Mac Mini with Win7, Reaper and Profire 610?

[dhaines]

Hi all, I am considering replacing my Receptor Rev C as there are just too many plugs it can't run, and while it sounds great, it's just a bit too flaky to rely on live.

I'm considering a Mac Mini Quad i7 2011 or newer with 2 x SSD drives and 16gb ram. I'm also looking at the M-Audio Profire 610 for the interface.

I'm planning on running Reaper as the vst host / DAW, all under Windows 7 via Boot camp.

Does anyone have a similar setup actually working or is this just plain crazy? I know the Mini's are quite reliable but wondering if Win7 running FireWire under Boot camp is too much to ask.

I am looking for a setup that is portable enough for a 4-U case. My requirement is more on the VST host end than the DAW, (I have a home PC for my main DAW but I'd like to have Reaper running live). Mostly this is a hobby for me so I'd like a setup that is stable enough to get me out of the house playing live more often

I know there were older issues with non-TI FireWire chipsets but I believe the newer Minis have TI chipsets.

I'd like to run Win7 as some of the plugs I like only come as VSTs. I also run Komplete 9, IK Multimedia bundle etc and am picking up Arturia's V Collection (which is not supported even on newer Receptors)

Thanks for any tips

[chokehold]

I have a late 2011 Mac Mini and used Win7 on it via Bootcamp for a while, "just to have it". Reaper runs fine on it, and my PreSonus FireStudio 2626 -which can record a massive amount of stuff- recorded my band just fine via FireWire.

Over time I slowly got rid of my Win-only VSTs and now I run Reaper on OSX with Mac plugins exclusively. Never regretted that step.

[psychoxkps]

mac mini is nice, reaper can be nice too, profire610 is one of the best(undernote: I rather use komplete audio 6) but why windows...........................................................................................................................................................................

[chokehold]

but why windows

vs.

I'd like to run Win7 as some of the plugs I like only come as VSTs

TL;DR huh?

[dhaines]

Windows because there are more plugs available - some that I like that are VST only with no AU equivalent. A number of good free ones are VST only. I know there are ways to get VSTs to run under Wine in OSX etc but that is kludgy. Perhaps as Chokehold mentions above I may end up ditching the Windows side, but for now I want to keep all options open.

I know both OSX and Windows 7 well - they are both stable platforms (without intending to start a flame war here )

mac mini is nice, reaper can be nice too, profire610 is one of the best(undernote: I rather use komplete audio 6) but why windows...........................................................................................................................................................................

[chokehold]

(without intending to start a flame war here )

There's no flame war coming. OSX is better, period.

[psychoxkps]

I will be very happy if author tell what plugin type isn't au.. I don't have mac but when I occasionally searching through kvr database of plugins u can find au.. anyway.. its only about type.. algorithms of plugins r pretty same so I think u could find some type of your plugin to au(or you can boy 1 or 2 for money u save on win7) but, but, but - I think for example ni have everything but autotune.. I thinked it it is commercial company and most of commercial companies do au and is better than free vsts..

who wants 1 free plugin? don't buy windows....

[dhaines]

Well I'm not about to get into a debate about which Windows-only plugs I need or don't need

Suffice it to say there are enough to make me want to have the best of both worlds. as I said I have plenty of experience with both Windows and OSX (as an IT professional for 20+ years) - that I don't care to dismiss one OS or the other out of hand. They both have their strong points and weaknesses. Really just wanted to know if this particular combination of hardware/software is even feasible.

That being said, I do fully intend to try out Mainstage and Plugwire on the OSX partition - if that works out, maybe I will stick with OSX only, who knows.

Cheers

[dhaines]

But since you asked

Superwave
Variety Of Sound (excellent FX and compressors)
Anything by GForce (exists for OSX but support lags behind Windows versions)

and lots of others, plus anything cool in the future that might be VST only. Why limit my choices.

If Plugwire turns out to run everything then great.

[psychoxkps]

when iam now thinking that plugwire allows you to runvsts on mac? something like that must exist.. but I respect you.... I will no more intend to this topic.. I promise you:)

[ObiWonder]

Windows because there are more plugs available - some that I like that are VST only with no AU equivalent. A number of good free ones are VST only. I know there are ways to get VSTs to run under Wine in OSX etc but that is kludgy. Perhaps as Chokehold mentions above I may end up ditching the Windows side, but for now I want to keep all options open.

I know both OSX and Windows 7 well - they are both stable platforms (without intending to start a flame war here )

mac mini is nice, reaper can be nice too, profire610 is one of the best(undernote: I rather use komplete audio 6) but why windows...........................................................................................................................................................................

No worries, I have a Macbook and still run Windows 7 99% of the time.