Thinking of upgrading to new Mac mini Pro M2

[Kenny B]

So maybe its time to upgrade from the 2013 MacPro to the new M2 chip in a Macmini. The pro version should be fine for me with an additional thunderbolt 4 hub that will give me more inputs. I'll need a cable to convert from Thunderbolt 4 to Thunderbolt 2 in order for my Apogee Symphony II to work.

So has another here used an M1 or M2 with the Symphony? Just wondering if there are any problems with compatibility. And then do I go with Ventura or stay with Monterey? I want to go there but not sure I want to deal with compatibility problems should they exist.

[James Steele]

Somebody more knowledgeable about this will hopefully chime in. I can only offer two thoughts:

• Get at least 512GB internal SSD. The 256GB drive is much slower.

• It will probably come with Ventura pre installed. Not sure you CAN downgrade to Monterey even if you wanted to. Probably not advisable as issues with Ventura are being worked out.

[mikehalloran]

• Get at least 512GB internal SSD. The 256GB drive is much slower.

The M2 Pro Mini has four slots. It has been verified that the 1TB version uses four of the 256GB NAND chips making it almost 4x faster than the 256GB version and nearly twice as fast as the 512GB version. RAID 0 never quite doubles the speed except on paper. The M2 Mini appears to have only two slots. Speed tests show that the 512GB version is as fast as it will get.

As for larger storage, one hopes that Apple is using faster NAND, filling all 4 slots or both. The Studio, iMac Pro and MacPro 7.1 each have only 2 slots but Apple is is using much faster NAND in the Intel and much, much faster NMVe 4 x6 chips in the Studio.

I'll need a cable to convert from Thunderbolt 4 to Thunderbolt 2 in order for my Apogee Symphony II to work.

No. You'll need the Apple TB2 to TB3 Adapter which plugs into the TB4 port. TB4 ports allow multiple TB3 devices; TB3 ports do not. Otherwise the protocol is the same.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQ ... asin_title

This will work only if Apogee has released an Apple Silicon compatible Ventura driver for your device.

[Kenny B]

So I'm just a bit curious as to why neither MOTU or Apogee is responding to requests for compatibility information.

I've reached out to Apogee to see if the Symphony II would work and they have not responded. Except, "still in testing" yet the M1 has been out for quite some time and they don't have a definitive answer.

I'm tempted to go ahead and purchase the Mac Pro Mini and take my chances but then I become the beta tester. I don't need the headaches for sure.

[mikehalloran]

So I'm just a bit curious as to why neither MOTU or Apogee is responding to requests for compatibility information

FireWire hasn’t been supported by Apple since 2011 or 2012 depending on the model. We know that the MOTU FW devices work with which drivers & adapters but MOTU will not put themselves into a position where they would have to support a protocol that’s been dead over a decade. Their policy is that they no longer support FireWire and that’s that.

No doubt that Apogee has a similar policy. Add to that Apogee’s tight integration into Logic that may or may no longer work. TB2 has been dead since 2017 on the Mac.

Is there a user group where you can find out if anyone is using the Symphony II on an M1 Mac? I’ve already told you the hardware you need but have no idea if there’s a driver.

[Kenny B]

<<<<Is there a user group where you can find out if anyone is using the Symphony II on an M1 Mac?>>>>

I did some checking on an Apogee User group and found one..... but unfortunately it has not been updated with new posts in a few years. Not much help I gather.

If there was a way to get a hold of a Mac Mini, test it to see if it works, then if it does not, then have the option to return it.

I need something with a 30 day return policy but I don't think I'll find one.... however it is a thought to try and see if I can get it all working. The thing is, now I have extra time during these winter months to do something like this. During Spring and Summer I'll be getting busy with other things.

[Kenny B]

So no longer thinking about this upgrade and very happy to say that this new Mac mini Pro M2 is really the computer I wish I had been able to use for the last 20 years or so... I mean really, really smokes and I can't help but love using it.

Anyone on the fence about upgrading must give this one a look at!