Older Mac Pro For Home Recording

[white-mountain-]

Hi,

I am just an old 60/70's rocker dude that would like to record some of my own music at home.

Lack of money is a concern so I was thinking about buying an older model Mac Pro and make some upgrades.

Does anyone have any information that could help me know how to proceed and what to look for?

One question is; I was looking into getting an older model Mac Pro, then upgrade the Ram to 16G, then upgrade the Hard Drive to Solid State....

I wonder if there would be a big difference between Duo Core vs Quad Core for what I am wanting to do?

Thanks!

 

[pigoo3]

I think that it would help if you provided more details regarding exactly what you want to do. The will help suggesting a good computer.

Also...I trust that when you're using the term "Mac Pro" that you are referring to a Mac Pro desktop computer...and not incorrectly saying "Mac Pro" if "MacBook Pro" is what is really meant.

Finally...what is your approximate budget?

- Nick

p.s. Welcome to Mac-Forums.

 

[white-mountain-]

I think that it would help if you provided more details regarding exactly what you want to do. The will help suggesting a good computer.

Also...I trust that when you're using the term "Mac Pro" that you are referring to a Mac Pro desktop computer...and not incorrectly saying "Mac Pro" if "MacBook Pro" is what is really meant.

Finally...what is your approximate budget?

- Nick

p.s. Welcome to Mac-Forums.

Thanks Nick

Yes, the desktop Mac Pro, no Macbook etc.....

I have a guitar, a midi controller and I use Studio as my DAW system to record music.

Outside of recording my guitar I will mostly be recording Midi. So I need a fast computer, to help reduce 'latency' as I record.

The reason I was looking at the Mac Pro is that they are easy to upgrade, as I was looking through OWC and saw some what I think so great ways to upgrade. Also I could upgrade as the funds were available.

Right now I have about $500-$600 to spend....

Thanks again for your help........

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks Nick

Yes, the desktop Mac Pro, no Macbook etc.....

Ok...just wanted to be sure.

I have a guitar, a midi controller and I use Studio as my DAW system to record music.

Outside of recording my guitar I will mostly be recording Midi. So I need a fast computer, to help reduce 'latency' as I record.

If you have a bunch of external hardware you need to interface with the computer...a Mac Pro is probably the best Apple computer choice. Depending what sort of internal cards or external "boxes" you need to interface your equipment with the computer.

The reason I was looking at the Mac Pro is that they are easy to upgrade, as I was looking through OWC and saw some what I think so great ways to upgrade. Also I could upgrade as the funds were available.

Yes...Mac Pro's are easy to upgrade (internal storage, ram, video card)...but its the music related stuff you need to find solutions to (external devices I'm assuming).

Right now I have about $500-$600 to spend....

1st generation Mac Pro's (2.66ghz quad core) are selling for approx. $300 on eBay.

- Is "Studio" the software app you primarily use? If so...does it have a Macintosh version?
- Do you currently (or ever) owned a Macintosh computer?
- Are you familiar with the Mac OS?
- What computer setup are you currently using for your home music recording?

* Nick

 

[white-mountain-]

Ok...just wanted to be sure.



If you have a bunch of external hardware you need to interface with the computer...a Mac Pro is probably the best Apple computer choice. Depending what sort of internal cards or external "boxes" you need to interface your equipment with the computer.



Yes...Mac Pro's are easy to upgrade (internal storage, ram, video card)...but its the music related stuff you need to find solutions to (external devices I'm assuming).



1st generation Mac Pro's (2.66ghz quad core) are selling for approx. $300 on eBay.

- Is "Studio" the software app you primarily use? If so...does it have a Macintosh version?
- Do you currently (or ever) owned a Macintosh computer?
- Are you familiar with the Mac OS?
- What computer setup are you currently using for your home music recording?

* Nick

I really appreciate your help Nick.....!!!!

Yes, my Studio One worked fine on my imac until it died. I tried using a PC laptop, but the latency was horrible so I am just waiting to get the Mac Pro.

Yeah, I have been looking at ebay and am seeing what you are seeing.

So, you agree that I am on the right track?

Thanks

 

[pigoo3]

Yes, my Studio One worked fine on my imac until it died. I tried using a PC laptop, but the latency was horrible so I am just waiting to get the Mac Pro.

Ok…this info answers a lot of questions.

So you said that the PC laptop had a lot of latency. What about the iMac you had…how did it do? And what exact model was it?

As far as the Mac Pro. This Studio One app…if it is not written to take advantage of 4 cores…then a quad-core Mac Pro won't help.

Need to now the specs of your old iMac…and how well it ran Studio One. Then we can talk what next to get that meets or exceeds that computer.

- Nick

 

[white-mountain-]

Ok…this info answers a lot of questions.

So you said that the PC laptop had a lot of latency. What about the iMac you had…how did it do? And what exact model was it?

As far as the Mac Pro. This Studio One app…if it is not written to take advantage of 4 cores…then a quad-core Mac Pro won't help.

Need to now the specs of your old iMac…and how well it ran Studio One. Then we can talk what next to get that meets or exceeds that computer.

- Nick

Thanks so much Nick

The imac was an early 2009 model. Here is an Amazon run down of the model I had cept I had 4G Ram in mine.

I did not get a real chance to put a heavy load on her as I will when I get another Mac as I plan on adding more instruments via midi as I plan to write Orchestra music with all the horns etc.....

I was looking to have a unit with 16G Ram and this:

OWC SSD Upgrades for Mac Pro Towers

I was thinking that this could serve me well?

What do you think?

Thanks

 

[pigoo3]

The imac was an early 2009 model. Here is an Amazon run down of the model I had cept I had 4G Ram in mine.

No rundown.

I think that you may have "glossed-over" what I said above about the Mac Pro. Unless this Studio One app is written to take advantage of the 4 cores of a Mac Pro…then having a 4 core Mac Pro will not improve things.

FYI…newer used iMac's (newer than 2009) can easily be upgraded to 16gig of ram. And depending on the iMac…an SSD can be installed as well.

- Nick

 

[white-mountain-]

No rundown.

I think that you may have "glossed-over" what I said above about the Mac Pro. Unless this Studio One app is written to take advantage of the 4 cores of a Mac Pro…then having a 4 core Mac Pro will not improve things.

FYI…newer used iMac's (newer than 2009) can easily be upgraded to 16gig of ram. And depending on the iMac…an SSD can be installed as well.

- Nick

Oops Amazon.com : Apple iMAC All In One A1224 20" Desktop (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66Ghz, 320GB Hard Drive, 4096Mb RAM, DVDRW Drive, OS X 10.5.2) : Desktop Computers : Computers & Accessories

Here is what I can find on The Studio I have (below).....Studio One Professional, Does 64 Bit help?

It seems that it would be wise to go 2009 or higher model year if I understand you correctly...

As for the inerfaces I am using, I am using a Rack Eleven as an audio interface for now but plan on adding an Apogee interface in the future along with a studio mixer..

Hope that helps a bit more






Studio One Professional is a complete, no-holds-barred production tool that pulls out all the stops and enables you to run completely amok (musically). Professional gives you a 64-bit double-precision audio engine for superior sound quality and lets you work to QuickTime video. Be the master manipulator of pitch, thanks to the included Melodyne Essential (licensed, not a demo). Your mixes take on a professional sheen after being treated by the premium plug-ins Professional adds: Multiband Dynamics (more than just compression), Open AIR convolution reverb, Pipeline for integrating outboard processors, the endlessly awesome Groove Delay, and IR Maker, which enables you to create your own impulse responses for Open AIR and Ampire XT.
To the content included with other versions, we add Native Instruments Komplete Elements library, with more than 3 GB of samples and sounds we think you'll find entertaining.
When your mixes are done, Studio One Professional kicks things up another gear. The Project page is Studio One's unique mastering solution, armed with versatile metering and processing options, and seamless integration between mixing and mastering environments, an exclusive PreSonus innovation.
The Project page also offers extensive variety in output formats, adding automatic uploading to Nimbit® and SoundCloud™; Red Book CD burning, disk images, the DDP professional duplication format, and individual files for downloading, to the five file formats available for exporting mixes.
With its complete set of tools, Studio One Professional lets you go from recording your first riff to final release and sale of your finished music without ever leaving the program. No other DAW can do all this

 

[white-mountain-]

I found this Mac Pro Apple Mac Pro Quad Core – 2.8 GHz Computer A1289 (2012) that is missing the hard drive...

If I can get it for a couple hundred bucks, I can then just add the HD....?

That should work right?

 

[Dogbreath]

w-m . . . as Nick stated above...be sure that the recording software has been designed to use multi-core processing. If the recording software is not designed to use more than one core, then having even a 12 core processor computer would not have any advantages at all.
And Yes, 64 bit is what you want.

 

[pigoo3]

This is what the PreSonus website FAQ area says:

"Combined with a multiprocessing engine that ensures CPU loads are well balanced across all available cores..."

This would seem to indicate that a quad-core Mac Pro would be a decent option.

I found this Mac Pro Apple Mac Pro Quad Core – 2.8 GHz Computer A1289 (2012) that is missing the hard drive...

If I can get it for a couple hundred bucks, I can then just add the HD....?

That should work right?

This is actually a 2010 model. This would be a MUCH BETTER choice…and if the price is in your budget…all the better.

- Nick

 

[johnodd4]

do not purchase a mac pro 1.1 you have to hack the heck out of them to run anything get a mac pro 3.1 or better

 

[white-mountain-]

This is what the PreSonus website FAQ area says:

"Combined with a multiprocessing engine that ensures CPU loads are well balanced across all available cores..."

This would seem to indicate that a quad-core Mac Pro would be a decent option.



This is actually a 2010 model. This would be a MUCH BETTER choice…and if the price is in your budget…all the better.

- Nick

I see that now (2010)....Someone has outbid me, so I am wondering if I should go higher on my bid.....
If I could get that computer for less than $200 it would still be a pretty nice deal, don't you think?

Thanks every one thus far for your shared knowledge!!!!!

 

[pigoo3]

I see that now (2010)....Someone has outbid me, so I am wondering if I should go higher on my bid.....
If I could get that computer for less than $200 it would still be a pretty nice deal, don't you think?

In an earlier post you said you could get this 2010 Mac Pro for a few hundred dollars. If this were true…that would be an AMAZING deal! What you didn't say was…this 2010 Mac Pro was an eBay auction that isn't over!!!

Why would you think that if older 2006 Mac Pro's are selling for around $300 on eBay…you could get a much newer & more powerful 2010 Mac Pro for the same price (a few hundred)??

The answer is…you won't or can't get a fully operational 2010 quad-core Mac Pro for $300 on eBay (and certainly not $200). When all the "dust has settled" on the this 2010 Mac Pro eBay auction…you will find that the final price will be around $800-$1000+. More than your budget.

For example…here's a quad-core 2.8ghz 2010 Mac Pro with a Buy It Now price of $975:

Mac Pro 2010 2 8 GHz 4 Core Intel Xeon 1TB HD 8 GB RAM MC250LL A Warranty 885909610440 | eBay

This is typical price of how many eBay auctions for 2010 quad-core Mac Pro will end up. Sure…you may get very very very lucky…and get one for less…but this is rare.

- Nick

 

[white-mountain-]

In an earlier post you said you could get this 2010 Mac Pro for a few hundred dollars. If this were true…that would be an AMAZING deal! What you didn't say was…this 2010 Mac Pro was an eBay auction that isn't over!!!

Why would you think that if older 2006 Mac Pro's are selling for around $300 on eBay…you could get a much newer & more powerful 2010 Mac Pro for the same price (a few hundred)??

The answer is…you won't or can't get a fully operational 2010 quad-core Mac Pro for $300 on eBay (and certainly not $200). When all the "dust has settled" on the this 2010 Mac Pro eBay auction…you will find that the final price will be around $800-$1000+. More than your budget.

For example…here's a quad-core 2.8ghz 2010 Mac Pro with a Buy It Now price of $975:

Mac Pro 2010 2 8 GHz 4 Core Intel Xeon 1TB HD 8 GB RAM MC250LL A Warranty 885909610440 | eBay

This is typical price of how many eBay auctions for 2010 quad-core Mac Pro will end up. Sure…you may get very very very lucky…and get one for less…but this is rare.

- Nick

Well Nick, after your slap side the head wake up call I realize that even at a higher price I am still getting a sweet deal even with having to add the SSD..

So, I am willing to push that bad boy up and see how it goes, I may just get lucky

Then when I do get that bad boy we can talk about setting it up. I know this machine can be exactly what I want....

I don't bid in ebay usually so, I did jump the gun a bit in an earlier post

Thanks for all the help Nick and everyone!

 

[pigoo3]

Well Nick, after your slap side the head wake up call I realize that even at a higher price I am still getting a sweet deal even with having to add the SSD.

I was mostly thinking about the original budget of $500-$600 ($300 for the computer & $200-$300 for extras).

And you also mentioned "hoping" to get this 2010 Mac Pro for $200 (which is never going to happen). At least not for another 10 years! Not when they are currently worth $800-$1000+. 2006 Mac Pro's (which are 8 years old at this point)…are still selling for $250-$300…but $200 on a very good day would be possible.

I still think that you will likely spend over $900 for this 2010 Mac Pro + shipping ($50+)…plus the cost of the SSD. So you will be into this computer for $1000+. This is a lot more than the budget you mentioned earlier ($500-$600).

This 2010 Mac Pro is definitely a better computer…and definitely is more "up-dateable" from an OS standpoint. The 2006 Mac Pro could only officially do OS 10.7.5…and OS 10.10 is going to be out soon. But…you're paying a lot more for it ($300 for a 2006 Mac Pro…$900+ for a 2010 Mac Pro).

Of course with more $$$$…you can get/do more.

I will definitely be interested to know if you end up getting this computer…and how much you ended up getting it for. Good luck with the auction!

- Nick

 

[white-mountain-]

I was mostly thinking about the original budget of $500-$600 ($300 for the computer & $200-$300 for extras).

And you also mentioned "hoping" to get this 2010 Mac Pro for $200 (which is never going to happen). At least not for another 10 years! Not when they are currently worth $800-$1000+. 2006 Mac Pro's (which are 8 years old at this point)…are still selling for $250-$300…but $200 on a very good day would be possible.


I will definitely be interested to know if you end up getting this computer…and how much you ended up getting it for. Good luck with the auction!

- Nick

Thanks Nick, I at this moment have top bid at $355, so we will see...

The budget was set because of a sales commission I was to receive is about $1000 more than I thought. Of course most of it goes to my wife but my birthday is next month so I will make it my bday gift to myself..lol

The deal is that my imac died on me almost a year ago and I am itching like crazy to record some music.So, the more I though about what you guys were saying I know that if I get the 2010 and set it up properly, that bad boy will be able to do what I want then I can get back to my music!!!!!!

Will keep you posted

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks Nick, I at this moment have top bid at $355, so we will see...

How much time is left on the auction?

- Nick

 

[white-mountain-]

How much time is left on the auction?

- Nick

Four.....( yeah, I know what you are thinking