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New M1 machines: Connectivity and General Experience


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A simple USB-C to USB-A cable should do the trick. I must admit that I have only tested my USB interfaces on a 2020 Intel MacBook Air - but they are supposedly the same ports. My PreSonus bus-powered AudioBox iTwo powers and connects just fine. My XR18 works fine USB-B to USB-A cable with a USB-A to USB-C adapter.
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On one end of the USB cable to the RME there is a USB-A connector flat rectangle - male. Get a USB-A to USB-C adapter - female USB-A on one side, USB-C male on the other. Like this...

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-usb-type-c-to-a-adapter-white/8896017.p?skuId=8896017&ref=212&loc=1&extStoreId=123&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2af-BRDzARIsAIVQUOfIAPDn8jb8xAfjCeNxWPtcfEWpHg3TsSHcayrc1KE743j8whMpr-kaAoWbEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

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For more clarity (and to water it down a bit), with USB, numbers=speed and letters=connectors. That said, there are additional non-lettered connectors, like "mini" and "micro." Thus from USB 1 to 3.2 (which has its own AKAs), things get faster. With old-style connectors, the -A connector was the downstream plug and the -B was the upstream. With USB-C now, the ends are interchangeable.
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Hey, I'm a tiny bit off topic, but still relevant I think.

I'm looking at the new MBP 13", but just noticed, it only has TWO (!!WTF!!) USB ports.

Im always supportive of the future tech, and usually never a complainer, but am I missing something? This is practically impossible to work at a 'Pro' level. Or is there some sort of USB (type A and C) hub that I haven't seen yet?

I have a powered Satechi USB hub that comes out from my Mac mini, it has 7 USB connectors, it's all filled up with midi connections and external drives. Direct into the Mac mini is my audio interface and another ssd. as well as my monitor.

I guess what I'm asking is, are the days over for a MacBook Pro to be the central brain of a small home composition studio? Or is there a legitimate, and reliable way to service all the needs? Quite shocked apple went this way. Same number of physical plugs as a MacBook Air. Strange.

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I'm looking at the new MBP 13", but just noticed, it only has TWO (!!WTF!!) USB ports.

Im always supportive of the future tech, and usually never a complainer, but am I missing something? This is practically impossible to work at a 'Pro' level.

 

Agree. But, pedantically: they're not just USB ports—they're also Thunderbolt ports, which allow for a lot more connectivity. The MacBook Pro is still the "central brain," as you call it, but Apple's move for ever-thinner/lighter/smaller portables, in addition to technological developments, has led them to use just these ports, from which people can find a whole host of connection options to fit their needs. You might go so far as to say it's more modular than ever before, though obviously opinions about this differ (and of course, Apple stands to make some extra scratch thanks to the need for adapters).

 

That said, there has been a sort of invisible seam in the MBP line—I'd argue that there aren't two, but three MBP models out there. Any 13" below US$1799 is an entry-level model with two ports; at that price or higher, you get four ports, same as the 16". In fact, Apple still sells the Intel models with four ports. Thus all they've released so far are entry-level computers running on Apple Silicon. I'm positive that eventual updates are coming with four ports, maybe even more—I don't know, haven't looked at a teardown of the M1 internals yet.

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Agree. But, pedantically: they're not just USB ports—they're also Thunderbolt ports, which allow for a lot more connectivity. The MacBook Pro is still the "central brain," as you call it, but Apple's move for ever-thinner/lighter/smaller portables, in addition to technological developments, has led them to use just these ports, from which people can find a whole host of connection options to fit their needs. You might go so far as to say it's more modular than ever before, though obviously opinions about this differ (and of course, Apple stands to make some extra scratch thanks to the need for adapters).

 

That said, there has been a sort of invisible seam in the MBP line—I'd argue that there aren't two, but three MBP models out there. Any 13" below US$1799 is an entry-level model with two ports; at that price or higher, you get four ports, same as the 16". In fact, Apple still sells the Intel models with four ports. Thus all they've released so far are entry-level computers running on Apple Silicon. I'm positive that eventual updates are coming with four ports, maybe even more—I don't know, haven't looked at a teardown of the M1 internals yet.

 

Yes, you're totally right. I didn't really express myself correctly or in detail. What I meant to say is; while I'm totally fine with one type of physical port, e.g. this usb/thunderbolt shape, and heck, I'm even fine with 2 ports on a laptop. Just as long as we have some way of expanding or making a reasonable working studio laptop out of it. I was never worried about having dongles, like many others were, I infact enjoyed the flexibility it provides. But it's been a while now that these typee of ports exist, and apple is clearly sticking to their plan. Yet still, there are no reliable or 'pro' dongle/hubs. My hub, which cost a fair bit, and had plenty of solid reviews, is cheap plastic fiddly power, and often disconnects external drives randomly. And If I want to start my computer up from power off, with my monitor, I need to unplug the whole hub.

Im searching for the hub from heaven.

 

I hope you're right about the future 4 port.

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There are a number of well-thought-of Thunderbolt 3 dock/hubs. They are not inexpensive, but provide all the connectivity that you might need.

 

You can plug a simple USB hub into the dock, audio interface, etc. The requirement for a direct attachment to the actual computer is less and less important as each newer version of the Macs come out.

 

My studio iMac connects to an OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock. Works great. All the ports I need.

 

Getting and using a "new" Mac requires a bit of planning for connectivity purposes, but the appropriate tools are becoming available.

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There are a number of well-thought-of Thunderbolt 3 dock/hubs. They are not inexpensive, but provide all the connectivity that you might need.

 

If you had any favourites, would love to hear them.

I seem to have bad luck in choosing.

 

Price isn’t an issue, let’s see the most gangster, pimped-out dock available. (Within reason.)

 

A

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I know a lot of people use the docks from OWC—a lot of people on here, even, besides just facej. Another heavy hitter is the CalDigit TS3, which I used to recommend in my computer sales days (which weren't all that long ago—there just weren't any positions with the company after I moved cross-country). For my own usage, based specifically on the gear I currently own and anticipate buying over at least the next two years, I went with the Anker PowerExpand Elite. My current studio setup after moving is less than ideal, so I appreciate how compact it is. The only issue I have had with it so far is one where my external monitor will sometimes lose connection; I'm hearing reports about the 16" MBPs though, so that may be an issue with the computer rather than the dock. It hasn't been too bad, anyway—the few times it's happened, it's been fine after I disconnected and reconnected the HDMI cable; the one time the problem kept persisting, I just used a different USB adapter with an HDMI out for the rest of the night. Finished my assignment, put the computer to sleep, and things were fine again the next day.
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Finally got a ship date for my M1 MacBook Air. Less than 6 days! yay.

For my portable work I will be trying some new interface and power configurations...

Aukey Omnia 90W charger

Anker USB C Hub - PowerExpand 8 port.

 

I use an Ethernet in the studio, and this little hub will give me everything I need for connectivity.

 

I will be speed testing the 10GB USBC port for my sample drive which is a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure with a 1TB NvME - the iMac gets 1210 MB/s write, 1500 MB/s read

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Finally got a ship date for my M1 MacBook Air. Less than 6 days! yay.

For my portable work I will be trying some new interface and power configurations...

Aukey Omnia 90W charger

Anker USB C Hub - PowerExpand 8 port.

 

I use an Ethernet in the studio, and this little hub will give me everything I need for connectivity.

 

I will be speed testing the 10GB USBC port for my sample drive which is a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure with a 1TB NvME - the iMac gets 1210 MB/s write, 1500 MB/s read

 

Lucky, my 13" is 3-4 weeks :(

 

I use CalDigit TS3+ on my Mini currently, and a TB3 NVMe with samsung (2500mb/s).

Also have a USB-C 10GBPS enclosure with Crucial for ironically less crucial stuff.

 

I'm gonna get the OWC Thunderbolt Hub when it's available.

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  • 1 month later...

Welp...

 

I got my brain around the various usb types, from 2-3 to C to A to whatever. What threw me the was 'thunderbolt' thrown into the mix, and the ever-shifting nomenclature.

My wife needs a new 'puter, so I've ordered the base mini with a 4 usb3=>usbC hub. I'll be using a 1080 monitor which I hope won't be an issue for a while.

I won't be able to use all my 3rd party stuff right away, I think, but I expect to get it going. RME already has a universal driver. There will be bumps.

Though this machine isn't really intended for music production, I'll get a real world idea of what the 8 gb RAM can offer. Maybe I'll do a YT vid....

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Just a heads up @Fisherking:

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201788

 

Both the Superdrive and my RME Fireface have to go directly into the USB ports. Straight from the horse's mouth on the latter, which makes me wonder how the new Macbooks connect via the usb4 ports.

Anyways, all my other peripherals work via the usb3=>usb4/C hub. I am left with one open A port, and one open 4 port.

So far, I've had no issues installing and using Intel plugins, though using Intel plugins in the native version of Logic causes a slight delay and the GUI takes a sec to materialize.

 

But the 8 gb RAM, so far, is holding its own. Early days, but I am seriously impressed.

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So far - great! I have no issue with any device (bunch of external disks, NVme thunderbolt3 / NVMe usb 3.2 10gbps / normal USB 3), UFX+ works perfectly both via USB3.0 and via thunderbolt, USB2 devices (nob control and stream deck) work perfectly.

 

And it runs MUCH smoother than my intel Mini. :)

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Cool!

 

I've now got everything externally functional, but I don't have as much as you. My USB hub usb3 x 4 =>usb4 cost me €14.99.

 

I have to bear in mind that this is my wife's new 'puter, and I'm just 'testing' it.

 

So far, from what I can tell, I won't need more than 16gb RAM or the highest end iMac to be be happy as Larry when I do get my new iMac later this year.

 

As a bonus, the M1 Mini blows the iMac in my sig completely out of the water on Civ VI! :shock:

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  • 4 months later...

Ok,

 

This is an update on my experience with the M1 Mini.

It was working surprisingly normally..for the first couple of OS updates. I'd read about HDMI connectivity issues, but they never occurred here…until the last couple of OS updates. The simple fix is to reach over and unplug and replug it in, and the desktop is there. Apple is aware of this problem. I don't completely understand what broke n the updates, but that's what's happening on that front.

Agan, after the latest OS updates, trying to use Logic in Native mode while using Intel plugins have led to what I assume people call memory leaks. A few times I've received a popup message telling me that memory was short and did I want to use the SSD swap. That never once happened with the earlier versions of Big Sur. This was on a relatively small project.

The Mini boots about 4-5 seconds slower than with earlier v. of Big Sur. About 20 secs now. I'm also getting spinning beachballs when attempting to click on certain things. That also did not happen before.

Finally, the issue with no software monitoring while play is engaged on audio tracks has not been solved. I'm certain that this also didn't happen before.

Weird scenes inside the goldmine, dudes and dudettes.

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