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  • Mac Pro & SSD upgrade. Help with Best options please

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    Hi guys,

    I currently have:

    2010 Mac Pro 5,1 2x2.4 Ghz Quad Intel (8Core) with 32Gb of Ram. Im using all regular 7200 HDDs.

    I want to upgrade all harddrives to SSDs. I use lots of samples including vienna libraries and kontakt libraries (Lass, Cinebrass, etc, etc.)

    Because my mac is only sata II (3gb/s), if I purchase current ssds, I will not be able to take full advantage of the 6gb/s speed.

    Here is my plan, and I was hoping to get thoughts or ideas if there are better options!

    1. Purchase Sonnet Tempo SSD Pro and purchase 2 Samsung 840 Evo 1tb SSDs. Place most important libraries on these two ssds.

    2. Purchase another smaller SSD for operating system and place it in the regular Sata II slots. (Obviously, would not be able to access full SSD potential and speed)

    3. Add future libraries on other SSDs and install in regular Sata II Slots.

    Ideally, i would really like to have 3 or 4 dedicated SSD drives for my samples running at full speed. Are there other options? Could i potentially buy 2 Sonnet Tempo SSD pro cards? Im not sure if my 2010 mac pro can do that. I know I have the pcie slots avail, but im not sure if there is any difference between the open slots.

    I would really appreciate help and guidance. I plan on building a slave pc to run hollywood series in the future, but I would like to have no more than 1 slave.

    The issue with my current system is that I want to have a full orchestral template loaded and ready. Every sound and articulation avl, (Greedy, I know!) With my current setup, a lot of the samples are loaded into RAM, and I basically run out. I could also upgrade my ram to 64gb, which Im willing to do.

    Please help!

    Thanks!
    Tony


  • look at my signature, I use a Rocket Raid 644 SATA III


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic
  • Thanks Cyril, 

    I did a little search on the card and found the reviews for the Rocket Raid 644 aren't all that great, but if it works im ready to try it. Very cost effective!

    Cyril, Can you please explain how this would be connected to the SSDs, would I go straight from the SSds into the card? And of course the card would install on the pcie on the mobo. (Im sorrr, im a bit new to this)  The sonnet was very straight forward.  

    I appreciate your help!

    Thanks!


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    @Another User said:

    Cyril, Can you please explain how this would be connected to the SSDs, would I go straight from the SSds into the card? And of course the card would install on the pcie on the mobo. (Im sorrr, im a bit new to this)  The sonnet was very straight forward.  

    I appreciate your help!

    Thanks!

    The advantage of this solution is you can have 9, 13, 17 ssd or disk in your Macpro, 

    On the RR 644M you have 4 cables where you connect your ssd

    I have put my 4 x ssd in a backplane, you can put it between the handles of the Macpro.

    http://www.abix.fr/composants/racks-amovibles/sata  sorry this site is in French but you can see the images

    You need to buy a little power supply that you connect on the backplane, you find them at the size of a desktop one


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic
  • Cyril thanks so much for your help.

    So each backplane connects to one of the cables on the RR 644m?  

    If I have 4 SSDs in one backplane, connected via 1 cable to the RR644m, do the SSDs show up as 4 separate SSds or is it best to then setup a raid 0?

    And finally, this setup would give me best speed for my mac? (6gb/s)

    THANKS CYRIL!!


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    @Another User said:

    And finally, this setup would give me best speed for my mac? (6gb/s)

    of course if you dont get mixte up with Sata II and Sata III


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic
  • Thanks so much for your help Cyril!  [Y]


  • It's nothing.

    If you go by Paris (France) it will cost you a beer ! [:)]


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic
  • Hey Guys!

    I´m Sorry, i have the same Problem.... but i´m not so into the technical thing with my mac pro.

    I bought 2 of the new Samsung 1TB 840 EVO SSD´s and replaced the System HD and my VSL Samples HD. My Audio Data is on a third 10.000 Ups normal Drive and aditional Data on the 4th Internal Drive. I have the same 2010 Mac Pro with just 12 GB Ram.

    My 3 emty Pcie Slots are filled with 2 UAD2 Quad and the Pro Tools HD Native Card, so there is no Space for more Slots.

    Could you please help me to raise my Mac to a higher level? (i use Logic Pro x on Mavericks)

    additional Information:

    On the VSL SSD are also Hollywood Strings and LASS Strings so i only have 9gb left from 1TB

    Thank you soooo much!

    Manu


  • Hello Manu

    To expand your system you need to either suppress one of your UAD or to go to a "external pcie enclosure for macpro" (I have no experience on external pcie enclosure, can somebody else help)

    if the external pcie enclosure has no Sata III port then you add a SATA III card like the RR 644 where you connect your SSD

    you put your 2 x 1TB SSD into a raid 0

    you buy a 128 or a 256 gb ssd for your system either your Sata III card is "bootable" an you connect this ssd onto it or there is a free 5th Sata II connector under your the DVD

    if you have a lot of song in your Itune library, you can move them on to a normal HD (you just make a alias)

    Best

    Cyril


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic
  • Thank you!

    So this is my Computer:

    2x2,4 Ghz Quad-Core Intel Xeon mac pro 12 GB Ram.

    HD1 System (1TB SSD)

    HD2 Audio Data (600 GB 10.000 ups)

    HD3 VSL, Hollywood, LASS (1TB SSD)

    HD4 Kontakt Librarys (600 GB 10.000 ups)

    I´ve had a Magma pcie external 7x pcie expansion. I soled it because it was soooo loud. 

    1.) i have a external 2TB Raid HD connected to Firewire 800 Port on Mac pro. Would it help to give for instance all the Brass and Wood Librarys from VSL on this drive?

    2.) should i increase my RAM to the maximum?

    http://www.amazon.de/Channel-Samsung-Mihatsch-Diewald-PC3-10600R/dp/B0068L3IRM%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJQCSCEPZ34BBITFQ%26tag%3Dssd-aufruesten-7856-21%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0068L3IRM

    3. Is it better to RAID 0 two SSD´s or should i just split out the Samples on those two HDs

    Thank you!


  • 1) no

    If our SSD are sata III  6 gb/s they are limited because they are on SATA II 3 gb/s

    The only solution is to put them behind a SATA III card

    3) on a raid 0 you multiply the I/O by 1.5 by disk if the samples are loaded sequentially (VSL)

    2 ) More you have samples in ram less I/O disk you have !

    To see if you need more Ram you check in activity monitor the figures of "memory"

    using SSD and raid of SSD or HD allow you to reduce pre-load buffer sizes, allowing to load more sample 


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic
  • Sooo!  i bought 2x "1TB Samsung 840 EVO" and did a RAID 0 with 128kb Blocks of them. I upgradet to 32 GB Ram and now i´m copying all the Files from my seperate 2 HD´s to that one Raid HD inkl.: VSL, KOMPLETE9, LASS, LASS Sord, Symphobia 1+2, Hollywood Strings... and all of my Samples. 

    I have an external 2TB Raid Drive on my Firewire 800 at the Back of my Mac Pro. 

    Do you think it would´nt be good to spare out some of the Library´s to this Drive?

    Thank you!


  • I have an external 2TB Raid Drive on my Firewire 800 at the Back of my Mac Pro. 

    Do you think it would´nt be good to spare out some of the Library´s to this Drive?

    Thank you!

    get free "Black magic disk test" 

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blackmagic-disk-speed-test/id425264550

    and run it on your two raids, you will see that there is so much difference that you will not put anything on your HD raid on FW 

    You can use it as a backup or your ssd raid !


    MacBook Pro M3 MAX 128 GB 8TB - 2 x 48" screen --- Logic Pro --- Mir Pro 3D --- Most of the VI libs, a few Synch... libs --- Quite a few Kontakt libs --- CS80 fanatic