Nord User Forum

Hi:

I want make some track with my Kronos and S3 but I need to confirm if the Macbook 13” with M1 8GB can run Mainstage, Keyscape and any other VST.

Regards

This really depends on how many sample based instruments you will use. I'm not sure if Keyscape is sample based or modelled. Ideally you want the Mainstage concert file and all related files to fit in the RAM. This way it can run smoothly without having to move thing in and out of the memory.

8GB might be enough, but you won''t be very happy when it ends up being the bottleneck, which is very likely: The CPU is really powerful, and storage can be expanded with external SSDs, but memory (RAM) will forever be what you choose from the factory.

By the way, I recommend the MacBook Air (not Pro 13"), because the price is much lower, and it is essentially the same thing. Also there is no fan to get full of dust.

I agree with Elias. MacBook Air with 16GB will work very well.

Yes, go for the 16GB memory and not for the storage expansion (if you have to decide budget wise).
If you need the extra storage, you better get a decent external SSD drive (I use the Sandisk Portable Extreme - which I'm very happy with).

I'm happy that I've taken the 16GB after all

In my experience, 8 GB are enough for most users: people sometimes tend to overestimate their RAM needs. I, for one, upgraded from 8 to 12 GB of RAM without benefitting in the sligthest from it (even though I do sometimes work on hefty Logic projects). Or, to be more precise, the extra RAM does prove useful whenever I work with virtual machines, but that's pretty much everything it amounts to. Mainstage is rather lightweight, and whilst Keyscape is, on the opposite, rather heavy since it's sample based, if that's the only heavy plugin you're planning to use then you're surely going to be fine. Obviously, you wouldn't be able to, say, open, load in RAM and seamlessly switch from Keyscape to Ivory during a live gig, all the while there are dozens of VSTs and a few sampled guitars or string sections opened in background. But you could still do it at home (bearing with a few seconds of loading at most)!

I just replaced my VST PC with a racked M1 Mac Mini. I use Gig Performer and did a quick test when setting up, running Omnisphere and a bunch of other VSTs simultaneously. That was more to test the CPU (which was fine) but although I have a 16GB machine I was using less than 8GB.

The M1 is a powerhouse.

Truly, Macbook air is that powerful? price is really interesting, but I always feel doubtful to use it for something else than office related apps...

Markjames: can you please provide a picture of your M1 Mac Mini in rack? also, wondered how it looks like

neomad wrote:Truly, Macbook air is that powerful? price is really interesting, but I always feel doubtful to use it for something else than office related apps...

Specs for CPU are the same, available RAM and SSD capacities as well - so yes, in terms of performance there should be no notable difference. Connectivity options are similar as well between the two, just some things like TouchBar are missing on the Air but you save around 300,- Euros ....

neomad wrote:Truly, Macbook air is that powerful? price is really interesting, but I always feel doubtful to use it for something else than office related apps...

Markjames: can you please provide a picture of your M1 Mac Mini in rack? also, wondered how it looks like

I have one of these. The Mini goes on one side:

https://www.sonnettech.com/product/rackmacmini.html

On the other side I put in one of these:

https://satechi.net/products/stand-hub- ... 1828657240

As the cable is built in and short I use a USB-C extension cable. I installed a SATA M.2 drive for Carbon Copy Cloner and also use a 2nd external Sandisk Extreme SSD for CCC.

My old VST PC was 3U this is all in 1U.

I’m testing out Duet to use an older iPad Pro 12.9” as a touch display. Right now I use a HDMI monitor.

MarkJames wrote: I’m testing out Duet to use an older iPad Pro 12.9” as a touch display. Right now I use a HDMI monitor.

Duet works fine, I have been using for quite some time with my old 2012 Mini, but with latest Mac OS and iPad OS I expected you shouldn't need it, as there is the Mac OS "Sidecar" feature (did you try that?)

On the main topic, @OP: I'd go for 16Gb anyway, for use with Virtual Instruments in general 8Gb is fine but when it comes to recording or using multiple sample-based "heavy" instruments .. better to have some headroom, nowadays and for the future, imo.