New Mac MIni Server for DP?

[NazRat]

I was tempted to but a new Mac Mini for my wife with the new 27" display but, up against the new 27" iMac, the Mini system was $17 more but the specs weren't as good. Both have Thunderbolt. I highlighted the differences in the iMac system. These are the minimum systems as purchased through Apple.

Mac Mini (basic) $1,885.00
2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
2GB memory
500GB hard drive (1)

This thread is about the i7 (hyper-threading) 4 core (8 logical) server with dual internal drives. So, we're looking at 2 extra cores and having the session or sample drive off the firewire bus with the extra internal drive.

[mikehalloran]

Then the difference is $4 with the iMac 3.4 i7 Quad having a nearly 50% speed advantage over the Mini 2.0 i7 Quad. I won't break it out but the iMac is still the better buy.

Still, you can install double the memory as well as Snow Leopard on the iMac - as I did last night on my wife's new one.

Yes, with the Mini, you can use a cheaper monitor, bring your own keyboard and mouse (the Apple Trackpad rocks in Lion, BTW) and any generic external DVD is going to kick butt over the Apple Air Drive or iMac's SuperDrive.

More speed + more memory = more tracks, VIs and plugins. The Mini is not a bad machine at all but the 27" iMac is still a better machine for music production. The MacPro is even better, of course.

I have nothing against inexpensive monitors. I have one hooked up to my iMac for CueMix and other things. It wouldn't look bad but, against the Apple monitor, it doesn't really compare.

[mikehalloran]

I don't want to give the impression that the new Mini is a bad buy for running DP. It's not and, if you are on a tight budget, a $150 23" monitor will certainly do the job and keep the costs down.

It will certainly run circles around the most souped up G5 you can find.

I don't think, at $1199, the Mini Server i7Q is the best buy out there now that recent Mac Pros are hitting the $1K price used.

In my case, I like saving a buck as well as the next person. The new Mini was mighty tempting since my spouse edits large Word docs and uses Encore for music production. She's not into recording or VIs at all. But there was no way I was going to get a system that didn't look as good as the one I bought for myself last year so, given the choice between a new Mini with a 27" Apple monitor or a new 27" iMac, I went iMac, saved myself the $17 and got increased performance (that she is unlikely to ever use).

I did consider getting myself the 3.4G i7Q and giving her this one - but that would have been an extra $500 that I didn't think I needed to spend this year. Tempting... but I have daughters in college...

[martinruel]

Don't believe everything you see on the web.

The new MacMini Server with Lion can't work with Native Instrument Kontakt 4.

I've installed NI Kontakt 4. Started all right but it can't remember where is my sound bank. Updated Kontakt to 4.2.3.............and the mac says to me that NI Kontakt 4 is not installed on it. All this in 32 and 64 bit mode.

MOTU firewire works like a charm in both 32 and 64 bit. The only thing not tested yet is the SMPTE set-up.

I wouldn't have bought it if Native Instrument would have said the truth "Kontakt doesn't work with Lion".

A very unsatisfied Native Instruments customer.

[NazRat]

Don't believe everything you see on the web.

The new MacMini Server with Lion can't work with Native Instrument Kontakt 4.

I've installed NI Kontakt 4. Started all right but it can't remember where is my sound bank. Updated Kontakt to 4.2.3.............and the mac says to me that NI Kontakt 4 is not installed on it. All this in 32 and 64 bit mode.

MOTU firewire works like a charm in both 32 and 64 bit. The only thing not tested yet is the SMPTE set-up.

I wouldn't have bought it if Native Instrument would have said the truth "Kontakt doesn't work with Lion".

A very unsatisfied Native Instruments customer.

Kontakt 4 does work on Lion in 32 bit mode. If you're having difficulty, it's probably because of a permissions issue on /Library/Preferences or /Library/Application Support. It does not work in 64 bit mode - it crashes on load.

[martinruel]

Have you tried it?

i guess not because it really doesn't work.

I have work with macs for 20 years now. My company owns 7 of them all running great.

The 2011 MacMini server with lion does work fine except for NI Kontakt which really doesn't in both 32 and 64 bit.

Let's just stop this nonesense. After 4 full OS Lion + NI Kontakt 4 install it still doesn't work. NI support still after 2 weeks does not have a clue at how to make my MMS + NI Kontakt work.

As i'm writing this i'm testing the 2011 MMS with SnowLeopard + Kontakt on it. Looks like it works ok except for some graphics. Let's see.

At lease i can use and work with the MMS...
.

[NazRat]

Yes, I have tried it.

Screenshot here: http://i55.tinypic.com/25hptns.png

It works standalone also.

[mikehalloran]

>The new MacMini Server with Lion can't work with Native Instrument Kontakt 4.<

No - many say that it does work.

My bet is that the problem is with the installer. Those who have it working probably installed it on SL then upgraded the OS.

I am able to run DP 5.13 in Lion with no problem - again, I installed in SL then upgraded the OS. It would neither install nor authenticate in 10.7, however.

[martinruel]

I don't know about NI's installer but one thing is for sure : here it is not working.

I see that through DP it works as a VSTi........but i've never seen it works as stand alone. Even NI don't know the thing. It did work a bit after initial installation but as soon as i update it to 4.2.3............the mac says "NI Kontakt is not installed". It like the updater uninstall NI Kontakt 4.

I'm pretty sure it's not me........hell i even hacked the MMS to run SnowLeopard + Kontakt 4 and it works great.

Is there a corrupted update file on NI web site. I've tried both update files : from the service center and from the website.

At least it's working fine on my 2011 MMS running SL...

[martinruel]

Finally it works.

It took Native Instrument over a month to troubleshoot their "Lion compatible" installer to figure out it wasn't working.

I use the MMS as a sample server running with a 828 MKII and it works just fine. NI Alicia's Keys with reverb takes only 3% at 64 buffer. Buying the MMS saved my company buying an outdated MacPro.

Let's update DP to v7 and see where the MMS can go...