Create New Beast Hacintosh for Music Production

[jtroump]

Hello everyone,
OK, my late-2012 iMac (i7 3rd-Gen, 16GB) got old and I need a new one, mainly, for music production.
That means, I may need the latest and greatest i7 or i9 Intel 14x generation and, at least 32GB or 64GB of fast RAM.
And, I need the latest macOS installed, so I can run the latest versions of DAW and plugins.

I had created an Hacintosh back to 2013 with success; however, since the latest CPU chips may not be supported by the latest macOS versions, I would be more than grateful if you could help me choose a CPU, a GPU, a RAM type and a decent audio card that would lead to a successful Sonoma Hacintosh build and, if there is one, a successfull installation guide.

I know I am asking much, but I am away from Hackintosh for a long time and I have no clue regarding which of the latest components are appropriate for such a build.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Feartech]

Hello everyone,
OK, my late-2012 iMac (i7 3rd-Gen, 16GB) got old and I need a new one, mainly, for music production.
That means, I may need the latest and greatest i7 or i9 Intel 14x generation and, at least 32GB or 64GB of fast RAM.
And, I need the latest macOS installed, so I can run the latest versions of DAW and plugins.

I had created an Hacintosh back to 2013 with success; however, since the latest CPU chips may not be supported by the latest macOS versions, I would be more than grateful if you could help me choose a CPU, a GPU, a RAM type and a decent audio card that would lead to a successful Sonoma Hacintosh build and, if there is one, a successfull installation guide.

I know I am asking much, but I am away from Hackintosh for a long time and I have no clue regarding which of the latest components are appropriate for such a build.

Thank you very much in advance.

check over:

Golden Builds

Great Examples of User Builds - Chosen by the Mods

www.tonymacx86.com

 

[guindillas]

Hello everyone,
OK, my late-2012 iMac (i7 3rd-Gen, 16GB) got old and I need a new one, mainly, for music production.
That means, I may need the latest and greatest i7 or i9 Intel 14x generation and, at least 32GB or 64GB of fast RAM.
And, I need the latest macOS installed, so I can run the latest versions of DAW and plugins.

I had created an Hacintosh back to 2013 with success; however, since the latest CPU chips may not be supported by the latest macOS versions, I would be more than grateful if you could help me choose a CPU, a GPU, a RAM type and a decent audio card that would lead to a successful Sonoma Hacintosh build and, if there is one, a successfull installation guide.

I know I am asking much, but I am away from Hackintosh for a long time and I have no clue regarding which of the latest components are appropriate for such a build.

Thank you very much in advance.

Go for a Z790 + 14900k + DDR5 ram + AMD gpu
This is beast. When you have it then, come and share your work. Not just came, take and go.
If you don't wanna make it, go for a golden builds, two years more obsolete from now.
Bitting Apple in all benchmarks is not well seen, and can angry the real beast! Good luck

 

[etorix]

For ease of setup, you may pick a Z690 motherboard from a Golden Build, and pair it with a 14th gen. CPU.

@ori69 had recently given good performance indications in a similar buying advice thread, which seems to have disappeared.

 

[ori69]

For ease of setup, you may pick a Z690 motherboard from a Golden Build, and pair it with a 14th gen. CPU.

@ori69 had recently given good performance indications in a similar buying advice thread, which seems to have disappeared.

For 14th gen, the Z790 is better.

 

[guindillas]

For ease of setup, you may pick a Z690 motherboard from a Golden Build, and pair it with a 14th gen. CPU.

@ori69 had recently given good performance indications in a similar buying advice thread, which seems to have disappeared.

That's what I was looking for (This thread you talk), and the reason of my message. When I saw It is gone

 

[Jamesbond007]

Hello everyone,
OK, my late-2012 iMac (i7 3rd-Gen, 16GB) got old and I need a new one, mainly, for music production.
That means, I may need the latest and greatest i7 or i9 Intel 14x generation and, at least 32GB or 64GB of fast RAM.
And, I need the latest macOS installed, so I can run the latest versions of DAW and plugins.

I had created an Hacintosh back to 2013 with success; however, since the latest CPU chips may not be supported by the latest macOS versions, I would be more than grateful if you could help me choose a CPU, a GPU, a RAM type and a decent audio card that would lead to a successful Sonoma Hacintosh build and, if there is one, a successfull installation guide.

I know I am asking much, but I am away from Hackintosh for a long time and I have no clue regarding which of the latest components are appropriate for such a build.

Thank you very much in advance.

Since you need the latest MacOS version, my opinion is that you should not invest in a new hackintosh. Apple will drop Intel MacOS support in the near future. My own guess is that, now that Apple no longer sells Intel Macs, Sonoma might be the last Intel MacOS, or failing that, MacOS 15 (probable release in September / October 2024) will be the last Intel MacOS.

Pretty soon you will not be able to run the "latest" MacOS version on an Intel PC. Take this into your consideration. I think you should consider investing in a suitable Apple Silicon Mac instead.

 

[Montesumolo]

I am thinking myself

Hello everyone,
OK, my late-2012 iMac (i7 3rd-Gen, 16GB) got old and I need a new one, mainly, for music production.
That means, I may need the latest and greatest i7 or i9 Intel 14x generation and, at least 32GB or 64GB of fast RAM.
And, I need the latest macOS installed, so I can run the latest versions of DAW and plugins.

I had created an Hacintosh back to 2013 with success; however, since the latest CPU chips may not be supported by the latest macOS versions, I would be more than grateful if you could help me choose a CPU, a GPU, a RAM type and a decent audio card that would lead to a successful Sonoma Hacintosh build and, if there is one, a successfull installation guide.

I know I am asking much, but I am away from Hackintosh for a long time and I have no clue regarding which of the latest components are appropriate for such a build.

Thank you very much in advance.

I am thinking myself of doing it one last time.
I am currently running an i9 with that build by @pastrychef in the Studio

pastrychef's Asus ROG Strix Z370-G Gaming (WI-FI AC) build w/ i9-9900K + AMD 6600 XT

pastrychef's Asus ROG Strix Z370-G Gaming (WI-FI AC) - i7-8700K i9-9900K - AMD Vega 56 build Components Asus ROG Strix Z370-G Gaming (WI-FI AC) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RHWCBT/?tag=tonymacx86com-20 https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813119042 Intel i7-8700K Processor...

www.tonymacx86.com

Despite all warnings of end of support. I have a macbook pro m1 max with 32 GB ram and a mac studio m1 max 64 gb ram at work from my employer and did a little bit testing in Logic pro. It's more or less on par with my i9 hack.

I love my Studio hack and it's upgrade ability. The idea to just change a component to upgrade or when something is broken is just a good thing and loveable.

At the moment a well speced mac studio with m2 max chip 1 tb and 64 gb ram is more than 3000 euros. And an ultra with 128 gb ram 5000 eur. Also a new audio interface, since I am still on firewire.

A build with an i7 14700kf with 2x 2tb nvme and 192 gb ddr5 ram cost me 2000 euros and some time and research.

I am torned between the build or sparing the 2000 euros for a mac studio in a some years or a second hand one.

Jumping onto these completely non upgradeable train for memory or anything else is really a difficult one.
But maybe it's just the way it is now, if you want to use macos and / or logic pro.
Or we get the right legislations to force companies to that customers have the right that machines can be repaired at reasonable prices and costs.

Never used Windows for music production before but the last few months i am thinking about it.

Hope my thoughts help you deciding, just as me too

 

[guindillas]

I am thinking myself

I am thinking myself of doing it one last time.
I am currently running an i9 with that build by @pastrychef in the Studio

pastrychef's Asus ROG Strix Z370-G Gaming (WI-FI AC) build w/ i9-9900K + AMD 6600 XT

pastrychef's Asus ROG Strix Z370-G Gaming (WI-FI AC) - i7-8700K i9-9900K - AMD Vega 56 build Components Asus ROG Strix Z370-G Gaming (WI-FI AC) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RHWCBT/?tag=tonymacx86com-20 https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813119042 Intel i7-8700K Processor...

www.tonymacx86.com

Despite all warnings of end of support. I have a macbook pro m1 max with 32 GB ram and a mac studio m1 max 64 gb ram at work from my employer and did a little bit testing in Logic pro. It's more or less on par with my i9 hack.

I love my Studio hack and it's upgrade ability. The idea to just change a component to upgrade or when something is broken is just a good thing and loveable.

At the moment a well speced mac studio with m2 max chip 1 tb and 64 gb ram is more than 3000 euros. And an ultra with 128 gb ram 5000 eur. Also a new audio interface, since I am still on firewire.

A build with an i7 14700kf with 2x 2tb nvme and 192 gb ddr5 ram cost me 2000 euros and some time and research.

I am torned between the build or sparing the 2000 euros for a mac studio in a some years or a second hand one.

Jumping onto these completely non upgradeable train for memory or anything else is really a difficult one.
But maybe it's just the way it is now, if you want to use macos and / or logic pro.
Or we get the right legislations to force companies to that customers have the right that machines can be repaired at reasonable prices and costs.

Never used Windows for music production before but the last few months i am thinking about it.

Hope my thoughts help you deciding, just as me too

If you go with the hackintosh, you also have the windows available in future. And for music production, you don't need the latest macos system. So going from now 2000€ and you can build one more last top production machine. And in 6 / 8 years you will decide again.

 

[Montesumolo]

And for music production, you don't need the latest macos system.

It depends... have to think it out, also if it's worthy timewise...