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I am also a pianist and will record an album of piano music, to be commercial distributed worldwide but if I were to split the costs with my record company for recordings by another artists, that would push into the same price as a iMac 2019! So I want to record them myself this time. So yes, will be using for recording too.
Ok, That's the reason you care about 32 buffer size, you really need that low latency.
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I've spent the whole day weighing up my options. It really does look like a 2019 iMac 27" base model with me adding the RAM and further along the line getting an i7 or i9 processer to switch out the i5 6-Core base model one.
Luckily I received some nice royalties this quarter. All that will be going to such an iMac, I've decided. First I will add more RAM so with 4 slots (I think two taken by the 8GB) I will get 64GB of RAM and install that, taking it up to 72GB.
Next year I will add an i9 to it.
Some points you need to pay attention before buying:
1. Make sure to get a set of RAM kits at the same Mhz as the originals. EX: your new iMac has 2X4GB Ram at 2666MHz, you'd better find one set of 2X32GB at 3000MHz to add, avoiding any compatibility issus.
RAMs may have compatibilty conflits even though they look familiar in tech description, so buy the kits instead of single ones. Kits are made with same DIE and tested by manufacturerers to make sure they work fine together.
2. Common RAM size is the mutiple of 2, such as 16,32,64,128 etc. 72 is a really rare size since computer nowaday funtion with dual rack of ram or single rack. Triple rack RAM can only be found ten years ago.
3.For most music production, desktop i7 8th generation is way too powerful. If you won't have some huge amouts of track to do mastering/mixing job, don't over commit to a top monster CPU, is a waste of money.
4.64GB is enough for most situation, check out how many projet you may reach the limit, don't invest on another 64GB that you will never use.
5. The speed of SSD should be taken as a foctor that affects your work flow. While using VST and huge samples in composing (VSL, Eastwest, Spitfire...etc), what matters is the 4K ramdom read speed. Computer loads part of your samples in the RAM, and search the rest in your SSD when receiving signals from your midi equitment(you play your master keyboard and creat some signals, they are "ramdom" to your computer). That's how modern sample players with "DFD"(direct from disk) work.
Nvme SSDs are the best choice for large orchestral VST arrangement. Apple's iMac has small harddrive in their basic models, and they charge plenty for hundreds of GB, so thinking of buying a Nvme SSD and a thounderbolt 3 external harddrive enclosure to store your samples.
Sata SSDs are cheaper but with less 4K ramdom read speed.
This factor may cause the crakles/drop out issus at low latency. Simply 'cause your SSD is not fast engouh to catch up with the CPU and RAM! Woodern barrel theory. Try to balance your budget on SSD, it will improve the whole system's performance in music prodution.
"i9 9th gen, 128RAM, Sata SSD" may result in much poor performance than "i7 9th gen ,64RAM, Nvme SSD".
Looking forward to listen to some of your composition and learn someting new :)