Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Second Hand Mac Mini
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I’ve been looking at these for a while on the CEX website (they give a two year warranty). I’m not very clued up on what models are the ones to get.
What’s the difference between an Mac mini 6 1, 6 2 or 7 1. What’s ‘unibody’ mean? I would discount 4gb ram models, but is 16 over 8 go more important than an i7 over i5 processor? I know some models are now not able to be upgraded at all, but not which ones?
If you were getting one, what would you look for and what would you avoid?
Thanks for any suggestions ( 
yes I’m aware that’s asking for trouble)
Comments
For what it’s worth your probably best off not going for the newest one (2014) as you can’t upgrade anything on it.
Also it’s worth bearing in mind that there may be a refresh of the Mac mini in a couple of weeks which if nothing else might make the older models even cheaper.
Thanks. Problem is I’ve been putting it off for nearly three years now lol, but yeah just a few more days is wise to wait.
The old models where you can upgrade, are they still modern enough to be of use with current software? I know these are not simple questions, as the answer usually needs more questions to ask
Don’t have any knowledge to share, but I’m interested in these too.
As Bianca says though they’re refreshing the range in a few days, so that’ll be worth waiting to see.
I just got a Mac mini for music production, and settled on the maxed out 2012 model, with the 2.6ghz i7 quad core processor, and a solid state drive. The processor is a lot faster than the 2014 model, if you look up the benchmarks. The only thing the 2014 does better, is it can run a 4K monitor. That wasn’t necessary to me, for audio production, the processor was the big deal- it can run huge projects (over 100 tracks w plugins, in logic). The 2012 has FireWire, which I have a couple great audio interfaces that need that. I ended up installing OSX El Capitan on it, as that as the last OS to run the main interface correctly, but also most newish programs.
The 2012 has room for a second hard drive, I got an inexpensive 1tb non solid state big drive to run time machine, and offload completed projects to archive.
The RAM is 8gb I think. I didn’t get 16 because when I look at Activity Monitor, it is rarely over 4gb. I’d be curious if others that have 16, actually use over 8?
It felt a little weird buying a computer that was that old, but it does everything I needed it to- audio is pretty lightweight compared to video, CAD, gaming.
What model is a 2012?
With today's fast SSDs and MacOS paging to SSD anyway, the amount of RAM is in my experience not as important today as it used to be in the time if slow hard drives (compared to RAM access speeds), but I'm sure many will disagree
If you plan to use it for audio, one major point to consider is the way you work.
If you need cpu-eating synths and FX, a higher cpu clock frequency will help to achieve lower latency and/or fewer crackles.
If you need many plugins and/or many audio tracks, a cpu with more cores might be the better choice.
More modern Mac Minis (after 2012) have a different architecture that often gives you significantly worse multi-threading performance but a slightly better single-core performance, so it's impossible to give a general recommendation witout knowing how you are going to use the machine.
MD388D/A
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP659
That’s difficult to answer really, as I still want to keep my iPad front and centre, but once I get one, everything might change - very much a learning curve for myself, as the last time I did any music on a PC was around 2000 to 2004 and times have changed a lot since then!
I might have some ideas now for its use, but I’m sure they will change in time.
At the moment my plan is to send iOS music to a DAW on the Mini to continue, but have loved the look of Machine, so who knows...
Maschine is brilliant (see my post today on Johnny Goodyear’s thread), and that’s why I’m thinking of a mini.
Bear in mind the Maschine DAW doesn’t have audio tracks though, so I use Maschine as a VST plugin, and record into Reason.
Sounds good. Let me know how you get on with it hooked up to a Mac Mini in the future. I’m sure it will be a while before I have the spare funds for both lol. I agree the MK3 does look much better now they added an audio interface.
How decent is the standard software package that comes with it? (From a Sound plug-in point of view).
It’s not bad - you get Massive for example, but I’d recommend waiting for a deal that includes Komplete standard. They have very good sales - I updated from the Lite version to standard for just £149, and you can find decent bundles of controller and software. Bear in mind though it’ll work with most VST’s, including Gadget, Sugar Bytes etc.
What desktop software do have?
I’m waiting to see the new Mini specs. All my kit needs replacing, so I’m after a new desktop for work - which I’d use for music as well. If the Mini doesn’t fit the bill I’ll either get an iMac, or just update my existing PC.
Absolutely nothing at this time. My laptops are all broken and not worth repairing. My old studio PC has long ago become landfill (and wouldn’t run any modern software anyway lol). Good thing is that I’m just open to whatever I can get at the right prices. No major fixed DAW ideas except maybe Logic (as I used to have the original Alchemy) - but I’m leaving my options open
I recently purchased a late 2012 (its the best atm) with ssd+16gb and High Sierra on it.
)
My last mac mini was same model with 4gb and I doubled ssd+hd with El Capitan (aka Steve Rogers
My veredict is ram seems determinant (almost gb).
My workflow (and reasons behind stepping back):
Start things on garageband (even on the road recording using my iTrack dock) and finish things in desktop (Logic the best).
Start things in BlocsWave and export to Ableton to finish (or get ready for the studio guy).
Improve my my promo shit includding web thanks to mouse (my iPad mini4 lacks of pencil and my wallet lacks of money for pro labelled but not true pro gear.
Even answer this in the train is ok but I miss my keyboard and true tabs. Battery drain aside and mental health of schedule task times instead live constantly connected to stress aside too.
Even if Ableton never comes to iOS I have get the decision. If you are going to do professional (heavy duty if you prefer) work you will need desktop/laptop or similar which at the moment isn’t iOS (yet).
ITOH I can’t probably afford the new Apple gear so for 400€ my late 2012 i5 16gb 250ssd is perfect balance.
IMO Apple has slowling the desktop series on purpose to refine macOS to get it working on ARM so when the new jump come things will work as expected.
The shame is for actual professionals which had been lied and when updates come are even more dissappointing.
PS: I have also a win10 machine for games/visuals.
If you can afford it then Maschine, Komplete and either Reason or Logic is a good base for doing pretty much anything on. Another bonus with the Mk3 is it has a built in audio interface. Hundreds of really good, free ensembles with Reaktor too, more added every day - which has taken the heat off my appaholism.
The 2012 Mini sounds like a good deal - wonder how it compares to my 2012 MacBook Pro, which is showing its age a bit.
I bought the 2012 Mac mini in 2014. I had waited for the new 2014 models to come out and man was I disappointed when they did! Due to Apple making them considerably worse, the remaining 2012 iMacs had now hiked in price! But I'm over that now and it's still super fast and running well. In fact, I've just upgraded to Mojave and have no issues at all with running Logic Pro X, NI Maschine etc.
I'm running a maxed out late 2012 Mini also. I waited a while to get a good price used. Very happy with it!
Yes Mac Mini Late 2012 was the last before they made cuts while keeping the price. Don't forget they come in different varieties i5, i7 and server, you'll also probably see ones that have ssd, more memory etc.
The Mac Mini does offer bang for the buck, especially for an Apple product. Very tempting way to get Logic, Alchemy, Sculpture, Numerology, and other “Mac only” goodies. The Apple Event scheduled for October 30 should be interesting. There’re be new Minis and iPad pros aplenty. And the older Minis at blow-out prices, hopefully!
(Slightly OT: Probably not this year, but an iPad Pro with the ability to load both iOS AND Mac OSX is only a matter of time, imho. It’d probably be a choice to use one or the other at any particular time, with no multi-touch for the OSX portion in at least the first generation of the “desktop” iPad Pro. Apple has been doing a slow fade-out on the MacBook Air, so it seems to me that in the next two years (or maybe sooner) we will see something from Apple to complete with Surface and all the other cool desktop software capable “tablets”. That’s what I’m holding out for, anyway! Just my 2 cents.)
Never at 400€.
Sounds like you got yourself a good deal. Similar spec models Mac mini 6.2 2012 with an i7 and 16GB Ram go for £475 on CEX (not in stock anyway) and higher on eBay and don’t have SSD. The closest option in stock is the same model with standard 4GB Ram and 1TB HDD for £380. So you’d have to buy an SDD and 16GB Ram on top and upgrade.
I like the idea of portability, maybe using the new Touchable app with it or a push 2 on the road, but it’s getting a bit expensive!
Not trying to shoot you down or anything.
By all means , please post a link to a bargain supply Mac mini’s, but on first look these models seem pretty hard to come by at €400.
Hmm you’re right. About £600 on eBay.
Yes I know. In fact I was dealing a mbp 2011 (basic) for 300€ but the seller got trouble with filevault and after two weeks I gone for the mini.
I check secondhand market daily so tracking the prices...
http://p.wallapop.com/i/277191475?_pid=wi&_uid=35923756&_me=s_ios
http://p.wallapop.com/i/283907721?_pid=wi&_uid=53761567&_me=s_ios
http://p.wallapop.com/i/274639528?_pid=wi&_uid=128827154&_me=s_ios
http://p.wallapop.com/i/280731310?_pid=wi&_uid=19381923&_me=s_ios
http://p.wallapop.com/i/276531987?_pid=wi&_uid=13356451&_me=s_ios
Mac mini late 2012 (please notice i5, I never said i7 for 400€ but also not necessary IMhO) ...from 370€ to 450€
Macbook pro late 2011 around 450-500€ (i7 10gb ram...)
Near keynotes prices get more interesting and people using them as setopboxes sometimes sell cheap (mine came without box or nothing and even I couldn’t test it so made a faith jump but gone well )
Anyways, I supose iPad pros are more popular lately (the macbook pro seller told me she needs something more portable) so who knows? Maybe tomorrow Apple releases finally an ARM mac mini at right price... but I had the weird issue of living today not tomorrow
Not saying this is truth etc
just maybe good luck and strange market moment maybe...? For the price of one iPhone X I can buy 2 mac minis i5... 
Prices should low not go high in any case.
Nice one for the links, i’ll check those out and am interested if there’s any bargains before or after the new announcement. To be fair, my MacBook 2013 is only i5 and has 8 gig of ram. Which cannot be upgraded.
It still does an OK job running medium size sessions in Maschine or Ableton, (not hundreds of VSTS or audio tracks... and it gets pretty hot, but you can always freeze tracks. I think most of my crashes have probably been down to cheap USB hubs or user error realistically) I’m never fully sure about RAM as I don’t watch Logic’s monitor, but when changing between sample libraries in Maschine it can be sluggish... and I always wish I went for the 16GB option, but the laptop was new at the time and cost over £1800 if I remember correctly.
I wasn’t sure if the i7 would make a big difference so good to hear it’s not a deal breaker VS an SSD and 8 or 16GB Ram.
I’m sure it depends what you need the machine to do ultimately, but i’d rather a deal on one of these than the mad new prices for machines aimed at graphics over audio.
Look i7 mbp!
http://p.wallapop.com/i/278714975?_pid=wi&_uid=4124192&_me=s_ios
i7 is more suited for intensive graphics and design but since it will require a dedicated graphics card (aka thunderbolt) and Apple just recenty give support to that a bit pricey against similar windoze machine when not directly worst so for music not so important but if you can... go for i7. It will be longer life.
Ssd is a must and almost 8gb ram too (IMHO). Generation of Intel CPU is also important but more important upgreadability as you learnt by yourself. Sorry about that, mate.
Anyways, patience and money saving waiting for bargains. I moved fast to get this mini and it seems a great purchase but most important was I don’t need more ATM mindset plus I can’t afford anything better neither combo.
The App Mactracker (free) is a great resource for Apple products.
If I were in this market, I think I would be looking at the 2012 MacBook Pro. It’s really not much larger than a mini, and it can be found for similar price, has a dedicated GPU, and available with quad-core i7. Is there really a big benefit to the size of the Mac Mini?
I couldn’t find none for less than 600€. The nearest are the 2011 as I shown (in my area almost). ITOH I promised myself not buying another Apple laptop since batteries got lot of issues in my past experience but I was looking those as cheap macOS.
I prefer to use the iPad as screen and have the split setup but I can see the pros of being allinone of course.
So price, small formfactor and less battery (none) issues makes a difference for me.
With the plan to be keeping it in one spot, like a studio, I went with the mini, because it's neater with the screens, just having one big one, and neater on the desktop, without an extra laptop's worth of space being used.
The one compromise of the early mini, today, is that it cannot run a 4k tv as a monitor, for an inexpensive, massive screen, the max is 2560x1600 on the thunderbolt plug, to a displayport monitor. Still pretty ample, though. I've been using an LG ultrawide monitor, that is 2560x1080, because the shape looked cool, but am realizing it isn't the best shape for music production- I'm catching on that, with Logic, while having a wide narrow monitor for the mixer is great, you do want the vertical space for your arrange window with your audio clips, to do your editing. Also, with the 1080 vertical pixels on my monitor, when you have the mixer open, with a medium amount of plugins stretching up the size of the channel strip up taller, the arrange window is like, this useless, narrow little sliver at the top.
Monitors that are 2560x1440 are a lot more common, (that's the resolution of the non retina, older 27" imacs) than a 2560x1600.