10.6.2 "Mac Pro Audio Update 1.0" - Danger Will Robinson?

[jloeb]

The automatic Software Update app just threw up a set of updates for 10.6.2, one of which is called Mac Pro Audio Update 1.0. Restart is required to install the update.

It has a description which seems... potentially ominous:

"This update is for Mac Pro (Early 2009) computers running Mac OS X v10.6.2. This update reduces processor utilization during audio activities, such as playing or recording music."


This seems like the kind of update Apple occasionally throws out that could mess with things DP doesn't want messed with.

Anyone just go ahead and install this?
Bad/good/no experiences to report?

[David Polich]

You could call Apple to see what this means.

My guess is that by "utilization" they are referring to reducing CPU
usage when playing audio or using audio apps - in other words, a performance improvement.

You could also call MOTU tech support about it. At any rate, it doesn't seem to be an update that is absolutely necessary.

[HCMarkus]

Pretty sure this is designed to address the issue where playing iTunes and some other audio apps was causing fans to run and temperatures to rise on the described newer Macs. Probably a great update for iTunes users. There was a thread on this a while back.

Now as far as the impact it may have on DP, who knows!

[Dan Walsh]

I can't find this update. It doesn't show up in my auto updater, nor can I find it on Apple's site. I have been reading lots about the heat problem on newer mac pros, but my early 2008 MacBook Pro doesn't heat up at all when usin' Itunes.

Just wonderin' if the update has been pulled for some reason?

[jloeb]

Just started running Time Machine recently, so I'll try it, see the impact on DP7, and report back.

[carrythebanner]

Pretty sure this is designed to address the issue where playing iTunes and some other audio apps was causing fans to run and temperatures to rise on the described newer Macs. Probably a great update for iTunes users. There was a thread on this a while back.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/ ... -audio.ars" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SixStringGeek]

Huh, I'm gonna try this on my macbook live machine.

I've noticed since rebuilding Jambalaya under Snow Leopard that the fan on my Macbook runs constantly when it is running - not even working, just running.

I've done a bit of profiling and found that some graphics routines are near the top of the processor pigs. I've been optimizing the drawing code (all those lovely color gradients are kind of expensive) for the last couple weeks trying to get the fan to stop running and the CPU to mellow out but this was never a problem under Leopard.

So I'm motivated to try the update. I'll post what happens when I do (probably this weekend).

[michkhol]

Huh, I'm gonna try this on my macbook live machine.

I believe this update is for Nehalem processors only.
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1004

[Pappy725]

Doesn't show up for my MacBook Pro. Is it just for the Mac Pro towers?

Pappy

Oops, I was posting this just as Michkhol posted his reply.