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New Logic Multitrack Benchmark Test


TTOZ

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I can confirm that the new Mac Mini can handle over 80 tracks. I was getting the low 80s but I expect that I would get a few more if I had restarted my Mini before testing, it had been running for a couple of days and did have some stuff in the background. Love this new computer!

 

I have the i7 upgrade, 16 gigs ram and 512 drive.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Fwiw, at 32 samples, large processing buffer I'm getting 92 tracks playing stable, 93 kinda working but even minor actions such as switching screensets will cause an overload (machine as per my signature).

And fwiw #2: I am *not* getting any more tracks at 64 or even 128 samples. I think this is due to Logic not using the set buffersize for pure playback tracks at all but a unified value.

 

And btw, if anything, this is the only drawback of my MP. The live core/thread is pretty weak compared to actual machines.

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Fwiw, at 32 samples, large processing buffer I'm getting 92 tracks playing stable, 93 kinda working but even minor actions such as switching screensets will cause an overload (machine as per my signature).

And fwiw #2: I am *not* getting any more tracks at 64 or even 128 samples. I think this is due to Logic not using the set buffersize for pure playback tracks at all but a unified value.

 

And btw, if anything, this is the only drawback of my MP. The live core/thread is pretty weak compared to actual machines.

 

that's neat. i was seriously considering it, but in the end, the mini cost me few hundred more because i chose a smaller SSD (512GB).

I bought an external 1TB thunderbolt drive (built it myself from enclosure) super cheap and the thing absolutely flies.

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that's neat. i was seriously considering it, but in the end, the mini cost me few hundred more because i chose a smaller SSD (512GB).

I bought an external 1TB thunderbolt drive (built it myself from enclosure) super cheap and the thing absolutely flies.

 

Should I consider another Mac anytime in the near future (which starts getting less likely because the way Apple deals with Logic is really winding me up big time right now...), a Mini would be my choice as well. I actually don't really need all that much playback power but would sometimes love to have more live-thread juice. Due to being a guitar player, I don't want to work at anything but the lowest possible buffersizes - and on live tracks, this is really affecting performance. There's quite some Alchemy patches already causing crackling at 32 samples and, even worse, I have been running into some limitations regarding my guitar signal chain as well already. I might get an RME Babyface at some point in time, which would allow me to get roughly the same RTL values (4.5ms right now) at 64 samples, so that might help already, but in the end a new machine would be pretty welcomed one day, too.

And well, regarding single-thread live performance, the Mini apparently just mops the floor with my MP. Add to this that I could use it as a sort of mobile machine, once I get a new dedicated musical refuge (had to move out of mine just 3 months ago), I already have a double set of keyboard, mouse and monitor.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Is that the 2018 model in your sig, Ploki? If so, that's pretty good, i've not used a quad i5 before.

yeah!

This thing is pretty amazing, I'm much more impressed by the 2018 13" than i was with the 15".

Something felt dirty with the 15", and it cost way too much to be comfy to work on it with... hands.

 

The super expensive i9 struggled to get 67-70 tracks, this one can do 44-48.

But the i9 was 2200rpm at idle when surfing the web, and fans spun up pretty fast.

This one idles at 0rpm with few tabs open. Goes to 1300rpm when "heavy idle"

 

I'm super happy i went with the i5; but would've taken the i7 if the i5 didn't have multithreading.

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That's really great to hear. Be interested to hear your thoughts after you've used it a while, i.e. especially in regards to fan noise etc. As that's the main thing that puts me off a Mac Book for audio if it's being pushed for hours. Which is why i may go with a Mini when i need to upgrade and 'if' the Mac Pro's just don't make financial sense.

 

Will you be using it with the lid shut, i.e. via an external monitor/dock, or free-standing as a laptop?

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That's really great to hear. Be interested to hear your thoughts after you've used it a while, i.e. especially in regards to fan noise etc. As that's the main thing that puts me off a Mac Book for audio if it's being pushed for hours. Which is why i may go with a Mini when i need to upgrade and 'if' the Mac Pro's just don't make financial sense.

 

Will you be using it with the lid shut, i.e. via an external monitor/dock, or free-standing as a laptop?

 

It's going to be mostly free-standing; Mini is the docked one, 13" is going to be used for my lectures, live act and "writing getaways". And causal crap you use a computer for.

None of which fan noise would pose as a problem, and it runs much more quiet that the 15".

 

But noise gets annoying (experience with my previous 2012 rMBP), working on a laptop in front of you (non-docked) really only works if you work with headphones... Noise becomes seriously nerve wrecking especially when fine-tuning mix.

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Will you be using it with the lid shut, i.e. via an external monitor/dock, or free-standing as a laptop?

 

Shutting the lid while working probably isn't a great idea. From all I know, Macbooks use the keyboard as a part of their ventilation system. Air is getting blown out or sucked in there - at least it was like that with older models. And it obviously makes sense as there's not much other locations for this to happen sufficiently. I'd rather not do this with a laptop that has printed heat problems almost all over it by design.

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Will you be using it with the lid shut, i.e. via an external monitor/dock, or free-standing as a laptop?

 

Shutting the lid while working probably isn't a great idea. From all I know, Macbooks use the keyboard as a part of their ventilation system. Air is getting blown out or sucked in there - at least it was like that with older models. And it obviously makes sense as there's not much other locations for this to happen sufficiently. I'd rather not do this with a laptop that has printed heat problems almost all over it by design.

 

Nah, that hasn't been true since at least first retina generation (2012).

Keyboard is covered with one big piece of black shield and it doesn't allow for much airflow, and the hinge is designed so the airflow always go from the back bottom (same airflow whether its closed or open)

https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/xCOP5tkGbfLdFPTx.huge

 

It's true that irradiates through the keyboard a little tho.

 

However, in the 15" that means that discrete GPU will run (because external screens only work on dGPU) automatically meaning more heat.

 

13" runs much cooler, i mean, MUCH cooler. I couldn't believe it can work passively without having fans turned on

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I’ve always ran my 2012 mbp (13”) closed and is still running great today, Apple tech told me when I got it that it was equally equipped to run for long periods closed or open, as I had the same concerns as you Sascha.

 

However, I would never put it under the load that I do my Mac Pro. But it’s done me 6 summers running 10 hours/day, won’t lie tho, it’s been gasping for air and ridiculously hot to the touch over those months as I have no air conditioner, but somehow it’s remained alive and my old faithful that goes everywhere with me.

 

Think that it was design with a HDD in mind but runs a SSD now probably helps a lot.

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Yeah, they were designed to run clamshell; the unibodies as well; had black shield over keyboards. Previous gen retinas had "intake" in the middle and exhaust at the side of the back port.

 

I think the last gen that used keyboard as space to vent was the 200x-2007 preunibody (all silver) macbook pro/powerbook design

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

I highly recommend 13" i5 quad-core.

it's incredible light, silent, and still has enough power to handle decent projects.

 

you can even record in the same room, because on simple recording projects (backing track + 2 live inputs) the fans don't go past 1200rpm.

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28 stable tracks on MacBook Pro retina late 2013 (i7 cpu, manages to clock up to 3.1 GHz with the fans set to max otherwise it throttles). 1024 & large buffer. Stable means running the entire loop without errors.

 

110 tracks on a i9 hack at 5 GHz and hyperthreading disabled (so 8 real cores). Same bufer settings.

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