MAC Heads - Check-In

[MKS]

Here's my naive assumption. Let me know if I'm right.

If I purchased a MAC Pro with two dual core processors, my daw software could take advantage of all 4 cores. Right?

I would benefit from this increase in CPU power and be able to run more plug-ins with added stability.

Is this a correct assumption?

 

[Amadeus79]

what daw do you use?

 

[JeffTD]

It's Mac .

MAC = Media Access Control.

And yes, it really depends on the DAW. If it's universal binary, most will take full advantage. The only three I'd consider, would, at least. Digital Performer, Pro Tools, and Logic.

 

[MKS]

what daw do you use?

sorry, this is more a hypothetical question. I'm a longtime PC user toying with the idea of migrating to MAC by th end of this year.

 

[Amadeus79]

What I meant was which software do you use.. nuendo, pro tools, etc

 

[MKS]

What I meant was which software do you use.. nuendo, pro tools, etc

I use Sonar5PE at the moment. No complaints. I'm not sure if it has any performance boost from using a dualcore processor since I'm not currently using one.

 

[Ermz]

I'm not sure how much Quad Processor MacPros are going for, but if I were shelling out that sort of money, I'd be more inclined to move to ProTools HD so I could start using higher quality plug-ins like the Massemberg EQ.

 

[Amadeus79]

I have never even tried Sonar, so I don`t know what I am talking about, but it seems to me that Sonar only supports Windows

http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/sonar/system.asp

And the Mac Pro are being shipped with OS X.

 

[Noumenon]

I'm not sure how much Quad Processor MacPros are going for, but if I were shelling out that sort of money, I'd be more inclined to move to ProTools HD so I could start using higher quality plug-ins like the Massemberg EQ.

Maby you know this and I'm just tired, or not, but all the MacPros are Quads.

 

[Ermz]

Actually, no, I didn't know that, so thanks. I was envisioning a massive price tag, in which case I'd opt for a HD rig instead. But if it's their standard offering, then all good.

 

[MKS]

I have never even tried Sonar, so I don`t know what I am talking about, but it seems to me that Sonar only supports Windows

http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/sonar/system.asp

And the Mac Pro are being shipped with OS X.

Yeah, I know that.

I know I would need a new DAW software. I mainly wanted to know if the mac related daw software **really** takes advantage of a 2 dual core processors.

 

[Amadeus79]

There are several people over at the Nuendo forum who use dual dualcore machines. According to the moderator over there, Steinberg is rewriting the audio engine for Nuendo4 to make it optimal on mac intels. I`m sure Digi have done/will do the same for Pro Tools. The best thing, imo, would be to lurk around their forums and check for user reviews when people start using mac pro with different software.

 

[chadsxe]

By the way Sonar takes full advanatage of the Dual on my pc.

 

[SPLASTiK]

Well I'm sure Dual Core will be taken full advantage of by the end of the year if not already...

But what about the Intel Quad-core coming out at this holiday season? I wonder when Apple will adopt it.
http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/08/17/core_2_extreme_quad_confirmed/

 

[JeffTD]

They're already running 2C processors, no need to bump up to a quad core until it's tested and fully run through its paces!

 

[zmetallica]

why do you need this much power?
you having 2000 tracks in 192/32bit HD each track with 10 different plugins all with different settings? 7.1 surround sound, synced up with 20 video tracks for a music video?

i don't think it is even necessary at this point for most of us on this forum.
this technology has been out there forever. especially in higher end servers. it is about making it affordable for the average user. your money is probably better spent on getting better microphones, mixer, rack hardware, education, etc.

as a PC user probably going to mac soon (just so i can run digital performer) as well, i'm getting whatever laptop (on the go studio sessions) I get from SAE (money well spent to work with SSL consoles).

 

[Kazrog]

I know I would need a new DAW software. I mainly wanted to know if the mac related daw software **really** takes advantage of a 2 dual core processors.

Right now, Logic Pro is the main one. MOTU DP5's intel version is out and they're working on further optimizing it for the Mac Pros. I would recommend DP5 over Logic Pro to anyone.

Generally speaking, though, any application written for OS X will take advantage of all 4 cores, as OS X has supported multiprocessing since before OS X - back when it was known as NeXTStep from Steve Jobs' former company, NeXT. Multiprocessing is used far more efficiently and universally under OS X than under Windows, as MS has really only just begun to think about multiple processors. OS X has 15+ years of experience under the hood with multiprocessing from the NeXT years.

As far as I know, OS X will support up to 16 cores in a single machine!!

 

[smy1]

why do you need this much power?
you having 2000 tracks in 192/32bit HD each track with 10 different plugins all with different settings? 7.1 surround sound, synced up with 20 video tracks for a music video?

i don't think it is even necessary at this point for most of us on this forum.
this technology has been out there forever. especially in higher end servers. it is about making it affordable for the average user. your money is probably better spent on getting better microphones, mixer, rack hardware, education, etc.

as a PC user probably going to mac soon (just so i can run digital performer) as well, i'm getting whatever laptop (on the go studio sessions) I get from SAE (money well spent to work with SSL consoles).

I am running 2 x 3ghz with 2GB RAM here and I am maxing out my CPU quite regularly. Your "2000 tracks ..." example is very far off the mark. If I run 30-50 tracks, 10 VSTis, 2-3 insert plugins (compressors, de-essers, etc.) on about 30 of the tracks and 5-8 reverbs, then I am getting into trouble.

In a modern day production this is not much. Of course I could render the vsti-tracks to audio but I don't like that ...

 

[SocialNumb]

Here's my naive assumption. Let me know if I'm right.

If I purchased a MAC Pro with two dual core processors, my daw software could take advantage of all 4 cores. Right?

I would benefit from this increase in CPU power and be able to run more plug-ins with added stability.

Is this a correct assumption?

Yes! Long time mac user and p.c. user I use both for music production. IMHO for music my mac kicks my p.c., but I like to use all those PC only progs. G5 2.5 quad & dual-core processor p.c. & also a Quicksilver MDD dual 1.2ghz for other stuff is what I have at the moment. It does cost a lot of$ for the Mac quad and a better one will keep coming...I can only imagin what the new MAC pro can do. Even in logic I can notice great improvement over my pc. ProTools runs flawless.

go to a local or not so local Music store most likely they will have your latest MAC runing several diffrent progs for you to test atleast that how it is where I live WPB, FL