Low Latency with Mac Mini

[synthfiend]

I have converted from using Live + VC on a high end HP laptop to Logic Studio 9 + VC on a Mac Mini and I would have to say i'm truely impressed with the Mac. I use the Virus as my sound card in both senarios.
When playing parts live on the Virus through VC the MIDI latency is soo much lower with the Mac. I knew that the Mac core audio was pretty good, but this is a big improvement. Also I have no timing drifts with arps now :)

[oblivion]

I switched 9 years ago and it was almost the same experience as you about latency on Mac vs PC.

I am getting my Virus TI2 Desktop next week and I really hope it plays good with My old iMac 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and Logic Pro 8.0.2.

What Mac mini do you have and RAM, are you using the built in soundcard or external?

[PaPi]

I have converted from using Live + VC on a high end HP laptop to Logic Studio 9 + VC on a Mac Mini and I would have to say i'm truely impressed with the Mac. I use the Virus as my sound card in both senarios.
When playing parts live on the Virus through VC the MIDI latency is soo much lower with the Mac. I knew that the Mac core audio was pretty good, but this is a big improvement. Also I have no timing drifts with arps now :)

You're comparing an old PC to a new mac. The truth is, ASIO completely bypasses WDM and it's the raw power of the machine that makes the difference. Macs are currently way behind the curve, you will NOT get the latest tech if you buy a mac pro. But you will pay as much as 3 times more.
As for the mac having lower latency, it's a total myth. Sure, CoreAudio is better than WDM and even Wave RT but, like I said, ASIO bypasses these protocols entirely and therefore it's a completely moot point (nope, CoreAudio isn't better than ASIO.) Here's a recent study that proves that Cubase and Nuendo actually work much better in Windows 7 than in OSX:

http://www.dawbench.com/win7-v-osx-1.htm


P.S. I switched from mac to PC two years ago. Never been happier.

[synthfiend]

I switched 9 years ago and it was almost the same experience as you about latency on Mac vs PC.

I am getting my Virus TI2 Desktop next week and I really hope it plays good with My old iMac 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and Logic Pro 8.0.2.

What Mac mini do you have and RAM, are you using the built in soundcard or external?

Mac OS X 10.6.4
2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB 1067 MHz DDR3 RAM

[synthfiend]

You're comparing an old PC to a new mac. The truth is, ASIO completely bypasses WDM and it's the raw power of the machine that makes the difference. Macs are currently way behind the curve, you will NOT get the latest tech if you buy a mac pro. But you will pay as much as 3 times more.
As for the mac having lower latency, it's a total myth. Sure, CoreAudio is better than WDM and even Wave RT but, like I said, ASIO bypasses these protocols entirely and therefore it's a completely moot point (nope, CoreAudio isn't better than ASIO.) Here's a recent study that proves that Cubase and Nuendo actually work much better in Windows 7 than in OSX:

http://www.dawbench.com/win7-v-osx-1.htm


P.S. I switched from mac to PC two years ago. Never been happier.

Facts:

Using Virus TI as sound card

Mac Mini - 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB 1067MHz DDR3 RAM

PC - HP Elitebook 8530P 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB 1590MHz RAM

As u can see, the PC is actually more ballsy than the Mac. Still, the Mac has much lower MIDI latency.......don't know why......i'm not imagining it. I have worked closely with both systems now.
I would suggest u are over simplifying things when you can assume that mear ASIO performance is what draws the line :-)
I believe Core Audio has something to offer over the PC equivalent.
U just need to look at what all the big boys are using...hate to say it, but its true.

[oblivion]

More and more studios use Mac and Logic Studio 9 or Logic Pro 8 now, that is a fact!

I love PC and Windows to but when I make music I have to use Mac because it just work.

[PaPi]

Facts:



Not facts, your unsubstantiated opinion.

These are facts:


http://www.dawbench.com/win7-v-osx-1.htm

[PaPi]

More and more studios use Mac and Logic Studio 9 or Logic Pro 8 now, that is a fact!

I love PC and Windows to but when I make music I have to use Mac because it just work.

A FACT is backed by EVIDENCE. Can you actually prove your claim? Of course not. The 90's have been over for a while and the current line of mac pros is way behind the curve. Now THAT's a fact, and the evidence is right under your nose, just take a look at their specs.

[synthfiend]

A FACT is backed by EVIDENCE. Can you actually prove your claim? Of course not. The 90's have been over for a while and the current line of mac pros is way behind the curve. Now THAT's a fact, and the evidence is right under your nose, just take a look at their specs.

Your missing my point
I totally agree with what u are saying about the Mac Pro, its way behind the current crop of i7 processors and is rubbish value for money.
I am saying that CoreAudio has been refined by Apple and seems to have much lower latency and no timing issues etc compared with my PC

[PaPi]

I am saying that CoreAudio has been refined by Apple and seems to have much lower latency and no timing issues etc compared with my PC

It's not true. CoreAudio doesn't have lower latency than ASIO. In fact, the benchmark test I linked to proves the opposite is true.

[synthfiend]

It's not true. CoreAudio doesn't have lower latency than ASIO. In fact, the benchmark test I linked to proves the opposite is true.

I'm not sure what that test proves.
You've also got to remember that Steinberg wrote the ASIO driver and the test uses Steinberg products. The test does'nt at all reflect the performance of Logic on a Mac......:p

[PaPi]

I'm not sure what that test proves.
You've also got to remember that Steinberg wrote the ASIO driver and the test uses Steinberg products. The test does'nt at all reflect the performance of Logic on a Mac......:p

My point is that there's no evidence whatsoever that CoreAudio is capable of lower latency than ASIO. The alleged superiority of the mac as an audio machine is nothing more than a myth.

[xExtreme]

Buy an old 2007 Power Mac G5
You would only need about 4/3GBs of memory and these sell for about £300/£400 Depending were your buying it from!
If you havent got a soundcard (get one if your geting one off these :P)