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Recent Posts
2
General / Miscellaneous / Re: Apple has officially discontinued the mac pro March 26, 2026
« Last post by chrisNova777 on Today at 02:01:26 AM » Thunderbolt 5 compatibility is what i should be looking into? instead of what the end of the mac pro means for musicians:?
Yes, Thunderbolt 5 is the specific technological pivot you should be watching, because it is the "bridge" that makes the end of the Mac Pro tower manageable for a high-end studio.
Think of it this way: The Mac Pro was a container for your gear. Thunderbolt 5 is the pipeline that lets that same gear live outside the computer without losing performance.
Why Thunderbolt 5 is the "Successor" to the PCIe Slot
For musicians, the "End of the Mac Pro" is really just the "End of Internal Slots." Thunderbolt 5 solves this by doubling the data highway:
Twice the Speed: While Thunderbolt 3 and 4 were capped at 40Gb/s, Thunderbolt 5 hits 80Gb/s (and up to 120Gb/s in certain modes).
True PCIe Parity: Thunderbolt 5 provides a massive jump in PCIe throughput (64Gbps). This is the "magic number" for musicians using high-track-count audio interfaces or PCIe cards (like Avid HDX or UAD-2). It finally offers enough bandwidth to run multiple cards in an external chassis without the "bottlenecking" that sometimes occurred on older TB3/4 setups.
+1
Backwards Compatibility: Importantly, your existing Thunderbolt 3 and 4 gear (like your current interfaces) will still work. You won't need to throw away your current equipment; you just gain a much wider "pipe" for future expansions.
What to Look For (Strategic Moves)
Instead of mourning the tower, focus your hardware strategy on these three areas:
1. Thunderbolt 5 Expansion Chassis
Companies like Sonnet and OWC have already begun releasing Thunderbolt 5 PCIe expansion boxes (like the Sonnet Echo SE I T5). If you have a favorite PCIe card from your old Mac Pro, you can simply move it into one of these.
Pro Tip: Look for "Dual-Bus" chassis. These use two Thunderbolt cables to give each PCIe slot its own dedicated 80Gb/s lane—effectively recreating the internal bandwidth of a Mac Pro.
2. The "Externalized" Rack
Since you are already planning a studio layout with IKEA Billy/Gnedby units, you can pivot from "one big computer" to a "Brain + Rack" setup:
The Brain: A Mac Studio (likely the M4 or M5 Ultra models released recently) tucked away.
The Rack: A dedicated 2U or 3U rack enclosure that houses the Mac Studio and your PCIe cards together.
3. NVMe Storage Arrays
With the Mac Pro gone, you lose internal drive bays. Thunderbolt 5 allows for external NVMe RAIDs that are just as fast as internal storage. This is where you should put your sample libraries (Kontakt, Spitfire, etc.) to keep your project load times near-instant.
Comparison: Tower vs. Thunderbolt 5 Setup
Feature Legacy Mac Pro (Internal) New Mac Studio + TB5 (External)
Upgradeability Open the side panel Swap the external box/drive
Noise Internal fans near your ears Chassis can be placed in a silent rack
Cable Management Clean (all internal) "Octopus" (requires high-quality TB5 cables)
Portability Nearly impossible Easy to take the "Brain" to another studio
Bottom Line: The end of the Mac Pro isn't a loss of power—it's a change in geometry. By focusing on Thunderbolt 5, you're ensuring that your studio remains modular and that your specialized equipment can outlive the computer it's currently plugged into.
Yes, Thunderbolt 5 is the specific technological pivot you should be watching, because it is the "bridge" that makes the end of the Mac Pro tower manageable for a high-end studio.
Think of it this way: The Mac Pro was a container for your gear. Thunderbolt 5 is the pipeline that lets that same gear live outside the computer without losing performance.
Why Thunderbolt 5 is the "Successor" to the PCIe Slot
For musicians, the "End of the Mac Pro" is really just the "End of Internal Slots." Thunderbolt 5 solves this by doubling the data highway:
Twice the Speed: While Thunderbolt 3 and 4 were capped at 40Gb/s, Thunderbolt 5 hits 80Gb/s (and up to 120Gb/s in certain modes).
True PCIe Parity: Thunderbolt 5 provides a massive jump in PCIe throughput (64Gbps). This is the "magic number" for musicians using high-track-count audio interfaces or PCIe cards (like Avid HDX or UAD-2). It finally offers enough bandwidth to run multiple cards in an external chassis without the "bottlenecking" that sometimes occurred on older TB3/4 setups.
+1
Backwards Compatibility: Importantly, your existing Thunderbolt 3 and 4 gear (like your current interfaces) will still work. You won't need to throw away your current equipment; you just gain a much wider "pipe" for future expansions.
What to Look For (Strategic Moves)
Instead of mourning the tower, focus your hardware strategy on these three areas:
1. Thunderbolt 5 Expansion Chassis
Companies like Sonnet and OWC have already begun releasing Thunderbolt 5 PCIe expansion boxes (like the Sonnet Echo SE I T5). If you have a favorite PCIe card from your old Mac Pro, you can simply move it into one of these.
Pro Tip: Look for "Dual-Bus" chassis. These use two Thunderbolt cables to give each PCIe slot its own dedicated 80Gb/s lane—effectively recreating the internal bandwidth of a Mac Pro.
2. The "Externalized" Rack
Since you are already planning a studio layout with IKEA Billy/Gnedby units, you can pivot from "one big computer" to a "Brain + Rack" setup:
The Brain: A Mac Studio (likely the M4 or M5 Ultra models released recently) tucked away.
The Rack: A dedicated 2U or 3U rack enclosure that houses the Mac Studio and your PCIe cards together.
3. NVMe Storage Arrays
With the Mac Pro gone, you lose internal drive bays. Thunderbolt 5 allows for external NVMe RAIDs that are just as fast as internal storage. This is where you should put your sample libraries (Kontakt, Spitfire, etc.) to keep your project load times near-instant.
Comparison: Tower vs. Thunderbolt 5 Setup
Feature Legacy Mac Pro (Internal) New Mac Studio + TB5 (External)
Upgradeability Open the side panel Swap the external box/drive
Noise Internal fans near your ears Chassis can be placed in a silent rack
Cable Management Clean (all internal) "Octopus" (requires high-quality TB5 cables)
Portability Nearly impossible Easy to take the "Brain" to another studio
Bottom Line: The end of the Mac Pro isn't a loss of power—it's a change in geometry. By focusing on Thunderbolt 5, you're ensuring that your studio remains modular and that your specialized equipment can outlive the computer it's currently plugged into.
3
General / Miscellaneous / Re: Apple has officially discontinued the mac pro March 26, 2026
« Last post by chrisNova777 on Today at 01:59:52 AM »Apple has officially discontinued the mac PRO what does this mean to musicians with lots of equipment that they maintain?
The official discontinuation of the Mac Pro in March 2026 marks the end of an era for musicians who rely on internal PCIe expandability. While Apple Silicon has made the Mac Pro's raw processing power less of a "lone peak" than it once was, the loss of the tower form factor presents specific logistical challenges for studios with deep hardware integration.
Here is what this shift means for musicians and studio owners:
1. The Death of Internal PCIe
The most significant impact is the loss of internal PCIe slots. For years, pro studios have used these for:
DSP Cards: Avid HDX cards for Pro Tools or Universal Audio UAD-2 Octo cards.
High-Bandwidth Storage: Multi-drive NVMe RAID cards for massive sample libraries.
Specialized Networking: 10GbE or fiber connectivity for server-based templates.
The Reality: You will now have to move these to Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis (like those from Sonnet or OWC). While Thunderbolt 5 (now appearing in 2026 Macs) offers up to 120Gb/s, it still introduces an extra piece of hardware, more cables, and potential fan noise into your rack.
2. The Mac Studio as the "New Standard"
Apple has positioned the Mac Studio as the direct successor. With the M5 Ultra refresh expected later this year, the performance gap between the discontinued Mac Pro and the Studio has vanished.
Small Footprint: It fits easily on a desk or a rack shelf, but lacks any user-upgradable internals.
Unified Memory: Since RAM is integrated into the chip, you must decide your maximum memory needs (e.g., 128GB or 192GB) at the time of purchase. You can no longer "add more sticks" later.
3. Maintenance and "Legacy" Longevity
For those maintaining older towers (like the 2010–2012 "cheesegraters" or the 2019 Intel models):
Parts Scarcity: While third-party components (GPUs, RAM) for Intel Mac Pros will remain available on the secondary market, official Apple support and proprietary parts (like power supplies or logic boards) will eventually become harder to source.
Software Ceiling: macOS support for Intel-based Mac Pros is winding down. Musicians using specialized PCIe hardware may find themselves "frozen" on older OS versions to maintain compatibility, much like the transition from PowerPC to Intel years ago.
4. The Move to External Everything
The "all-in-one" workstation is being replaced by a "modular-external" workflow:
Storage: High-speed external NVMe enclosures are now the standard for sample libraries.
Connectivity: Thunderbolt docks are becoming mandatory to handle the sheer volume of USB-MIDI controllers, dongles, and audio interfaces.
Summary of Alternatives
Feature Mac Studio (Current Path) Used 2019 Mac Pro Windows Workstation
Expansion External Thunderbolt only 8x PCIe Slots (Internal) Highly Modular/Internal
CPU Power M3/M5 Ultra (Top-tier) Intel Xeon (Aging) Latest Intel/AMD (Top-tier)
Longevity High (Current Architecture) Declining (Intel Phase-out) High
Music Pros Best for Logic/Core Audio Best for existing HDX rigs Best for VEP/Cubase/Heavy VSTs
If you are heavily invested in PCIe-based hardware, your current focus should be on Thunderbolt 5 compatibility and ensuring your hardware manufacturers provide drivers that support the latest Apple Silicon "Super Cores."
The official discontinuation of the Mac Pro in March 2026 marks the end of an era for musicians who rely on internal PCIe expandability. While Apple Silicon has made the Mac Pro's raw processing power less of a "lone peak" than it once was, the loss of the tower form factor presents specific logistical challenges for studios with deep hardware integration.
Here is what this shift means for musicians and studio owners:
1. The Death of Internal PCIe
The most significant impact is the loss of internal PCIe slots. For years, pro studios have used these for:
DSP Cards: Avid HDX cards for Pro Tools or Universal Audio UAD-2 Octo cards.
High-Bandwidth Storage: Multi-drive NVMe RAID cards for massive sample libraries.
Specialized Networking: 10GbE or fiber connectivity for server-based templates.
The Reality: You will now have to move these to Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis (like those from Sonnet or OWC). While Thunderbolt 5 (now appearing in 2026 Macs) offers up to 120Gb/s, it still introduces an extra piece of hardware, more cables, and potential fan noise into your rack.
2. The Mac Studio as the "New Standard"
Apple has positioned the Mac Studio as the direct successor. With the M5 Ultra refresh expected later this year, the performance gap between the discontinued Mac Pro and the Studio has vanished.
Small Footprint: It fits easily on a desk or a rack shelf, but lacks any user-upgradable internals.
Unified Memory: Since RAM is integrated into the chip, you must decide your maximum memory needs (e.g., 128GB or 192GB) at the time of purchase. You can no longer "add more sticks" later.
3. Maintenance and "Legacy" Longevity
For those maintaining older towers (like the 2010–2012 "cheesegraters" or the 2019 Intel models):
Parts Scarcity: While third-party components (GPUs, RAM) for Intel Mac Pros will remain available on the secondary market, official Apple support and proprietary parts (like power supplies or logic boards) will eventually become harder to source.
Software Ceiling: macOS support for Intel-based Mac Pros is winding down. Musicians using specialized PCIe hardware may find themselves "frozen" on older OS versions to maintain compatibility, much like the transition from PowerPC to Intel years ago.
4. The Move to External Everything
The "all-in-one" workstation is being replaced by a "modular-external" workflow:
Storage: High-speed external NVMe enclosures are now the standard for sample libraries.
Connectivity: Thunderbolt docks are becoming mandatory to handle the sheer volume of USB-MIDI controllers, dongles, and audio interfaces.
Summary of Alternatives
Feature Mac Studio (Current Path) Used 2019 Mac Pro Windows Workstation
Expansion External Thunderbolt only 8x PCIe Slots (Internal) Highly Modular/Internal
CPU Power M3/M5 Ultra (Top-tier) Intel Xeon (Aging) Latest Intel/AMD (Top-tier)
Longevity High (Current Architecture) Declining (Intel Phase-out) High
Music Pros Best for Logic/Core Audio Best for existing HDX rigs Best for VEP/Cubase/Heavy VSTs
If you are heavily invested in PCIe-based hardware, your current focus should be on Thunderbolt 5 compatibility and ensuring your hardware manufacturers provide drivers that support the latest Apple Silicon "Super Cores."
4
General / Miscellaneous / Apple has officially discontinued the mac pro March 26, 2026
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 12, 2026, 06:04:01 PM »The discontinuation of the Mac Pro on March 26, 2026, officially ends Apple’s 20-year era of modular desktop workstations. This shift signals a fundamental change in how Apple views high-performance computing, prioritizing integrated efficiency over traditional internal expandability. 9to5Mac
The Shift to "Integrated" Power
The primary reason for this move is the success of Apple Silicon. The unified memory architecture used in chips like the M2 Ultra and M4 Max provides massive performance gains but requires RAM and GPU components to be integrated directly onto the chip.
Redundant Chassis: The 2023 Mac Pro’s large tower design became mostly "empty space" because users could no longer upgrade RAM or swap out GPUs.
The Mac Studio Factor: The Mac Studio proved that Apple could deliver the same workstation-level power in a fraction of the size and at a lower cost.
What This Means for Professionals
For the vast majority of creators, this is a win for efficiency, but it does leave a small gap in the market:
Loss of PCIe Slots: Niche users who relied on internal PCIe lanes for high-end networking or specialized audio/video cards must now look toward external Thunderbolt enclosures.
The New Performance Ceiling: The Mac Studio is now the flagship pro desktop. Apple is expected to launch an M5 Ultra version at WWDC 2026, which will likely be the most powerful Mac ever made.
Scaling via Software: With the introduction of macOS Tahoe 26.2, Apple enabled RDMA over Thunderbolt 5, allowing users to scale performance by connecting multiple Macs together—effectively replacing internal expansion with high-speed external clustering.
The End of "Made in USA"
The Mac Pro was notably the only Apple device assembled in the United States (Texas). Its discontinuation likely marks the end of this domestic manufacturing chapter, as production for other models like the Mac mini is planned for different global facilities.
Overall, Apple is betting that modern professional workflows value performance-per-watt and compact reliability over the bulky, customizable towers of the past.
Are you considering a Mac Studio to replace a tower setup, or are you looking for external expansion solutions?
The Shift to "Integrated" Power
The primary reason for this move is the success of Apple Silicon. The unified memory architecture used in chips like the M2 Ultra and M4 Max provides massive performance gains but requires RAM and GPU components to be integrated directly onto the chip.
Redundant Chassis: The 2023 Mac Pro’s large tower design became mostly "empty space" because users could no longer upgrade RAM or swap out GPUs.
The Mac Studio Factor: The Mac Studio proved that Apple could deliver the same workstation-level power in a fraction of the size and at a lower cost.
What This Means for Professionals
For the vast majority of creators, this is a win for efficiency, but it does leave a small gap in the market:
Loss of PCIe Slots: Niche users who relied on internal PCIe lanes for high-end networking or specialized audio/video cards must now look toward external Thunderbolt enclosures.
The New Performance Ceiling: The Mac Studio is now the flagship pro desktop. Apple is expected to launch an M5 Ultra version at WWDC 2026, which will likely be the most powerful Mac ever made.
Scaling via Software: With the introduction of macOS Tahoe 26.2, Apple enabled RDMA over Thunderbolt 5, allowing users to scale performance by connecting multiple Macs together—effectively replacing internal expansion with high-speed external clustering.
The End of "Made in USA"
The Mac Pro was notably the only Apple device assembled in the United States (Texas). Its discontinuation likely marks the end of this domestic manufacturing chapter, as production for other models like the Mac mini is planned for different global facilities.
Overall, Apple is betting that modern professional workflows value performance-per-watt and compact reliability over the bulky, customizable towers of the past.
Are you considering a Mac Studio to replace a tower setup, or are you looking for external expansion solutions?
5
samplers - 1980s / Re: Roland S-10 (1986) digital sampling keyboard (quickdisk)
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 11, 2026, 12:37:40 PM »it can be really hard to find someone to repair stuff like this if u dont live near like new york or chicago or london england or capital cities - even in Toronto its hard to find people that are able to properly repair such things .. steve's music store shut down recently too . people need to support their music -related businesses or they stop being able to survive
6
samplers - 1980s / Re: Roland S-10 (1986) sampling keyboard
« Last post by smoot smooth.as.silk on April 11, 2026, 08:07:17 AM »Good stuff.My S-10 Just broke downTurned it on after not using it for a while, everything looked normal ... noticed some high frequency buzzing sound ... then I pushed some button ... and all lights went out. Turned it on and of ... dead. If anyone has any idea what the problem might be ... please let me know. I'm wondering if it could be some capacitor dying of old age or something.
Check this site, https://amsynths.co.uk/2019/02/18/roland-s10-sampler-refurb/ Must be the electrolytic capacitors on the power supply. Tr to replace them. Use a multimeter to find out if the power supply is indeed dead or not.
7
synths - 1990s / Re: SR-JV expansion cards for Roland JV series synths (1992+)
« Last post by smoot smooth.as.silk on April 11, 2026, 07:57:50 AM »E-mu products | Ensoniq Products | Akai "S" Series | Akai MPCs | Drum Machines | Roland JV Addons | early 90s Synths | late 80s synths | Roland Samplers
release dates listed here: http://www.dtech.lv/techarticles_roland_exp.html
http://www.nathansheldon.com/xp-80/expansion-board-demos.html
http://cms.rolandus.com/assets/media/pdf/Selecting_Ints_and_SR-JV80s.pdf
more demos: http://www.nathansheldon.com/xp-80/expansion-board-demos.html
House http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-19.htm (2001)
World Collection Latin http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-18.htm
Country Collection http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-17.htm
Orchestral II http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-16.htm
Special FX http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-15.htm
World Collection Asia http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-14.htm
Vocal http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-13.htm
HipHop http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-12.htm doc 19981997
Techno http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-11.htm
Bass & Drums http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-10.htm
Session http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-09.htm doc 1996
60s & 70s http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-08.htm doc 1995
Super Soundset http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-07.htm doc 1995
Dance http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-06.htm doc 1995
World http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-05.htm doc 1994
Vintage Synth http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-04.htm doc 1993
Piano http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-03.htm doc 1992
Orchestral http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-02.htm doc 1992
Pop http://www.synthmania.com/sr-jv80-01.htm doc 1992
If you have the original ROMS you can use Virtual JV: free Roland JV-880 emulation. Al those cards at your hands
https://github.com/giulioz/jv880_juce Its a true emulation of the ROMs
8
synths - 1990s / Re: Access Virus A (1997)
« Last post by smoot smooth.as.silk on April 11, 2026, 07:53:15 AM »http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/virusa.php
Check this real Emulation of the Roms, https://theusualsuspects.io/downloads/osirus
9
synths - 1990s / Roland JP-8000 Free VST (Real emulation of the roms)
« Last post by smoot smooth.as.silk on April 11, 2026, 07:49:01 AM »This is amazing, https://theusualsuspects.io/technical/je8086 Its a free VST it uses the real Roland ROM and emulate
the CPU , Hitachi H8S microcontroller paired with custom Roland ESP ASICs (4 on the JP-8000, 5 on the JP-8080)
They are also working investigating de Roland D Series and more.
But you need the Original Roms to make it work. Like this its almost 100% the original sound
10
Mac OS 9 (Oct 1999) / Re: switching the gpu 66mhz slot w disk io card to improve sata bandwidth for SSD
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 09, 2026, 10:45:22 PM »"so a Powermac g3 B+W booting off a SIL3112 card in a 66mhz slot is superior to any g3 or g4 with any sil3112 card installed anywhere else because it will only run at 33mhz"
Exactly. You’ve hit on the "secret weapon" of the B+W G3 and YIKES G4!!!
Ironically, because Apple moved the graphics to a dedicated AGP slot starting with the G4 "Sawtooth," they actually downgraded the storage potential for anyone using a PCI SATA card.
The "G3 Advantage"
The G4 Limitation: In a Power Mac G4 (Sawtooth through MDD), all the PCI slots are clocked at 33MHz. Even if you put a SiL3112 in a G4, it is capped at that ~33–45 MB/s real-world ceiling.
The G3 B+W Exception: By "sacrificing" the high-speed graphics slot and moving your GPU to a slower slot, you are the only one who can give that SiL3112 a 66MHz path. This allows you to hit that ~65 MB/s sweet spot [previous turn]—roughly 50% faster than a G4 using the same card.
The Only Exception: The G4 Quicksilver/MDD 64-bit Slots
There is one technical "asterisk": some later G4 models (like the Mirror Drive Door) have 64-bit PCI slots, but they still run at 33MHz. It wasn't until the Power Mac G5 that 66MHz (and 133MHz PCI-X) slots returned for general use.
Why this is the "Ultimate" OS 9 Audio Rig
For a Mac OS 9 build, your specific configuration—B+W G3 + SiL3112 in the 66MHz slot—is arguably the highest-bandwidth storage setup possible. A G4 might have a faster CPU for processing plugins, but your G3 will actually have a "wider" pipe for streaming those high-track-count audio files from disk.
It makes the B+W G3 a very unique "bottleneck-breaker" for vintage studio work.
Are you planning to use a SATA SSD to ensure you're completely maxing out that 66MHz bandwidth, or a high-RPM mechanical drive?
Exactly. You’ve hit on the "secret weapon" of the B+W G3 and YIKES G4!!!
Ironically, because Apple moved the graphics to a dedicated AGP slot starting with the G4 "Sawtooth," they actually downgraded the storage potential for anyone using a PCI SATA card.
The "G3 Advantage"
The G4 Limitation: In a Power Mac G4 (Sawtooth through MDD), all the PCI slots are clocked at 33MHz. Even if you put a SiL3112 in a G4, it is capped at that ~33–45 MB/s real-world ceiling.
The G3 B+W Exception: By "sacrificing" the high-speed graphics slot and moving your GPU to a slower slot, you are the only one who can give that SiL3112 a 66MHz path. This allows you to hit that ~65 MB/s sweet spot [previous turn]—roughly 50% faster than a G4 using the same card.
The Only Exception: The G4 Quicksilver/MDD 64-bit Slots
There is one technical "asterisk": some later G4 models (like the Mirror Drive Door) have 64-bit PCI slots, but they still run at 33MHz. It wasn't until the Power Mac G5 that 66MHz (and 133MHz PCI-X) slots returned for general use.
Why this is the "Ultimate" OS 9 Audio Rig
For a Mac OS 9 build, your specific configuration—B+W G3 + SiL3112 in the 66MHz slot—is arguably the highest-bandwidth storage setup possible. A G4 might have a faster CPU for processing plugins, but your G3 will actually have a "wider" pipe for streaming those high-track-count audio files from disk.
It makes the B+W G3 a very unique "bottleneck-breaker" for vintage studio work.
Are you planning to use a SATA SSD to ensure you're completely maxing out that 66MHz bandwidth, or a high-RPM mechanical drive?