M1 Ultra! (2 x M1 Max)

[aeliron]

I was very excited until the pricing was announced. Base model M1 Max isn't binned like the MBP's, but even though there's no expensive display attached, it still starts at $1999 with 32 GB of memory and a 512 GB SSD.

$3999 for the M1 Ultra is crazy, and that's just with 64 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD. Only the CPU is doubled, so it shouldn't be double the price.

It’s not expensive when you realize it smokes a 28 core Mac Pro that goes for like $25,000.

AND it's twice as high. What more could you want???

A Big Mac-mini

 

[aeliron]

I just configured the current Mac Pro with the 28 core Xeon, the Radeon W6900X, 96GB RAM, and 2TB SSD - $19,999. The new Mac Studio trounces that computer handily in both CPU and GPU, and costs $6199.

Well, if you want to go for the cheapo model ...

 

[jneebz]

Holy…..crap. Finally Apple hits the sweet spot for media composers! Goodbye tax refund…

 

[aeliron]

Help me understand, why do people want to pay $1000 extra for the Ultra with additional graphics cores if they’re not into video?

80% of audio is video. That's why Kontakt has been unresizable for ages.

 

[aeliron]

Is the RAM user upgradable?

Yes, but you have to stick your finger in the USB port.

 

[colony nofi]

Why always a 27" monitor :(
I need a larger screen than that

Dell 5k2k 40” is an absolute composers dream.
Will work wonderfully with this new mac

 

[samphony]

I wonder how important it is to have the singular large internal drive and put everything (projects/samples) on it or just get enough for the system and keep running everything else on the external SSD's.

For my 16” m1max i went for the 8tb internal ssd but for a desktop machine like this I’ll go for 2-4tb internal because I still have a black magic dock and several nvme external drives which deliver plenty of performance for sample streaming.

 

[Jett Hitt]

I just can't quite grasp adding $2200 to the price to add 64GB of RAM. I have 160GB of RAM spread over a couple of machines that I already own--machines that only need a VEP license. Sure, I'd get 10 more cores, but do I really need them? I suspect that the onboard 64GB will do most of what I need unless I start playing with mic options in the Berlin Mains. Do I really need to lay out all that extra cash for 10 cores and 64GB of RAM?

 

[KerrySmith]

and for what it's worth, if you want 128 GB of memory, you probably won't receive it before the end of May at this point.

Shipping estimates into May for Mac Studio and Studio Display- 9to5Mac

Pre-orders for the Mac Studio and Studio Display are open just hours after Apple's spring event and shipping estimates are already into May.

9to5mac.com

 

[ALittleNightMusic]

Curious how folks value the M1 Ultra vs. Max for music production - seems like the Max Mac Studio is already almost 3x faster than my i9 iMac...which is already quite a beast for Logic / Cubase orchestral tracks / big templates.

Also in terms of 64GB vs. 128GB RAM, I have read the M1 Macs are more efficient or something in their RAM utilization? So 128GB with an Intel Mac may not necessarily be any better than 64GB with an M1? Or is 128GB even necessary with the throughput of the TB3 ports now and SSD drives?

 

[Vik]

I just can't quite grasp adding $2200 to the price to add 64GB of RAM.

The only way they can offer you 64gb RAM now is to let you buy a system which contains two M1 Max cards with 64gb each. As the Apple Silicon computers continue to evolve, we'll probably be able to get a system with the power of one single M1 Mac, but with 128gb RAM.

 

[will_m]

Also in terms of 64GB vs. 128GB RAM, I have read the M1 Macs are more efficient or something in their RAM utilization? So 128GB with an Intel Mac may not necessarily be any better than 64GB with an M1?

If you're talking things like Kontakt usage then memory capacity is still needed, 64GB on an M1 will not be the same as 128GB on a non M1 Mac. You will literally be able to load half as many samples into RAM.

 

[aeliron]

Curious how folks value the M1 Ultra vs. Max for music production - seems like the Max Mac Studio is already almost 3x faster than my i9 iMac...which is already quite a beast for Logic / Cubase orchestral tracks / big templates.

Also in terms of 64GB vs. 128GB RAM, I have read the M1 Macs are more efficient or something in their RAM utilization? So 128GB with an Intel Mac may not necessarily be any better than 64GB with an M1? Or is 128GB even necessary with the throughput of the TB3 ports now and SSD drives?

Others may have more quantified info, but the M1 is also using the fast internal drive for swap. Although so far Logic shows zero disk activity for my 32 Gb MBP with about 70 tracks *** oops, voices of Opus.

 

[Flyo]

Others may have more quantified info, but the M1 is also using the fast internal drive for swap. Although so far Logic shows zero disk activity for my 32 Gb MBP with about 70 tracks of Opus.

Wos, you can run up to 70 opus tracks with a 32gb ram macbbok pro pro or max? 14' or 16' inch?

 

[aeliron]

Wos, you can run up to 70 opus tracks with a 32gb ram macbbok pro pro or max? 14' or 16' inch?

Sorry, my post may be pretty misleading.

It's a 16", but no crazy ensemble parts all at once.

So ... although I may have many tracks in "on" state, not all those tracks are playing at once. Let me run a test and see ...

Edit:

Tried a quick stress test with 44 Opus tracks, including 2 2-voice tracks and 4 orchestrator instances (with about 38 voices total), so around 80 voices at once, and Ozone. Rosetta mode.

Some glitches if an instrument track is selected; none otherwise. Maybe a bit better in low latency mode. However, some cores def reaching for the 100.

Edit 2: Found an older project with 93 voices at once, and ... Huh. Found that disabling the few Kontakt instruments markedly reduces glitches, even when a VI is selected, and even when you see a 100% spike in the meter. M1 MODE NOW!

Again, others here have much better info than this!

 

[Soundbed]

Sorry, my post may be pretty misleading.

It's a 16", but no crazy ensemble parts all at once.

So ... although I may have many tracks in "on" state, not all those tracks are playing at once. Let me run a test and see ...

Others here have much better info than this!

We all need to start talking about voice counts more than tracks, imho.

 

[Soundbed]

Between the time I had the 1TB / 64GB in my cart and the time I decided to order it, the estimated shipping time moved one week later.

 

[aeliron]

We all need to start talking about voice counts more than tracks, imho.

Yep, sorry. Updated post.

 

[Soundbed]

Yep, sorry. Updated post.

Didn’t mean to sound accusatory. Myself included. I’ve got a script for a new Apple Silicon video drafted, where I am planning to mention this too. Track count loses its meaning when a “track” has 24 or 32 voices at a time.

 

[aeliron]

Didn’t mean to sound accusatory. Myself included. I’ve got a script for a new Apple Silicon video drafted, where I am planning to mention this too. Track count loses its meaning when a “track” has 24 or 32 voices at a time.

Yeah, and I'm in Rosetta to avoid the hanging notes in the Orchestrator. I've read around here that M1 mode is better.