# Would Like Some Opinions on iMac Pro Options



## khollister (Jan 17, 2018)

Yes, I know I'm insane - there are several other options that make a lot more financial sense However I've pretty much decided on an iMac Pro for my DAW machine (I _really_ want to get back on a Mac and can't abide the fan noise from the latest i7 iMacs). I'm about to place the order and here's what I do know:

64GB RAM - 128 is way too much money, I'm doing fine with 64 on the Cubase PC now
Vega 56 - I'm not a video guy. Save $800 and run a little cooler
2TB SSD - I want to put my STEAM folder, CFX piano and some Spitfire stuff on there
Going to try the Akitio Quad Mini TB3 for SSD's rather than BMMD - better form factor for me and it's cheaper.
Here's what I'm undecided on and need opinions:

8 vs 10 cores - since I'm splurging on something I don't actually _need_, it seems crazy to worry about saving $800 on the 8 core, but I'm still waffling.
An OWC Helios 3 to hold my UAD Octo card or some other TB-PCIe box? The other option is trade/sell the card and just get a Satellite.
Help!


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jan 19, 2018)

Two things come to mind...

1) If you are already using Cubase on Windows, why not just build a monster PC for like a fraction of the price?

2) Why not wait and see what the new Mac pro's will look like? You are about to shell out a poop load of cash.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 19, 2018)

I don't know from Akitio;alsdfl;asf, but I was going to suggest external SSDs rather than $800 for Apple's internal one.


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## khollister (Jan 19, 2018)

Wolfie2112 said:


> Two things come to mind...
> 
> 1) If you are already using Cubase on Windows, why not just build a monster PC for like a fraction of the price?
> 
> 2) Why not wait and see what the new Mac pro's will look like? You are about to shell out a poop load of cash.



Both very sensible suggestions, but as I said in the beginning, this isn't a completely rational decision. I have a i7-6850K PC now but I'm fed up with Windows and the update ethernetlottery and now the uncertainty of whether everything is patched for Spectre. I long for the monolithic simplicity of the Mac and I'm willing to pay for it. The 5K screen is also a plus, as I will use the machine for other work as well (photography, not that I remotely need an iMP for that alone).

I did think about waiting on the next MP but I have no idea when it will come nor what Apple thinks "modular" means. Stuffing the W Xeons in a cheesegrater case with TB3 and NVMe SSD slots wold be great, but I doubt we are getting an "old school" MP.

I like the iMac form factor, I really want a 27' 5k screen, like the dual TB3 controllers and 10g and the internal SSD is crazy fast (3GBs). I also question how much cheaper a MP version would be since the only thing I really would be able to give up is the display. I can't believe that a W-Xeon MP 7.1 with the promised Apple 5K display is going to be substantially cheaper than the iMac Pro.

At any rate, it is OBE since I placed the order with B&H today - 10 core, 64GB, 2TB, Vega56 - be here next week.

Still figuring out the UAD path.

UPDATE: Found out I can trade in my octo and duo cards against a satellite octo at JRR - score!


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## khollister (Jan 19, 2018)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> I don't know from Akitio;alsdfl;asf, but I was going to suggest external SSDs rather than $800 for Apple's internal one.



I have 3.5GB of sample SATA SSD's in the PC now. I will move at least the 3x1GB ones over to the Akitio box and I went for the 2GB internal so I could put some stuff that is either slow to load or benefits from faster streaming speed on the hot rod internal. I looked at external TB3 NVMe SSD's that would be similar in speed and they were even more than the Apple internal one.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jan 19, 2018)

I guess your iMac will be used for business purposes, and can pay for itself, it's money well spent.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 21, 2018)

khollister said:


> I have 3.5GB of sample SATA SSD's in the PC now. I will move at least the 3x1GB ones over to the Akitio box and I went for the 2GB internal so I could put some stuff that is either slow to load or benefits from faster streaming speed on the hot rod internal. I looked at external TB3 NVMe SSD's that would be similar in speed and they were even more than the Apple internal one.



I keep posting this, but in my experience - and from looking into this to see whether I'm right - the "speed" of an SSD is pretty much meaningless. It sounds like you're ahead of me about this.


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