LuLu is intentionally blunt, like a brickwall limiter with minimal user interaction. Little Snitch is more of a network monitor first. It's not "better", but it gives you a lot more configuration options. LuLu is primarily app-level allow/deny. Little Snitch operates at the connection and destination level, so it can do rules per domain. If Little Snitch is configured correctly, there’s usually no reason to touch the hosts file. Little Snitch does the same job with more context.

People may say Little Snitch can be annoying, asking for approval of every little thing, and that is true for a few hours or a couple of days. After it is fully configured it is not bad, even in Alert Mode. That is mostly because you will setup rules to block things in advance of even getting a connection alert.

 

Yes Significantly. As Clone says, and I'll reiterate, once it's set up, it's very flexible and configurable.
You need the latest version for Tahoe.

The learning process for Wares on Mac is a thing, and Terminal is your best friend, but it's a brilliant OS for Workflow, Interoperability and reliability.

 

Last edited: Dec 29, 2025

Finally bit the bullet,
and got the refurbed Mabook Air M3!
(16GB 1TB - Sequoia for now)

I'm loving it so far..

I got it in it's own window/desktop inside of Debian via "NoMachine" / ethernet,
and it works Phenomenally!

very nice n sharp at max quality..

So I can work with both computers at once,
the mac lives inside the debian desktop and everything is fine! :D

-Right now I'm using it to port an app,
so it's basically a Compilation machine... and boy if it can compile!

Just imagine what normally will take 35minutes on an AMD FX8350 32GB..
takes 2,5 Minutes on the M3!

So this accelerates progress a big deal..

-As per mac software,
I'm mostly using iTerm2 - very recommendable to linux users for a soft landing..

Then I tried "Stats" to see more CPU readings and stuff, pretty good.

I have just now installed:
Keka, Lulu, AppCleaner, and Suspicious Package..

Then I'm considering Sentinel and PlistEdit,
as I'm already running into Plists and Quarantining and Certificates little madnesses.. lol

Right now I'm fixing the exports via terminal, Claude AI makes good commands lol
but yeah eventually I will have to put some order in these things..

 

Last edited: Mar 9, 2026

Btw I also got a USB hub,
the Revodok Pro 1091 with ethernet..

Great price from amazon,
gets a bit warm but is working perfectly so far

 

yup those are practically mandatory nowadays,

also if you want Windows-like app/window previews, I can highly recommend DockDoor (it's free and good replacement for those used to Hyperdock in the past)
https://dockdoor.net/
https://github.com/ejbills/DockDoor

congratz on new Mac and enjoy

 

In my humble opinion and past/present experience, all you need to get started in your transition is the following:

• Google
• Little Snitch
• CrossOver
• Sentinel
• AppCleaner
  
  
• The Unarchiver (or BetterZip) for those recalcitrant archives we all run into once in a while

*************************************​

Google what and when you need - YouTube is owned by Google, so you'll get plenty of illustrated tutorials there - and links to forums.

LittleSnitch is invaluable - not just for music production apps, but for web browsers, etc. Block, block, block - as you would your house.

CrossOver will come in handy for some Win only keygens - useless to me otherwise. If you have access to an old Win PC: no need.

Sentinel is an app that allows you to bypass the MacOS safety aka GateKeeper. You could use Terminal, or this app with a GUI.

AppCleaner or equivalent, hunts down dependency files and deletes them along with the main app. Very useful.

Mac has a built-in unarchiver, which is solid, does the job. Sometimes, it encounters a curve ball. BetterZip or 7zip to the rescue.

*************************************
​

The only other thing I would recommend depends on your DAW.

I use LogicPro for Production, and DSP-Quattro for mixing/mastering. Both are AU format only. Some plugin installers let you "customize" the installation and uncheck VST, VST3, AAX, and CLAP. Some don't. They install the whole lot. Over time, you'll get a lot of bloat - GBs of plugins in a format you don't need.

If you use Logic, you can delete all of these extraneous versions of your plugins. In Finder, go to the Menu, select Go\Go to Folder... and type or paste: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/. You'll see Components where all your AU plugins are stored, and the VST, VST3, and CLAP folders as well. Don't delete the folders, but you can safely delete their contents (you may/will have to type in your password, or use Finger ID to confirm).

If you use Cubase, you can do likewise with the Components (/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components) folder.

To delete Avid AAX plugins, Go to: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins.

 

If you have your Mac laptop already connected to the PC via Ethernet, get Audiogridder. There are both Windows and Linux plugins and servers available, and obviously Mac. The server is the machine hosting the plugins you want to load into the Audiogridder DAW plugin on the other. Windows 10 can remain off the internet, so no firewall, etc. You can run quite a lot of plugins with the Windows server not having a DAW even loaded. It should show about 45 milliseconds latency between them, but in Logic it's corrected automatically anyway. Set it up like you would just for filesharing first, and then it is very easy from there.

Definitely get Bluecat Audio's Patchwork and install it as a standalone application as well as the plugin versions.

 

Last edited: Mar 10, 2026

Hey all -- i am in the same boat and just ordered a m5 pro!

my question is how to add kontakt libraries in bulk on mac? on windows i used vkDanilov but i was curious if theres a preferred equivalent on mac?

 

I got a used M1 Pro MacBook which should arrive soon. Reading about terminal, win emulation and all the extra apps needed I'm having second thoughts. All I wanted was a production laptop that "just works". On Windows 7zip is more or less all I ever needed.

How can I get my samples and libraries from PC to the Mac, is there a simple way, maybe over Ethernet? The MacBook doesn't have an Ethernet port, how do I connect windows to Mac over wifi? So many questions

 

Well, it just works if you aren't heavy into all kinds of warez, running Windows keygens or trying to run Windows programs, blocking apps from calling home and all that stuff, personally I just use 3rd party Unarchiver and used terminal for 2 k'ed plugins, run maybe two Windows only keygen's, but that's just because R2R only had that release, which happens rarely, you are mostly going to install stuff and don't mess with it afterwards. But again, depends on your use case, I'm on Monterey, need for terminal is almost non existent, don't use LuLu/Snitch either, don't use x64 plugins also, Kontakt, again, depends on your use case.

 

Interesting thread, It would have saved me a lot of headache back in 08 when I got my first Macbook and had to figure how to install PLUGiNs and DAWs by myself.

Things got way easier, I installed some stuff on my friend M4 MBP who switched from windows to macOS and I didn't have to do much.

01. Deactivated Gatekeeper in terminal with command : sudo spctl --master-disable
02. Installed everything with right click -> Open

I was never asked denied permissions because of an unidentified developper.

Didn't have to replace any AU or VST in Library/Audio/Plug-ins.
Didn't have to delete a .plist file in ~Library or replace a license in ~Library/Application support
Didn't have to block any IP in the hosts file.
Didn't have to use Batchmod to edit RWX privileges.
Didn't need to generate a response/license code by running a keygen in a virtual machine or Crossover.
Didn't have to open the contents of a .component package and sudo codesign -f -s - or sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine it.

Just a lot of clicking and waiting for things to install.
No timebombs and no expired licenses after about a year of use with the machine connected to the internet.
Not using LittleSnitch or radio silence either.
It just works.

I'm receiving my M4 MBP today and I really don't dread the process of doing it all again.
I'm considering using Sentinel but I don't know how it works, does it allows selected programs to bypass the Gatekeeper but keep it on for other apps or is this just the sudo spctl --master-disable command with a GUI ?
@hiorgos @tzzsmk @Dimentagon @clone @Balisani if you have any advice about it feel free to share, I will appreciate it !
(this new laptop will not be connected to the internet)

@SmokerNzt Is that a Superjail avi ? That was a cool show

Maybe this can be helpful to someone visiting this thread (nuking a plugin) :
http://audiosex.pro/threads/remove-vsts-without-leaving-any-residue.75713/#post-777800

 

I have around 150 plugins, but that's mostly because of bundles like Arturia which come with many plugins I don't use at all. For example Native Instruments FX bundles, of which I use only two or three plugins. On Windows there is a tool to deactivate unused plugins, hope there's something similar on Mac.
Anyways, today I checked and saw that actually most plugins are on the sister site, some are only on a certain Russian tracker, and a few are not released. I'm okay with using fewer plugins, maybe it will benefit my workflow.

This thread is very useful, thanks everyone. It's been over 10 years that I used a Mac.

 

I did the transition many moons ago, after all those mac apps, my essentials are:
1- Tunabelly Software TG PRO: fan control (custom settings or manual etc)
2- Mac Mouse Fix: (assingin mouse button 4-5 etc different functions also makes mouse scroll acts like trackpad which is awsome)
3- Little Snitch: network control
4- SoundSource: this is essential, you can assign outputs on per app basis, add vst on per app, you can even add headphone profiles built-in which is pretty awsome.
5- Loopback: audio routing on stereoids.
6- Folder Preview (appstore): shows inside of a folder with preview.
7- Suspicious Package: You can inspect content of pkg files with that.
8- VMware Fusion - to run Windows 11 on the side like an app (Virtual machine), there are alternatives tho. Vbox, UTM etc. All free.

Edit: IDK how I forgot these;
9: AppCleaner or Pearcleaner: deletes apps and most of the trash files similar to revo uninstaller.
10: FaF (find any file): This is the closest experience to "Everything" app in windows. It quickly finds everything you search for. After deleting an app, I manually search and delete trash files with this one. Better than spotlight search.

 

Last edited: Mar 17, 2026

The good thing about MacOS is that plugin files install to a standard location.

• Get/Learn Little snitch to handle apps trying to call home
• Uninstall Sesei or Appzapper is equivalent to Revo Uninstar
• Some apps require disabling SIP...at your own risk, so scrutinize your sources.
• I use Forklift instead of finder for handling files during produciion because it can remember folder layouts as "workspaces".
• Disable automatic updates because sometimes it may break something.
• TimeMachine is great backup method that you can use with exxternal usb drive or compatible NAS share. Just make sure the destination is at least 2x the size of source drive.
• I also use CarbonCopyCloner to make an updatable clone of your system. I used SuperDuper in the past, but had issues with it lately - their free version does not do updates, but rewrites the whole drive, which isn't good for SSDs.

That s about it. Mac environment is much easier to manage because no ASIO headaches and the built in audio port can provide high quality output.

PS. You can still use the PC with Audio Gridder to stream legacy plugins to your mac over ethernet. I still have Hypersonic and the old 32bit Cakewalk Rapture working like it's native.

 

Sentinel has 3 functions:
dequarantine
codesign
global system protection toggle

you can read my previously shared long old explanation+guide on dequarantine and codesign using terminal:
http://audiosex.pro/threads/how-to-codesign-on-mac.77796/#post-808830
(and rest of the thread)

 

No, it doesn't. This is spctl vs csrutil. Unless you are incorrectly referring to Gatekeeper as a "global system protection toggle", that is wrong. Reference to Global system protection toggle is SIP, not Gatekeeper. If it works without rebooting into Recovery, it is not enabling or disabling SIP.

Sentinel cannot control SIP. SIP is enforced by the OS at boot level and can only be changed via:
Recovery Mode, csrutil disable / csrutil enable. No normal macOS app, including Sentinel, has the privilege to touch it. That's the entire point of System Integrity Protection.

 

Last edited: Mar 17, 2026

In case it was not mentioned in the two pages. Find Any File,will do just that. I also I use it to completely uninstall apps, though App Cleaner & Uninstaller has been pretty good in most cases. Little Snitch all the way.

Oh, Audio Hijack is fun, and works free for up to 10 mins of audio. Each time you hit record. Great for sampling various sources, if you're into that.

 

I did receive my M4 MPB that day.

First thing I did was to transfert the GOODiES from my Intel MBP using airdrop.
Then I installed Sentinel and launched it.

For each app I wanted to install, I dropped the .dmg into "remove app from quarantine".
Then dropped the .component and .vst3 into "Self-sign the app".

I then deleted the .clap .vst and .vst2 that I couldn't choose not to install.

Everything running perfectly.
It's that easy.

 

MacBook Pro arrived and it's a slug. I don't know if it's because MacOS Tahoe but it feels SLOW, and that's a fresh install. Compared to Win11 on a PC with slower hardware and a million apps installed the fresh MacOS is quite embarrassing, menus always take a little delay to open, icons don't load immediately, everything has this weird little delay. Seems like some people have this problem with Tahoe, I'll hope it gets better otherwise I have to downgrade to Sequoia.

Almost more embarrassing: when starting or stopping audio there's a click/pop. That's not the "superior audio architecture" I expected.

So far the experience is sooo much worse then Windows. Unfortunately. I really wanted this to be the "just works" kind of experience...

 

@fnord23 you said earlier that you got a used M1 MBP, please provide additional informations about your machine so we can help you.

What is the CPU : M1, M1 pro or M1 max ?
What are the specs of the chip : How many CPU Core and how many GPU cores ?
How much RAM do you have ?
How much SSD storage do you have ?

Where did you make your purchase : Professional reseller or private individual ?
Was it refurbished or just used ?
Was it set to factory default when you booted it ?
How much space is left on you HD once you have all your apps and plugins installed.