I upgraded about 4 months ago but I had a guy build me a Hackintosh. For about $2k, I got an i9 10-core CPU, 64GB ram, RX580 for any rendering and a 1TB NVMe with room to grow. I actually have external drives as well, but I write all my sessions of a customers to an internal NVMe first which is captured in backup by Time Machine AND my local server's backup. Then when I'm done, I transfer everything to an external drive or USB drive and give them a copy
I ordered the same MBP you have earlier this month, and definitely grateful you shared this. Since the first task will be for live playback in Ableton (with midi pedal programming), it shouldn't be a problem since I doubt 3rd party plugins will be used before/after M1 full compatibility. Since my current studio interfaces with a Symphony I/O, it shouldn't be a problem using the USB port instead of PCIe because I use a console for tracking/headphones/monitoring. The main concern is whether purchasing a PCIe enclosure or Apogee ThunderBridge will be necessary. Time will tell!
I just bought a brand new 2019 MacBook Pro earlier this year with insane specs for about $3,000 and I’m having som regrets now because I didn’t know the M1 chip was coming 😅😅
Holding off until the iMacs are released with M1 but very tempted to go Macbook Pro and just get an additional monitor for video edits... Great video, as always!
I’ll hold off until the *rumoured* 2022 M1 Mac Pro, my trash can will serve until then and even then it will be cost dependent. As a film composer I need a LOT more RAM than the current offering (unless ARM macs will push sample plugins to better stream from disk) I’ll be looking at 256 - 512GB of RAM
I have been using the M1 Air, and since I got it I haven't even turned on my Mac Pro. I honestly love it, and so far all my plugins and software works flawlessly.
@@MehOccor Mine is the 8GB model, and my Mac Pro is the 5,1 version from 2009 (although massively upgraded). I found that with audio stuff they are pretty much tied, although if I had the 16GB version it might end up being better than my Pro. With almost everything else the new M1 destroys the Mac Pro 2009 though, other than graphics/gaming, although even in gaming the Air holds its own against my 8GB Radeon 580X graphics card.
@@mikeandersonwa Yeah, the thing with unified memory is that here, you basically share the same pool of memory for both, CPU and GPU, so you share this 8GB for CPU RAM and GPU VRAM. So 16GB could yield massively better results compared to this Mac Pro. I've ordered mine m1 with 16GB, can't wait to get my hands on it. Thanks for kind reply!
Sweetwater hosts a compatibility matrix, and when I checked last week, over 190 vendors were still warning users to avoid Big Sur/M1. Plugins are just as important as your DAW and hardware drivers...
My greatest respect for your work on your channel Colt! One suggestion to get this test deeper into real life if I may: Use a couple virtual instruments like 4 instantiations of CPU-hogs such as Omnisphere with demanding performances on each channel using CC's as you would in a real life scenario: CC11, CC 1, CC 7, Breathcontrol, Pitch bend. Then add 6 - 10 instantiations of Kontakt with around 5-10 CPU hungry inserts such as Abbey Road Drummers, Noire etc. in each one playing back intense performances. It's been my experience that the stock plug-ins can be stacked like crazy until the session comes to a grinding halt - but the VI's is often what chokes the session off. Much more work for the CPU - and it;s the load change that can get the processor to go shaky. Hope this is helpful to all considering to purchase this type of machine. Keep up the great work and good luck with the M1!! Peace
The deal breaker is software support These days I am more interested in everything working flawlessly and being able to use what I paid for. I’m also more interested in investing more time into music by studying and practicing more. That’s where I’m at. I’m tired of spending money on shit. I’ve got all I need. It might not be the latest and the greatest or the fastest, but it more than gets the job done.
You make a good point! However, I’ve been using 3p plugins on logic with Rosetta and have had no problems, everything is sooo smooth and never have to worry about cpu usage (imagine once it’s native!). Btw UAD is now working for M1. If you already have a decent computer there’s no need to upgrade, but if you feel limited (loud fans, cpu usage, stuttering) then the upgrade is totally worth it since even the base model Air is a beast and has made getting into professional music production so much more affordable than ever before!
That’s exactly how I feel with my older i7 desktop computer running Cubase 8.5. It runs nearly perfectly smooth with all my older hardware and legacy software plugins. There is almost undetectable latency recording guitar through amp sims. It took me years to get my home studio to this point. It just works. And freezing/unfreezing tracks to get more power is not really a hassle in Cubase. How many times have I lost tons of work and time due to feeling like I “have” to upgrade to the latest version of Windows, only to find hardly anything runs, and new hardware drivers aren’t available? Forget it. I’m going to put off ever having to go through that for as long as I can. Who would know if my music was created in Windows 7 with an Intel chip, vs an Apple M1? It’s not worth it anymore. I see all these things as tools now, and not the end result of why I wanted my own studio in the first place. I just keep lots of image backups around on various hard drives. Maybe in 2 years when it all settles down, I’ll look into having to make this $$$$$investment again. I mean Abbey Road studios is still using the same gear the Beatles recorded on in the 60’s, right?? There, that’s my rant. :)
I just want to be able to record more than 3 virtual instruments without having to bounce to audio/delete the go VI, and these are much more affordable than any the laptops I was considering. I'm quite happy about it, but I'll wait until this summer, just to have all my plugins updated.
Imagine the “pro” chips with 32 or 64 CPU cores. You’ll be running protools sessions with 128 reverbs while rendering multiple 8k videos just to feel like you’re stressing your CPU a little bit...
@@hardcoreherbivore4730 Let's consider that this is the second time Apple is trying this different CPU route. And that Apple has to wait for ARM to catch up. Notice that none of their silicon accepts more than 16 GB of RAM. That's because all flagship phones in the market are capped at 16 GB too.
@@hardcoreherbivore4730 What part of "I wouldn't put money on it" you didn't get? My money is worth more than whatever happens to Apple and their new silicon. They're not paying me to say nice things nor giving me units to make videos of.
Always nice to see some fellow producers take the lead into the new tech! So i subscribed. I have bought the Mac Pro 2019 with 16-core, 8TB internal Storage SSD and 96 GB of ram. With the W5700X GPU so i expect this machine to run me some years. But it's really exciting to see so much power in a laptop!
Since this was made, 12-core/64GB 2013 Mac Pro’s are going for £350-400 used, 16GB M1 MacBook Pro’s are going for £550-600 used and Pro Tools 2024.3 isn’t just Apple Silicon native, but uses the E-cores too now. For recording in Pro Tools and the cache files for Reason 12 I use with it, I use a dedicated external M.2 SATA drive in a 10Gbit enclosure that has a couple of USB 2.0 ports I use for my iLok and the receiver for my wireless mouse. This also has my Waves licences on it and gets a solid 400GBs write and 450GBs read with the USB 3 ports on my 16GB 2.6Ghz i7 Mac Mini booting off a SATA SSD and the USB 3.2 card I have in my 96GB 3.46Ghz 12-core 2012 Mac Pro booting off an NVMe I have for more demanding stuff. I could easily replace both my systems with just a 16GB M1 MacBook Pro at this point. Even found a Thunderbolt dock with 60W charging, internal NVMe slot and enough USB-C and USB-A ports to hook everything I use up to the ports of the M1 MacBook without issue for about £100 new. It’s never been a better time to be looking for a newer system. All my plugins are now Apple Silicon Native too.
Spot on! Colt, you’re the man! Really appreciate all you do and all the quality content you release. I’m a Nashvillian over in Nash north and hope we run into each other some day. Would love to pick your brain about too many things! Happy New Year to you and your family.
I want a M1 Mac Mini. But I'm a hobbyist and my 2012 Mini with an i7 and 16 gigs is still more powerful than I need bc I only use Logic Pro with stock plugins and maybe 8 tracks at the most I cannot break 28% cpu utilization.
I have the M1 Mini, and am currently running my Apollo with Console with very few hiccups! UAD has released updates for Big Sur, but you do have to boot into safe mode and turn off some settings. But if you follow UAD's directions, it should work. I am running full sessions in Logic with my apollo, and so far there have only been a few plugins that are clunky.
Yes! Been waiting for this. Looking to downsize my machines. Have a 2018 Mac mini and 2015 MacBook Pro. Still very good computers, but would be great to have one machine running two locations.
I was able to get all the UAD software installed with no issues on my M1 MacBook Air. There some security settings that must be changed when installing it, even Luna works just fine too
I wonder if that Rosetta Stone thing is coming into play with the UAD environment. At the moment I have 2018 Mac Mini i7/ Apollo Duo/ Octo Satellite setup. I was considering the M1 mini.
Is there something im not understanding here? Isn't the "trash can" from 2013 or something? I would be surprised if my phone doesnt have more power than that by now.
i really love my m1 pro for music production. i heard you mention the interface but i gave that up ages ago. the headphone connection is 100% fine for my music (at my bedroom level) and everything else is bluetooth! bluetooth headphones, bluetooth soundbar, and my akai keyboard is bluetooth. everything works 100% but i use the headphone connection while creating so i'm not putting too much stress on the bluetooth driver m1 all the way. so glad i upgraded, and all of my plug-ins work - just go to folder - right click - run with rosetta - and it runs 💻🎧 m1 is a powerhouse. i doubt i'll need a new laptop for a good 5-10 years with my basic production (never more than 20 audio channels) 👊🏽
Picked up a MacPro 2013 last year and have been using the hell out of it for FL Studio and love it! The system is so rock solid stable and love the fact that I have Time Capsule in if worse comes to worse (and I ***HATE*** re-installing all my VSTs & tools) - two things that made me look for another option than Windows. Interestingly, FL Studio 2024 now runs beautifully on Linux under Bottles (Wine) so when I'm on the go, it's a Linux laptop and I can quickly move FL Studio & all VST plugins to any other laptop, or via bootable ISO.
AWESOME 🤘 I am looking to upgrade my 2012 Mac mini next year so this is awesome news! Thanks for the great video! Hope you and the family have a safe and Happy New Year!🎈🎊🎆
I run out of power in my 12core 2013 mac pro all the time. I don’t use virtual instruments, put the highest buffer setting in Ableton and also use lots of uad plugins that offloads power from the mac pro to uad dsp and still I run out of power. Wonder what I’m doing differently. And I’m not sure new m1 pro will do me any better.
Have the M1 Air for a month now, love it, especially the battery life and ZERO noise. IMHO It's the 1st truly wireless laptop! However, I'm still waiting for drivers for my MOTU M2, Boss Katana, etc. My old trusty Steinberg UR22 (not class compliant usb) won't even work. For now, I'm still relying on my brute PC.
I have a MacBook Pro 16" 2019 with the i7, running Catalina. I've loaded your session: in stop I have the user CPU load at about 4/5%. In playback it goes to about 30%. With a system usage of 3 to 5 %
Love the possibilities so far. But I’m waiting until the next round. Older Mac user here who got burned when Apple switched from the PowerPC to Intel. Rosetta at first was great... but overtime it was painful. This time I am waiting till the path is 100% clear before I jump into a new machine. Thanks for the video! Looking hopeful towards new year. 🤙
Doesnt it have just one input if u put the charging on? And ur using an external drive. How do we connect an audio interface if your mac needs charging but you need to work. Buy an external input hub?.. sigh thats not like a pro machine. Dont know why they did that
I keep questioning one thing. Why is 16GB the maximum amount of RAM you can have? If you go to their other offerings, all the ones with more RAM are still Intel CPU models. Is this a similar silicon to the Qualcomm stuff, because that's also the maximum amount of RAM it can take.
Hello Colt! Is there an external drive that you recommend to be able to work without filling space in the macbook drive? I want to buy one to install virtual instruments libraries and samples. Thank you!
Nice video, I’d love to see a similar test with a more composer approach, meaning more virtual instrument such Diva, Omnisphere, etc... and more sample libraries plugins such Kontakt. They’re generally what take down pretty quickly my computers.
Would recommend this for something seeking to learn and get involved with recording/producing? What can you suggest?? Like what type of plugins,interface and so forth. Only for music not video all tho eventually maybe get into that as well
So while it hasn’t yet gotten hot, it does get warm to the touch when doing that big ProTools session, or when exporting a long video. It’s the main reason I went with the pro instead of the air. The only thing you would see is the air might slow down a little bit as it gets hot to help with the heat. I don’t notice any power loss when this thing gets warm. Hope that helps!
@@ColtCapperrune Thanks man! Your videos really help and thumbs up to all the hard work you put in making them. I was thinking of upgrading and this really helped. Would love to see more of these in the future. Happy new year cheers!!!!
Yeah, I'm pretty stoked about where Apple is headed. I'll be waiting for the next iteration of M1 Macs, I bought a new MacBook Pro last spring. I think I'll be more interested in a mini though.
126 reverbs and only 30% CPU usage holy shit!!!! Jaw dropped at that point. Something to look forward to in a couple of years when the kinks have been worked out lol
Hi. So i'm thinking on buying a Mac Mini M1 for using Ableton live 10, but I'm not sure if it'll be the right choice since I don't know if any of my go-to plugins are available on that system, these are the plugins I intend to use: U-he Tyrell n6, PG 8X, Surge, Valhalla vintage reverb, Izotope Vinyl, Spitfire Audio Labs, Wider, Serum. Has someone had experiences with any of these plugins on a M1 Mac so far? Also i've read that the best way to do it is by using Rosetta 2, but i've read that Rosetta can damage the ssd of an M1 so i don't know what to do. Also idk if the compatibility problems have to be with m1 or the OS big sur. Any help would be appreciated
This is dope!!! I'm most interested in how these will handle big virtual instrument sessions. I have all of the cool output instruments but never really use them because they destroy my computer haha. I was going to grab a new m1 mini but now I'm wondering if I need to go all out and grab a pro. Decisions decisions....
I just asked a similar question but regarding modeled instruments like AM's SWAM and the disk access/load time for big libraries like Cine. I'm currently using an i5 2.5 MBook Pro with 16 gb and 256 gb ssd. Handles my pianoteq/Logic stuff with ease. For orchestral, I have to freeze a track or 2 for a SWAM string qtet with a fairly dense Pianoteq track. I would imagine the M1 to be a big improvement for modeled instruments. Would be interested in your experiences. RS MidiOpera.com
After Pro Tools and Plugins have been optimized for M1, would you consider “upgrading” your trashcan to a M1 Mac Mini 16GB, or do you think you’d go for a higher end Mac? I guess it’ll depend on timing, which I think we’ll see other Apple Macs before all plugins have been updated, but just I ordered one of those since my 2013 15” MacBook Pro is dying, but I use PreSonus Studio One, which hasn’t still been optimized. For now, I will try my PreSonus AudioBox iTwo Interface with Garageband to see if that works. Else, I can still use my iPad Pro with the interface and GarageBand iOS and then transfer.
It’s going to depend on how long it takes them to get everything ready. And if the next version of apple chips has been announced. As of right now it’s seeming like a 16 GB Mac mini M one could easily replace my trashcan
wait for the m1x this summer 12 to 16 core 16gb standard up to 64gb ram twice as fast cpu and graphics not much more considering 512 and 16gb is standard. thats a $400 up charge on the early m1. plus thunderbolt 4 and more ports and possibly egpu.
Great review! I've heard through the grapevine good things about this MacBook and the new chips. I've been thinking a long time about a mobile rig. This just might be the thing.
Hi, thank you for that video. I was wondering about pro tools running rosetta2. I want to get a MacMini to replace my old MacPro. Did you test the pro tools with third parties plugins like waves, McDsp or Plugin-Alliance stuff? Tha could be very important for me.
Hey Colt! Happy New Year! I have a MacBook Pro laptop from 2016 (16 gigs ram) and I need to upgrade as I have sessions crash if I get too many plugins going. UAD as well here, but using other plugins I stall this unit. Thanks for the great information as I am waiting for the 16” laptop with the M1 chip. I was really pleased to see that these will work on video as well as I use DaVinci Resolve and its a beast on resources. Great timing. Please show us a session with that laptop once all the manufactures make it compatible with the new chips! Thanks Brad.
What I'd like to know is how the Universal Audio business model could change with this. A machine like this could run a lot of their plugins with no problem with no DSP systems. And it's a pain in the ass to have one of their devices plugged in to use their plugins if you are a musician on the go.
As powerful as the M1 Mac is, there have been PCs and Macs with comparable or better performance that could easily run UAD plugins. The reason they won't do this is that UADs whole 'run our plugins in our interface' also acts as a DRM because you can't pirate UAD plugins since you can't run them without a UAD interface anyway
do you think the new mac mini has the same capabilities this MacBook pro has, as far as you experienced it? it would be nice to see if you get your hands on one and do some testing!
Im a logic guy in need of an upgrade at the moment, i have been eyeing on the m1 16gb for quite some time now but use too many third party plugins that are not yet compatible AND my UAD hardware which i hear its unofficially compatible but that means its still not yet qualified. I found a really rare/good deal to pick uo a used 2013 trash can, 8 core, 64gb ram, 1tb, d300. I am sure buying the m1 is the logical investment as its a new technology but I just fear for my current projects that heavily use not yet compatible plugins. Do you think i should buy the used 2013 trash can and resell it when the more advanced m series chip comes out which effectively would be when compatibility issues are settled (hopefully)? Or just bite the bullet and go with the m1?
The MBP M1 runs smoothly here too. Logic is fine with most plugins from waves, isotope and NI. But I can't agree on the battery power. with just using the map for browsing through internet, TH-cam and iTunes it might work for 6-8h maximum here.
i was thinking of getting a decent laptop which can run omnisphere keyscape on fl and also adobe photoshop and other softwares like them i was thinking of getting MSI GL 65 i7 16gb ram 1660Ti or an ASUS ROG Strix with same specs or Apple MacBook Pro w/ m1 chip and 8 gb ram(16 gb not available in my country) which one u think should i get?
Do you use any modeled instruments like AudioModeling SWAM or Pianoteq? I would be interested in how many instruments could be played in real time. Also, disk load for large sample libraries like Cinematic or CineSamples would be of interest. I don't usually "like" these tech videos but you are articulate and present very professionally. Subscribing.
@coltcapperrune thanks for the info. Man, I’ve been in Pro tools 10 HD Purgatory for years! Granted it was a $40k rig in 2009 and is just now obsolete. I’m on my old intel Mac Pro/ Pro tools 10 HD Rig. 10.8.6 I think. With 3 192 I/O, 2 accel and 1 core PCI Cards. Until now, I haven’t found anything worth risking the potential downtime and cost. I’m so ready to make a move!
Tip, performance is there, but I ran out of memory fast. so you will need a bigger SSD. performance is affected my lack of memory, so 8 gigs does run hard after filling it up. had to test it like that. lol
Not so much, I'm waiting for the m1 version with at least 32gb ram. 32gb is the minimum for trailer music, even if the settings for loading RAM in Kontakt and Play are at a minimum.
And with 4 thunderbolt 3 like in intel versions. 2 thundebolts in this version is a real joke, just imagine: 1 for power, so we only have one thunderbolt for connecting a sound card, uad card, external hard drives, external monitors, etc.
may I ask, if you'd absolutely have to choose a reliable MBP for ProTools right now, would you pick 16GB M1" or 32GB Intel 13" or 32GB Intel 16"? no matter the price, and no future updates plan, so machine being "as it is", thanks in advance
If you had to go into full professional use literally today, I would get the 16 inch Intel. If you can wait just a month or two, or you don’t need it all day every day, the M1 13 inch MacBook Pro for sure
@@ColtCapperrune thanks for heads up, I'm a bit intrigued about the upcoming Macs, because the will be obviously better in terms on performance/value, but also very new to be "beta tested" by end users, and also there's no clear date of launch announced yet, so it can be not 1-2 months but 7-8 months from now..
I can’t wait to see a 64 core CPU, with 64GB ram and 4TB SSD, it could probably run 256 virtual instruments tracks (128 synth + 128 Kontakt), and then another 256 audio tracks on top... just enough to have a composer template a-la Hans Zimmer... all in one computer ;) if it comes as a Mac Mini Pro, I say: bingo!
I'm gonna need to replace my old 2012 iMac next year. Getting super slow and buggy. Definitely need something that can run UAD stuff. I wouldn't go with a laptop for my main studio computer but this is helpful regardless.
Dude same boat. My top tier 2012 iMac has severed me well for 8 years. It’s finally started choking on heavy project loads. I’m really tempted by a m1 Mac mini for a potential interim. It’s so cheap. I just don’t think it’ll be compatible with everything I need it to be yet.
@@jjboogie1 they have on my machine. I’m in the same boat as colt though, i still have my primary recording machine (Mac mini i7 w/ 32gb ram) but have everything doubled over to the Air to test. I think the original problems with UAD were more OS based, but now that they are supported on Big Sur, it’s able to be ran using Rosetta
Will YOU be upgrading??
I upgraded about 4 months ago but I had a guy build me a Hackintosh. For about $2k, I got an i9 10-core CPU, 64GB ram, RX580 for any rendering and a 1TB NVMe with room to grow. I actually have external drives as well, but I write all my sessions of a customers to an internal NVMe first which is captured in backup by Time Machine AND my local server's backup. Then when I'm done, I transfer everything to an external drive or USB drive and give them a copy
I ordered the same MBP you have earlier this month, and definitely grateful you shared this. Since the first task will be for live playback in Ableton (with midi pedal programming), it shouldn't be a problem since I doubt 3rd party plugins will be used before/after M1 full compatibility. Since my current studio interfaces with a Symphony I/O, it shouldn't be a problem using the USB port instead of PCIe because I use a console for tracking/headphones/monitoring. The main concern is whether purchasing a PCIe enclosure or Apogee ThunderBridge will be necessary. Time will tell!
I just bought a brand new 2019 MacBook Pro earlier this year with insane specs for about $3,000 and I’m having som regrets now because I didn’t know the M1 chip was coming 😅😅
Holding off until the iMacs are released with M1 but very tempted to go Macbook Pro and just get an additional monitor for video edits... Great video, as always!
I’ll hold off until the *rumoured* 2022 M1 Mac Pro, my trash can will serve until then and even then it will be cost dependent. As a film composer I need a LOT more RAM than the current offering (unless ARM macs will push sample plugins to better stream from disk) I’ll be looking at 256 - 512GB of RAM
I have been using the M1 Air, and since I got it I haven't even turned on my Mac Pro. I honestly love it, and so far all my plugins and software works flawlessly.
Just out of curiosity, 8GB or 16GB model? Is it comparable to the Mac Pro or even better in some cases?
@@MehOccor Mine is the 8GB model, and my Mac Pro is the 5,1 version from 2009 (although massively upgraded). I found that with audio stuff they are pretty much tied, although if I had the 16GB version it might end up being better than my Pro. With almost everything else the new M1 destroys the Mac Pro 2009 though, other than graphics/gaming, although even in gaming the Air holds its own against my 8GB Radeon 580X graphics card.
@@mikeandersonwa Yeah, the thing with unified memory is that here, you basically share the same pool of memory for both, CPU and GPU, so you share this 8GB for CPU RAM and GPU VRAM. So 16GB could yield massively better results compared to this Mac Pro. I've ordered mine m1 with 16GB, can't wait to get my hands on it.
Thanks for kind reply!
@@mikeandersonwa It should be faster than your Mac Pro. The single-core score for your mac pro is probably no more than 520. The M1 is over 1700
@@MehOccor that's true, although I've been shocked at how well it performs even with 8GB.
Not being CPU limited is quite an amazing thing.
It’s like the switch to digital photography and not having to worry about wasting film on bad photos.
Sweetwater hosts a compatibility matrix, and when I checked last week, over 190 vendors were still warning users to avoid Big Sur/M1. Plugins are just as important as your DAW and hardware drivers...
My greatest respect for your work on your channel Colt!
One suggestion to get this test deeper into real life if I may:
Use a couple virtual instruments like 4 instantiations of CPU-hogs such as Omnisphere with demanding performances on each channel using CC's as you would in a real life scenario:
CC11, CC 1, CC 7, Breathcontrol, Pitch bend.
Then add 6 - 10 instantiations of Kontakt with around 5-10 CPU hungry inserts such as Abbey Road Drummers, Noire etc. in each one playing back intense performances.
It's been my experience that the stock plug-ins can be stacked like crazy until the session comes to a grinding halt - but the VI's is often what chokes the session off.
Much more work for the CPU - and it;s the load change that can get the processor to go shaky. Hope this is helpful to all considering to purchase this type of machine.
Keep up the great work and good luck with the M1!!
Peace
The deal breaker is software support
These days I am more interested in everything working flawlessly and being able to use what I paid for. I’m also more interested in investing more time into music by studying and practicing more. That’s where I’m at. I’m tired of spending money on shit. I’ve got all I need. It might not be the latest and the greatest or the fastest, but it more than gets the job done.
You make a good point! However, I’ve been using 3p plugins on logic with Rosetta and have had no problems, everything is sooo smooth and never have to worry about cpu usage (imagine once it’s native!). Btw UAD is now working for M1.
If you already have a decent computer there’s no need to upgrade, but if you feel limited (loud fans, cpu usage, stuttering) then the upgrade is totally worth it since even the base model Air is a beast and has made getting into professional music production so much more affordable than ever before!
That’s exactly how I feel with my older i7 desktop computer running Cubase 8.5. It runs nearly perfectly smooth with all my older hardware and legacy software plugins. There is almost undetectable latency recording guitar through amp sims. It took me years to get my home studio to this point. It just works. And freezing/unfreezing tracks to get more power is not really a hassle in Cubase.
How many times have I lost tons of work and time due to feeling like I “have” to upgrade to the latest version of Windows, only to find hardly anything runs, and new hardware drivers aren’t available? Forget it. I’m going to put off ever having to go through that for as long as I can.
Who would know if my music was created in Windows 7 with an Intel chip, vs an Apple M1?
It’s not worth it anymore. I see all these things as tools now, and not the end result of why I wanted my own studio in the first place. I just keep lots of image backups around on various hard drives. Maybe in 2 years when it all settles down, I’ll look into having to make this $$$$$investment again.
I mean Abbey Road studios is still using the same gear the Beatles recorded on in the 60’s, right?? There, that’s my rant. :)
If you bought apps that won’t update their software, you made an error. Apple didn’t do anything wrong.
I just want to be able to record more than 3 virtual instruments without having to bounce to audio/delete the go VI, and these are much more affordable than any the laptops I was considering. I'm quite happy about it, but I'll wait until this summer, just to have all my plugins updated.
Yeah, agreed. We should wait for all software producers to adapt...
I think you’ll be surprised at how much you can run on 16GB ram with the M1 architecture. It uses memory MUCH differently than Intel.
No problems with UAD software/plugins on my M1 Mac Mini.
My Apollo Twin is working fine on my M1 Air
Thank you for doing the CPU TEST😤😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😤😤😤😩😩 it was so hard to find a video on just that 1 thing! Thanks bro!
Saying you today - this is the best TH-cam channel! Thank you for all the music info. Have a great year!
That means a lot!!
Imagine the “pro” chips with 32 or 64 CPU cores.
You’ll be running protools sessions with 128 reverbs while rendering multiple 8k videos just to feel like you’re stressing your CPU a little bit...
I wouldn't put money on that.
@@BrunodeSouzaLino That depends, what kinda timeline are we talking about?
@@hardcoreherbivore4730 Let's consider that this is the second time Apple is trying this different CPU route. And that Apple has to wait for ARM to catch up. Notice that none of their silicon accepts more than 16 GB of RAM. That's because all flagship phones in the market are capped at 16 GB too.
@@BrunodeSouzaLino Sure, but what is your bet? If not by summer, maybe 2022? If we're talking 2 years, I'll bet everything I own.
@@hardcoreherbivore4730 What part of "I wouldn't put money on it" you didn't get? My money is worth more than whatever happens to Apple and their new silicon. They're not paying me to say nice things nor giving me units to make videos of.
Always nice to see some fellow producers take the lead into the new tech! So i subscribed. I have bought the Mac Pro 2019 with 16-core, 8TB internal Storage SSD and 96 GB of ram. With the W5700X GPU so i expect this machine to run me some years. But it's really exciting to see so much power in a laptop!
Really enjoying your videos, a lot of knowledge! Thank you!
Appreciate it!
We need a 1-year later review now!
Since this was made, 12-core/64GB 2013 Mac Pro’s are going for £350-400 used, 16GB M1 MacBook Pro’s are going for £550-600 used and Pro Tools 2024.3 isn’t just Apple Silicon native, but uses the E-cores too now. For recording in Pro Tools and the cache files for Reason 12 I use with it, I use a dedicated external M.2 SATA drive in a 10Gbit enclosure that has a couple of USB 2.0 ports I use for my iLok and the receiver for my wireless mouse. This also has my Waves licences on it and gets a solid 400GBs write and 450GBs read with the USB 3 ports on my 16GB 2.6Ghz i7 Mac Mini booting off a SATA SSD and the USB 3.2 card I have in my 96GB 3.46Ghz 12-core 2012 Mac Pro booting off an NVMe I have for more demanding stuff. I could easily replace both my systems with just a 16GB M1 MacBook Pro at this point. Even found a Thunderbolt dock with 60W charging, internal NVMe slot and enough USB-C and USB-A ports to hook everything I use up to the ports of the M1 MacBook without issue for about £100 new. It’s never been a better time to be looking for a newer system. All my plugins are now Apple Silicon Native too.
Spot on!
Colt, you’re the man!
Really appreciate all you do and all the quality content you release. I’m a Nashvillian over in Nash north and hope we run into each other some day.
Would love to pick your brain about too many things!
Happy New Year to you and your family.
I want a M1 Mac Mini. But I'm a hobbyist and my 2012 Mini with an i7 and 16 gigs is still more powerful than I need bc I only use Logic Pro with stock plugins and maybe 8 tracks at the most I cannot break 28% cpu utilization.
I have the M1 Mini, and am currently running my Apollo with Console with very few hiccups! UAD has released updates for Big Sur, but you do have to boot into safe mode and turn off some settings. But if you follow UAD's directions, it should work. I am running full sessions in Logic with my apollo, and so far there have only been a few plugins that are clunky.
Same experience here!
Unfortunately I follow their instructions step-by-step and still no luck for me… Glad it’s working for you!
Which Apollo do you have? I was told the Apollo Duo isn’t compatible.
Yes! Been waiting for this. Looking to downsize my machines. Have a 2018 Mac mini and 2015 MacBook Pro. Still very good computers, but would be great to have one machine running two locations.
Thanks for doing this test, was struggling to find a video like this, really well done
The future is exciting!
Big up for this had to subscribe instantly ❤️
I was able to get all the UAD software installed with no issues on my M1 MacBook Air. There some security settings that must be changed when installing it, even Luna works just fine too
I wonder if that Rosetta Stone thing is coming into play with the UAD environment. At the moment I have 2018 Mac Mini i7/ Apollo Duo/ Octo Satellite setup. I was considering the M1 mini.
@@allenlocke1935 that’s what I’m thinking as well. I’m not quite ready to move to m1 only, but enjoy having it on my MacBook Air
Damn! the quickness of this video definitely deserved as subscription! Been enjoying your videos recently, super helpful 🙏🔥
Is there something im not understanding here? Isn't the "trash can" from 2013 or something? I would be surprised if my phone doesnt have more power than that by now.
i really love my m1 pro for music production. i heard you mention the interface but i gave that up ages ago.
the headphone connection is 100% fine for my music (at my bedroom level) and everything else is bluetooth!
bluetooth headphones, bluetooth soundbar, and my akai keyboard is bluetooth.
everything works 100% but i use the headphone connection while creating so i'm not putting too much stress on the bluetooth driver
m1 all the way. so glad i upgraded, and all of my plug-ins work - just go to folder - right click - run with rosetta - and it runs 💻🎧
m1 is a powerhouse. i doubt i'll need a new laptop for a good 5-10 years with my basic production (never more than 20 audio channels) 👊🏽
Picked up a MacPro 2013 last year and have been using the hell out of it for FL Studio and love it! The system is so rock solid stable and love the fact that I have Time Capsule in if worse comes to worse (and I ***HATE*** re-installing all my VSTs & tools) - two things that made me look for another option than Windows. Interestingly, FL Studio 2024 now runs beautifully on Linux under Bottles (Wine) so when I'm on the go, it's a Linux laptop and I can quickly move FL Studio & all VST plugins to any other laptop, or via bootable ISO.
So the UAD Apollo Twin X Duo is NOT compatible with the new MacBook Pro?
AWESOME 🤘 I am looking to upgrade my 2012 Mac mini next year so this is awesome news! Thanks for the great video! Hope you and the family have a safe and Happy New Year!🎈🎊🎆
My Mac Pro 2013 is still rocking every FL Studio Project even with Tons of Diva and Serum
uad works on m1, i tested it, but not officially.
I run out of power in my 12core 2013 mac pro all the time. I don’t use virtual instruments, put the highest buffer setting in Ableton and also use lots of uad plugins that offloads power from the mac pro to uad dsp and still I run out of power. Wonder what I’m doing differently. And I’m not sure new m1 pro will do me any better.
Would love a follow-up video to hear how things have progressed!
Have the M1 Air for a month now, love it, especially the battery life and ZERO noise. IMHO It's the 1st truly wireless laptop! However, I'm still waiting for drivers for my MOTU M2, Boss Katana, etc. My old trusty Steinberg UR22 (not class compliant usb) won't even work. For now, I'm still relying on my brute PC.
I've been wanting to pull this trigger. Thanks for sharing this.
I have a MacBook Pro 16" 2019 with the i7, running Catalina. I've loaded your session: in stop I have the user CPU load at about 4/5%. In playback it goes to about 30%. With a system usage of 3 to 5 %
Love the possibilities so far. But I’m waiting until the next round. Older Mac user here who got burned when Apple switched from the PowerPC to Intel. Rosetta at first was great... but overtime it was painful. This time I am waiting till the path is 100% clear before I jump into a new machine. Thanks for the video! Looking hopeful towards new year. 🤙
Similar here. M1X should be around the corner too.
Happy New Year, Colt!
Happy New Year!
Oh boy I am glad of the fast forward feature
I have a Mac Pro from 2010 and I`m about to replace it with the new maxed out Mac mini. This looks promising
The Mac mini is the fastest of the M1 macs.
@@CannedFunkMusic reassuring to hear. Only gone and bought one
Doesnt it have just one input if u put the charging on? And ur using an external drive. How do we connect an audio interface if your mac needs charging but you need to work. Buy an external input hub?.. sigh thats not like a pro machine. Dont know why they did that
I keep questioning one thing. Why is 16GB the maximum amount of RAM you can have? If you go to their other offerings, all the ones with more RAM are still Intel CPU models. Is this a similar silicon to the Qualcomm stuff, because that's also the maximum amount of RAM it can take.
Hello Colt! Is there an external drive that you recommend to be able to work without filling space in the macbook drive? I want to buy one to install virtual instruments libraries and samples. Thank you!
Just saw this… Can you upload the session again, or do you have a newer link?
Nice video, I’d love to see a similar test with a more composer approach, meaning more virtual instrument such Diva, Omnisphere, etc... and more sample libraries plugins such Kontakt. They’re generally what take down pretty quickly my computers.
Would recommend this for something seeking to learn and get involved with recording/producing?
What can you suggest?? Like what type of plugins,interface and so forth. Only for music not video all tho eventually maybe get into that as well
@ColtCapperrune…which version of Pro Tools were you using with your 2013 MacPro? (12gigs of ram) How did you do that?
Was wondering how would the m1 macbook air without the "fan" react to hefty loads like these..
So while it hasn’t yet gotten hot, it does get warm to the touch when doing that big ProTools session, or when exporting a long video. It’s the main reason I went with the pro instead of the air. The only thing you would see is the air might slow down a little bit as it gets hot to help with the heat. I don’t notice any power loss when this thing gets warm. Hope that helps!
@@ColtCapperrune Thanks man! Your videos really help and thumbs up to all the hard work you put in making them. I was thinking of upgrading and this really helped. Would love to see more of these in the future. Happy new year cheers!!!!
Yeah, I'm pretty stoked about where Apple is headed. I'll be waiting for the next iteration of M1 Macs, I bought a new MacBook Pro last spring. I think I'll be more interested in a mini though.
Gonna buy an M1 Mac mini when my plugins and my daw are native. Cubase.
Hi. I definitely will be upgrading. I'm torn between a Mac mini and a Macbook Pro.
I faced same dilemma... so I bought my wife birthday present a MBA... a week later ordered mini for myself... 😅
@@AbdulRahim-fh6uk brilliant!
Nice review, happy new year 🍾
Tell me what interface to use with the mac air
Pro tools 2018 won’t open on my m1 mac mini, the icon only bounces on the dock. Help please! I’m not sure if it’s me or the new computer??
126 reverbs and only 30% CPU usage holy shit!!!! Jaw dropped at that point. Something to look forward to in a couple of years when the kinks have been worked out lol
Laughs in pc and reaper
Hi. So i'm thinking on buying a Mac Mini M1 for using Ableton live 10, but I'm not sure if it'll be the right choice since I don't know if any of my go-to plugins are available on that system, these are the plugins I intend to use: U-he Tyrell n6, PG 8X, Surge, Valhalla vintage reverb, Izotope Vinyl, Spitfire Audio Labs, Wider, Serum. Has someone had experiences with any of these plugins on a M1 Mac so far? Also i've read that the best way to do it is by using Rosetta 2, but i've read that Rosetta can damage the ssd of an M1 so i don't know what to do. Also idk if the compatibility problems have to be with m1 or the OS big sur. Any help would be appreciated
Great video!!! I’m getting the same MacBook Pro M1 with 16gb ram delivered tomorrow!!! I can’t wait to start editing my TH-cam videos!!
What up Colt! Nice review.
This is dope!!! I'm most interested in how these will handle big virtual instrument sessions. I have all of the cool output instruments but never really use them because they destroy my computer haha. I was going to grab a new m1 mini but now I'm wondering if I need to go all out and grab a pro. Decisions decisions....
lol lol...my 16 pro crushes little M1...which cant even handle regular plugins..plus I got 64GB ram...200 tracks easy.
I just asked a similar question but regarding modeled instruments like AM's SWAM and the disk access/load time for big libraries like Cine.
I'm currently using an i5 2.5 MBook Pro with 16 gb and 256 gb ssd. Handles my pianoteq/Logic stuff with ease. For orchestral, I have to freeze a track or 2 for a SWAM string qtet with a fairly dense Pianoteq track. I would imagine the M1 to be a big improvement for modeled instruments.
Would be interested in your experiences.
RS
MidiOpera.com
Thanks. How do you use Rosetta? If the app is not compatible on Bigsur/Apple M1 will the app automatically open through Rosetta?
It runs in the background. You don’t even notice it.
What about Ableton Live ? Does it run smoothly yet on M1 Mac ?
After Pro Tools and Plugins have been optimized for M1, would you consider “upgrading” your trashcan to a M1 Mac Mini 16GB, or do you think you’d go for a higher end Mac? I guess it’ll depend on timing, which I think we’ll see other Apple Macs before all plugins have been updated, but just I ordered one of those since my 2013 15” MacBook Pro is dying, but I use PreSonus Studio One, which hasn’t still been optimized. For now, I will try my PreSonus AudioBox iTwo Interface with Garageband to see if that works. Else, I can still use my iPad Pro with the interface and GarageBand iOS and then transfer.
It’s going to depend on how long it takes them to get everything ready. And if the next version of apple chips has been announced. As of right now it’s seeming like a 16 GB Mac mini M one could easily replace my trashcan
What external drive do you use and work with? I work with studio one and in need of a good external drive that's good enough to work from. Thank you!
Mac mini have pretty small motherboard. Maybe it is possible to put Mac mini into trashcan case ? :)
I wana see that
Great ideea
wait for the m1x this summer 12 to 16 core 16gb standard up to 64gb ram twice as fast cpu and graphics not much more considering 512 and 16gb is standard.
thats a $400 up charge on the early m1.
plus thunderbolt 4 and more ports and possibly egpu.
Agreed, but something tells me I should sell my iMac Pro now...😖. More eurorack?...😁
Great review! I've heard through the grapevine good things about this MacBook and the new chips. I've been thinking a long time about a mobile rig. This just might be the thing.
Hi, thank you for that video. I was wondering about pro tools running rosetta2. I want to get a MacMini to replace my old MacPro.
Did you test the pro tools with third parties plugins like waves, McDsp or Plugin-Alliance stuff? Tha could be very important for me.
Hey Colt! Happy New Year! I have a MacBook Pro laptop from 2016 (16 gigs ram) and I need to upgrade as I have sessions crash if I get too many plugins going. UAD as well here, but using other plugins I stall this unit. Thanks for the great information as I am waiting for the 16” laptop with the M1 chip. I was really pleased to see that these will work on video as well as I use DaVinci Resolve and its a beast on resources. Great timing. Please show us a session with that laptop once all the manufactures make it compatible with the new chips! Thanks Brad.
COLT! I have friends near you, but not downtown. As soon as I heard about the bombing I thought of you. I hope you and all your peeps are OK! peace
Luckily no one was seriously injured. Such a crazy thing!
Thanks pro tools 12.2 can work in mackbook pro m1 8gb or 16 gb
Colt I don't recall, what version of Pro Tools are you running on your trashcan?
would be cool to see a video of you just maxing protools out with “WHATEVER IT TAKES💪🏽”
How about my Roland Octa capture interface. Would it work wit it
Any luck with UAD on the M1 yet?
What I'd like to know is how the Universal Audio business model could change with this. A machine like this could run a lot of their plugins with no problem with no DSP systems. And it's a pain in the ass to have one of their devices plugged in to use their plugins if you are a musician on the go.
As powerful as the M1 Mac is, there have been PCs and Macs with comparable or better performance that could easily run UAD plugins. The reason they won't do this is that UADs whole 'run our plugins in our interface' also acts as a DRM because you can't pirate UAD plugins since you can't run them without a UAD interface anyway
please podt updates for this pro toolss!
Anyone know what camera he uses to make these videos? That info is not in the description
do you think the new mac mini has the same capabilities this MacBook pro has, as far as you experienced it? it would be nice to see if you get your hands on one and do some testing!
In theory they are the same computer. Same chip, same CPU, same GPU. So I would expect a performance to be identical
@@ColtCapperrune I was thinking the same thing! If so I’m gonna have to order the mini instead of building out an old cMP
Im a logic guy in need of an upgrade at the moment, i have been eyeing on the m1 16gb for quite some time now but use too many third party plugins that are not yet compatible AND my UAD hardware which i hear its unofficially compatible but that means its still not yet qualified. I found a really rare/good deal to pick uo a used 2013 trash can, 8 core, 64gb ram, 1tb, d300. I am sure buying the m1 is the logical investment as its a new technology but I just fear for my current projects that heavily use not yet compatible plugins. Do you think i should buy the used 2013 trash can and resell it when the more advanced m series chip comes out which effectively would be when compatibility issues are settled (hopefully)? Or just bite the bullet and go with the m1?
do the 12 core upgrade if you get it
care to share a link to your wristwatch?
Thanks. i needed this information !
My maschine and serato wont run properly on my new M1 macbook air
hey man, i got the new MacBook pro m1 with 16gb but my pro tools doesn't seem to be running with rosetta 2, did yours do that automatically?
The MBP M1 runs smoothly here too. Logic is fine with most plugins from waves, isotope and NI. But I can't agree on the battery power. with just using the map for browsing through internet, TH-cam and iTunes it might work for 6-8h maximum here.
That’s pretty bad. Something is eating power. I mean, didn’t LTT do a real life test and it got pretty close to the 20hr claim?
How many VST instruments tracks can you run? 128 tracks of Kontakt 6.0?
i was thinking of getting a decent laptop which can run omnisphere keyscape on fl and also adobe photoshop and other softwares like them
i was thinking of getting MSI GL 65 i7 16gb ram 1660Ti or an ASUS ROG Strix with same specs or Apple MacBook Pro w/ m1 chip and 8 gb ram(16 gb not available in my country)
which one u think should i get?
126 reverbs, holy wow!
apogee interfaces don't work on m1 macs yet....
Great vid! Just bought the Macbook Pro 13" M1!
Do you use any modeled instruments like AudioModeling SWAM or Pianoteq? I would be interested in how many instruments could be played in real time. Also, disk load for large sample libraries like Cinematic or CineSamples would be of interest.
I don't usually "like" these tech videos but you are articulate and present very professionally. Subscribing.
Thanks for making this video
Props for the session links. 👍🏾👍🏾
@coltcapperrune thanks for the info. Man, I’ve been in Pro tools 10 HD Purgatory for years! Granted it was a $40k rig in 2009 and is just now obsolete. I’m on my old intel Mac Pro/ Pro tools 10 HD Rig. 10.8.6 I think. With 3 192 I/O, 2 accel and 1 core PCI Cards. Until now, I haven’t found anything worth risking the potential downtime and cost. I’m so ready to make a move!
Tip, performance is there, but I ran out of memory fast. so you will need a bigger SSD. performance is affected my lack of memory, so 8 gigs does run hard after filling it up. had to test it like that. lol
Composer here I’m wondering how many instrument tracks with orchestral libraries would be able to handle.
Not so much, I'm waiting for the m1 version with at least 32gb ram. 32gb is the minimum for trailer music, even if the settings for loading RAM in Kontakt and Play are at a minimum.
And with 4 thunderbolt 3 like in intel versions.
2 thundebolts in this version is a real joke, just imagine: 1 for power, so we only have one thunderbolt for connecting a sound card, uad card, external hard drives, external monitors, etc.
may I ask, if you'd absolutely have to choose a reliable MBP for ProTools right now, would you pick 16GB M1" or 32GB Intel 13" or 32GB Intel 16"? no matter the price, and no future updates plan, so machine being "as it is",
thanks in advance
If you had to go into full professional use literally today, I would get the 16 inch Intel. If you can wait just a month or two, or you don’t need it all day every day, the M1 13 inch MacBook Pro for sure
@@ColtCapperrune thanks for heads up,
I'm a bit intrigued about the upcoming Macs, because the will be obviously better in terms on performance/value, but also very new to be "beta tested" by end users, and also there's no clear date of launch announced yet, so it can be not 1-2 months but 7-8 months from now..
I can’t wait to see a 64 core CPU, with 64GB ram and 4TB SSD, it could probably run 256 virtual instruments tracks (128 synth + 128 Kontakt), and then another 256 audio tracks on top... just enough to have a composer template a-la Hans Zimmer... all in one computer ;) if it comes as a Mac Mini Pro, I say: bingo!
Keep saying "trash can" send it to me don't toss it
😂
😁
I'm gonna need to replace my old 2012 iMac next year. Getting super slow and buggy. Definitely need something that can run UAD stuff. I wouldn't go with a laptop for my main studio computer but this is helpful regardless.
The new Mac mini is essentially the same computer, so once everything is compatible that will be an excellent option!
Dude same boat. My top tier 2012 iMac has severed me well for 8 years. It’s finally started choking on heavy project loads. I’m really tempted by a m1 Mac mini for a potential interim. It’s so cheap. I just don’t think it’ll be compatible with everything I need it to be yet.
I’ve been able to install the UAD software with no hiccups on my m1 MacBook Air.
@@JimCardoza really? They’ve been working smoothly?
@@jjboogie1 they have on my machine. I’m in the same boat as colt though, i still have my primary recording machine (Mac mini i7 w/ 32gb ram) but have everything doubled over to the Air to test. I think the original problems with UAD were more OS based, but now that they are supported on Big Sur, it’s able to be ran using Rosetta
which protools are you running on you m1?
The latest version of PT 2020