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petenewman · Contributor II Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 50

Hi,

Pondering switching from pc to mac.

Does anyone here use an iMac in their booth?

Just wondering about fan noise (if any)?

Bruce · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 2:27 pm Post subject:

Early versions of the iMac were too noisy for voice work while the more recent ones have been quieter and quieter.

Do you already have the iMac you're going to use? If so, create a "booth" around the computer to contain it's audio reception in a similar space and then put the mic, software, computer situation through its paces. See if you get enough noise to pick it up in your software.

I just searched here using: iMac AND noise

and found a few articles. The best advice if you don't have the computer yet is to buy a Mac Mini and the peripherals you might need. You'll spend quite a bit less and the minis are close to silent. I know. I have one three feet from my mic and no problems.

B
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todd ellis · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 3:45 pm Post subject:

yeah - if you're just doing VO - mac mini all the way - cheap & quiet.
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

I just switched from a PC to a new iMac and it is silent. It's remarkable.
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Bish · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 8:25 pm Post subject:

I've got a 2014 iMac 5K with a SSD... the only time the fan kicks on is when I'm crunching video or playing a game. It has never come on while I'm running Audition and recording. It's as quiet as a church mouse.
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todd ellis · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:20 am Post subject:

fyi (and not an imac) - i just got a new 15" macbook pro with the 4gb radeon graphics card and when the fan kicks in it sounds like a grain elevator emptying into a tin bucket.
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georgethetech · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 1:26 pm Post subject:

The iMac and iMac Pro machines are VERY quiet now adays, much moreso than the Mac Mini. Beauty of the Mac Mini is it can be located away from the mic, and its a lot cheaper. YMMV. Macbook Pro or anything with hard-core GPU will make the fan go nuts under a heavy graphics load.
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petenewman · Contributor II Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 50

Thanks all!

George...will the iMac fan stay quiet enough in my booth if I pair it with a UA Apollo Twin MKII and API Vision plug-in?

Dayo · Cinquecento Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 544 Location: UK

petenewman · Contributor II Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 50

Thanks for the tip Colin...I'll skip the fusion drive and go with the 512 gb SSD.

jim edgar · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 10:02 am Post subject:

Pete - there are definite reasons to avoid the fusion drives for audio. SSD would be my choice.

I've had an older Mac Mini as my main studio computer and it definitely produces a fan sound - wouldn't want to have it in the booth even though it's quieter than any other computer I've ever owned. When my MacBook fan comes on, it's loud(est). My iMac seems to work for a long, long time in "convection" mode. But, then again, I don't lock it into the same room as the exhaling, heat-generating voice actor.

With any mac, it's just too easy to attach a second monitor and just keep all of the spinny bits happily on the other side of the wall. And my bias is to keep the editor/director brain outside of the booth whenever possible.
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JohnV · Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:11 am Post subject:

"keep the editor/director brain outside of the booth whenever possible."

this is SO damned on-point, The Booth is there for a REASON... to keep All Noise (aside from the HUMAN) ELSEWHERE.
And while it is oftimes a REAlLY annoying task to design The Workspace so that this remains absolute, there is NO SUBSTITUTE.

It solves all technical AND psychological problems for The Job At Hand.
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