a stable, properly working system when the computer itself has no "headroom" power-wise.

Btw as far as I can see on the Apple.com-site there are new MacBooks Pro which originally come
with i5 processors (the 13" units) as well as ones which originally come with i7 processors (the 15" units).
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-pro

As you intend to spend $3000.- let me suggest you parts which could provide you a real powerful,
good sounding, future proof system referring to your needs.

1. the "smallest" and most affordable i7 Quad MacBook Pro 15" with a 512GB PCie Flash drive
...the advantage of these is that they originally come with 16GB Ram, so you don´t have to "upgrade" the Ram
and if you take the 512GB Ram PCie Flash drive, you definitely don´t need any extra audio drive anymore as
this one will provide you enough space and speed.
These new PCie Flash drives are so fast that you can run your Pro Tools sessions now directly from the OS drive
(without any 2nd audio drive), particularly as you are saying that you probably will not have extremely large
sessions with more than 50-60 tracks. No more external drive needed.
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/ma.../A&step=config
This MBP will be $1999.- originally, $2299.- with the 512GB Flash drive but that´s it, that´s all you will ever need for years
and even for future Mac OSs as well as to run future versions of Pro Tools.

2. the Pro Tools 11 upgrade from LE8/MBox 2 which will be $199.- (until December 20th)

3. the Focusrite Saffire 26 (which was the latest release from Focusrite in May 2014 and made to work with the Apple
Thunderbolt-to-FW-adapter) for $349.-
...what´s cool about that unit is that it offers a definitely good audio quality, 4 good quality mic preamps, a useful amount
of I/Os, SPDIF and 8 ADAT I/Os which will come to be very handy if you will rent an additional I/O once.
http://focusrite.de/firewire-audio-i...saffire-pro-26
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SaffPro26

So this would be $2847.- all together.
However it would be a professionally usable system and there even would be left money for good cables, headphones,
plugins whatever.

You can of course select another audio interface which will keep it under $3000.-,
but the Saffire 26 would not be a bad choice at all.

Anyway, if you want to use Pro Tools 11 with future Mac OSs, an i7 Quad Core processor would be needed to get a
well working, future proof system.
Another good thing if buying such a new MacBook Pro with a PCie Flash drive directly from Apple will be that you will
never have to care about Trim support anymore.
Apple has enabled Trim support for all of their own SSDs by default in the Mac OS.


Whatever your choice will be, I wish you the best of success,



cheers, VRW




Mac Mini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 2,5GHz i5, 16GB Ram, MacOS 10.10 Yosemite, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2, Genelec Active,
Yamaha NS10, Pro Tools 11.2.1, Logic 10.0.7, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, Softube, HOFA, IK Multimedia, NI etc.

[rock12]

Originally Posted by JFreak

+million.

Except; if you can afford Retina MBP with PCIe based Flash then you won't be needing external dedicated audio drive. I have had two such models and have never used external drives for anything except backup.

I just started researching a new macbook pro 15" retina this week and was reading this thread. What OS are you using if you don't me asking? I'd be using it with Pro Tools 11 & fast track duo.

Thanks!

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by rock12

I just started researching a new macbook pro 15" retina this week and was reading this thread. What OS are you using if you don't me asking? I'd be using it with Pro Tools 11 & fast track duo.

Thanks!

I don't mind, just ask more :)

I'm using unsupported PTHD 11.2.1 & OSX 10.10.0 combination (and have had good experience with Yosemite Betas as well) so at this point I wouldn't worry about new computers only running Yosemite.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by rock12

I just started researching a new macbook pro 15" retina this week and was reading this thread. What OS are you using if you don't me asking? I'd be using it with Pro Tools 11 & fast track duo.

Thanks!

Mac OSX 10.10 Yosemite with Pro Tools 11.2.1 on a Mac Mini i7 Quad without any problems here...fortunately.
Including tons of plugins and VIs like MCDSP, Waves, Softube, IK Multimedia, SSL Duende, Kontakt 5...no problem so far.
Using a Samsung 850 Pro 256GB for the OS drive with Cindori Trim Enabler (still ) successfully...fortunately.
Apogee Quartet as the audio interface (with the latest driver).

Although PT11 still is not officially qualified for Yosemite it actually does work... here at least.


Mac Mini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 2,5GHz i5, 16GB Ram, MacOS 10.10 Yosemite, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2, Genelec Active,
Yamaha NS10, Pro Tools 11.2.1, Logic 10.0.7, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, Softube, HOFA, IK Multimedia, NI etc.

[rock12]

Hey guys! Thanks for the information. It sounds like I'll be ok to get the new MacBook pro retina! Currently my iMac isn't qualified by avid & it runs fast & smooth with pro tools 10 & 11, so I feel confident after hearing from you guys that'll it'll be all good. I'll give a review of running pro tools 10 & 11 when I get it for others still on the fence.

Thanks!!

[adam79]

Hey. Thanks for the help. I have one more question. If I get the new MacBook will I have to install 8 LE before I get the crossgrade to 11 or can I just install the crossgrade?

[Southsidemusic]

Just get the crossgrade, No need to install the old PT8.

As long as you have the license on the ilok you are good to go

Best Of Luck
Christopher