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  #21  
Old 03-16-2022, 08:47 AM
Marsdy Marsdy is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

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Originally Posted by glasswing View Post
Well, the fog of war seems to be clearing in my mind. Much of that fog was due to my irrational eco-thrift about my SATA SSDs. But using them for fast backup is a good solution.
I guess now my question is whether I buy the Sonnet Echo III PCie to host my HDX card or the Avid HDX single PCIe? The Sonnet is a bit more $$$ but has more card options. I can service the VI data with the very affordable Sonnet Echo Dual Dock with two 2TB NVMe's (Samsung 970 Evo Plus) in it. And buy a second one for Pro Tools sessions data. That would take up three TBolt ports.
I have money but I'm thrifty. And there are a few more VI libraries I need to get for a project.
If you want to keep costs down and only need one HDX card, these work great. Earlier versions are qualified by Avid and still available.

https://www.sonnettech.com/product/e.../overview.html

I used one for a couple of years with a Trashcan Mac Pro and it worked flawlessly. Quieter than the XMac Pro Server I had before that.
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  #22  
Old 03-16-2022, 10:52 AM
glasswing glasswing is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

My concern for the SSDs wasn't money so much as not wasting them. Anyhow - I think I've made up my mind - I'll buy the Avid PCIe HDX (single) expansion box (just to be safe) and TWO of the Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe boxes - one for Pro Tools (2X1TB Raid 0) one for VI data (2X2TB Raid 0). All three into separate TBolt ports. I'll take the data off the existing SATA SSD's and put them in whichever 5.1 CG I end up keeping for networked backup. Looks like they're now sold out of the Avid PCIe HDX boxes in Canada! Mac Studio is definitely in town!!!! I'll go to my old buddies in the States (where I came from) to get what I need.
And thanks so much for all the help!!! I'm sure I'll be needing more help as I go
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  #23  
Old 03-17-2022, 05:02 AM
glasswing glasswing is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

OK! I DO have a question, Dave. In my current ideal setup I was going to create a Raid 0 where the two NVMe's hopefully appear as one drive and record Pro Tools data to that. In sniffing around I've seen others have problems with recording to Raid (usually with OWC software). The raid would be on the Sonnet Echo Dual and I assume I'd use Apple Disk Utility to create the raid. I will ask Andy at Sonnet if I can have those two NVMe's appear as two drives on the Echo Dual - if necessary. Thoughts?
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  #24  
Old 03-17-2022, 05:26 AM
Marsdy Marsdy is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

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Originally Posted by glasswing View Post
OK! I DO have a question, Dave. In my current ideal setup I was going to create a Raid 0 where the two NVMe's hopefully appear as one drive and record Pro Tools data to that. In sniffing around I've seen others have problems with recording to Raid (usually with OWC software). The raid would be on the Sonnet Echo Dual and I assume I'd use Apple Disk Utility to create the raid. I will ask Andy at Sonnet if I can have those two NVMe's appear as two drives on the Echo Dual - if necessary. Thoughts?
You don’t have to use RAID with the Sonnet card. Initially I had the four Samsung NVMe blades formatted as four separate volumes. I soon converted to one RAID 0 volume when I realised it was pretty much impossible to predict how to spread the load sample libraries across four volumes. It’s also much simply to back up one volume!

Yes there’s a thread here about Pro Tools crashing with the OWC card and it seems related to the SoftRAID app/driver that comes with that card. Personally I felt much happier using the Apple RAID utility rather than rely on a third party driver. I read SoftRAID is supposed to be a bit faster than Apple RAID but only slightly. It’s pretty academic given how fast NVMe is IMHO.

The Sonnet NVMe card doesn't need a driver and it’s worked perfectly with Apple RAID here. Over 8000MB/sec read and write is pretty fast!

Before going down this road, I’d certainly look at recording to the internal drive first. As I mentioned in another post, it’s obscenely fast at up to 7400MB/sec. Unless of course you want to use the internal disk for samples and the external for PT sessions.
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  #25  
Old 03-17-2022, 05:53 AM
glasswing glasswing is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

Thanks as always
I was hoping to NOT buy the Sonnet Echo III PCIe desktop / card but rather buy the Avid PCIe desktop and TWO of the new Sonnet Echo Dual Desktop boxes (2XNVMe) - one for VI samples and one for Pro Tools sessions/audio. Both Raid 0. I wrote Andy at Sonnet to find out if the NVMe's in the Echo Dual HAVE to be Raid. Can they be two separate drives? Waiting to hear.
It would satisfy my need for the simplest possible setup with the least potential for weirdness.
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  #26  
Old 03-17-2022, 05:54 AM
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

and yeah I would use Disk Utility to format the Raids
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  #27  
Old 03-17-2022, 06:16 AM
glasswing glasswing is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

Found the manual for the Echo DUal Desktop and it CAN format as JBOD - which seems like it should work.
I just ordered 2 Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Docks (from Sonnet)! And the Avid PCIe Chassis (Sweetwater - they're out of 'em here in Canada!
Also learned that the Mac Studios are now back ordered into June! Glad I jumped right after the announcement.
Thanks again
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Last edited by glasswing; 03-17-2022 at 01:57 PM.
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  #28  
Old 03-20-2022, 05:51 AM
glasswing glasswing is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

OK! I have another question - The new Mac Studio has a USB A port on it which I planned to use for iLoks etc. I'm trying to figure out the best way to get MIDI in. DO you use a regular USB A port or THunderbolt or what? I've read about folks connecting through powered USB docks - which I have plenty of. Suggestions? Any advantage or disadvantage to Thunderbolt? THANKS
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  #29  
Old 03-20-2022, 06:41 AM
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K Roche K Roche is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

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OK! I have another question - The new Mac Studio has a USB A port on it which I planned to use for iLoks etc. I'm trying to figure out the best way to get MIDI in. DO you use a regular USB A port or THunderbolt or what? I've read about folks connecting through powered USB docks - which I have plenty of. Suggestions? Any advantage or disadvantage to Thunderbolt? THANKS


Assuming you are talking about something like a Midi Keyboard or controller that uses USB A for connection, I don't think there is an advantage to using some adaptor to TB ...... BTW The Studio has two USB A ports on it. If you need more than that you could use a simple USB A doc (which is what I use in my system below)
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  #30  
Old 03-20-2022, 07:22 AM
glasswing glasswing is offline
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Default Re: Migrating VI's from old Mac Pro to Mac Studio Ultra

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Originally Posted by K Roche View Post
Assuming you are talking about something like a Midi Keyboard or controller that uses USB A for connection, I don't think there is an advantage to using some adaptor to TB ...... BTW The Studio has two USB A ports on it. If you need more than that you could use a simple USB A doc (which is what I use in my system below)
Oh damn! I stand corrected. For some reason I thought the Ultra had only one USB A port. Life gets easier. Thanks
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