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  #1  
Old 08-30-2021, 11:54 PM
arjohe arjohe is offline
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Default Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

I use Pro Tools (old version 12.4 at the moment) and I use it for mainly EastWest orchestral libraries + Spectrasonics instruments. I compose orchestral music with lots of detailed samples and tracks.

I have Mac Pro 5.1 with 6 core 3,46 Ghz processor (2012) with 32 gig of ram which is the max. Well 48 maybe but stil not much more.

I'm interested to hear your views and experience on 5.1 Mac Pro on 12-core systems and even better if someone with experience of using with EastWest products. Is PT able to use those 12 cores effectively or is the only argument for selecting 12 core to get access to full 128 gig RAM?

So I would either:

1) upgrade new version of 6-core processor that is able to use 64 gig of RAM + installing that additional RAM to max 64 gig. Price is 400 EUR / dollars.

2) I upgrade to 12-core processor with 128 gig of RAM. Price of this is upgrade is 800 EUR / dollars.

Any comments if you were me? =)

BTW, is new PT versions able to utilize better CPU power and RAM? I probably need to upgrade my version 12.4 as well...
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Old 08-31-2021, 12:53 AM
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

Moro.

You said you are using mostly VI's so you need all the memory you can get. My friend just upgraded to 128GB and told the difference is huge. Just go for it, will be the last upgrade to your computer.
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Old 08-31-2021, 01:31 AM
arjohe arjohe is offline
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

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Originally Posted by JFreak View Post
Moro.

You said you are using mostly VI's so you need all the memory you can get. My friend just upgraded to 128GB and told the difference is huge. Just go for it, will be the last upgrade to your computer.
Moro Janne =)

Yes so allowing to upgrade to 128GB alone is enough reason, possbile extral real usable CPU power is just a bonus. It's quite hard to predict how my VI's are able to benefit anyway from 12-cores..

Will check if some more comments come but nice, I think I go with 12 core..

There is 2 possibilties in upgarding to 12-core: Either 12 core 3.06GHz 465€ or 12 core 3,46GHz 645€. I tend to think that not wise to pay extra 200 EUR for 3,46Ghz when mostly extra benefit comes from added RAM.. unless that 3,46 ghz is then for some reason clearly more powerful for PT and VI's... comments?

Last edited by arjohe; 08-31-2021 at 02:49 AM.
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Old 08-31-2021, 11:10 AM
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

Even with the upgrade, something else to consider is Vienna Ensemble Pro.

Others besides myself can tell you about VEPro.
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Old 08-31-2021, 11:20 AM
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

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Originally Posted by arjohe View Post
Moro Janne =)

Yes so allowing to upgrade to 128GB alone is enough reason, possbile extral real usable CPU power is just a bonus. It's quite hard to predict how my VI's are able to benefit anyway from 12-cores..

Will check if some more comments come but nice, I think I go with 12 core..

There is 2 possibilties in upgarding to 12-core: Either 12 core 3.06GHz 465€ or 12 core 3,46GHz 645€. I tend to think that not wise to pay extra 200 EUR for 3,46Ghz when mostly extra benefit comes from added RAM.. unless that 3,46 ghz is then for some reason clearly more powerful for PT and VI's... comments?
In your case most of the benefits come from maximum memory. But with that said less than 200 euros is not so bad and you can probably get it back when you eventually sell the machine. But to repeat myself, top up the memory and do not care about anything else.
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Old 08-31-2021, 11:42 AM
hannuala hannuala is offline
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

Hello!

I am the aforementioned friend who upgraded to 128 GB RAM.

My advice to you is to get the 12-core and 128 GB RAM, then you can really work without the system getting into your way. Finally now it’s possible for me to try sonically what I want with everything loaded. I tried basic pop band VI’s (Ivory American Concert D, Superior Drummer 3, EZ Bass, Korg TRITON pad, Hammond B-3X) + 15 tracks of Spitfire Abbey Road ONE orchestra: 118 GB RAM free when starting, then 85 GB free. Now what I should do with the rest of the RAM?

After my 10 years of waiting to get my hand on this amount of RAM, absolutely go for it! You will thank yourself for that, otherwise it’s always on the verge of ”do I have enough RAM or not?”.

Kind regards from Finland.
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Old 10-14-2021, 02:29 PM
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

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Originally Posted by hannuala View Post
Hello!

I am the aforementioned friend who upgraded to 128 GB RAM.

My advice to you is to get the 12-core and 128 GB RAM, then you can really work without the system getting into your way. Finally now it’s possible for me to try sonically what I want with everything loaded. I tried basic pop band VI’s (Ivory American Concert D, Superior Drummer 3, EZ Bass, Korg TRITON pad, Hammond B-3X) + 15 tracks of Spitfire Abbey Road ONE orchestra: 118 GB RAM free when starting, then 85 GB free. Now what I should do with the rest of the RAM?

After my 10 years of waiting to get my hand on this amount of RAM, absolutely go for it! You will thank yourself for that, otherwise it’s always on the verge of ”do I have enough RAM or not?”.

Kind regards from Finland.
With OpenCore you can actually address 8x32gigs of ram.(256) with MartinLo's 7.4.0 kext. Provided you are using a metal card.
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Old 10-14-2021, 03:03 PM
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

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With OpenCore you can actually address 8x32gigs of ram.(256) with MartinLo's 7.4.0 kext. Provided you are using a metal card.
Is this for cheesegraters or generally speaking anything? Hannu has the Trashcan
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Old 10-14-2021, 07:15 PM
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Default Re: Mac Pro 5.1 upgrade: 6-core or 12-core?

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Is this for cheesegraters or generally speaking anything? Hannu has the Trashcan
Cheesegraders, 5,1 only. 2009 and lower can only take advantage of Dosdude's patcher to run newer OS. What's cool I can boot ancient MacOS Mt. Lion to Big Sur 11.6, but unfortunately my 003 consoles will not work on Big Sur. Mojave or catalina though is great and with my RX580 with OpenCore running now has video acceleration. I guess it would shine for video guys.


Someone benched a Cheesy Pro like mine's with all possible upgrades and I believe they were not too far behind the overpriced Pro's that are out today.
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