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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 6:09:20 GMT -6
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Post by Ward on Jan 3, 2023 7:42:30 GMT -6
It certainly ticks off all the boxes, fully loaded. how is it for interfacing with Avid HD i/o interfaces?
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Post by Ward on Jan 3, 2023 7:43:06 GMT -6
Q2: Can you connect multiple displays out of the single HDMI port, i.e. intelligent video monitor routing.
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Post by M57 on Jan 3, 2023 8:02:46 GMT -6
Q2: Can you connect multiple displays out of the single HDMI port, i.e. intelligent video monitor routing. Everything I've read indicates you can't have two independent screens fed from one HDMI port, although I did get the impression from one of the sites I checked that you can somehow 'extend' a single screen onto two monitors with the right hardware. I have similar questions regarding USB-C ports. How expandable are they? I have a number of things that need to be connected.. interface, monitors, keyboards, controllers, ilok, external drives, emergency mouse, etc. ..not to mention potentially one or two hybrid/analog processors with plugin accessibility. Wouldn't some of these (e.g. my interface, or a drive from which I'm running files from a project) prefer to have dedicated ports? Where are the bottlenecks that I should be concerned about? |
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Post by nick8801 on Jan 3, 2023 8:12:54 GMT -6
That looks really nice. I've just been on an imac for the past few years, and it has worked fine. Wondering at what level you need this much power? I've done some really big productions and never had any glitchy stuff happening. I even have some friends working with the AIR laptops, and unless they are doing large productions with lots of tracks/fx/midi, they don't have any issues either. What kind of sessions are you guys running that this becomes a necessity?
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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 8:26:08 GMT -6
I don’t have one but run an m1 mini.
I haven’t read anything about the ‘smart’ functionality you describe.
However, with my m1 mini, I run 2 monitors: one over hdmi, the other tb to hdmi, tb to my interface and usb to a usb hub, with my keyboard, magic trqck pad, mouse, controller, ilok, external drive,: no problems.
Occasionally, on start up, the hdmi handshake mini to monitor doesn’t complete. a ventura bug I think, i just hot swap the hdmi cable at mini to sort it out.
The studio has more i/o than my m1 mini, so you can pmsn accordingly?
Maybe check out comms converters that are available to plan your possible set up.
The only thing I would change on my m1, is larger HD: got it used with 256, manageable, but bigger would be better. It has 16g of soc ram , never sk far a clu or memory problem here running 20-30 track logic sessions, 2-5 vi , and 3rd larty and UA plugs on an octo.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 8:33:08 GMT -6
Ps the mini and studio have full bandwidth tb ports, si don’t think bottlenecks would be a problem.
Macsales owc is a good source of info for a hub if you want to check options out.
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Post by M57 on Jan 3, 2023 8:34:53 GMT -6
Here's an example of what I might consider to be large-ish for my personal projects.
Analog:
Drums: 6ish tracks, possibly multiple takes
Lead Vocals at least 1 track
Bass: 2 or three tracks
Piano: 3 or 4 mics per take, at least two sets of recordings for a total of at least 6 tracks
Background Vocals: 10+ voices, (typically three - five part homophonic writing, doubled) more if there are countermelodies
Acoustic and or electric guitar: 1 - 2 tracks.
Digital/MIDI:
Spitfire strings or equivalent ensemble VIs - 4-8 tracks
maybe one other hungry VI - 1-2 tracks
less hungry synths - ambient tracks, etc. 1-3
Processing for all: I try to be sparing with hogs like soothe2. Luckily the update let's you choose different setting for playback vs rendering. I don't really like to print MIDI tracks all the time because I'm always tweaking them right to the finish line, but I do have to freeze tracks like crazy with my current iMac.
So for me say 50 tracks, 3/4 of which are analog is not uncommon.
I know I probably shouldn't be too worried about now, but I'm always concerned that the next generation of plugins (in the next 3 or 4 years) will require significantly more firepower, and bring whatever computer I purchase now to its knees unless I have go for overkill with Ram and CPU speed, etc..
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,107 
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Post by ericn on Jan 3, 2023 8:49:48 GMT -6
Here's an example of what I might consider to be large-ish for my personal projects. Analog:Drums: 6ish tracks, possibly multiple takes Lead Vocals at least 1 track Bass: 2 or three tracks Piano: 3 or 4 mics per take, at least two sets of recordings for a total of at least 6 tracks Background Vocals: 10+ voices, (typically three - five part homophonic writing, doubled) more if there are countermelodies Acoustic and or electric guitar: 1 - 2 tracks. Digital:Spitfire strings or ensemble VIs - 4-8 tracks maybe one other hungry VI - 1 track less hungry synths - ambient tracks, etc. 1-3 Processing for all: I try to be sparing with hogs like soothe2. Luckily the update let's you choose different setting for playback vs rendering. I don't really like to print MIDI tracks all the time because I'm always tweaking them right to the finish line, but I do have to freeze tracks like crazy with my current iMac. So for me say 50 tracks, 3/4 of which are analog is not uncommon. I know I probably shouldn't be too worried about now, but I'm always concerned that the next generation of plugins (in the next 3 or 4 years) will require significantly more firepower, and bring whatever I purchase now to its knees. Welcome to the world of diminishing returns of CPU power, many developers, not just plugins get lazy and as performance increases get even lazier. It’s not just our world, the funny thing is I was talking to a former Fortune 500 CIO and he said the worst always seam to be the developers who work for hardware manufacturers. You would think there would be this general corporate policy of lean and mean to show off our latest and greatest hardware, wait that would make sense. |
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Post by Ward on Jan 3, 2023 9:17:17 GMT -6
If there's an alternate solution to buying a new cheese grater, I'm in.
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Post by EmRR on Jan 3, 2023 9:29:32 GMT -6
? what bogs a system down?
My observation is it’s poor software coding, now that I never see much processor hit. Worst I see is RX10 doing music rebalance processing, or similar. That’ll hit 40% CPU.
DP as my DAW, #1 slug is an ongoing session with a zillion unmerged edits. Merge everything, DP’s happy again. Nothing to do with processing power. I see similar in other software.
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Post by drsax on Jan 3, 2023 9:33:14 GMT -6
Running the Mac Studio M1 Ultra here w 64 gigs of ram with dual monitors and it is blazing fast. Can load 40 instances of keyscape and not max it out. Run Cubase sessions here with 30-50 audio tracks, plus lots of soft synths, and outboard gear inserted and it’s not even breaking a sweat. A quality hub like OWC is needed for more connections and it’s spendy, but it’s the best studio computer I’ve ever run.
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Post by M57 on Jan 3, 2023 9:38:44 GMT -6
Welcome to the world of diminishing returns of CPU power, many developers, not just plugins get lazy and as performance increases get even lazier. It’s not just our world, the funny thing is I was talking to a former Fortune 500 CIO and he said the worst always seam to be the developers who work for hardware manufacturers. You would think there would be this general corporate policy of lean and mean to show off our latest and greatest hardware, wait that would make sense. Yeah, the guy on my right shoulder is telling me that I really should get the Ultra.. The guy on the left (with my wallet) would probably shoot him if my head wasn't in the way. |
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Post by drsax on Jan 3, 2023 10:17:35 GMT -6
Welcome to the world of diminishing returns of CPU power, many developers, not just plugins get lazy and as performance increases get even lazier. It’s not just our world, the funny thing is I was talking to a former Fortune 500 CIO and he said the worst always seam to be the developers who work for hardware manufacturers. You would think there would be this general corporate policy of lean and mean to show off our latest and greatest hardware, wait that would make sense. Yeah, the guy on my right shoulder is telling me that I really should get the Ultra.. The guy on the left (with my wallet) would probably shoot him if my head wasn't in the way. edited my original post. Mine is the m1 ultra. Worth it down the road I think |
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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 10:25:33 GMT -6
Everything about silicon m1/2 is more powerful and efficient including the soc ram.
I think buy the most you can afford now, you are buying performance insurance going forward.
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Post by Ward on Jan 3, 2023 10:42:33 GMT -6
Everything about silicon m1/2 is more powerful and efficient including the soc ram. I think buy the most you can afford now, you are buying performance insurance going forward. Speaking of investments, and thinking about antiquation . . . what's the forecast date for release of the M2 Ultra version of the Mac Studio? |
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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 12:19:54 GMT -6
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Jan 3, 2023 13:43:29 GMT -6
It certainly ticks off all the boxes, fully loaded. how is it for interfacing with Avid HD i/o interfaces? I'm running a Studio M1 Max 32GB with the HD Native Thunderbolt interface via an Apple adapter (PT Ultimate), macOS Monterey. No issues to date. I use another Apple TB adapter to run the Thunderbolt Display and three UA satellites chained together. No issues there either. |
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Post by EmRR on Jan 3, 2023 14:07:57 GMT -6
MOTU AVB TB devices have been much more prone to fail to connect on startup through the TB->USB-C adapter. I think I've even lost them from a long period of inactivity. Usually requires full reboot of interfaces and computer. That never happened before.
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Post by drbill on Jan 3, 2023 14:21:48 GMT -6
When does Apple release the MK-Ultra version?
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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 15:27:03 GMT -6
M1 or m2, m2 is supposed be later in 23
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Post by kcatthedog on Jan 3, 2023 15:32:27 GMT -6
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Post by M57 on Jan 3, 2023 16:00:33 GMT -6
The only difference between the two available chips on the Studio with M1 Ultra is the GPU (with 48-core and 64 core respectively). Otherwise, they're the same; they both come with a 20-core CPU and a 32-core Neural Engine. And I think GPU is more about graphics processing. Best to save a $1000 there, right?
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Post by the other mark williams on Jan 3, 2023 16:24:59 GMT -6
When does Apple release the MK-Ultra version? I think that one is all part of their super-secret Project Blue Book initiative. Or is it Operation Paperclip?   |
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Post by reddirt on Jan 3, 2023 16:30:35 GMT -6
From what I read, the Ultra is wasted money for music studios in most cases perhaps with the exception of Hollywood scoring type scenarios. Google what users are saying and you'll find that the Max is creaming whatever they throw at it and certainly paying for extra GPU is not going to reap any benefits.
Cheers, Ross
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