Mac Studio - any users here?

[Chromeman]

I won't miss the fan noise in the slightest.

Me neither! I recently consigned my 5,1 to the basement to use as a file server and even now after a few months I still can't get used to switching on my Macbook Air and hearing nothing. I do love the old cheese graters though, huge amounts of storage, built like tanks and mine is still going strong after 10 years!

[ManFromGlass]

Same here

[Kwackman]

Noise levels are all relative. In that review it would have been far more useful to know what the background noise levels level was and what the ‘no appreciable increase’ was.

Agreed, although when he moved towards the mini, the fan noise was pretty obvious and clear.

I’m not saying that it’s not a quiet fan, just that the review’s test method is flawed.

So true, and I think that applies to nearly all youtube videos!
I was getting a bit worked up about some videos, and wish "presenters" would, stop shouting, stop waffling and get to the point, saying "awesome" is NOT a review, and opinions aren't facts... I could go on, but I'll turn into Arpangel.
I've never watched so many, and was glad to go cold turkey when I pressed the "buy" button on the mini, so don't really care anymore!

[chris...]

For those waiting for an M2 Mac Studio, such a thing may not appear any time soon (if you believe the info).

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/02/05/ap ... ac-studio/

[Kwackman]

My M2 Mac mini arrived last Friday.
This is replacing a 2010 Mac Pro (Cheese Grater)
I decided not to use the migration tool, as I'm sure there'd be loads of incompatible or useless software I'd forgotten about on the MacPro.
I'd copied files not on iCloud storage to an external drive- Photos library, Documents folder etc.

The Mac Pro had 3 separate SSDs for Samples, Studio projects (Cubase), And my CD library. These were put into external cases to connect to the Mac mini.

So, it was a new install, and generally, this has been much easier than expected.
Once I logged in with my Mac ID, all my Safari favourites, emails, calendars etc just happened. I'd some emails not in the cloud, and exporting/importing maim boxes sorted that.
The only odd thing was the Photos App put all my photos in the iCloud, which got me an alert of running out of iCloud space. Fixed that quickly!

Despite the software not supposed to work with Ventura, The Id22 interface is working fine.
Cubase works fine as expected.
Toontrack's Product manager made it easy to download the Superior Drummer, EZDrummer & EZBass programs, then point them to the sample libraries on the external drive.
I've had no issues with Spectronic's Trilian, Scuffham S-Gear3, Overloud's TH-U, Guitar Rig 6, and even Kontakt 6 which isn't supposed to be Ventura friendly.

The Mini is on my desk right beside me, it has a hub and several SSDs hanging off it. I can't hear any fan noise at all! So far, very happy.
Thanks for all the info and advice given in this thread.

I'll be back in 12years asking for advice about my next Mac!!

[sonics]

That's great news, thanks for posting. Perhaps give us an update in a few months about any issues and how it's performed?

[Jay Menon]

What monitors do you guys use with the Mini & Studio? Is an inbuilt WebCam essential?

[BigRedX]

What monitors do you guys use with the Mini & Studio? Is an inbuilt WebCam essential?

I upgraded to a Mac Studio almost 2 months ago.

I'm using three Dell 27" monitors. A high quality one as my main display and two cheap(er) ones either side. All are connected to the Mac using Thunderbolt/Displayport cables. The main use of the this Mac is for graphic design for print, which is why the reason for the monitor choices. If it was just for music I could have got away with three of the cheaper model display. None have built-in webcams. I don't have any use for them.

Regarding a previous point about fans noise, the Mac Studio is completely silent. There is slight fan noise from the 5 bay Thunderbolt drive enclosure I use but it doesn't affect any music I do as most of it is done wearing headphones and I don't record anything with microphones using this set up.

[ConcertinaChap]

I use a Mac Studio display, beautiful but expensive though I reduced the cost by buying Apple refurb. It integrates so closely with the Studio computer you might be using an iMac. Decent integrated webcam. A webcam is essential for me since I use Zoom a lot but it doesn't need to be integrated into the monitor (very neat and tidy, if it is, though). Remarkably good speakers for a monitor. My second screen is a 27" LG Tbolt 2 screen that I've had for years, connected via an Apple Tbolt 3 to 2 adapter.

CC

[IAA]

I use a Mac Studio display, beautiful but expensive though I reduced the cost by buying Apple refurb. It integrates so closely with the Studio computer you might be using an iMac. Decent integrated webcam.

Yes I use one too with my Mac Studio, they are a fine monitor. I use a smaller 23 inch (I think) monitor for tracking purposes (when I’m sitting at my piano keyboard away from my main desk) over on the other side of the studio connected via HDMI.

So far the M1Max is still going strong, but when the M4 Max Studio comes along ….

Ian

[ConcertinaChap]

Yes, I'm happy with my M2 Ultra and expect to remain so for quite a while to come as the power it has well exceeds my modest needs, but if I was buying now I might hold off until the M4 version appears. But how long might that be?

CC