# Best Mac for serious Sample Library Orchestra Work



## MilenApostolov (Jun 10, 2022)

Hey Guys! There is probably some kind of similar thread here, but I am looking for advice on my specific case. I have a 2019 MacBook pro-16-inch 64 GB RAM 4 TB SSD and Core i9 processor. My projects are getting heavier and heavier and I was wondering what would be the best apple machine I could buy right now. Since there is a new M2 on the way as well as the studio and the really capable m1 max MacBook pros (although only with 64 gigs of ram)


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## michaelstram (Jun 10, 2022)

What are you hitting when you run activity monitor? Cpu / ram wise? 

Any decent M2 machine will still be 6 - 10 months out so M1 Max / Ultra is the best bet, depending on portability needs. With the regular M2 maxing out at 24 GB ram, one could almost assume an M2 Max laptop having 96GB or 128GB of ram possibly, but at...serious cost.

I REALLY like my Mac Studio.


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## MilenApostolov (Jun 10, 2022)

michaelstram said:


> What are you hitting when you run activity monitor? Cpu / ram wise?
> 
> Any decent M2 machine will still be 6 - 10 months out so M1 Max / Ultra is the best bet, depending on portability needs. With the regular M2 maxing out at 24 GB ram, one could almost assume an M2 Max laptop having 96GB or 128GB of ram possibly, but at...serious cost.
> 
> I REALLY like my Mac Studio.


What is you Mac studio configuration?


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## michaelstram (Jun 10, 2022)

Base Model !! 

BUT : I have 2 2013 Mac Pros as VSL Servers. So my main machine only does the midi and live audio and little little processing.


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## JohnG (Jun 10, 2022)

MilenApostolov said:


> My projects are getting heavier and heavier and I was wondering what would be the best apple machine


One way to bridge the time between now and the release of more-powerful Macs might be to use a PC to hold samples (if you work with orchestral libraries especially). They are not too expensive and, if you link via VE Pro, the overall cost is not too bad.

I realise it adds a level of complexity but if you’re working with the more demanding orchestral samples, it’s hard to get by with just one computer no matter what it is.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jun 12, 2022)

MilenApostolov said:


> Hey Guys! There is probably some kind of similar thread here, but I am looking for advice on my specific case. I have a 2019 MacBook pro-16-inch 64 GB RAM 4 TB SSD and Core i9 processor. My projects are getting heavier and heavier and I was wondering what would be the best apple machine I could buy right now. Since there is a new M2 on the way as well as the studio and the really capable m1 max MacBook pros (although only with 64 gigs of ram)


What are the issues with your current machine? It’s a beast.


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## MilenApostolov (Jun 12, 2022)

Jeremy Spencer said:


> What are the issues with your current machine? It’s a beast.


System overloads mostly


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jun 12, 2022)

MilenApostolov said:


> System overloads mostly


What DAW are you running? Decent audio interface?


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## MilenApostolov (Jun 12, 2022)

Jeremy Spencer said:


> What DAW are you running? Decent audio interface?


Logic Pro x with UAD Apollo solo


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jun 12, 2022)

MilenApostolov said:


> Logic Pro x with UAD Apollo solo


Excellent. Do you run a “dynamic loading” template in Logic? This has allowed me to ditch my VEPro slave and run big sessions exclusively on my iMac.


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## colony nofi (Jun 12, 2022)

I have a similar 2018 Macbook Pro (i9, 64GB etc) and the M1Max 64GB laptop smokes it.
I also upgraded my personal trashcan to a kitted out Studio 128GB. For now, its running pretty well. There are LOTS of teething issues, but as far as straight playback of sample libs go, it does extremely well and definitely allows loads more voices than the [edit: trashcan] mac pros (also128GB).

Now, depending on how dense your orchestration is, of course you can always look at other VSL servers. I personally like the all in one box workflow.

I have not had the chance to properly benchmark the studio / m1max against say the current [edit:new cheese grater] mac pro. Just no time, and that sh*t takes serious time.

I've come up against the limits of the studio only with extremely high speaker count immersive mixing (I'm doing a project across 10 rooms and 80 speakers) and SPAT hasn't performed as well as expected... I suspect though that is setup / other issues, not the machine itself! For fun I ran a big TV post production dolby atmos mix off this machine... it was mixed across three macs... but all three sessions combined into one and ran just fine.

So. Many. Variables though its hard to tell exactly how good these machines will end up being. At the moment, the studio feels like it could be excellent and last 6-8 years, but only after software co's have spend a little more time refining their m1 builds.


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## Eulenauge66 (Jun 13, 2022)

Mac Studio M1 Max, 32 GB + PC Slave, 128GB via VEP Pro.


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