Mac Studio for Recording Music (Logic Pro X)

[JaredAppleHead]

After searching around for different Mac Specs for recording music I think I really like the following:

Mac Studio Apple M1 Ultra Chip with 20‑Core CPU and 48‑Core GPU​

At Least 2 TB Hard Drive 4TB-8TB would be even better but adds up

Feel free to give me some constructive criticism and personal thoughts on these specs with the focus of the Mac being used primarily for recording music.

 

[BrianBaughn]

What's your experience level?

For years, people have successfully used much less powerful Macs "for recording music" with Logic Pro so you're good there.

As to drive space…you can get by with a SSD in the smaller range if you don't mind storing old projects (ones you're no longer working on) on external drives.

Audio samples for virtual instruments and so forth can also be stored externally.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

After searching around for different Mac Specs for recording music I think I really like the following:

Mac Studio Apple M1 Ultra Chip with 20‑Core CPU and 48‑Core GPU​

At Least 2 TB Hard Drive 4TB-8TB would be even better but adds up

Feel free to give me some constructive criticism and personal thoughts on these specs with the focus of the Mac being used primarily for recording music.

Well how many instruments do you load up and what are you making in Logic? A lot of things regarding Logic is memory based because having all sorts of instruments loaded up take up a lot of memory that if you don't have enough you'll be hitting swap a lot.

 

[SepticUG]

I have a M2 Ultra studio with 128GB of ram.

Typically I am using around 30-32 GB, some sessions I got into the 48 GB mem usage area(as shown in activitymonitor)
I tend to load in a ******** of plugins and synths, also many other apps open (audio hijack / tv stream / apple music / chrome etc. Audiogridder as well as local service to offload the single live core in Logic

I am running a 64 samples buffer with around 12 USB devices hanging on the mac. CPU load is around 30% playing, 20% idling (as shown in activity monitor, in Logic it is 50/25%)

 

[Jorbanead]

Unless you’re a film composer running hundreds and hundreds of tracks and virtual instruments - that system may be overkill.

 

[OrenLindsey]

I don't think you need the ultra chip unless you're like a really pro user

 

[JaredAppleHead]

Well how many instruments do you load up and what are you making in Logic? A lot of things regarding Logic is memory based because having all sorts of instruments loaded up take up a lot of memory that if you don't have enough you'll be hitting swap a lot.

Not sure exactly but I like being able to run lots of virtual instruments and plugins if need be...thanks!

 

[JaredAppleHead]

I have a M2 Ultra studio with 128GB of ram.

Typically I am using around 30-32 GB, some sessions I got into the 48 GB mem usage area(as shown in activitymonitor)
I tend to load in a ******** of plugins and synths, also many other apps open (audio hijack / tv stream / apple music / chrome etc. Audiogridder as well as local service to offload the single live core in Logic

I am running a 64 samples buffer with around 12 USB devices hanging on the mac. CPU load is around 30% playing, 20% idling (as shown in activity monitor, in Logic it is 50/25%)

Given that information, if you could only pick one of these "better" options would you do:

1) 128GB instead of 64GB or
2) 20 Core instead of 10 Core CPU

 

[SepticUG]

20 core cpu.
max i have seen in use here is around 48 GB