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Need newer mac mini advice

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dennisbach

New Member
I've been using my late 2012 mac mini and it has served me well! However, I can only upgrade the system to Catalina and lots of new software requires a newer system. So it's time to get a new mac. I'm not up to date on these new chips and compatibility. Can someone let me know what year/model mac will serve me best? Preferably a mac mini. I use Digital Performer 10, and have libraries such as VSL, Spitfire, a bunch of kontakt stuff, EW etc. thanks in advance
Dennis
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I picked up an M2 Pro mini a few months back and it's simultaneously the best and most boring Mac I've ever had.

Best because it simply gets on with the job in total silence.
Boring because it simply gets on with the job in total silence.

I'd go with one of the newer Apple Silicon machines for the grunt, depending on your software compatibility. Spitfire, Kontakt work fine. I can't say for the others.
 
Are you guys ok with the 32gb ram limit on the m2 mini? I’ve been eying it myself but the 32gb on my current older intel iMac has always been a bottleneck with BBCSO so for that reason I’ve thought that I either have to go for the Mac Studio instead (which is obviously more expensive), or wait until a newer version of the mini allows for 64gb of ram. How much are you running without issues on the 32gb?
 
mybadmemory said:
Are you guys ok with the 32gb ram limit on the m2 mini? I’ve been eying it myself but the 32gb on my current older intel iMac has always been a bottleneck with BBCSO so for that reason I’ve thought that I either have to go for the Mac Studio instead (which is obviously more expensive), or wait until a newer version of the mini allows for 64gb of ram. How much are you running without issues on the 32gb?
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I'm probably not the best person to ask as I use the 16gb version and I'm not a heavy orchestra hitter.
That said, I've never run into memory issues when working with BBCSO Core. If the mini starts using the memory swap, the only way I've ever known about it is by checking. It's quite impressive. I'm sure there's a limit of course, and we're only talking 'Core.

There's also your own post on the mega thread to consider re an impending BBCSO update.
Might be worth waiting to see if this update drops. Would certainly be a game changer for me if my understanding of the system is correct.
 
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Your new Mac Mini name is Mac Studio ;) It's a beast and if you can afford Ultra (even M1) you will never feel any limits anymore.
 
Alex Fraser said:
I'm probably not the best person to ask as I use the 16gb version and I'm not a heavy orchestra hitter.
That said, I've never run into memory issues when working with BBCSO Core. If the mini starts using the memory swap, the only way I've ever known about it is by checking. It's quite impressive. I'm sure there's a limit of course, and we're only talking 'Core.

There's also your own post on the mega thread to consider re an impending BBCSO update.
Might be worth waiting to see if this update drops. Would certainly be a game changer for me if my understanding of the system is correct.
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Yeah i can totally see 32gb working with that memory update. Without it 32 is simply not enough with Pro if I use 2 mics per instrument. But that is only because it force loads all articulations when I often only a few.
 
@mybadmemory As far as CPU use goes, here's my recent stress test results and here's my memory use in Activity Monitor using a realistic project (47 tracks, with BBC Core (don't own Pro) at default settings. (The memory stats at the bottom are a little misleading since I have several other programs open as well and that area didn't update when I filtered for Logic Pro.)
Screenshot 2024-02-02 at 9.27.14 AM.png
 
dennisbach said:
I've been using my late 2012 mac mini and it has served me well! However, I can only upgrade the system to Catalina and lots of new software requires a newer system. So it's time to get a new mac. I'm not up to date on these new chips and compatibility. Can someone let me know what year/model mac will serve me best? Preferably a mac mini. I use Digital Performer 10, and have libraries such as VSL, Spitfire, a bunch of kontakt stuff, EW etc. thanks in advance
Dennis
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Thanks all! M2 pro sounds like the right machine.
 
I'm going to jump on this thread because I need some advice as well. I've been getting more into orchestrations and would like to explore scoring videos. I use Studio One and have the same 2012 Mac Mini. I bought Horizon Leads the other day but it needs the updated Kontakt to work. Bought the updated Kontakt but that won't run on my current machine.

Do I need the biggest hard drive and unified memory I can afford? My current one is 512gb and I can't install anything else because there's not enough room. If I'm running orchestras and heavy duty libraries, do I need more than the M2 Pro with a 16gb unified memory and 4TB hard drive? I have an external 5TB hard drive. Thoughts? I'm on disability and have little money but my parents are helping me with this. I don't want to buy a machine that won't be enough in a few years, but don't want to spend $5000 either. :-/
 
mybadmemory said:
the 32gb on my current older intel iMac has always been a bottleneck
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Then 32GB is going to be a bottleneck on a Mac Mini too!

KarenR said:
Do I need the biggest hard drive and unified memory I can afford? My current one is 512gb and I can't install anything else because there's not enough room.
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Not necessarily the biggest and most you can afford, but obviously 512GB isn't enough for you.
 
KarenR said:
I'm going to jump on this thread because I need some advice as well. I've been getting more into orchestrations and would like to explore scoring videos. I use Studio One and have the same 2012 Mac Mini. I bought Horizon Leads the other day but it needs the updated Kontakt to work. Bought the updated Kontakt but that won't run on my current machine.

Do I need the biggest hard drive and unified memory I can afford? My current one is 512gb and I can't install anything else because there's not enough room. If I'm running orchestras and heavy duty libraries, do I need more than the M2 Pro with a 16gb unified memory and 4TB hard drive? I have an external 5TB hard drive. Thoughts? I'm on disability and have little money but my parents are helping me with this. I don't want to buy a machine that won't be enough in a few years, but don't want to spend $5000 either. :-/
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I would say doing orchestrations with 16GB of RAM will be very hard. You will have to do a lot of freezing and bouncing to audio. In any case, you will have to be very judicious in choosing the libraries you use. Even 32GB will be a tight fit, and you won't start to feel comfortable running more or less what you want until you hit 64GB. (Even then, you'll still have to handle mics with care.)

You likely don't need a 4TB internal drive though, so that's one place you can economize. You'll want more than the 512GB you have, but 1TB will be sufficient for a desktop situation. (If you are thinking of a laptop and being mobile, then you might want a much larger internal SSD so as to avoid carting around external disks.)
 
jbuhler said:
I would say doing orchestrations with 16GB of RAM will be very hard. You will have to do a lot of freezing and bouncing to audio. In any case, you will have to be very judicious in choosing the libraries you use. Even 32GB will be a tight fit, and you won't start to feel comfortable running more or less what you want until you hit 64GB. (Even then, you'll still have to handle mics with care.)

You likely don't need a 4TB internal drive though, so that's one place you can economize. You'll want more than the 512GB you have, but 1TB will be sufficient for a desktop situation. (If you are thinking of a laptop and being mobile, then you might want a much larger internal SSD so as to avoid carting around external disks.)
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This was fantastic feedback, thank you so much! Just to clarify so we're on the same page, I'm using digital orchestrations, nothing live, so mics won't be an issue. But the files are gigantic.

Is it possible to run a library from an external hard drive? Or do they all need to be run internally? I think an external hard drive was my original plan but tracks kept getting cut out and I had to bounce individual tracks down to audio. But I kind of got used to having to do that, so I'd switch back and forth as needed. It would be great if I didn't have to do that but not the end of the world if I did.
 
KarenR said:
Is it possible to run a library from an external hard drive?
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Absolutely!! I even have a separate hub for all the external SSDs for instrument library storage. I do recommend a somewhat upgraded internal drive though as it still would contain your system, user folder, your plugins and presets and synced cloud storage (iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive etc.) that can no longer reside externally.

Music projects? Saved on external SSD.
Libraries? Saved on external SSD.
Installation files and backups? Saved on external HDD.
 
I run DP11.3 on an M1 Mac Studio... it is fantastic!

A Mac mini will be great, too. Just:

1. Allocate as much money as you can to CPU and RAM.

2. GPU is fine with the least powerful version you can get from Apple with your desired CPU.

3. Internal Storage should be 512BG (more if you can afford it), but what @LinusW says above is absolutely accurate... macOS and Apps on your internal. All data on external drives, with which you get a lot more bang for your buck.

Folks using a 2012 Mini are going to be blown away by just about ANY Apple Silicon machine.
 
HCMarkus said:
I run DP11.3 on an M1 Mac Studio... it is fantastic!

A Mac mini will be great, too. Just:

1. Allocate as much money as you can to CPU and RAM.

2. GPU is fine with the least powerful version you can get from Apple with your desired CPU.

3. Internal Storage should be 512BG (more if you can afford it), but what @LinusW says above is absolutely accurate... macOS and Apps on your internal. All data on external drives, with which you get a lot more bang for your buck.

Folks using a 2012 Mini are going to be blown away by just about ANY Apple Silicon machine.
Click to expand...
I'm SO glad I asked about this! I was just gonna buy something with a big hard drive and call it good just bc I feel overwhelmed by the decisions and prices and all the specs. Turns out I'm looking at it a little backwards if I'll be able to run all my libraries on an external hard drive. It's the CPU and RAM. But even then, it's still spendy if I need 64g of memory. Means I have to go with a Mac Studio.
 
LinusW said:
Absolutely!! I even have a separate hub for all the external SSDs for instrument library storage. I do recommend a somewhat upgraded internal drive though as it still would contain your system, user folder, your plugins and presets and synced cloud storage (iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive etc.) that can no longer reside externally.

Music projects? Saved on external SSD.
Libraries? Saved on external SSD.
Installation files and backups? Saved on external HDD.
Click to expand...
Which hub do you have/recommend?
 
KarenR said:
I'm SO glad I asked about this! I was just gonna buy something with a big hard drive and call it good just bc I feel overwhelmed by the decisions and prices and all the specs. Turns out I'm looking at it a little backwards if I'll be able to run all my libraries on an external hard drive. It's the CPU and RAM. But even then, it's still spendy if I need 64g of memory. Means I have to go with a Mac Studio.
Click to expand...
I would say you want at least 1TB internal but you don’t need more than that. As several have noted all your libraries, your projects, most other documents can live on external drives.

If you really need to economize you can likely manage with 32GB. You will need to take some care in choosing libraries and you will be freezing and bouncing to audio a lot. But it’s not unworkable.

There are lots of good hubs that do various things. Some multiply USB ports, some add Thunderbolt, displays, card readers, etc. Same goes for drive enclosures. Some of them are simply enclosures but many can drive displays and some mount drives in a hub that also does other things. So it will depend on what you will choose to optimize.
 
@KarenR my experience has been that you can't ever have enough RAM, so that is where I would concentrate my resources. I would take a used/refurbished M1 Studio with 64GB over any of the newer models with less RAM. Get a 1TB internal hard drive (not a 512), and then add on much cheaper externals with an Acasis enclosure. Plenty of us can point you to smoking fast externals for a fraction of Apple's price.

P.S. you can buy a refurbished M1 Studio with 1TB and 64GB of RAM on the Apple Store right now for $2069.
 
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Jett Hitt said:
@KarenR my experience has been that you can't ever have enough RAM, so that is where I would concentrate my resources. I would take a used/refurbished M1 Studio with 64GB over any of the newer models with less RAM. Get a 1TB internal hard drive (not a 512), and then add on much cheaper externals with an Acasis enclosure. Plenty of us can point you to smoking fast externals for a fraction of Apple's price.

P.S. you can buy a refurbished M1 Studio with 1TB and 64GB of RAM on the Apple Store right now for $2069.
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More great advice, thank you! I checked the M1 with the mentioned specs but it says "out of stock". Not sure how frequently these are added. I'll see if FB marketplace has anything.

Edit: I found a perfect one on FB market place still under warranty with receipts for everything, for $1900 but it's cash only and they're a 5 hour drive away! 😭
 
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