Opinions on Mac Mini for mixing?

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MessianicDreams

MessianicDreams

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So i'm looking at buying a new computer, as my 1.6gig Intel Centrino 512mb ram Dell laptop is just not really powerful enough.

I'll be doing pretty much only mixing, no recording, on this computer.


The particular Mac Mini is the 1.66Ghz Intel Core Duo with 1mb ram. I'll be running Pro Tools 7 on it, and I'd probably like to install XP on it to use certain progs which don't run on Macs.

Anyone got any comments/suggestions on this setup?
 
No comments, but I'm considering getting a mini mac for myself, so -- anyone?
 
For mixing, it's fine i guess. Most people underrate the Minis for audio work since they're tiny.
 
MessianicDreams said:
So i'm looking at buying a new computer, as my 1.6gig Intel Centrino 512mb ram Dell laptop is just not really powerful enough.

I'll be doing pretty much only mixing, no recording, on this computer.


The particular Mac Mini is the 1.66Ghz Intel Core Duo with 1mb ram. I'll be running Pro Tools 7 on it, and I'd probably like to install XP on it to use certain progs which don't run on Macs.

Anyone got any comments/suggestions on this setup?
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i dont think its enough.

sold my iMac G5 2.0 cause it wasnt powerful enough, even with 2 gig ram..
my ibook g4 1.42 isnt powerful enough either..

but my powermac dual 2.0 is :cool:
 
Logic will run fine if you bump the ram up to 2gb, but I have to agree with
TragikRemix in that you should try to get something more powerful.
Logic is a heavy duty program. I run it fine on my 1.8 G5 PPC with 4 gb ram,
but will upgrade as soon as I can. If the mini is all you can afford thats certainly understandable and it will suffice until you can upgrade.
Good luck and let us know what you decide.
 
TragikRemix said:
i dont think its enough.

sold my iMac G5 2.0 cause it wasnt powerful enough, even with 2 gig ram..
my ibook g4 1.42 isnt powerful enough either..

but my powermac dual 2.0 is :cool:
Click to expand...


What program were you running. I'm running the 1.8 imac, one of the first off the line, and I have no problems running 32 tracks full of plugs, and that's with 1gig of ram. Remember you have to optimize the machine somewhat for recording.
 
well, it worked, but i always got the insufficent CPU code in pro tools.

the external HD helped, but didnt solve it.

i was also running plugs like reason and sampletank, and also DFH superior.

i got tired of the errors, so i had to get a dual processor.

by optimize, i'm sure you mean delete everything that will not be used, so thats like uhh everything.. did that ;)

it works, just not as well as i'd like it to.. i still use my ibook for recording occasionally. i'm using it this week to record my boss's new band playing live. i'm worried that it will cut out in the middle of something, and then i won't see it because i have to run around like a nut at these events.

but, Pro Tools 7.0. if only i had TDM instead of LE, i would have ZERO problems :)
 
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well i have to say i'm rather surprised. for a start, i won't be using logic, or any sort of softsynth/reason/sampletank/anything like that.

this will be purely audio mixing/editing.

i can run a 24-track mix with a judicial amount of plugs on my humble laptop without too many problems. the issue is i've got some new waves plugs which are slightly more demanding, and my current latop isn't taking it.

i've also chatted to a friend of mine who uses it for mixing and he says its pretty boss.


thanks for your help anyways...
 
I would go with the imac since it sports a core 2 duo which will be more than enough. The mac mini looks like a good deal until you realize that by the time u add the keyboard, warranty, and some extra memory you are over a grand which is the price of the imac
 
MessianicDreams said:
well i have to say i'm rather surprised. for a start, i won't be using logic, or any sort of softsynth/reason/sampletank/anything like that.

this will be purely audio mixing/editing.

i can run a 24-track mix with a judicial amount of plugs on my humble laptop without too many problems. the issue is i've got some new waves plugs which are slightly more demanding, and my current latop isn't taking it.

i've also chatted to a friend of mine who uses it for mixing and he says its pretty boss.


thanks for your help anyways...
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Sorry- I thought I read Logic instead of Pro Tools. My mistake! Go for something more powerful for Pro tools.
 
bump as much RAM into the machine as you can....

also run garage band as hard as you can till it crashes and then read what the popup window tells you to do to prevent that from happening again....

I run this G5 into the ground iMac G5 1.8 with only 512MB of RAM and still pull off 16-18 tracks with effects.
 
guitar junkie said:
bump as much RAM into the machine as you can....

also run garage band as hard as you can till it crashes and then read what the popup window tells you to do to prevent that from happening again....

I run this G5 into the ground iMac G5 1.8 with only 512MB of RAM and still pull off 16-18 tracks with effects.
Click to expand...

I used to pull off about 20 simultaneous tracks with a PowerBook Wallstreet (233 MHz G3) with light effects. If you're really struggling to manage 16-18 tracks on anything modern, something isn't right, and it isn't the CPU.... :D
 
altitude909 said:
I would go with the imac since it sports a core 2 duo which will be more than enough.
Click to expand...

well the MacMini also sports the core 2 duo. there is also a pretty significant price difference between the imac and the macmini (at least there is in the UK) to mean i could add some more ram..

anyone tried dual-booting the new intel CPUs?
 
MessianicDreams said:
well the MacMini also sports the core 2 duo. there is also a pretty significant price difference between the imac and the macmini (at least there is in the UK) to mean i could add some more ram..

anyone tried dual-booting the new intel CPUs?
Click to expand...



bumpity-bump-bump.
 
The Mac Mini is Duo Core...iMac is Core 2 Duo. There is roughly a 10% increase in performance with Core 2 Duo as well as 64 bit performance...whether or not you will need or notice that is another matter.

Here's a comparison between the mobile processors

I can get 16 tracks of audio each running Waves EQ, compression, URS plugs, and an odd plug or two running pretty well on my 3.0 GHz P4 with 1 gig of memory. I don't see why a Mac Mini with 2 gigs of memory wouldn't be just fine for mixing 20 tracks of audio with plugs. And if all else fails, you can always freeze plugs to save CPU.
 
dude, its a duo lol.

i thought it was still the solo, but looks like they upgraded the line!

hey,,, your link, not mine
Click to expand...

Do u have a problem reading?

he said core 2 duo

MessianicDreams said:
well the MacMini also sports the core 2 duo.
Click to expand...
 
altitude909 said:
Do u have a problem reading?

he said core 2 duo
Click to expand...



woaaah dude...chiiiillll winston :)




easy mistake to make..i did the same. no need to get yer panties in a knot :D


thanks for yer help anyways....i guess?
 
Yareek said:
The Mac Mini is Duo Core...iMac is Core 2 Duo. There is roughly a 10% increase in performance with Core 2 Duo as well as 64 bit performance...whether or not you will need or notice that is another matter.

Here's a comparison between the mobile processors

I can get 16 tracks of audio each running Waves EQ, compression, URS plugs, and an odd plug or two running pretty well on my 3.0 GHz P4 with 1 gig of memory. I don't see why a Mac Mini with 2 gigs of memory wouldn't be just fine for mixing 20 tracks of audio with plugs. And if all else fails, you can always freeze plugs to save CPU.
Click to expand...



thanks man. really useful link, wish i could understand more of it than i do.
 
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