What iMac for music production? (No virtual instruments)

[Paratriplel]

I believe I have come to turns with the price of the iMac 2019 with CTO SSD, though I would like to see I’d there’s any other cheaper way to get one before I buy one, not expecting any miracles but who knows.

i appreciate all help! Hopefully I’llcome back in a couple of weeks to give some (hopefully positive) feedback.
I might do some graphic intense work, it’s the 3D modeling but I don’t sorry to much about it. I’d like to know when 4 vs 8 GB on the graphic card matters outside games and such but I guess modeling could mean that the graphic card gets some work that needs to e stored somewhere temporary but would be nice with a confirmation about it.

 

[Paratriplel]

I believe I’m ready to pull the trigger on either an iMac 27” high end model with added 512 GB SSD (~ $3 200 / €2 900) or an MacBook Pro 16” low end model (2.6 GHz i7) with added 32 GB RAM (~ $3 650 / €3 300) but I have such a hard time deciding.
What computer will give me most for my money?

I don’t need the mobility of a MacBook Pro (especially if I keep my 15” from 2015 around but it’s of course appreciated but right now I’m mostly looking into what will be the most stable and most powerful machine.

An example would be if I have a I’m working on a track and begin doing some mixing to get a better feel for it, let’s say I add a reverb bus and maybe some eq’s and compressors on individual tracks and then continues recording some more tracks and focusing on latency and stability which of these computer will handle this the best?

I believe the answer to that question would make my decision so much easier.

I know the MacBook Pro 16” has gotten some really good reviews about handling thermals etc and I don’t need a lot of power but I want the bit of power I use to just work fine and stable.

... of course the audio interface matters but let’s say that I’ve taken of that the best I can with an interface with nice stable drivers and Thunderbolt 2 or 3 connectivity.

Sorry if I keep fumbling around here but I should have asked a question like this more straight for starters.

Hoping to get a chance to buy it with student discount and will look into all that because at these prices those 10% really matters.

Thank you all again!

 

[Paratriplel]

And about that graphic card, does it matter if I go for the default or an upgraded? I’m not planning to do much video intense work as I said (closest is 3D rendering and I guess it won’t really effect that) but I do plan to have a second display with the iMac and 2 displays if I go for the MacBook Pro but no 4K displays, at least for the near future.

most importantly, will the graphic cards affect the heat a lot?

 

[Fishrrman]

Unless you NEED portability (you said that you don't), the iMac is the better choice for music production.

 

[Paratriplel]

I see and I figured that was the case.

The MacBook Pro 16” is still very tempting and is really slick looking but I believe that’s only because the iMac has not really gotten any esthetic changes for quite some time (especially from the front of it) but that should not really affect my decision of course.

I do believe Apple will update their iMac line during 2020, maybe they will take some clues from iMac Pro and if they release an iMac 32” under $3000 I’ll regret not waiting but I’ll “gladly“ miss the update if there’s no SSD as standard and I will gladly be without the T2-chip unless they solve all issues with it (and I know a redesign with SSD as standard will hold the T2-chip... as long as I know it won’t affect Thunderbolt audio interfaces I guess I’ll manage)
I would like to see some smaller bezels though and bigger screen size and since I’m going to order a CTO iMac with an 512 GB SSD I know I’ll not get a second chance on ordering the current iMac with it if the upgrade comes but I assume the update will be an improvement so it might not be an issue but I hope to see a big leak before it happens but how long is really worth waiting to see what Apple has to offer 2020? If there’s an iMac update, is it likely to happen around Mars? Or June or during the autumn? I wish I knew but the current iMac will probably work just fine for me for years to come but I could of course wait 2 or even 4-6 months if people say it will be worth the wait (remember that I pay a lot more than most or you for an top tier 27” iMac with CTO 512 GB SSD, it will cost me $3200 / €2900, if I bought it in the US it would instead have costed me $2399 / €2150 which is less than the cheapest high end 27” base model iMac you can find in my country!).

So I want to make the right decision but no I don’t believe I’ll need the portability / mobility or the MacBook Pro and I’ll probably keep my 2015 for a year or two and maybe then get a MacBook Pro through my friend in Hong Kong, I could of course do it the other way around as well, buy the Hong Kong MacBook Pro 16” now and get an iMac in the future if I feel The need for a stationary computer but that just seems very messy and uneconomical to be honest.

Need to stop this philosophical thinking about what if I got an x, y, z.
It’s just a lot of money for me and I will still need to buy RAM from OWC or similar and install it luckily it’s not much more than 100-200 dollars.

 

[Paratriplel]

Should I just go ahead and order the 27” iMac I’ve talked about (top tier CTO with added 512 GB SSD)?

I could wait a couple of months without too much suffering (my MBP from 2015 has worked without that much issues and kind of flawless for the last couple of weeks) but the wait would only be to see if there are any rumors and to see the next refreshed iMac is a lot more for the money maybe even a top tier base model with SSD and maybe even with a larger display (hoping for a 32” which I believe would be such a benefit for me since I can’t organize the multiple screens and they only have a chaotic structure, that I can’t handle).

Edit: I’ve also noticed that people are selling unused, in box MacBook Pro’s 16” high end model for only $2 850 which is a good deal here in Sweden and even compared to the student discount it’s a bit cheaper (original price is $3 600 and with student discount it’s $3 100).
I mean I want a laptop more than I want a stationary computer but I chose a quieter and more “powerful” computer with a nice big screen over a laptop that’s powerful but loud.
I would have liked if they improved the cooling on the iMac but still with user accessible RAM, then I’d be 100% sure it’s a good buy but reading about someone that got his new iMac 27” fried after 2 weeks or similar scares you, that’s also the reason I don’t want a Octa Core, instead will go with the Hexa Core.

 

[Paratriplel]

iMac Pro

Sorry if I keep this thread going even is most of you probably think and feel it’s a done deal and wounded why I just don’t go on an buy the computer.

I’m just a person that’s either very impulsive or extremely hesitant and it hasn’t gotten better with age I’ll tell you!

So anyway.. then we got the iMac Pro to talk about, I have found a second hand being sold for $3 650, lots of money and more than I had planned to buy for but the person might be willing to go down a few $100 in price since bargain is kind of a culture on that local selling site but I don’t count on it.

I’m wondering; would it be to my benefit in anyway regarding what I intend to use it for (audio and 3D modeling) to go for the:
iMac Pro 27” (3,2 GHz 8 Core Intel Xeon Processor Turbo Boost up to 4,2 GHz, 32 GB RAM 2666 MHz DDR4, 1 TB SSD, Radeon Pro Vega 56 with 8 GB - Price: $3 650 / €3 350
instead of the
iMac 5K Retina 27” (3,7 GHz 6 Core Intel i5 9th Gen Processor, 512 GB SSD, 8 GB 2666 MHz DDR4 RAM, Radeon Pro 580X - Price: $3 150 / €2 900

What interests me the most is probably that the iMacPro has a better beer management system. I want to start uainf plugins again instead DSP-chip plugins and I really want this computer to allow me to so that without too much added latency since I plan on changing my setup a lot for this and might not have the possibility to use DSP-plugin.


If someone or rather a few told me to go for the iMac I’ve been in since the start told me that I don’t have to worry about issues with heat management and so since it’s the 6 code etc.. and that it is most defiantly powerful enough for my need I could just order it and leave this discussion with an end.

 

[3SQ Machine]

If someone or rather a few told me to go for the iMac I’ve been in since the start told me that I don’t have to worry about issues with heat management and so since it’s the 6 code etc.. and that it is most defiantly powerful enough for my need I could just order it and leave this discussion with an end.

It's a tough call. However, I'm a little cautious and I would be unwilling to part with over $3k on any machine without some kind of warranty attached, that's the advantage of buying new or refurb from the Apple Store. Also, iMac Pro has T2 which some users believe cause low buffer audio issues--but this is far from an agreed-upon concern. Not to make you go down that rabbit hole, but no doubt iMac Pro will be whisper quiet, probably last longer, and offer already everything that you'll need to get producing. It also has such better connectivity than the iMac. They really skimped on the thunderbolt ports with the iMac--I could really use two more, or at least a couple more USB-C instead of a stupid amount of low bandwith legacy USB 3 ports.

Agreed, tough call -- but it is an almost 3-year old machine now.

 

[Paratriplel]

Yeah you’re right. I’ll pass on the iMac Pro, it looks nice but it’s really idiotic to pay that much money in a computer that came out about 3 years ago, get no warranty with it instead of going the iMac 2019 route, or even better waiting for the 2020 upgraded version.
Still a chance there is no upgrade but I believe it will be one this year but it’s really but I might need one before it’s announced or released but if Apple would start sending invitations for an event I’d hold off of course, not likely to happen for at least two months and more probably 5-10 months before there’s a chance (a chance!.. can I really go and wait for something that’s only a chance when I for the first time actually need a new computer).

I’m thinking that I’ll buy this one within a month or so. If there’s something new coming out it’s not something I have to have and I could actually be better off going for the 2019 since a redesign could be coming and first revisions could have a lot of issues.

And about the T2-chip, I believe it was only the usb audio interfaces that had this issue, right? I haven’t got any usb audio interface anymore but it sure is problematic Apple or the conference audio interface manufacturer haven’t gone out with any information about this and that they’re at least working to solve it or let people know that if you buy said computer it could have issues with interfaces that communicate through that protocol or whatever is the common denominator.

If the redesign is fantastic I’m thinking that I’d still, no matter what, wait for the second revision but, if I feel the need to, sell the iMac and buy the redesigned iMac but now I’m thinking ahead of me l, just that this is a solution to the issue with “to wait or not to wait?”.

I guess that right now thr 3D modeling is what makes my 2015 seem obsolete because all of a sudden (worked fine just 2 months ago) things start to really lag when moving the camera around/zooming/scrolling.

Might have been because I use a Magic Trackpad (v1) that my frustration have gone through the roof when working on something a bit more time consuming.
though I’ve had issues in Logic Pro as well but just not as big.

I still feel I’d like some advice on the GPU, will the base one do for working in Logic Pro X, Fusion 360 and maybe having 1 external Display that is a of maximum 4K (probably less though)?

Is there someone that with some certainty can say that the computer (iMac 27” 3.7 GHz 6-core 9th Gen i5, 8 GB (soon to be 32 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, Radeon Pro 580X 8GB GDDR5 that I have in mind to buy will suit me good and do what I want it to do.

What I want from it.
Simply, I want it to be more powerful, faster and snappier than my 2015 MBP but that’s kind of obvious.
I want it to be as fast so that I can have Logic-projects with at least 20 audio tracks and 5 midi (with the External MIDI-input plugin for controlling my synths) tracks and I want to be able to add some plugins to at least half of the tracks and to be able to send 5 of these to a bus with a reverb this without adding noticed latency, I’m not sure exactly how these things work (depending on how fast processor your computer have, it can calculate the samples faster and if I’m not totally off, depending on the buffer settings it needs to calculate the samples faster?... and the samples belong to a package, almost like a playlist that’s being played and since it needs to be calculated it will always be latency but preferably very little latency if you’re buying a good and fast computer, am I right, kind of on track or totally wrong?) so therefore I’m really grateful for all help that I can get from you guys.
I just would like to go back to my daw and put some plugins in my track again and have them there as I produce my songs without having to freeze everything all the time but it’s really the reverb bus that’s the issue because you can’t freeze an aux/bus and I don’t want to do any workarounds anymore by recording the aux to a stereo audio track and what not.

I just want to simplify my setup and even change my Apollo x8 to a simpler audio interface. I want to do this to get more things done faster not because I think a new iMac would automaticity make me write better songs or anything like that.

 

[Paratriplel]

**** I need to learn keeping my posts shorter (they only get buffer when I try to make them shorter)...

What I wanted to ask in all that text was really:
Would a computer like the iMac 27” 3.7 GHz 6-core 9th Gen i5, 8 GB (soon to be 32 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, Radeon Pro 580X 8GB GDDR5 work for what I’ve described?
Music production in Logic Pro X, (recording instruments but using plugins ITB during the whole process of the production) and also for 3D modeling in software like Fusion 360.

Thank you.

 

[ginhb]

Have you thought about asking in a Logic Pro forum? Or MainStage, or even GarageBand? Some people use all of those programs and have plenty of experience. It might be helpful to find out what they're running on.

 

[Paratriplel]

I havnt but now that you said it, I might just do that.

 

[Deftone101]

Trying to get my feet wet in the world of at home music production. Now mind you I have been leaning towards the mid to late 2011 iMac but would love some educational advice on where to begin. Please feel free to enlighten me on i3 or i5 recommendations as well as anything beyond that in terms of memory space must haves and anything pertaining to my situation. Please remember I am not very versed on the topic and would appreciate any knowledge. The 2011 has been talked about in many forums I have viewed and before I decide to drop grands on a platform I’d really like to start with basics and work into a better setup after really understanding this whole venture into music production. This will be none other than a bedroom endeavor so please keep that scale in mind. Thanks in advance!!

 

[3SQ Machine]

What’s your budget?

And what kind of gear do you have now (if any)?

I’d not go 2011 unless I already had equipment that worked with the older ports like FireWire, thunderbolt 1, etc. You won’t be able to run recent thunderbolt interfaces on a 2011 and I’m not even sure if USB 2.0 on a 2011 would provide enough power/bandwidth for some creation. While nice to have a cd/dvd who cares about that in a streaming world.

when I started out with little $$$ I still went recent (but slow/cheap—at that time a 2009 Mac Mini) so I could learn the most recent software. It’s easy to get “set in your ways” on DAW/music workflow once you’ve got a rhythm and a 2011 will have a finite lifespan and won’t even run the recent version of logic now. I’m dreading going 64-bit as I have to give up some things. If I were starting out now I would just bite the bullet and learn in Catalina.

go newer, cheaper, slower so you can run most recent DAWs/plugins and save some extra $$ for RAM and other gear you’ll need. Bad gear, mics, or poor audio interfaces will sound bad on ANY computer so budget for that as well. Not to mention everything is going thunderbolt/USB-C and you’ll need adapters galore before too long.

 

[Fishrrman]

deftone wrote:
"Trying to get my feet wet in the world of at home music production. Now mind you I have been leaning towards the mid to late 2011 iMac but would love some educational advice on where to begin"

It makes no sense to buy a 2011 iMac in 2020.
Get at least an Apple-refurbished 2017 27" iMac...

 

[cltd]

How is the thermal issues on the iMac? Will the higher cpu-configurations make a difference or will get for the most part throttle?

I had iMac 27 late 2013 model ( purchased in 2015) with then highest configuration (4 x i7 3.5 ghz). I used it for audio (DAW, drum processing, a lot of VA etc). Didn't hold even 5 years, overheat killed its GPU. Repair is not possible (all-in-one), new mainboard costs a half of Mini 2018. Now I have 27" doorstep.

 

[Paratriplel]

I had iMac 27 late 2013 model ( purchased in 2015) with then highest configuration (4 x i7 3.5 ghz). I used it for audio (DAW, drum processing, a lot of VA etc). Didn't hold even 5 years, overheat killed its GPU. Repair is not possible (all-in-one), new mainboard costs a half of Mini 2018. Now I have 27" doorstep.

I got my iMac (I went with high end 3,7 GHz plus a 512 GB SSD and upgraded ram myself to 40 GB) one week ago and it has been just fine this far but haven’t really tried it out yet and have 7 more days to return it if I don’t like it. But your post of course worries me but not enough to return. There isn’t really an alternative except for the MacBook Pro 16” and that has its own issues.
Will update with any issues encountered!

And I would not recommend anyone to get an iMac older than 2015 today, I can’t see it being worth the money so better save your some more and get something more relevant today. But that’s just my thoughts..

 

[3SQ Machine]

I got my iMac (I went with high end 3,7 GHz plus a 512 GB SSD and upgraded ram myself to 40 GB) one week ago and it has been just fine this far but haven’t really tried it out yet and have 7 more days to return it if I don’t like it. But your post of course worries me but not enough to return. There isn’t really an alternative except for the MacBook Pro 16” and that has its own issues.
Will update with any issues encountered!

And I would not recommend anyone to get an iMac older than 2015 today, I can’t see it being worth the money so better save your some more and get something more relevant today. But that’s just my thoughts..

Congrats on the machine -- I know you deliberated heavily on it. This config was on my short list.

Do you notice any fan noise? You might want to run Intel Power Gadget to keep tabs on temps and CPU activity to make sure it's in a comfortable range.

My "lowly" 3.0 ghz rarely spins up the fan. It happened once when I tried out some games, but that was it.

 

[Paratriplel]

Congrats on the machine -- I know you deliberated heavily on it. This config was on my short list.

Do you notice any fan noise? You might want to run Intel Power Gadget to keep tabs on temps and CPU activity to make sure it's in a comfortable range.

My "lowly" 3.0 ghz rarely spins up the fan. It happened once when I tried out some games, but that was it.

I just went in here to see the rumors about the new iMac / refreshed iMac.. still have a few days to return this but well I’m not sure I’ll do that but haven’t had time to really try this out but will as soon as possible.

When I’ve done some easier 3D modeling I’ve heard the fan spin up for a few seconds but then fade away again, so far I can nice with this but will see how it acts with logic and Apollo Console my MacBook Pro is a bit loud with that combination but it’s also a laptop not a stationary.

Something thsr worries me more is that I’ve seen the spinning ball a lot while I’ve used it, not for long but still, I don’t like that I have seen it at all the short time I have used the iMac (about a total of 3-5 hours).

I’ll check out intels power gadet but it’s not that it seems to be hot at all yet, haven’t pushed it though!

 

[Paratriplel]

An update about fans, I realise when the computer is less than 1m away I hear the fans all the time, but it's not really something I get crazy from, just a soft quiet "schhhh" but I guess some people could find it really disturbing and probably myself if I'm in a bad mood.

I downloaded one of those "db measure"-apps from App Store, and stuck the phone in front of me and after a minute it was at an 32 db average if that helps someone out.

What's peoples thought? Is it a situation where you would have returned the iMac and waited a week or two for the new refreshed one to come out? I'm not in a situation where I loose money and I still have my MacBook Pro, which isn't that much slower than the iMac but I haven't tried pushing it as I said.

 

[cltd]

Is it i5 CPU?

 

[3SQ Machine]

Something thsr worries me more is that I’ve seen the spinning ball a lot while I’ve used it, not for long but still, I don’t like that I have seen it at all the short time I have used the iMac (about a total of 3-5 hours).

I wouldn’t worry about this. You just upgraded the system and it is busy doing a lot of background tasks right now. I think my machine had the same issue. If it lasts more than a few days, then get concerned. sometimes happens after a lot of updates. you have one of the most powerful computers in the consumer iMac line—so you can’t do much better than what you have. Going i9 would only bring additional heat/cooling/fan noise issues, although there would be processing improvements with certain tasks.

 

[Paratriplel]

Yes it’s the i5 CPU.

Yes it’s a fantastic computer and probably will work just fine but even if it’sonly a speed increase in a week I’m afraid I’d be feeling so stupid for not returning it when I had the chance. it could on the other hand be months or just be a insignificant upgradebut I’m truly not sure howI will do right now. I’d I just had another week to examine it I could feel a but more safe with keeping it, hmm... nice to know you at least can tell me straight it’s not making my current computer obsolete.

 

[cltd]

So what is your alternative if returning?

 

[Sam Marks]

So what is your alternative if returning?

I commented this before. I returned my i9 iMac some months ago and now I use silent new Clevo N970TC laptop with Windows 10 to produce my music. This laptop is as powerful and stable as the iMac but much more silent for music making.

It has an 8 core i7 9700 cpu, double fan, a good cooling system, 17.3" HD mate screen, 64GB RAM, 3TB fast SSD storage and a nvidia GTX1660ti gpu. I paid €1400. It is a perfect machine for music production. I use Ableton Live and Cubase and lots of powerful plugins.

I planned to install OSX but Windows 10 is a very easy and stable OSX. The user experience with the music software I use is identical to OSX for me.