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MacPro 2019 question

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onebaldbloke

New member
I am tempted to move from my reasonably new Intel i9 13900 to a 12 or 16 core 2019 MacPro, largely based on my previous good experiences with Xeon machines. If I don't run in Windows mode (Bootcamp), I'll run S1 in Mac.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions they'd care to throw this way?

Cheers,
Bob.
 
The M series chips are faster and better than any 2019 Intel Mac Book Pro. Good news is you can pick up an M1, M2 Pro or maybe even an M3 chip machine now for a reasonable price now that the M4 chip is out.

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Jemusic said:
The M series chips are faster and better than any 2019 Intel Mac Book Pro. Good news is you can pick up an M1, M2 Pro or maybe even an M3 chip machine now for a reasonable price now that the M4 chip is out.

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Click to expand...
Ta, but......... I still need to run Samplitude (which I've been using for 30 years!).

Maybe Parallels?..........
 
What does Samplitude need? It is Apple silicon compatible. Why do you need to run Samplitude?
 
Jemusic said:
What does Samplitude need? It is Apple silicon compatible. Why do you need to run Samplitude?
Click to expand...
Because I have projects going back 30 years on it, for a start. It's Windows only.
 
Interesting because I read somewhere it is Apple silicon compatible but as you say it seems to be Windows only. Unless you run Parallels Desktop for Mac. It's an expensive subscription though. But your OP stated you were thinking of moving to a 2019 MacBook. All I am saying is the M series chips are definitely better than the Intel Macs. Studio One definitely runs very well on an M series Mac though for sure.

From experience I have projects too that date back almost as long and I have the software (and the computers) as well to open them. But in reality once you have a stereo mix of a project, you will rarely or never open them again. Personally I don't believe the choice of a new current platform should be based on that. For me it's what you want to do now and in the future that really counts.
 
onebaldbloke said:
Because I have projects going back 30 years on it, for a start. It's Windows only.
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There is a one time purchase version of parallels which I use on my Mac for my tax software :) It has limited simulated RAM and processor power, but there is a test version of it so give it a try, I would definitely recommend an Apple Silicon machine if you want to invest in an Apple right now, my M2 Max MacBook runs my whole recording studio, those machines are awesome. Or you invest in one of the new Mac Studios.
 
I agree with Jemusic, the Apple M series will run rings around a Pro2019 which is effectively becoming a boat anchor (comparatively). The M4 is out, is completely quiet for a studio, and to hold onto Samplitude isn't going to help if you're looking at a Mac anyway, does it? You can stem and port over your work that you're actually going to do sonething with. Unless you're looking at holding onto work for forty years. C'mon. Why do you think Mac Pro 2019's are going for cheap? Dollars to doughnuts, the owners are shopping for an expanded M4 which is a screamer, and very affordable.
 
onebaldbloke said:
Though I'm in the antipodes (Australia!) this looks very tempting!
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You obviously have lots of choices when It comes to Mac i.e. Intel units or M1, M2, M3, M4 and the list just keeps getting longer
with each new incarnation comes the "Latest And Greatest" If you believe your research shows that the The Latest And "Supposed"
Greatest" system is for you then so be it. I personally do NOT like what Apple as done to some of their systems by not being able to DIY
upgrades. Sounds like that is starting to change some.

With that being said I run a 2018 Mac Mini that as good specs (the 4 thunderbolt 3 ports are what attracted me) and it delivers all I need at this point in time. I don't run much Virtual Instruments other than EZDrummer and EZ Bass (some) and a little bit of keys. What I do is not demanding. I rarely run over 20 tracks. For me the money spent on an M1 to M4 is not reasonable in my mind. There are other things I would like to buy besides putting my money in a system that likely would not pay off for me (at this time). I purchased a "brand new" Mac Pro back in 2011. That Mac Pro as been upgraded with SSD storage drives and Ram. This machine to this day runs great. No issues whatsoever in all these years. It is my backup machine now. It runs Sequoia OS now via OCLP.

So, in my mind the thing to obviously do is "Research" for your needs to make a logical decision on your needs now and in the future.
Good luck with it all and you will enjoy your Mac regardless of what you end up buying. "Once you go Mac you won't go back"
That as been very true with me :))
 
While the Mac that tpittman describes may work under a relatively light load the fact is if you wanted to run 20 virtual instruments (ones like Omnisphere for example) maybe 60 or 70 tracks with some decent plugins on them, a 2019 Mac will basically not cut it and fall over. The M series chips however will breeze through a situation like this. Even an M1 machine. In some cases it is 10 times more powerful than a 2019 Mac Pro performing certain operations. Great news is that there are some pretty good prices on M1 and M2 machines going now.

So to the OP, analyse your situation currently and perhaps allow for some expansion too. Compare prices on the 2019 Mac compared to the M series second hand and then you will have a better idea about what to do. I think you will find they are pretty close now especially.
 
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Jemusic said:
While the Mac that tpittman describes may work under a relatively light load the fact is if you wanted to run 20 virtual instruments (ones like Omnisphere for example) maybe 60 or 70 tracks with some decent plugins on them, a 2019 Mac will basically not cut it and fall over. The M series chips however will breeze through a situation like this. Even an M1 machine. In some cases it is 10 times more powerful than a 2019 Mac Pro performing certain operations. Great news is that there are some pretty good prices on M1 and M2 machines going now.

So to the OP, analyse your situation currently and perhaps allow for some expansion too. Compare prices on the 2019 Mac compared to the M series second hand and then you will have a better idea about what to do. I think you will find they are pretty close now especially.
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I would run only one VSTi (the Roland DW Soundworks - sperate channels for each output, aux's, busses etc) if that. Everything else is audio.
 
tpittman said:
You obviously have lots of choices when It comes to Mac i.e. Intel units or M1, M2, M3, M4 and the list just keeps getting longer
with each new incarnation comes the "Latest And Greatest" If you believe your research shows that the The Latest And "Supposed"
Greatest" system is for you then so be it. I personally do NOT like what Apple as done to some of their systems by not being able to DIY
upgrades. Sounds like that is starting to change some.

With that being said I run a 2018 Mac Mini that as good specs (the 4 thunderbolt 3 ports are what attracted me) and it delivers all I need at this point in time. I don't run much Virtual Instruments other than EZDrummer and EZ Bass (some) and a little bit of keys. What I do is not demanding. I rarely run over 20 tracks. For me the money spent on an M1 to M4 is not reasonable in my mind. There are other things I would like to buy besides putting my money in a system that likely would not pay off for me (at this time). I purchased a "brand new" Mac Pro back in 2011. That Mac Pro as been upgraded with SSD storage drives and Ram. This machine to this day runs great. No issues whatsoever in all these years. It is my backup machine now. It runs Sequoia OS now via OCLP.

So, in my mind the thing to obviously do is "Research" for your needs to make a logical decision on your needs now and in the future.
Good luck with it all and you will enjoy your Mac regardless of what you end up buying. "Once you go Mac you won't go back"
That as been very true with me :))
Click to expand...
Thanks mate. The main issue I have is that, regardless of which Intel or AMD CPU based system I might build next, I'd prefer to avoid endless tweaks (selected application cores via IRQ manipulations etc - effective but boring!!) as tweaks = time = income lost (audio and Music related branches - teaching etc - is my business, not a hobby).

Cheers.
 
Great thing with the Mac is once you install the OS you are going to be with everything will just work perfectly. There is basically no setting up to do. You only have to fine tune a few things with the OS settings.
 
Jemusic said:
Great thing with the Mac is once you install the OS you are going to be with everything will just work perfectly. There is basically no setting up to do. You only have to fine tune a few things with the OS settings.
Click to expand...
Hey Jem, I have owned and used MacPros for Samplitude under Bootcamp in the past and they worked fine!

Cheers,
Bob.
 
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Hey Bob I see in your signature you were involved with Skyhooks. Well I remember them well, a great band. I saw them live at the ANU bar sometime between mid to late 70's. They were really great live. I love the sound of 'Living In The 70's" too.
 
Jemusic said:
Hey Bob I see in your signature you were involved with Skyhooks. Well I remember them well, a great band. I saw them live at the ANU bar sometime between mid to late 70's. They were really great live. I love the sound of 'Living In The 70's" too.
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Oh! Thank you!
That ANU gig (1977, my first gig in the ACT with them) was fabulous! I remember that day very well, as it was also the first day I began seriously questioning the logic (rather, illogic.......) of guitar string gauges. A long, geeky, story. :-)

Of course, they were a fantastic band well before I joined and I was a big fan. Macainsh is a bloody genius. A very fortunate, happy and educational time for me.

Cheers!
 
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