Mac Studio and Ableton Live

[kb420]

I am a PC user, but I am considering moving over to MAC. Today, Apple announced the new Mac Studio. I was wondering exactly which configuration of the Mac Studio would be best for Music Production with Ableton Live. What chip would you get and how much memory would you purchase?

[Machinesworking]

All of this depends on what you do with Live, and other applications you use. I think if you don't do orchestral work then you really don't need more than 32GB RAM, but we can always use CPU power. Some things are going to be much better if you get it internally. So the internal SSD is twice as fast as any external SSD, like around 2800MB/s external compared to 7000MB/s. So even though it's expensive, the internal SSDs are worth the price, get what you can afford. Graphics are more about other programs, if you do a lot of video work then it's a consideration.

I have the M1 Macbook Air, the M1 ultra is a possible 3-4 times faster CPU wise and much more powerful GPU and SSD wise, and I'm pretty happy. I think any configuration of Mac Studio is going to be amazing with Live. IMO don't skimp out on the SSD though, the speed is worth it.

[Machinesworking]

Oh and if you watched the "event" did you notice them using Ableton Live as well as Logic when they showed musicians? That was pretty cool I thought, good on them for not just selling Logic.

[kb420]

Oh and if you watched the "event" did you notice them using Ableton Live as well as Logic when they showed musicians? That was pretty cool I thought, good on them for not just selling Logic.

Yes, I did see that in the livestream today. I wish they would have shown more of her impressions of the Mac Studio with Ableton Live. It seems to me that they definitely spent more time with the people who were doing video editing and animation.

[Pitch Black]

The “entry level” M1Max Studio (32GB) will be great for Live. Source: I have that config in the laptop version. I would go for that, with the biggest SSD upgrade at purchase you can afford. As Machines said, unless you’re working with huge sampled instrument libraries and the like, 32 gigs of RAM is plenty.

The Ultra benefits are really found in the graphics cores for pro video creators. Video is part of what I do professionally, and again the M1Max I have is still wickedly sick for video.

So yeah, my recommendation would be the base M1Max Studio with as big an SSD bump as you can afford (since it can’t be upgraded after purchase).

If you can give us more details about your music production workflow we can give you more specific advice, if you like.

[Machinesworking]

I would go Ultra on the CPU. I have always found a way to kill any CPU I've ever run, and Live loves a good CPU killing.

You won't use it now, but you will use it years from now. New plug ins or Max patches will tax Live. I got the Air mainly because I'm a nerd and a fanless laptop as powerful as a 6 core I7 MacBook Pro is pretty much golden chalice tech junkie stuff of legends.

I will probably buckle in the coming months and get one of these when money starts flowing in again. Mostly because I'm pushing the Air beyond it's GPU limits.

[DJ_312]

Do you guys have any experience or recommendation about buying Mac's?
Is it better to invest 3K in to a pimped out Mac Studio Max or 1.5K in to a Mac Mini and buy a new one in 5 years?
The Mini is only available in 16GB and unfortunately you can't upgrade Macs anymore.
I'm running a used/old (2013) Mac Pro with 16GB and the constant CPU overload sucks.