Buying a new $3500 mac

[soduno]

So, now it's the time - I need to upgrade my daw. I'm making music, designing webpages and coding on my Macbook Pro from 2015, but must admit that it's laggy, makes white-noises, and overloads if using more than 8 virtual instruments in logic Pro X.

Considering that I already have a laptop (MBP), I guess the obvious solution is to buy either a Mac Studio or Mac Mini.
I'm afraid that the Mac Mini is to weak for my purposes, so my eyes is on a Mac Studio - since I need to connect three external monitors (as far as I research, out of the box, Mac mini does not allow that - yet).

What's your thoughts? It's lot's of money to burn (will need to make a loan - $3500 from DKK valuta), but from a performance perspective - I guess it's the right investment? How is the M1 cpu dealing with multiple virtual instruments and audio tracks in e.g. logic? (reaching out to audio engineers ).

I have attached my ideal configuration.

Best, soduno

 

[rm5]

I can run at least 40 tracks (40 individual virtual instruments) in Logic no problem. And this is not the internal Logic sounds - I run Orchestral Tools' "Berlin Orchestra" as well as some Kontakt libraries (free version). I don't even need to use aux busses because the M1 chip handles it so well. And that's on a regular-old M1 with 16 GB of RAM. Now, the RAM does fill up when running those 40+ tracks, so I'd love to have 32 of even 64 GB of RAM - but in terms of CPU load - maybe 20-30%.

What kinds of stuff are you running? If you're not doing anything more intensive than I am, the M1 Max is probably overkill.

 

[wilberforce]

If you are concerned about price, 32-core GPU and 64GB RAM options are likely unnecessary.
If you are doing this professionally, then it doesn't matter.

Not sure why you say $3500, when your attachment shows $2800...? Is that the loan cost? If so, seems exorbitant.

 

[soduno]

If you are concerned about price, 32-core GPU and 64GB RAM options are likely unnecessary.
If you are doing this professionally, then it doesn't matter.

Not sure why you say $3500, when your attachment shows $2800...? Is that the loan cost? If so, seems exorbitant.

Actually to be honest, I'm more concerned about performance than price - in a human level.
$3500 Is the price for a Mac Pro in Denmark/EU. The loan itself is free.

 

[soduno]

I can run at least 40 tracks (40 individual virtual instruments) in Logic no problem. And this is not the internal Logic sounds - I run Orchestral Tools' "Berlin Orchestra" as well as some Kontakt libraries (free version). I don't even need to use aux busses because the M1 chip handles it so well. And that's on a regular-old M1 with 16 GB of RAM. Now, the RAM does fill up when running those 40+ tracks, so I'd love to have 32 of even 64 GB of RAM - but in terms of CPU load - maybe 20-30%.

What kinds of stuff are you running? If you're not doing anything more intensive than I am, the M1 Max is probably overkill.

Basically I'm using Spectrasonics VI's, lots of them. Maybe 15-20, though not any near as 40. But, in the future it's needed to be able to record drums with audio tracks of approx 12-16 simultaneously with the VI's. In my experience that takes lots of performance VI's together with audio tracks.

Though it's really good news to hear that the M1 handles it perfectly. I have the need to do 3 monitors, that's not possible on the mac mini right? (Unless usage of a gpu box).

 

[rm5]

Yeah the M1 mini can only officially support 2 monitors, not three. To get three, you have to get a "DisplayLink Dock" which are pretty expensive (around $250). "GPU boxes" aka eGPUs are not supported on Apple Silicon.

 

[soduno]

Yeah the M1 mini can only officially support 2 monitors, not three. To get three, you have to get a "DisplayLink Dock" which are pretty expensive (around $250). "GPU boxes" aka eGPUs are not supported on Apple Silicon.

It's really a shame that the M1 Mini only supports 2 monitors out of the box.
Rumours is that soon there will be launched a new Mini. I can only hope that it will support more memory and extra screens. What do you all think, worth waiting, or waste of time? 😇😤

 

[rm5]

Waste of time. Probably won't support more than 2 monitors, unless there's an M2 Pro version.

 

[appltech]

Stick to the "buy now think later" plan)

In this case, there are no doubts that you'd receive a decent performance for some (extended suppose) period of time. Won't be redundant

 

[Boil]

It's really a shame that the M1 Mini only supports 2 monitors out of the box.
Rumours is that soon there will be launched a new Mini. I can only hope that it will support more memory and extra screens. What do you all think, worth waiting, or waste of time? 😇😤

If Apple is going to release a M2 Pro Mac mini, that might happen at an October Mac Event, might be worth waiting to see what shows up...?

 

[MacGizmo]

I wouldn't hold your breath for a "Pro" Mac mini. I have a sneaking suspicion that the iMac and Mac mini are now delegated as consumer-level Macs, with the Studio sitting in as the "pro" alternative to both. That's just my guess, but I think everything they've done so far point to that direction.

 

[rm5]

@soduno By the way, here's proof of the M1 MBA running 46 tracks just fine - now granted, they're not running all at once, but close enough for demonstration purposes. I didn't include the actual audio of the piece because that doesn't matter. A few audio tracks, but mostly MIDI - which uses a lot of RAM form my experience. This is mostly the Berlin Orchestra combined with a few Logic sounds and stuff from various Kontakt libraries.

As you can see, I can jump around the song and it never hiccups. It's at 32 samples I believe - lowest latency.