Thanks for your reply. Shall I take this as one more point in helping me fix on getting a 16 GB Mac mini M1 for my audio needs? Do help me out. Thanks again.

 

if I was a betting man, my money would be on you waiting until Christmas and ending up saving less than 100$ on your new m1 mini. While waiting for an m2 you don't need based on your project descriptions, and won't end up buying when you see it's disproportional higher price.

@Moonlight: What MIPS scores using the test console included with the DSP56300 Virus emulator do you get on the m1 mini?

 

Last edited: Mar 18, 2022

No, i mean if m2 is significantly more faster and better compared to M1, and is reasonably more expensive compared to M1, I don't mind shelling out a few more dollars, if that'll be fine for 5-6 years. At the minimum.

 

Apple's new ARM chips will apparently be updated every 18 months, with the first M2 chip appearing in the second half of 2022, according to suppliers. www.macwelt.de/news/Apples-Chip-M2-setzt-auf-4nm-und-kommt-spaeter-als-erwartet-11156930.html

 

The m2 will be all of those things. But significantly faster *for your purposes* will not be the case. There is nothing you are doing that an m1 cannot handle already. Depending on what realtime mastering stage plugins you are using! Some of them can be crazy on CPU usage for what you would normally expect. Like Convolution Reverbs , etc,

Normally you see the real differences when you are rendering enormous files. Even when you do offline processing for entire 5 minute songs; you will probably not even be able to see the difference visually. you will need a stopwatch.

I am in almost the same boat as you, but my MacBook Pro is 5 years newer. So I can definitely wait, but I do not want to skip big entire chunks of new stuff in Logic. I am ok with waiting to see how Dolby Atmos pans out in there, and some other things.

What no-one can really speak to is the durability of the Minis. They are too new; apple obviously feels they will outlast the warranty period on them. But when you are looking into Mac devices, you should keep in mind they do not just lightly stick the label "pro" on things and charge an extra thousand bucks for it. You can look at CPU/Ram numbers all day, and still build a junk machine if you use all low quality cheap components. Just like it would be my fault if I put a Rasberi Pi or whatever, in a laptop case. This thing is not a ToughBook. It is why I think I will end up with some Studio variant.

 

I guess the new Mac Studio is made for studio recording use. I haven't been able to see it in the Apple store yet, tech specs are very good and above all the price is not astronomical.
https://www.apple.com/mac-studio/

 

yeah i agree. i'm surprised that the base model is quite cheap (to apple standards ahahaha)

 

compared to a pro it most certainly is. they start at 5 now. well, last I looked... couple months maybe. The Studio is a good range to cover like it. Customers want mbp performance levels but don't need a laptop and definitely don't need a Pro.

 

Last edited: Mar 19, 2022

Right so waiting for the X'mas deals and getting an M1 mac mini 16 GB is a safe bet, as per this. If the MBP 14" also has a good or bit more than "Good" of a deal, I'll get the MBP 14" but, that being said, I don't really need any of those fancy displays or extras that apple has got to offer worth the laptops. I've an external, screen, keyboard and mouse, which do their jobs aptly. This is also one of the reasons why I've been aiming mostly at the mac mini and no Laptops from apple. Please do advise what you think would be a correct choice for audio production, mixing and mastering. Yes, with more than couple of decently heavy Plugins on each channel and 8-10 tracks.

 

Last edited: Mar 19, 2022

If my options were wait 8 months for a "possiblility" of a deal or a system that might have a little more power; or to use a laptop from 2012 to do production in 2022 and save 200$?

One I may save a few bucks, but also be like

Not a chance. You couldn't bribe me with 2 free M1s on Xmas day, if all I had to do was use only my Pro until then. No way in hell.

These machines are so fast compared to what you are using now. They won't get the smile off your face for a week.

 

Last edited: Mar 19, 2022

2 reasons not to buy the Apple MacBook Pro 14

1. upgradeability
Since the notebook is equipped with an SoC, there are no upgrade options since all RAM and storage are part of the chip itself. You can use up to 32 GB of RAM for the M1 Pro and up to 64 GB for the M1 Max. The maximum configurable storage is 8 TB.

2. I/O
While the I/O is definitely better and eliminates the need for some dongles, it still lacks any USB Type-A ports. Instead, there are three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 3.5 mm audio jack, an SD card reader and an HDMI port.

Apple MacBook Pro 14 - €2749.00

• Apple M1 Pro (10-core)
• Apple M1 Pro GPU (16-core)
• 1000GB SSD
• 16GB RAM

 

you do not need any usb-A ports on a MacBook Pro. You will almost always need a hub anyway, so you just get one with some A/2.0 ports or whatever. if you use SCSI2SD it is a good point in time to get your hub with an sd card reader in it. (they are basically free this way) The I/o ports are not enough unless you are working completely ITB. or close to it. It's bad enough with 4 thunderbolt ports, and this one is down to 3 now. It's really inconvenient.

 

Last edited: Mar 19, 2022

Got it. But, now the confusion is, is a MBP 14" with 32 GB RAM better for my needs of audio or will the 16 GB RAM mac mini M1 be sufficient with no lagging and overheating with NO heavy VST and decently heavy plugins on most if NOT all channels with 8-10 stacks per project of mine, for at least 5-6 more years down the line?

 

On a serious note, I only still say MBP is cuz the RAM of 32 GB that it'll offer and that's it. But there's no 32 GB RAM in a mac mini M1. Will a 16 GB RAM mac mini M1 be sufficient with no lagging and overheating with NO heavy VST and decently heavy plugins on most if NOT all channels with 8-10 stacks per project of mine, for at least 5-6 more years down the line OR it's better I get a MBP 14" with 32 GB RAM?

 

You are sitting between two chairs, what you need is yet to come and what you have is too old.
I would rather wait and get at least 16 GB, better still 32 GB.

Future-proof is to wait and then buy the new model with a life of at least 10 years. If you wait, you will have
skipped a model and saved a lot of money. 5-6 years of durability or useful life is far too short a period.

 

my mbp is 16gb and I will overload the processor before I max out the ram. easily, thanks to the dsp56300 emulator and Falcon

I frequently have much larger projects then what we are discussing open in Logic. But I do not use some of these Guitar player type plugins either! Guitar Rig, Nebula, or Kemper models...all those goodies are modeled and highly cpu taxing. Same with many mastering plugins.

this stuff is so specific to the individual user. at least with apple silicon, they can't just up and change the processor type on you anytime soon. You hopefully understand my reluctance to say anything about 5-10 years with apple. That could easily be 2+ generations of new machines.

 

Last edited: Mar 19, 2022

Not sure I would go for the new model. The price again will be over the head. The better option is wait for some awesome deals for X'mas or Black Friday (will there be any deals on macs on black Friday?) and get the 32 GB machine itself. Would this be the right decision o' mine?

 

Basically, the Macs available are top notch and you are improving greatly.
Of course, you have to get from 8 to 16 GB - better 32 GB.
I would wait like you for Black Friday and/or Christmas. Here's how I would do it.

Last year: For Black Friday 2021, the Apple notebook is especially cheap.

 

Sounds like a plan, sir. This is what I'll be doing then. If a couple more months of wait can get me a machine powerful and sustaining for 5-6 or like you said, 10 more years, i.e,. 32 GB RAM MBP 14", then that's the machine I'll go for. Thanks a lot for clarifying this doubt o' mine.

 

does your 2012 have thunderbolt2 on it? the big blocky one.