Mac Mini for producing music?

[durre]

So Apple finally updated the mini today. Thinking about replacing my G5 1.6ghz. I have some concerns tho.

1. 2ghz core 2 duo. Enough power? I would guess so since I mostly make simple demos with like 20 audio tracks and maybe 2 soft synths.

2. Firewire ports. External devices I plan to use are soundcard, harddrive and maybe something like SSL Duende which looks really cool. Is that going to be a problem with many devices sharing one port?

3. I dont always make music. I plan on installing Windows on it aswell to do other stuff. I dont yet know how thats going to work but it should be fine since they started using intel stuff? Is it a bad idea to have windows aswell on my music computer?

I will be using Logic btw.

[kenn.michael]

Originally Posted by durre

So Apple finally updated the mini today. Thinking about replacing my G5 1.6ghz. I have some concerns tho.

1. 2ghz core 2 duo. Enough power? I would guess so since I mostly make simple demos with like 20 audio tracks and maybe 2 soft synths.

The new mini is going to roughly be three times the power of your G5 1.6.

Duende might be problematic with all the firewire stuff hanging off the same port though.

[redrue]

I wouldn't count on using a Mac Mini for music production.
I believe it's designed for use with Safari, Email and word
processing apps... not much more.

I bought the previous version of Mac Mini for internet browsing
etc.. and tried using an Mbox with it... virtually unworkable.

Maybe the new Mini with Logic will work fine... but I'd make
real SURE before I bought.

best,

[AnAverageJoe]

Get a Mac BookPro

[tsvisser]

he only real weakness is the 2.5" HDD that the mini uses... but on the other hand, laptop hard drives are working just fine for people running music production software on laptops w/ lower track counts and not attaching a FW drive.

other than that, the new C2D2.0GHz is quite a powerful processor.

it integrated graphics chip is weak, but this probably isn't a consideration for you anyways.

if this is what you can afford today, go for it.

if you are only going to track 1 or 2 tracks at a time, get a nice USB audio interface and use an external FW drive. (you could even use your G5 in FW target disc mode until you can afford something else or are able to sell the other computer - nice to have it around as a backup).

if you do need to track 4 to 8 tracks simultaneously, then Firewire is probably a must in which case you will start running into sharing the FW bandwidth, but an interface and HDD should still be well within reason of the available FW buss speed.

i'd probably look at native DSP and not offloading to devices such as the Duende.

IF you can spend more money, the iMac is a pretty good deal. 3.5" HDD will allow you to get away w/o an external drive, since it has a 3.5" internal drive - although at a bit higher pricepoint, I'd also look at the Macbook Pro as a potential solution, since you can add FW EXPRESSCARD or e-SATA.

of course at this point we are spending more money, and for just a little bit more, you can get...

winding back down, what can you afford? with a 20 track requirement, you are really open to a lot of possibilities. w/o heavy DSP, your pretty safe with any of their current lineup.

[soundeq]

This is actually a pretty good idea I think, depending on how you use it...

A producer I know has a laptop, but has a deticated mac mini for his softsynths only. Hooks up a Audio/MIDI interface, and Works great! easy to cary around! He just picks up an extra monitor or keyboard at whatever studio he's working at. LOTS of studios have extra CRT's laying around.

Kinda treats the mini like it's a Roland 5080 or somthin...

[kenn.michael]

I have the previous generation 1.83 Core Duo Mac Mini, and it's great! I run PTLE, Logic, Live and Final Cut on it with no issues.... (with the exception of expected poor graphics performance with Final Cut Studio)

Speedwise, it approaches my Dual 2.5 G5. With an external FW drive I can play 36 stereo tracks in Logic no problem.

[illynoise]

what kind of HD's work the best for you?

[durre]

Didnt realize anyone had replied

When it comes to cpu power I'm pretty confident the mini will be enough. I know producers who make killer demos with one (prev genereation). Also, there's no shame in using bounce, freeze, extra arranges eventho it might be a little annoying

The reason for wanting Duende is not so much the extra DSP but the plugins which people say are great. Also I'm kinda hoping universal audio will release something similar for their products.

Think I'm leaning more towards the iMac now.

[ButchP]

I have a few questions about using a Mac Mini for a project. I’ll be using Logic synths, samples, midi drums ....DI'd guitar ,bass,(re amp or V amps) but mostly soft synths and samples(small pop art orchestra 8-12 piece …VSL strings, horns, percussion etc).I’m just tracking . (I’m sending out the mix)I won’t be using plugs except for monitoring.

I have a Mac Mini CD 1.66 , 60 gig 5400 rpm HD, 1 gb ram .I’ll upgrade to 2 gb ram ,and thinking of upping the CPU to a C2D 2.0ghz and possibly a 7200rpm internal HD…. and of course positively.. external HD.

Q#1. Will the clock speed and processor bump be of great benefit? From what I’m reading the biggest spec advantage of the C2D over the CD is 64 bits to 32.If both of them added up aren’t critical I may stay with the 1.66 CD.

Q #2.
Will the faster int HD(7200) be necessary? Will the size matter?

Q#3.Can I get by with a Presonus Firebox.I won’t be micing anything. I’d prefer minimum a Fireface 400 but it’s out of my budget range for now.

Thanks for any help and suggestions.

BP

[Tibbon]

You should be totally fine. I can't see where you guys are saying that a Mac Mini is slow or something. You've obviously not used one of the newer ones at all. Maybe the G4 one was slow, but the new C2D ones scream. Integrated graphics, but what is the graphics card on an SSL G+ computer? You're in a studio, you don't need pretty graphics.

That is the only downside for the mini for using it as he described it. My G4 MDD was able to get the ~20 tracks + plugs in Logic that he was talking about. More if you freeze tracks.

I'm glad some of you aren't salespeople at GC or wherever pushing gear on kids that they don't need. Seriously, don't try to put stuff on people that they don't need, or that you don't know anything about the products.

The Mac Mini is a great deal in computing right now IMHO.

[gracejames]

I am looking at a new mac as well. Of what i've remembered, i have read many posts of people having success with mac mini. The newer ones should be even better and viable solution.

How about monitors? I was wondering if most monitors, let's say at a BestBuy, would be compatible with mac mini? Any recommendations?

[Tibbon]

Originally Posted by gracejames

I am looking at a new mac as well. Of what i've remembered, i have read many posts of people having success with mac mini. The newer ones should be even better and viable solution.

How about monitors? I was wondering if most monitors, let's say at a BestBuy, would be compatible with mac mini? Any recommendations?

Generally, if it has DVI or VGA... then it will work with the Mini. Lots of people use Dells, Gateway, or Apple ones.

[ButchP]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

You should be totally fine.
......................................................

Cool that's good to know.Did you mean my stock CD 1.66 is fine or the upgrade.

BP

[sardi]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

You should be totally fine. I can't see where you guys are saying that a Mac Mini is slow or something. You've obviously not used one of the newer ones at all. Maybe the G4 one was slow, but the new C2D ones scream. Integrated graphics, but what is the graphics card on an SSL G+ computer? You're in a studio, you don't need pretty graphics.

That is the only downside for the mini for using it as he described it. My G4 MDD was able to get the ~20 tracks + plugs in Logic that he was talking about. More if you freeze tracks.

I'm glad some of you aren't salespeople at GC or wherever pushing gear on kids that they don't need. Seriously, don't try to put stuff on people that they don't need, or that you don't know anything about the products.

The Mac Mini is a great deal in computing right now IMHO.

Yeah it's hilarious isn't it? I mean the majority of the people on this forum have been bigging up the MacBook and MacBook Pro for DAW use yet some people frown upon the Mac Mini which is basically a MacBook without a screen.

Drop 2GB RAM in it and use a FW drive an you will be absolutely fine.

I've been using my C2D 2GHz MacBook for PT work with 1.5 GB RAM and it has no issues at all. Not to mention I even ran some projects off the internal drive when I didn't have my FW drive with me and it still performed fine.

I mean the Mac Mini will be faster than a dual 2GHz G5 which MANY people are still using as their production machines!!

The new Mini's will be perfectly adequate (and then some) for what you want to do.

Best.

[Akoppenheffer]

My buddy recorded a whole bunch of stuff on his 1st generation one. That new one looks really awesome! I'd say go for it. It'd be fine. What a deal. But you could spend a little more cash on an iMac and get a screen and some more ports.

[Notron Fan]

I'm pretty torn between the imac and the mini.

I probably would have walked out the door with an Imac if they had the base model in stock in a pdx apple store.

But the thing about a mini is--it seems like it could have a longer life span than an imac given that when I did want to retire as a music computer, it would work great as a media player for itunes hooked up a tv in the rec room.

A mac mini with an e-sata port and a higher capacity hd would rock.

[sardi]

Originally Posted by Notron Fan

A mac mini with an e-sata port and a higher capacity hd would rock.

Here ya go:

http://www.erebos.net/articles/macmi...mini_esata.php

[Notron Fan]

Originally Posted by sardi

Here ya go:

Mac Mini eSata Hard Disk

Yeah, or this

[Tibbon]

Should i point out that so much can be done with much less of a computer?

Protools can run fine on a Powermac 9600!!! You don't have to have more just to record songs!

Old Ataris can rock the house for sequencing. A G3 can do a ton of audio work!

You don't NEED 2gb of memory to get audio stuff done. I remember when a 9gb hard drive and 256mb of memory was pretty insane. Forget that, I remember when the 64k in my commodore was nice!

[Coyoteous]

I'm leaning toward the new iMac right now, but the mini seems great, too. If I were working exclusively in Logic, I'd probably get one of each and use the mini as a node. I really do wish they would come out with a medium form factor machine that has PCI slots - at least a couple, but I ain't holdin' my breath on that one!

[sardi]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

Should i point out that so much can be done with much less of a computer?

Protools can run fine on a Powermac 9600!!! You don't have to have more just to record songs!

Old Ataris can rock the house for sequencing. A G3 can do a ton of audio work!

You don't NEED 2gb of memory to get audio stuff done. I remember when a 9gb hard drive and 256mb of memory was pretty insane. Forget that, I remember when the 64k in my commodore was nice!

Mos def. BUT, the OP wants to runa few soft synths. They do chew up a lot of CPU and depending on which ones, RAM aswell.

But I defo agree that so much can be done with a much less powerful machine. I used to do 32 track mixdowns on a G4 450 with 512MB RAM up until not too long ago.

It doesnt help that new versions of DAW software chew sooooo much RAM though. :(