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Mac Mini

2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
16 GB ram

$1100

how does this sound?

anyone use a mac mini? i tried the search... my 2.4 core i5 macbook pro is lagging...

seems like a little more and you got an imac wich you can add your own ram.

if you do get it , get a cheaper one. Use it for processing. That way you can get a barebones system.

Re: Mac Mini

quote:

Originally posted by Allied Nations 2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 16 GB ram $1100 how does this sound? anyone use a mac mini? i tried the search... my 2.4 core i5 macbook pro is lagging...

first, what daw are u using? you can build yourself better cheaper barebone if your daw is multiplatform. i think the mac mini is overpriced. if it came with blutuf keyboard and touchpad then maybe. is it SSD? if your core i5 is lagging then it wont be long before the mini will be too, so maybe its your workflow. i used a mac mini lower speced than that some years ago and it was definitly on the edge of useless with Reason - some of my older project made on a PC with Core 2 Duo Quad Core at 2,4GHz + 4GB RAM wouldnt play back on my mac mini nor my macbook pro - definitly work flow. And even worse with Logic. Do you have to go Apple? If not I have many suggestions.

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney seems like a little more and you got an imac wich you can add your own ram. if you do get it , get a cheaper one. Use it for processing. That way you can get a barebones system.

you can add ram to the mac mini, 16gb limit 2x dimms

if i did it on their website w 16gb it would be like 13, 1400


when i say lag i mean using lots of plugins vsts etc
i dont use that many but many of my projects right now are minimum 80 channel
im working in ableton but really would rather stay in a mac enviroment

also i only have 8gb of ram on my mabook pro right now which is the limit for my model

I also want to buy a 30+ inch screen to put on my wall... i could do that with an imac, but gets a bit weirder...

id rather run dual screen with my current 24 inch monitor and a 30-40 inch hd


i like having my arrangement secttion larger and above my finder.plugings.etc window

again, what daw and plugs? is win a possibility? imac isnt really a cool thing when u want dual screen, unless you could get two imacs and run things over lan or something to share recourses. i dont know how that works.

You can add RAM to the Mini as well. I recently notced that the non server model can now be specced with the i7 and as much as 16GB RAM so I'll be grabbing one soon.

And of course you don't buy the RAM from Apple.

I dont know how available thunderbolt monitors are yet but theres only one HDMI and nothing else besides the thunderbolt for connecting screens making dual screen maybe tough to accomplish. Also its Intels HD4000 onboard CPU graphics which i dont know how well works on dual full HD, if its even possible. I have the HD2500 on my i5 and it works well on one screen but i dont know how it works on two, havent tried. Id actually get the smallest mac mini, and buy ram and a SSD from elsewhere. CPU isnt getting much better, only smaller, less watts and heat, and with more functions like onboard graphics. You shouldnt be needing alot more than 2,4GHz i5 (two cores, with two handles each). At that price (for the smallest) it isnt terrible, but you could get the same PC for half the price. And more upgradeable. DVD-ROM is pretty old imo, should be a second HD instead.

edit: dont forget that the max altitude for a mac mini is 3000m above sea (just incase you live in himalya).

quote:

Originally posted by clay At that price (for the smallest) it isnt terrible, but you could get the same PC for half the price. And more upgradeable. DVD-ROM is pretty old imo, should be a second HD instead.

Let it goooooooooooo

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord Let it goooooooooooo

lol did i get manic again? im out

ya windows isn happening..... although i would love it to

im scared

http://www.blog.gartonhill.com/mac-...h-dual-screens/

Mac mini does support dual screen so that's good

quote:

Originally posted by clay edit: dont forget that the max altitude for a mac mini is 3000m above sea (just incase you live in himalya).

good to know if i ever move back to quito

well then id get the smallest one (i5 2,5GHz) and replace the RAM and HD yourself. the big one is lower speed 2,3GHz (but Quad though but i dont know the point in that when most plugs dont support more than dual core). RAM and SSD is probably more important.

edit: or two imacs if you have the money

edit2: i dont know.

they have a 2.6 quad core

the only think i can see is just to have more cores to run regular processes, i dont know enough about the difference

quote:

Originally posted by Allied Nations they have a 2.6 quad core the only think i can see is just to have more cores to run regular processes, i dont know enough about the difference

oh? that ones not here yet. does it have SSD too? for a 1000 its not that bad maybe. sux that its without keyboard and mouse though cause thats another 100-150 if u want the mac ones.

edit: trust me you want SSD, its the world of difference.

quote:

Originally posted by clay oh? that ones not here yet. does it have SSD too? for a 1000 its not that bad maybe. sux that its without keyboard and mouse though cause thats another 100-150 if u want the mac ones. edit: trust me you want SSD, its the world of difference.

what about hybrid drives?

i usually need ready access to about 500GB of project info at a given time, i guess id need to buy a thunderbold external

quote:

Originally posted by Allied Nations you can add ram to the mac mini, 16gb limit 2x dimms if i did it on their website w 16gb it would be like 13, 1400 when i say lag i mean using lots of plugins vsts etc i dont use that many but many of my projects right now are minimum 80 channel im working in ableton but really would rather stay in a mac enviroment

use vsl ensemble and offload the vst instruments. I have 3 nodes using vsl which i control from the main computer.

thats an interesting idea....

seems like a big jump and im not full sure i understand it yet... does it create a separate enviroment for your vsts within itself or are you running your DAW on both computers?

the idea of a node is intriguing me tho...

runs on the computer, sends audio to your main. You can use it for FX or symths. VSL ensemble. Its pretty much the only option other than logic nodes which are sketchy.

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney runs on the computer, sends audio to your main. You can use it for FX or symths. VSL ensemble. Its pretty much the only option other than logic nodes which are sketchy.

do so would i be sending midi to it and then recieving audio?

im pretty much sold on this... i know this computer can run100 channels easy but when im working for someone else and all the sudden we're moving so fast i have 10+ omnispheres running and a ton of reverbs i dont have time or patience to freeze everything - i need everything easily editable

does it need a separate screen to run the best or do you just switch over on your main monitor to your node?



i read in depth a discussion you had about logic nodes and being one of 2 people on earth to get them working properly- seems sketchy and i dont use logic anymore so no worries there- i could never get as fast on logic - do miss the built in sounds and efx tho, some great stuff

i use another screen but I suppose you could just use mac screen share

could i use a laptop as a node? (last question i think)

because then i would buy the mac mini, see how it goes and if i need more, buy VSL ensemble

it runs on any computer. You don't need a sound interface either as it remains 1s and 0s

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