What Mac desktop for Pro Tools Studio

[Darryl Ramm]

The stuff you were finding looked out of date because you likely did not click on the next entry down and/or maybe were unaware that Mac Pros have not been updated in years (as we pointed out).

I suggested you use google to search DUC specifically, there *is* a ton of very useful information on DUC where folks know a lot about what you are asking. What you think about Google search in general is irrelevant, it's by far the best tool for finding content on DUC (with the site:duc.avid.com qualifier). Which I had assumed you know given your decades of experience here.

There is no muppet at Avid you can talk to who will hold your hand and walk you though all you need to know and give you useful advice. That is a fantasy. But if you thought you really really needed to talk to a support rep you can worse case purchase an ASC and ask for help, it will be a waste of time, but hey if you really want to talk to somebody... if nothing else and you think you qualify for current support I would get that sorted out, worse case pay for an ASC and then ask for a refund if you should have valid support (i.e. are on a subscription or are paying for a support/update plan, you will need that anyhow to access recent Pro Tools releases to run on any new Mac, and you likely want support to be working).

Meanwhile there is a large forum of folks here that you can use that have all the info you need and touches on stuff you don't even know you should be worrying about yet, especially because it's not just an upgrade its a transition to a new processor architecture.

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Not sure why we are talking archiving here, but as somebody who has worked in/with the SSD tech industry I've been pointing out for years now on DUC that SSDs are not the best choice for archiving/cold storage. You can find my posts about that by searching DUC with Google.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Out of curiosity, how much RAM do you use?

16GB on M1 mini and 24GB on M2 air. Both enough as I am not a heavy VI user.

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

The stuff you were finding looked out of date because you likely did not click on the next entry down and/or maybe were unaware that Mac Pros have not been updated in years (as we pointed out).

>> ::sigh:: You have decided you don't like me. IDC, but no your "likely" did not occur.

I suggested you use google to search DUC specifically, there *is* a ton of very useful information on DUC where folks know a lot about what you are asking. What you think about Google search in general is irrelevant, it's by far the best tool for finding content on DUC (with the site:duc.avid.com qualifier). Which I had assumed you know given your decades of experience here.

>> 0

There is no muppet at Avid you can talk to who will hold your hand and walk you though all you need to know and give you useful advice. That is a fantasy. But if you thought you really really needed to talk to a support rep you can worse case purchase an ASC and ask for help, it will be a waste of time, but hey if you really want to talk to somebody... if nothing else and you think you qualify for current support I would get that sorted out, worse case pay for an ASC and then ask for a refund if you should have valid support (i.e. are on a subscription or are paying for a support/update plan, you will need that anyhow to access recent Pro Tools releases to run on any new Mac, and you likely want support to be working).

>> Muppet? Wow! Support staff were anything but comical puppets. In the past I have had several insightful conversations with real people who helped me a lot. Your loss. Oh! (enlightenment!) sorry, I didn't recognize you! You're the troll under the bridge! Got it now.

Meanwhile there is a large forum of folks here that you can use that have all the info you need and touches on stuff you don't even know you should be worrying about yet, especially because it's not just an upgrade its a transition to a new processor architecture.

>> Yeah, this has happened with every upgrade since my Mac SE.

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Not sure why we are talking archiving here, but as somebody who has worked in/with the SSD tech industry I've been pointing out for years now on DUC that SSDs are not the best choice for archiving/cold storage. You can find my posts about that by searching DUC with Google.

>> AHA! So we finally agree on something?!!? Hopefully you won't find a way to piss on this as well.

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by JFreak

16GB on M1 mini and 24GB on M2 air. Both enough as I am not a heavy VI user.

Um, VI. Virtual Instruments? I've been using them in Logic Pro in a 2017 iMac and usually not more than 12 tracks. I think I have 64 GB Ram on that machine. I got a 4TB drive and up until now, have found it quite nice and the fan has never come on. Having been on Pro Tools for so long, I find myself thinking stuff like, "Why did they do it THAT way" when bumping into the Logic Pro unknown.

I have an external SSD drive with BFD and some of the Apple library. So far so good. I guess, based on my phone conversation with SanDisk, I won't be using SSD drives for archiving. That's a shame. I like the idea that they have no moving parts to fail. Probably also fewer electrolytic caps (no motor).

[JFreak]

Yes, virtual instruments. I am only working with one at a time as I am a mixer not composer. Once done, I commit to it and hope I don't need to revisit the virtual instrument but can work with audio instead.

Sometimes for testing things I may have half a dozen open and it is okay, but a composer friend of mine has a very huge template with countless VI's open at all time. I am not that guy.

These two have 2TB internal drives just for future-proofing. But the main thing is even with 16 or 24 gigs of memory, these hardly ever swap (to the insanely fast internal storage).

[FlawnWilliams]

Hi, Ty. Regarding how big an internal storage drive to go for, you mentioned that on your current system your media files are living on a separate internal drive. The newer Macs don't offer this option.



And recent changes in Apple OS software are forcing file sharing services like Dropbox and Google Drive to store their mirrored files in a particular location on the internal startup drive. So if any of your production work involves sharing media files with other offsite collaborators via DB or GD, you may want to increase your required minimum size for internal storage.

[Sardi]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Um, VI. Virtual Instruments? I've been using them in Logic Pro in a 2017 iMac and usually not more than 12 tracks. I think I have 64 GB Ram on that machine.

Yes, VI = Virtual Instruments.

What type are you using in Logic? Something that drives me nuts and people do this on ALL audio forums, is using the term VI as a blanket statement. The only VIs that require large amounts of RAM are sample based instruments. Synth VIs which to be perfectly honest are the majority, require little RAM as they are predominantly using oscillators for the sound source.

If you’re using those types of synths outlined above, your RAM usage will be low. If you’re using sample based instruments, then your RAM usage may potentially be high.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smurfyou]

This question is obviously asked a lot recently.

The answer is - it is a terrible time to need a new Mac. Plenty of users are happily using M1 Mac Studio, Mini, MacBook, etc... of all specs. But Avid can't recommend them because PT is still not officially compatible. On top of that a decent amount of plugins still aren't compatible. And no one is using the same exact combination of software so the data points are useful but not exactly reliable.

At the same time Apple has pretty much moved on and left the Intel models in the dust. So it's a waste of money to buy one now. Unless you're in the position where you need to get up and running right away with current software and can justifty the immediate depreciation.

So you either live on the edge, take a chance knowing some of your stuff won't work. Or invest in a short lived obsolete model. Windows users are blissfully unaware or this conundrum.

[K Roche]

Originally Posted by smurfyou

This question is obviously asked a lot recently.

The answer is - it is a terrible time to need a new Mac. Plenty of users are happily using M1 Mac Studio, Mini, MacBook, etc... of all specs. But Avid can't recommend them because PT is still not officially compatible. On top of that a decent amount of plugins still aren't compatible. And no one is using the same exact combination of software so the data points are useful but not exactly reliable.

At the same time Apple has pretty much moved on and left the Intel models in the dust. So it's a waste of money to buy one now. Unless you're in the position where you need to get up and running right away with current software and can justifty the immediate depreciation.

So you either live on the edge, take a chance knowing some of your stuff won't work. Or invest in a short lived obsolete model. Windows users are blissfully unaware or this conundrum.

Humm well First to clarify many users feel it's a great time to buy an Apple mac

And in point of fact virtually all M1 Macs with 16 GB of memory or more,, are "qualified and compatible" by Avid .

https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/ar...m-Requirements

under System Requirements and a detailed list under Computer Optimazation , where it says
Below you will find detailed information about qualified configurations.

And most if not all Avid plugins run on M1 and there are tons of 3 rd party plugins that work on M1 chips either natively or under Rosetta

Just saying so the OP does not get the wrong impression

[smurfyou]

Originally Posted by K Roche

Humm well First to clarify many users feel it's a great time to buy an Apple mac

And in point of fact virtually all M1 Macs with 16 GB of memory or more,, are "qualified and compatible" by Avid .

https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/ar...m-Requirements

under System Requirements and a detailed list under Computer Optimazation , where it says
Below you will find detailed information about qualified configurations.

And most if not all Avid plugins run on M1 and there are tons of 3 rd party plugins that work on M1 chips either natively or under Rosetta

Just saying so the OP does not get the wrong impression

It's still in beta for an indeterminate amount of time and there are plenty of big plugins that aren't compatible.

My point was, for a production system it's not an easy decision. Maybe I should have worded it that way.

EDIT: Also keeping in mind the newest models come with Ventura. Which again in a commercial environment might not be ideal.