Mac Book Pro ?

[Gulinias]

I have a Mac Book Pro with 4 gigs of memory. Is there any reason to upgrade to 8 gigs for a music server. I did not think any of the player software needed this much ram but I thought it be best to ask. The upgrade would be 400 dollars plus so for that much and me thinking it probably would not matter I wanted to ask to be sure. You fine folks have been so very helpful while I have learned a bit and tried to get something together for my two channel music needs (digital)

 

[VT Skier]

I asked the same question recently before buying a refurb MacBook Pro, and was told (by most) that the memory increase would not make enough of a difference to justify the cost. Some disagreed, and I'm not sure there's any way to know for sure unless you listen for yourself, comparing against another MacBook with a different amount of memory.

 

Mine has 4GB and a 500GB drive, using iTunes (ALAC) and a DACport, and I'm thinking about adding Amarra. If you're going to RMAF, Can Jam, or some other show, or a local gathering, I suggest taking your laptop and headphones and trying to find someone there who has one with more (or less) RAM. I hope to do the same (I'll be at Can Jam), and I'll post here if I'm successful.

 

There's no substitute for doing your own research. For instance, people here swear that AIFF sounds "better" than ALAC, yet I cannot hear a difference between them. I don't yet have Amarra, or really good headphones, so my system may not be "resolving" enough, but I've been doing this for a while and I think a lot of audible differences come down to subjective preferences. I just heard the "greatest headphones in the world", the HD 800s and was singularly unimpressed. The room was loud (at the Montreal Hi-Fi Show), and maybe the amp and source weren't the best, so I'd like to hear them again, but if you asked me today, I'd say you'd be crazy to spend $1,400 on those things. Yet everyone else who listened to them loved them. That's what makes this hobby interesting, frustrating and rewarding, often all at the same time.

 

[dimsal]

I'm using Macbook Pro with 4 Gb just fine. If you want to spend - use it to upgrade other components like DAC.

 

[Audio_ELF]

From all (well certainly most) reports, you'd probably be better off spending the money on other upgrades...

 

You don't say how you are connecting your DAC, but if you are currently using the Optical output, buying a HiFace USB-SPDIF interface and a SSD would probably be more cost effective upgrades.

 

Eloise

 

[jimim]

I was just in the same boat as you. I just got a new MBP 15 cause I just didn't want ot wait for the new ones any longer. I opted for the 7200 RPM HDD cause you can always up the RAM down the road without affecting warranty where as the HDD is another story (in Apple's eyes that is) so that's what I did. At least with the 7200 RPM my call up speeds for programs are faster. I couldn't justify solid state right now plus my music is on a nas so no noise in my room. I figured for the little bit extra I'd try the 7200 RPM disk and so far it's been a good choice IMO. Right now I also don't feel as though I need the extra 4 gigs of RAM. I use Adobe Lightroom on a daily basis to edit and usually have some form of streaming going on in the background from the internet or my AE and never noticed any problems.

 

If that helps at all. . . .

 

jimi

 

[Gulinias]

I have a Hi Face on the way as we speak. I understand the speed and lack of noise from the ssd, Do you feel that there would be a sonic benefit to having one? Thanks to everyone who has responded.