Digital Performer 6 on Mac Mini? iMac?

[ElephantChild]

So: I purchased DP6 for my G4 and it worked...BARELY. My G4 recently died and I am shopping for a new Mac to run DP6 on and I want to make sure it runs smoothly for what I am doing.

What I am doing: I would like to be able to record at least 6 tracks simultaneously through my MOTU 828mkII, and then do basic editing on at least 24 tracks, both MIDI and Audio.

What I'm considering: Money IS an issue so I'm looking at either a 2.4 GHz iMac w/1G RAM or a 2.0 GHz Mac Mini w/4G RAM.

Is this a pipe dream? Will either of these work? I've seen that some of you have been running Digital Performer 6 on your Mac Mini, so maybe this will work?

Thanks y'all for any help.

[mhschmieder]

I'm running DP6 on my G4 iMac .

As for your two choices, the RAM is going to kill you. You'll get less out of the CPU bump than out of maxing out RAM. Is the 1 GB option on the iMac just so you can afford it? If so, buy the Mac Mini w/ 4 GB RAM.

[ElephantChild]

Thanks for the reply. I suppose that my question boiled down to whether the CPU or the RAM is the biggest issue in smooth performance. If the Mac Mini can handle simultaneous track recording then I'm gonna jump on it! Thanks for your help!

[mhschmieder]

I'm personally waiting for MacWorld in two weeks to make a move. The current MacMini is behind even the lowest MacBook, but even so, is way ahead of either of our current computers. But I try to keep a computer for over five years, so am hoping whatever Apple does next month will make it more likely that even a lower-end Mac could last a long time.

[sassonsb]

I have a related question so I thought I would ask using this post --

For the last 10 years I've been using Paris/Ensoniq (PC based) which was ultimately purchased by Creative Labs and essentially discontinued. I knew it was just a matter of time before I'd have to bite the bullet and make a change.

I decided to go with DP6 with an 896mk3 interface. I should have this stuff in about a week.
In the meantime, I (perhaps impulsively) bought a MacBook Pro with the following:

2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor with dual-link DVI support; 256MB of GDDR3 memory
200GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
2GB (two SO-DIMMs) 667MHz DDR2 memory (PC2-5300). (I ordered another 2GB of RAM so I'll have a total of 4GB)

I anticipate eventually adding all the typical stuff -- more synths, effects, etc.

My question is whether I will regret not getting the Mac Pro tower. I may have the opportunity to return the MacBook and upgrade.
Any thoughts?
Stephen

[nick danger]

There are lots of people using the macbook pro as their primary DAW computer. I think it really depends on whether you want the portability of the laptop, or would rather have the expandability and extra power that the tower would provide.

My brother just put a new 7200 rpm drive in his 2-1/2-year-old Macbook Pro, and he says it's like having a new computer. So you might consider that.

[Dan Walsh]

I'm running the same rig, but I went for that 7200 hardrive. It's workin' awesomely although I regret not maxing the ram on the MaBook pro. It'll take 4 gigs but I spec'd with 2. And I have come to find out, if I wanna upgrade the ram, I can only do it in 2 gig sticks. Right now I have 2 1gig sticks, so when I do upgrade, I got 2 useless 1 gig sticks.

I'm not an expert, but I think ram is very important with DP. The more the better.....

[sassonsb]

Thanks for the replies. Digging into this a bit more, everyone agrees that a 7200 speed hard drive is the way to go. I also have seen advice that it may be better (less demanding on the CPU?) if an external hard drive is used so that all the programs are on the internal HD and then all your recording goes onto the external HD. If the external HD is running at 7200 and connected via firewire to the MacBook (I guess I will need to get something that will allow me to connect more than one firewire connection since my MacBook only has one firewire port) is that just as good (or better) than replacing my existing (slower) HD? Stephen

[nick danger]

Any programs residing on the internal drive, including the OS and DP, would only be accessed using that drive. They'll probably work fine on the 5400 drive, but there'd be a noticeable improvement in performance with a 7200 drive, which are really pretty cheap these days.

The 8282mkII has two firewire ports, as would most external hard drives, so connecting to the macbook shouldn't be a problem. Just plug one of them into the macbook, the other other into that device. I'm not sure if it makes much difference whether the 828 or the hard drive is plugged into the macbook.

[sassonsb]

I have a MOTU 896mk3. It has to firewire ports. One I have connected to my single firewire port on my MacBook Pro.
If I understand you correctly, you are saying that I can get an external hard drive (7200) and connect it to my second firewire port on the 896.
As long as the 896 is connected to my MacBook Pro it will be able to work with the external hard drive as if it were plugged directly into the MacBook?
Thanks.
Stephen

[nick danger]

That's correct-- it should work fine. Also, any 7200 firewire hard drive you buy will likely have two firewire ports, and you could instead plug the hard drive into the macbook, and the 896 into the hard drive. I'm not sure if it would affect the performance doing it one way or the other.

[sassonsb]

Thanks.

[coolcolin]

I am using a MacMini C2D 2GHz with 2GB Ram as my mixdown machine with 10.5.6 and DP6.01. I seldom go beyond 24 tracks @ 24 Bit. The setup is excellent for what I do (live recording on a MacBook Mixing on Mini) and WAY beyond what my old Quicksilver/Sonnet 1.4 GHz did. I can run multiple Altiverbs and Proverbs. The only issue I have had is with one 3 hour live recording where the last hour is nearly impossible to edit or automate. DP starts to behave very strangely at this point. Maybe to do with the 2 GB RAM limit? I hardly ever get involved with VIs, strictly audio.
Anyone considering this set up should buy their Mini real soon, as the rumour mill is saying the long awaited "upgrade" will run an Intel Atom Processor at 1.6 GHz. I would (almost) bet money that Firewire will go missing too. Looks more like a downgrade to me. The Mini and the MacBook(Plastic) are just too good !
Colin

PS Forgot to mention I put a Hitachi 7200 drive in my mini.

[mhschmieder]

MacRumours claims the MacMini will go Quad-core in January 2009, with a Firewire 800 port and SATA drives.

I'll believe it when I see it.

[coolcolin]

MacRumours claims the MacMini will go Quad-core in January 2009, with a Firewire 800 port and SATA drives.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Right !! Highly Improbable. Take a look on todays Mac rumors That´s where I picked it up.
BTW the Mini already has SATA ! But only internal, no eSATA port.