2011 iMac or Mac Mini Server?

[DrewMusic007]

Due to lack of interest and low balling I'm not selling the MBP in my sig, might as well hang on to it.

What I want to do:

Logic Pro 9 - 30-40 tracks w/virtual instruments - I/O via FW800 (audio tracking) Reason 6 - various 3rd party plug ins.

It's down to

Mac Mini Server -
2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
8GB memory
Dual 500GB 7200-rpm hard drives1
Intel HD Graphics 3000

or

iMac
2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5
2560 x 1440 resolution
8GB (two 4GB) memory
1TB hard drive1
AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 512MB

The Apple Store hipsters are trying to tell me the MMS doesn't have the bus speed to handle the demands of a DAW and swear up and down I need the iMac.

Thanks for any input - making the purchase tonight.
________________________

 

[MacVibe]

Both will work fine, and bus is the same speed. The imac has a much faster processor and you can cheaply load up 16 GB ram. The worst thing about the imac is that you can't put a speedy ssd in there (unless you are adventurous) whereas you could swap one of the mini's drives with a ssd, and use the other drive for data. Oh, the imac also has a very nice screen which can be very helpful when dealing with a full screen daw to keep your eyes on as many tracks as you want.

30-40 tracks, each loaded up with vsts and effects, can stress any system. No matter what you choose, you may want to stem (make into a wave file) most of the tracks except the few you are working on at any given time.

 

[DrewMusic007]

oh I thought the iMac could hold 2 internal HD's?

- and thanks for jumping in!

one more question - by stem do you mean freeze the tracks, like in Logic?

 

[Intell]

iMacs can hold two drives. One full sized desktop and one laptop one.

 

[MacVibe]

oh I thought the iMac could hold 2 internal HD's?

- and thanks for jumping in!

one more question - by stem do you mean freeze the tracks, like in Logic?

Yes, I meant freeze. Intell is correct about the imac drive situation, but having Apple configure it really drives up the price.

The imac may also work a little better since it has a dedicated gpu. Not that a daw needs a nice gpu, but having its own ram may free up some additional resources on the cpu that the intel 3000 might use on the mini.