i need a quieter mac - which model is best?

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hh
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i need a quieter mac - which model is best?

Post by hh » Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:11 pm

i have a 2007 15" macbook pro whose fans are CRAZY loud and run all the time. It makes recording quiet parts very difficult (and almost everything I record or sing is very quiet).

It's about time for me to get a new Mac, and I'm open to not using a laptop ?

What kind should I get?

kslight
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Post by kslight » Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:55 pm

My Mac Pro is pretty quiet. You can hear it running for sure, but I keep it in the same room I record in and have not had any issues.

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fossiltooth
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Post by fossiltooth » Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:02 pm

I'm mixing on a new 2012 2.6 Quad 15" mac book pro (not the retina), and I can't say I've ever noticed the fan. I can't say the same for the 2004 tower it replaced.

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole line is far quieter now than it was 5 years ago when you got your machine. I can't remember ever hearing the fan on the two year old(?) G5 in the control room at Strange Weather, but maybe Marc or Dan could weigh in better on that.

Some of the older towers could definitely be very loud, and those glass-doored iso cases were often a good idea. They're all pretty darn quiet now, but if your control room and live room are one-in-the same, a tower and an iso case probably isn't a bad idea, as long as you can justify the expense.

Otherwise, like I mentioned, I have yet to notice the fan on my new laptop. Pretty surprising, really. But in my experience, as computers get older, they often get louder. (And slower.)

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Smitty
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Post by Smitty » Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:13 pm

Just got a new 15" MBP Retina and they've redesigned the fan to be quieter, and it is indeed very quiet. I know you said you're not looking for a laptop, but there you go anyways.
"I try to hate all my gear equally at all times to keep the balance of power in my favor." - Brad Sucks

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Nick Sevilla
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Post by Nick Sevilla » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:03 am

Mac Mini.
No fans.
Downside is you'll need peripherals like an external DVD burning drive.

But, it is as quiet as a mouse.

Cheers
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

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Smitty
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Post by Smitty » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:46 am

I got an external DVD-R drive for like $20 from TigerDirect. LiteOn was the brand. USB-bus powered and everything. Neato fix for cheap.
"I try to hate all my gear equally at all times to keep the balance of power in my favor." - Brad Sucks

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blungo2
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Post by blungo2 » Sun Aug 19, 2012 10:35 am

My old 3.1GHz macbook pro could get pretty loud.
Just got an imac i7 and the fan hasn't come on yet.
I'm also really liking that 21.5" display for tracking and mixing.

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