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I am starting to look into a new computer as I think my Macbook Pro from 2013 may shit the bed any day.

I've done a little online research and I seem to be getting mixed reviews on how it works with Reaper (and some plugin companies.) I am wondering if anyone has thoughts on how Waves, Soundtoys and Spitfire Labs plugins are performing currently? I see conflicting information and I see there are some work arounds to get some of these to go, but I am not interested in dicking around. If I buy an M1 mac will my shit work?

I am a total Mac homer, but would love to hear someone recommend a route for a good PC laptop to run a DAW on as an alternative for my next machine.


Thanks!

Ryan Zepaltas wrote: Wed Jul 07, 2021 7:25 pm I am starting to look into a new computer as I think my Macbook Pro from 2013 may shit the bed any day.

I've done a little online research and I seem to be getting mixed reviews on how it works with Reaper (and some plugin companies.) I am wondering if anyone has thoughts on how Waves, Soundtoys and Spitfire Labs plugins are performing currently? I see conflicting information and I see there are some work arounds to get some of these to go, but I am not interested in dicking around. If I buy an M1 mac will my shit work?

I am a total Mac homer, but would love to hear someone recommend a route for a good PC laptop to run a DAW on as an alternative for my next machine.


Thanks!

Buy a certified refurbished CAD workstation, is what I would normally say. For $300ish you can get a very powerful workstation that runs Windows 10, which should work with any audio software.

However, Windows 11 is out, and it's going to run terribly on old processors - if at all. Windows 10 will probably be going away sooner rather than later. If your current Mac will hold up for another year, just wait and get your M1 then.

Windows 10 has a lot of life in it still. 11 isn't even going to be official until probably the fall, if not next year.

I have an M1 Air. It is fine. It loses contact with anything plugged into the Tbolt holes if it falls asleep... INCLUDING if you are charging with a dock that has power passthrough. It will simply stop charging. all it takes is a reseat of the Tbolt connects to bring it all back but it is another great example of Apple "Just Working". 3rd party mice track terribly as well including my Logi MX Master. It seems the M1s have device issues. As far as software, I only own it because they use Keynote at work all teh time and I needed a new Keynote machine. It's been fine for that. Reaper works, but most Plugin manufacturers still do not support M1. Some do, more every day. They all will soon enough. Other than that, it seems to be fine, or as fine as any other Mac lappy I've had, which is to say... fine, I guess.

I replaced my old Mac Mini in January (or so) with a new M1 mini. I am a Reaper user and it does work for me. IIRC I had to use 2 versions of Reaper and launch one with Rosetta, simply in order to allow the program "access to mic" (which is also communication with an external interface). After that I could use the newer version of Reaper without Rosetta.

For the longest time my interface was a Firewire 400 MOTU 828mkII which just ran and ran. But 17 years later it would have required three adapters to connect it, which I tried, and failed, with. So I just did the right thing and got a new interface. At the time the validated M1 options were a little limited, but the Focusrite 18i8 was functionally ok for me, and has been working fine. 6 months later, I imagine more interfaces are now compatible.

I don't have a lot of 3rd party plugins but the Waves ones I own moved over ok. I recall it not being a completely smooth experience, but it may have been licensing as much as OS and chip issues?

Hope this helps. IMO if I had a business and mission critical need to keep a system going, I'd do an M1 system in parallel with the old system and not assume it's going to be a smooth transition.

twelvepoint wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 11:57 am IMO if I had a business and mission critical need to keep a system going, I'd do an M1 system in parallel with the old system and not assume it's going to be a smooth transition.

^ This

All of the cool indie developers have their stuff running natively on M1, but others are not there yet by a long shot. I am hoping that there will be some M1 machines announced in September (either bigger iMac with more ports and/or more grunt), and at the same that ableton and ssl etc. will have gotten native stuff off the ground. Even then I shall move across very slowly….

The chip is powerful enough to do music with. The only real question is if the software you intend to use it optimized for it.

cakes wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:37 pm The chip is powerful enough to do music with. The only real question is if the software you intend to use it optimized for it.

I'll say it again, maybe it is just the Air, but the ports seem to have a habit of forgetting that things are plugged into them. My M1 Air lost connection to my Focusrite 2i2 today for zero reason. Re-seat did not work. had to jump out of a zoom call and reboot. The ports are a known issue with the M1 computers. I have a friend that cannot run 2 monitors reliably with his M1 mini, I've had a ton of issues keeping my dongles alive. There is also a, though be it low, documented chance that you can brick your M1 if you are charging through a dock that has power pass through. Also, Apple is aware of this and hasn't fixed it. After todays stupid bullshit, my suggestion is don't buy one. wait for M1x or M2, or for some one to wake up that dude with the turtleneck to fix shit. Software development isn't the only hurdle for the current M1 Macs.

Quick aside, My official Mac dongle does not work at all, but the cheapo Amazon Dongle works most of the time... MOST of the time, and I cannot power through the dongles at all, I have to use one of my 2 ports for POWER ONLY, or it simply stops charging until you reboot.

Kniferide wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:10 pm

cakes wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:37 pm The chip is powerful enough to do music with. The only real question is if the software you intend to use it optimized for it.

I'll say it again, maybe it is just the Air, but the ports seem to have a habit of forgetting that things are plugged into them. My M1 Air lost connection to my Focusrite 2i2 today for zero reason. Re-seat did not work. had to jump out of a zoom call and reboot. The ports are a known issue with the M1 computers. I have a friend that cannot run 2 monitors reliably with his M1 mini, I've had a ton of issues keeping my dongles alive. There is also a, though be it low, documented chance that you can brick your M1 if you are charging through a dock that has power pass through. Also, Apple is aware of this and hasn't fixed it. After todays stupid bullshit, my suggestion is don't buy one. wait for M1x or M2, or for some one to wake up that dude with the turtleneck to fix shit. Software development isn't the only hurdle for the current M1 Macs.

Quick aside, My official Mac dongle does not work at all, but the cheapo Amazon Dongle works most of the time... MOST of the time, and I cannot power through the dongles at all, I have to use one of my 2 ports for POWER ONLY, or it simply stops charging until you reboot.

Thanks. As I mentioned in the OP, I don't want to fiddle around so I will just say some Hail Marys and hope my current laptop can make it through until the problems like this are resolved. My friend just bought one, and as he was setting it up with his server, transferring files, etc. the Mini literally started smoking. He thought he was hallucinating.

Ryan Zepaltas wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:32 am

Kniferide wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:10 pm

cakes wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:37 pm The chip is powerful enough to do music with. The only real question is if the software you intend to use it optimized for it.

I'll say it again, maybe it is just the Air, but the ports seem to have a habit of forgetting that things are plugged into them. My M1 Air lost connection to my Focusrite 2i2 today for zero reason. Re-seat did not work. had to jump out of a zoom call and reboot. The ports are a known issue with the M1 computers. I have a friend that cannot run 2 monitors reliably with his M1 mini, I've had a ton of issues keeping my dongles alive. There is also a, though be it low, documented chance that you can brick your M1 if you are charging through a dock that has power pass through. Also, Apple is aware of this and hasn't fixed it. After todays stupid bullshit, my suggestion is don't buy one. wait for M1x or M2, or for some one to wake up that dude with the turtleneck to fix shit. Software development isn't the only hurdle for the current M1 Macs.

Quick aside, My official Mac dongle does not work at all, but the cheapo Amazon Dongle works most of the time... MOST of the time, and I cannot power through the dongles at all, I have to use one of my 2 ports for POWER ONLY, or it simply stops charging until you reboot.

Thanks. As I mentioned in the OP, I don't want to fiddle around so I will just say some Hail Marys and hope my current laptop can make it through until the problems like this are resolved. My friend just bought one, and as he was setting it up with his server, transferring files, etc. the Mini literally started smoking. He thought he was hallucinating.

Wow, their quality control has gone way downhill. Is a plume of smoke "it just works" or "once you get used to it, it's better this way"?

biscuitdough wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 1:44 pm Wow, their quality control has gone way downhill. Is a plume of smoke "it just works" or "once you get used to it, it's better this way"?

Its a new product line with all the obvious hurdles of one.