Logic "Express" on a Mac Mini with a DM-4800

[radiationroom]

Is a Mac Mini Intel fast enough to run Logic Express when used in conjunction with a Tascam DM-4800 ouija board connected by Firewire?

The machine specs are - 1.66 GHz Macintosh Intel Duo Core - 1GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM - System 10.4.11

Also, what is the difference between the express version of Logic and the full version of Logic? Does Logic Express include full midi sequencing capabilities like Digital Performer and Master Tracks do?

Thanks in advance - Peter Carli

[Ashermusic]

Is a Mac Mini Intel fast enough to run Logic Express when used in conjunction with a Tascam DM-4800 ouija board connected by Firewire?

The machine specs are - 1.66 GHz Macintosh Intel Duo Core - 1GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM - System 10.4.11

Also, what is the difference between the express version of Logic and the full version of Logic? Does Logic Express include full midi sequencing capabilities like Digital Performer and Master Tracks do?

Thanks in advance - Peter Carli

According to David Nahmani, who wrote the Apple Pro Training book that we Certified Trainers use, here are the only features that Logic Express does NOT have:

- Reduced size library (I think - not sure)
- Surround support
- Hardware and System protocols NOT supported:
• TDM support
• Distributed Audio Processing
• Support for high-end professional control surfaces (Euphonix and SmartAV consoles)
- Instrument Plug-Ins:
• Sculpture
• Vintage Series: EVP88, EVB3, EVD6
- Effect Plug-Ins:
• Space Designer
• Delay Designer
• Mastering Series: Linear Phase EQ, Match EQ, Multipressor, AdLimiter, Multimeter

[sekhmet]

I have the exact same mini at home (with the only difference of 2GB RAM instead of 1) and it ran LE7 just fine.

I don't do any heavy recording here, but it handled the editing, mixing and relatively small recording tasks very well. At first I thought the slow 5.400 RPM drive was going to be an issue, but it didnt seem to cause any problems playing back some 30+ track mixes with lots of stock plugins.

I have an M-Audio Firewire 1814 attached to it, and the supposedly slow FW400 port didn't seem to cause any problems either.

Cheers.

[Dubnick]

The only thing I could see that would be limiting (aside from the lack of PCIs) would be the fact that you only have one Firewire port so I would look into a USB 2.0 interface so you can use the Firewire port for your audio drive - I wouldn't use your internal drive to record to, but that should go without saying.

[radiationroom]

The only thing I could see that would be limiting (aside from the lack of PCIs) would be the fact that you only have one Firewire port so I would look into a USB 2.0 interface so you can use the Firewire port for your audio drive - I wouldn't use your internal drive to record to, but that should go without saying.

Any problems with using a USB drive with Logic? Right now I have a ProTools LE system running on my Mini with a LaCie D2 drive for audio.

[Dubnick]

As far as I know, and I could be wrong here, but I don't think USB 2.0 is recommended for audio drives by any DAW manufacturer, even those like Cakewalk who only service Windows users (if it's working for you that's awesome, I just don't know that I'd count on it). You are better off using the sole firewire port for your audio drive - the only other option would be to record to your system drive which just makes your machine work harder and limits the amount of tracks you'r gonna be able to use. You can always use a USB interface like the MBox stuff or the USB 2.0 interfaces that have been springing up as of late (supposedly the USB2.0 interfaces are considerably closer to the capabilities of a Firewire interface, but I haven't tried one myself). Without a PCI slot or expresscard, you're sort of limited in workarounds, but if you can do with one firewire drive (7200RPM, preferably with a Digi approved chipset), a USB or USB2.0 interface and an iLok or two, you could probably get a lot of milage out of Logic or Logic Express from a mixing standpoint (take full advantage of the ability to freeze tracks) and, provided you max out the memory, you might be able to do ok VI-wise too, although with VM, it might be more straining on a slower system drive if you really get going (again, freezing helps).

[radiationroom]

As far as I know, and I could be wrong here, but I don't think USB 2.0 is recommended for audio drives by any DAW manufacturer,

But unfortunately, Apple cut corners with the Mini and designed it with only one FW-400 port. And my current Digibox as well as the DM-4800 expansion card port are Firewire. So with the Firewire port on the Mini already occupied, one has no choice but to use a USB drive.

Unless I build myself a W:finger:ndows machine on the cheap and load it up with drives. But then I can't run Logic much less the Final Cut or Digital Performer which I already have. While I love the Mini for what it is, Apple's lack of a mid-priced tower system is a real pisser IMO.

[Dubnick]

But unfortunately, Apple cut corners with the Mini and designed it with only one FW-400 port. And my current Digibox as well as the DM-4800 expansion card port are Firewire. So with the Firewire port on the Mini already occupied, one has no choice but to use a USB drive.

Unless I build myself a W:finger:ndows machine on the cheap and load it up with drives. But then I can't run Logic much less the Final Cut or Digital Performer which I already have. While I love the Mini for what it is, Apple's lack of a mid-priced tower system is a real pisser IMO.
I agree that it is frustrating that Apple doesn't make more sub-Mac Pro computers with a PCI or expresscard slot or at least 2 firewire ports on seperate busses (I believe the iMacs and MBP still have both Firewire ports on the same buss), and unfortunately the trade off in choosing to do the Mac Mini route is greater in that you only end up with one Firewire port. Still, if you're willing to seek out a USB2.0 solution (there's no USB2.0 MBox but I believe there's a newer M-Audio USB2.0 interface that is M-Powered PT compatable) for your interface, you can do pretty well on the Mac Mini for the money.

[radiationroom]

Still, if you're willing to seek out a USB2.0 solution (there's no USB2.0 MBox but I believe there's a newer M-Audio USB2.0 interface that is M-Powered PT compatable) for your interface, you can do pretty well on the Mac Mini for the money.

I already have a Digi-003 with a LaCie D2 USB drive with the Mini and cut all of my XM programming on that system. So far it has worked well, although I have not tried maxing the track count out yet. There were 14 audio tracks as well as a bunch of midi channels on my recient mix of Earwig and the system seemed to handle that just fine as well.

73's - Peter Carli - http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelbio.xmc?ch=83

[Dubnick]

Well if it's working for you, it's working for you and my guess it is that it would continue to do so using Logic or DP or whatever, but my guess is that using a USB2.0 drive for audio you are inevitably going to hit a wall track wise and it can't be gauranteed that it will perform well with every DAW. That's all I'm saying.

[radiationroom]

but my guess is that using a USB2.0 drive for audio you are inevitably going to hit a wall track wise and it can't be gauranteed that it will perform well with every DAW.

Spot on. I guess what I'm going to do in the short term is just stick with ProTools since it works and slooooooooowly save up for a Mac Pro.

[Dubnick]

Yeah - for the record, I don't disagree with your statement regarding the need for a desktop with PCI slots and maybe fewer cores between the Mac Pro and IMac lines. I'm a long time Mac user and I've been thinking about what to do when it comes time to move on from my Dual G5 and I've been taking a serious look at PCs like a Velocity Micro and Sonar 7 - still don't like Windows at all, but Sonar looks pretty damn sweet, as does thier customer support, and I could probably get a Velocity Micro machine for about $1000 less than the cheapest MacPro. That having been said, I don't think the Mac Pro's are unjustly priced considering the number of hard-drive bays, the minimum of 4 cores, the compatability with the majority of DAWs off the shelf, the consistency of components and the ability to run OSX and Windows in a legal and supported manner - I just wish there was a cheaper Dual Core model with PCI slots and maybe a single drive bay for those of use who need more flexability than the iMac but less than the Mac Pro.