Delayed sound on 2.66 Core 2 Duo

Hi all - I wonder if anybody else has this problem: the sound from my iMac is sometimes delayed - by that I mean there is a second or two delay before any sound comes and then all is OK. So... if I increase the volume then I don't get the initial 'quack' until a second or two later, the subsequent 'quacks' are all instantaneous.
This issue is particularly pronounced when using Skype messaging as I never end up getting the audio alerts when a message is sent to me - I use this for work so it's becoming quite annoying...
Any ideas appreciated.
Cheers
Paul

HI Paul,
Try deleting these files.
com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist
com..apple.audio.SystemSettings.plist
MacintoshHD/Library/Preferences/Audio.
Move those files to the Trash. Restart your Mac.
Carolyn

Similar Messages

Airport problems on new Core 2 Duo (network attachment delays)

I have just bought 17" 2GHz Core 2 Duo. Lovely machine, but I have some problems with internal Airport card.
After startup it takes about 5 seconds to attach to the WiFi network I run. Subsequently, if I load iChat automatically at login, by the time Airport comes online, iChat is already displaying "Network diagnostic" dialogue. After you OK it, iChat will not try to login anymore (as opposed to temporarily losing network after successful login where it will log back in on its own.)
Something doesn't feel right about this Airport on the iMac. After clicking Airport symbol on the top bar it takes few seconds for the menu to drop down and often accompanied with a beach ball. Ping time to a base station during these few seconds increase from 1mS to 100-200mS.
Things I have tried:
-Fresh reinstall of just basic OS X 10.4.7 from restore disks
-Using two different access points (base stations) - 3Com and D-Link
-WAP, WEP and just open network
-limit connections to 802.11b mode only (11Mbps and lower)
-Change WiFi channels and use interference robustness
-Use PowerBook G4 as a base station in computer-to-computer and Internet sharing modes
With all the above the behaviour does not change...
I have a stock iMac model with no custom options, modifications or peripherals. Signal strength is excellent.
My 17" PowerBook G4 in the same room boots up and wakes up into fully active Airport connection and it "just works" smoothly and transparently. So were all other WiFi connections I had here from Macs and PC over the years.
I have been using WiFi for 4 years and have done multiple installations including industrial networks, I am also long time Mac user so I have a feeling how it should work so I know my iMac Airport just does not work right.
I suspect it is drivers/OS issue. This is based on the fact that once established, the link works fine but as soon as OS tries to access the Airport card to reconfigure it (either at startup or prompted by the user), some hiccups and delays occur...
I wonder if anybody can confirm this behaviour or suggest something I might try to fix this... I want iMac to use WiFi as transparently as PowerBook G4.
Thanks for your time.
Leo

Thanks, smacman, the bridge solution is brilliant and would work perfectly from technical point of view, however, I am trying to showcase the "Apple experience" to some other people and at the moment I am not winning.
I am good enough to write shell scripts or even fix low-level source code in C or ASM but I don't want to waste my time fixing it...
I had a quick look and the problem seems to be with iMac's Airport being very slow during existing networks scan which REQUIRES dropping current connection as channels and modulation changes during the scan. I have locked my router to work in 802.11b mode only. If I could do the same with the Airport on iMac I am sure it would have helped a lot as no 11g or 11a networks were scanned and queried. Forcing it to connect to a specific network did not help. I can't find any file with low-level hardware settings for the Airport, otherwise I'd have a go at it. Maybe I should search Darwin community's help but most probably Apple only releases compiled binary for WiFi drivers with no access to source code or settings.
One other thought - 802.11 has a different frequency spectrum certifications in different countries and in certain areas allowed frequency range is limited. Maybe, forcing locale to e.g. France (where certified channels are only 1-7) can speed up things...
I have tried WPA2 encryption as well but I believe the problem is occurring during the network scan.

Can Anyone provide me with the sound card specs for a 2GHz MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo? The system profiler lists the audio card as Intel High Definition Audio: audiocode 63

Can Anyone provide me with the sound card specs for a 2GHz MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo? The system profiler lists the audio card as Intel High Definition Audio: audiocode 63

ok thankx! but i must to know the output impendatie of my audio card= intel high definition audio? can somebody help me
this is my mac book
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/specs/macbook-core-2-duo-2.0-alumi num-13-late-2008-unibody-specs.html

Whining sound in other (non-core duo) laptops

I had always thought that this whining sound was an attribute of only the core duo processor, but I found out, as I was using an older Dell laptop today, that other processors make this exact noise. The one in this Dell was an Intel Celeron.
I thought that was quite interesting...

yeah, people are becoming a bit selfish with computers now...then again, i can't blame them...but once the Core 2 Duos start being used, the whine will decrease...you see: Lower power usage ->cooler processors->fans more at idle->less noise
 Mac Mini Intel Core Solo- 1 GB RAM- Superdrive- Production week 18 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

IMac 20" Core 2 Duo Electrical Humming Sound

I purchased the iMac 20" c2d a few weeks ago with the AppleCare Protection Plan. My iMac may have a problem. The problem is for some reason I hear an electrical humming sound coming from it. I tried the SMC reset procedure and the electrical humming sound is still present. Is the electrical humming sound normal or do I have to call Apple to have it repaired?
iMac 20" Core 2 Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Most likely it is normal. It has existed long (years) before this, and there is an Apple article explaining it. The SMC reset might work upon a subsequent attempt (doesn't necessarily work first time, according to others), so try it every day for a few to see if you can get anything from it.
If you believe your iMac is particularly objectionable, you should first make comparisons to see if your hearing is particularly sensitive to that type of sound, and to check if other similar 20-inch C2D iMacs sound similar or are more quiet.
If in fact it is louder than others, Apple will fix it.
Message was edited by: myhighway

Imac 6,1 intel based core 2 duo (running Lion) will not boot.

I hope this isn't too much insight - I have never posted (not being very good with computers and not having had a problem before) - but often see frustration when someone posts sans detailed t-shooting information.
My 2006 model Imac (Intel core 2 duo, 2.16GHZ, 4 MB L2 CPU cached/shared, running OS 10.7 Lion) suddenly shuts down during each boot. I still have my original installations disks, plus the Leopard and Snow Leopard disks on hand).    I do not have Time maching but have a 500GB external HD I had before Time maching came out. Alas- it was a Sipleshare NAS drive - and I have some items on the Imac not back-up that I need (I know.. hindsight stings).
So - in order, here is what I have tried so far:
Step 1 - Apple hardware test: installed orig install disk, held down D as Imac booted. Ran test - all successful.
Step 2 - manual that came with Imac said to: press power button, ad then simultaneously press Command, Option, P, & R keys until I hear start-up sound a second time. Heard the 2nd start-up sound. It starts to boot, a progress bar starts, and then shuts down.
Step 3: Tried to set Imac in Target mode (using my 2009 Macbook Pro as host with 800-800 firewire with these instructions (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661) ) to get to the data and save. No dice. Imac displayed the slowly bouncing target mode icon (which excited me) - but Macbook did not see a firewire connection.
Step 4: Tried an 800 - 400 firewire connection with target mode (since imac supports both) just to try another cable. Macbook still does not see firewire connection.
Step 5: I inserted my original Mac OS X install disc 1 that came with the Imac in 2006 and held down the "C" key. It booted to the "Mac OS X Installer" screen. From there I ran Disk Utility - with the following results:
Step 6 - verify disk:
Verifying volume "Macintosh HD"
Verifying HFS plus volume
Checking Extents Overflow file
Checking Catalog file
invalid node structure
The volume Macintosh HD needs to be repaired
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
     volume needs repair
Step 7: Tried to repair disk
Verifying and Repair disk "Macintosh HD"
Checkig HFS plus volume
Checking Extents Overflow file
Checking Catalog file
invalid node structure
Volume check failed
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1HFS volume checked
     1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Step 8 - within this same "Disk Utility" - if I select (from top menu) "Images" and "verify" - or "convert" - I can browse and actually see my files - but they are excruciatingly grayed out (tantalizingly close but unreachable). I would love dearly to be able to access these files but I have as yet not cracked that nut.
Step 9 - Selected "utilities - Startup Disk" - and three options are avail:
      Step 9A: tried starting from HD (which I knew would not work, but tried just for t-shooting thoroughness)
       Step 9B: tried starting from "Mac OS X, 10.4.8 install disk 1" (which just loads the same "Mac OS X Installer" screen I was already in).
      Step 9C: tried starting from the final option "Network startup" (I have an ethernet connection to my router for internet, which I know is online as this Macbook Pro is connected to the same router). Once I restart in "Network Start-up" mode - a flashing globe appears for a minute or so, followed by the Apple logo. A progress bar appears below for about 30 seconds, and then I simply see the Apple logo with the gray "wheel" spinning below it - even 90 minutes later with no sign that it is succeeding.
Summary: I feel like I have exhausted whatever I can feebly attempt, but I'm a neophyte when it comes to computers and all of this has been just me searching, reading, and methodically trying one thing after another. I'm hoping that the far smarter here in this forum who have had the patience to read all of this might have a recommendation that will at least allow me to salvage the data I can "almost" see when in Disk Utility/Image/Verify browse mode! Thanks so much for the help and insight! Joe.

Here are the full OS X Mavericks: System Requirements
Learn about the system requirements for OS X Mavericks.
To install Mavericks, you need one of these Macs:
iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later),
MacBook Pro (15-inch or 17-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later)
MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)
Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
Xserve (Early 2009)
Your Mac also needs:
OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard v10.6.8 already installed
2 GB or more of memory
8 GB or more of available space

IMac CPU3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB, Extremely slow and repeatedly "out of Memory" since migration from Mountain Lion to Mavericks

Dear Apple Support Community.
As mentioned by a number of users reporting the same problem, my 2009 iMac CPU3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB RAM, has become extremely slow and repeatedly "out of Memory" since it was migrated from Mountain Lion to Mavericks (OS 10.9 then OS 10.9.1).
I have already run CleanMyMac, deleted 5GB of useless stuffs, which did not translate into any improvement. Following the advices collected in other Apple Support Community threads, I have applied EtreCheck the outcome of which is provided below.
For information, I have also upgraded my 2011 MacBook CPU2.3 GHz Core i7, 8GB which became only a bit slower than before, sometimes freezing which it almost never did before. However, I am used to the fact that Mac get usually slower and more prompt fo freeze after upgrading to a more recent OS.
Both my 2009 iMac and my 2011 MacBook have F-Secure installed. So the problem with the 2009 IMac is unlikly to be due to the presence of F-Secure. Interestingly, the few abnormalities found by Etrecheck were exacly identical before I ran CleanMyMac. There are two more findings (mentioned below) since I ran CleanMyMac on the 2009 iMac, which again didn't improve the problem.
So please find below the details of the EtreCheck experience and some additional measurements made with iStat while running EtreCheck:
Hardware Information:
iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)
iMac - model: iMac9,1
1 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores
8 GB RAM
Video Information:
ATI Radeon HD 4850 - VRAM: 512 MB
Audio Plug-ins:
BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9
AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9
iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
System Software:
OS X 10.9.1 (13B42) - Uptime: 0 days 2:40:57
Disk Information:
WDC WD1001FALS-40K1B0 disk0 : (1 TB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
XooS5 HD (disk0s2) /: 999.35 GB (189.85 GB free)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5670S
USB Information:
Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
Canon CanoScan
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
FireWire Information:
WD My Passport 071D 800mbit - 800mbit max
EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
disk1s2 (disk1s2) <not mounted>: 2 TB
Boot OS X (disk1s3) <not mounted>: 134.2 MB
Thunderbolt Information:
Kernel Extensions:
com.f-secure.kext.fsauth          (1.0.0d1)
Problem System Launch Daemons:
[failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist [REMARK: this abnormality appeared only after running CleanMyMac. It does not appear on my 2011 MacBook]
Problem System Launch Agents:
Launch Daemons:
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
[invalid] com.bjango.istatlocaldaemon.plist [REMARK: this abnormality pre-existed to running CleanMyMac. It appears also on my 2011 MacBook]
[loaded] com.f-secure.fsavd.dbhelper.plist
[loaded] com.f-secure.fsavd.plist
[loaded] com.f-secure.fsmac.firewall.plist
[loaded] com.f-secure.fsmac.fsupdated_guts2.plist
[loaded] com.f-secure.fsmac.licensetool.plist
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist
Launch Agents:
[loaded] com.babylon.activation.plist
[loaded] com.bjango.istatlocal.plist
[loaded] com.f-secure.relauncher.plist
[loaded] com.f-secure.trasher.plist
User Launch Agents:
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.scheduledScan.plist
[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.trashWatcher.plist
User Login Items:
iTunesHelper
Dropbox
F-Secure Anti-Virus for MAC
3rd Party Preference Panes:
Flash Player
Internet Plug-ins::
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 11.9.900.170 - SDK 10.6
Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.04 - SDK 10.6
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.04 - SDK 10.6
DivXBrowserPlugin: Version: 2.1
Flash Player: Version: 11.9.900.170 - SDK 10.6
OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.2.8
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 6.1
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
User Internet Plug-ins::
Picasa: Version: 1.0
Bad Fonts:
None
Old applications:
None
Time Machine:
Skip System Files: NO
Mobile backups: OFF
Auto backup: YES
Volumes being backed up:
XooS5 HD: Disk size: 930.71 GB Disk used: 753.90 GB
Destinations:
XooS5 TM [Local] (Last used)
Total size: 2
Total number of backups: 32
Oldest backup: 2013-09-15 01:11:39 +0000
Last backup: 2013-12-07 12:48:45 +0000
Size of backup disk: Too small. Backup size 2 < (Disk used 753.90 GB X 3)
Time Machine details may not be accurate. All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
REMARK: The above finding is unlikely to be accurate. In fact, my Time Machine is supported by a 2TB WD My Passport Studio external HD connected with a Firewire 800. As mentionned, only 754GB of the 2000GB are used.
Top Processes by CPU:
5%          backupd
5%          Mail
5%          WindowServer
3%          Finder
3%          Dropbox
Top Processes by Memory:
1.60 GB          mds_stores REMARK: this item was marked in red in the outcome of EtreCheck, so I assume there is something wrong there
82 MB          Finder
74 MB          Mail
49 MB          softwareupdated
49 MB          Dropbox
Virtual Memory Statistics:
97 MB          Free RAM
1.21 GB          Active RAM
1.19 GB          Inactive RAM
1.21 GB          Wired RAM
1.83 GB          Page-ins
36 MB          Page-outs
Please find now some additional measurements collected with iStat while running EtreCheck:
Practically:
The iMac can work slowly with only one software e.g. either Mail or Safari or Firefox, but still the below "out of Memory" message occurs about every 3 minutes.
Aperture has becomre to slow to be useable
If trying to write a mail (with Mail) while Safari or Firefox is open, then the "out of Memory" message occurs about every 20 seconds so I need to check on "Resume" several times per minute.
Conclusions
From the above, unless anyone in the Apple Support Community proves to be able to identify a specific problem leading to a way to find a cure, I tend to conclude that Mavericks is not suitable for computers operating with a Core 2 Duo CPU even with a 8GB of RAM.
Unless I missed something, I did not see any warning from Apple Computer Inc. informing their customers they should refrain from upgrading Core 2 Duo Computers.
The only solution I see so far is to downgrade from Mavericks to Mountain Lion. And the Apple Support Community would confirm that it is the only solution, I would appreciate to get your guidance on how to proceed.
Intended action plan
Migrate the above 2009 iMac to a 2014 Mac Mini Server operating on Mavericks to ensure that no data may be lost while downgrading to Montain Lion.
Provided the above downgrading operation is successful, assign this 2009 iMac to partial retirement e.g. Mail, Skype, iTunes and DVD player.
In advance, I would like to thank the Apple Community for helping me either i) finding a cure to the problem, ii) or confirming that Mavericks cannot operate properly on Core 2 Duo computers, iii) and in such a case, guiding me on how to downgrade to Mountain Lion.
Yours sincerely
Core

... what anti-virus would you recommend using?
Use what is already included with OS X. It already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.
A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":
Never install any product that claims to "speed up", "clean up", "optimize", or "accelerate" your Mac. Without exception, they will do the opposite.
Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources. Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iTunes or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
Disable Java in Safari > Preferences > Security.
Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
Block browser popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > and check "Block popup windows":
Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but popups have devolved to become a common means to deliver targeted advertising that you probably do not want.
Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
If you ever see a popup indicating it detected registry errors, that your Mac is infected with some ick, or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it.
Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. To date, most of these attempts have been pathetic and are easily recognized, but that is likely to change in the future as criminals become more clever.
OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.
Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

Who has a brand spanking new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo? Comments?

Hi,
Ok, it's been almost 3 months since I posted a similar post asking for experiences with the new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo.
Please let me know how things are working, whether you went 5400 or 7200 internal (my main concern), pros and cons, size of screen (15" or 17"), etc...
Got my eyes on a 17", but don't know which internal to do.
Thanks!
PS - I may go iMac 24" (because it has Firewire 800) and keep this ol' PB G4 1 gightz for portability... thoughts?

If you want to use Logic, then 15 inch screen is a must. There is not enough > space on the 13 inch to view Logic, especially when you open the soft synths.
well yes... or, in my case, the 15 inch screen was still not enough so I went for the 17. it has exactly the same res as the 20" cinema display which I was already used to with logic, so I'm happy. plus I never use this machine as my laptop to carry around (I kept my powerbook for that) so I didn't need to compromise on getting something that was still not too big to be a comfortable laptop. but I think if you do want to work with logic effectively and still have a laptop that's a practical size to use as a general laptop, the 15" is the right choice.
what internal speed drive did you go with? 5400 or 7200
I went for the 7200rpm drive. have you read all the information out there on the net about the new PMR technology that's used on the 160/5400 and 200/4200 drive options in the MBPs? there are some very comprehensive benchmarks that have been run which show that there's not as much of a dramatic difference anymore between the 7200 and the 5400. for some operations under certain conditions, the 5400 actually appeared to be faster.
you're not planning to use the internal drive for audio though, are you?
my reasoning for getting the 7200 drive is the following. OSX permanenty and automatically uses disk-based virtual memory just in regular operation. it is constantly creating and reading swap files, as well as just referencing little bits of whatever data that the apps and the system need to run. this VM use becomes heavier the more your actual physical RAM starts being used up. now seeing as I know that I'm going to be running heavy logic sessions, using up as much RAM as I can get with samples and just general everything.. I decided I needed to have the snappiest system drive I could get. even given the benchmarks for the PMR drives, I still felt that fast read/write access speeds and the fastest seek time possible is what I needed to have optimal performance. sure a 5400rpm PMR drive might have great specs for a lot of things. but when the system needs to be able to find whatever swap files or system resource as quickly as possible, I still think you can't beat a disk that is just physically spinning faster.
the other thing I've done is this. when I first got the machine, I reformatted it and did my own custom install of OSX. traditional drives perform best when they are less than half full. from what I've read, anything down to 30% full is still on an improving curve, and maybe it gets better still even less full. so I scaled back the install to as lean a system as I could. I've installed only the most important apps that I need, and I definitely did not install the iwork and office trial software. after that, I used software called monolingual to remove even more language localizations (which are added with app support) on top of what I had already left out in my custom install. this got me back almost another GB of space. also, my itunes library is not on my MBP.. I've kept it on my powerbook. the only times I ever want to listen to music from my itunes library on the MBP is when the powerbook is nearby anyway, seeing as the powerbook is the only machine that I ever take anywhere. so, the library just appears in itunes on the MBP as shared music. my iphoto library is locally stored on my MBP though, because iphoto runs so much faster on this machine.. but this is the only concession to include personal files that I've made on the MBP. so, out of a 100GB system drive, I still have 62GB of free space left, and I'll keep it as close to that as I can.
as for my project audio and my sound library, it's all on an external FW800 drive. but I'm also considering getting an e-SATA card and getting a drive for that, because it will be even faster and will free up the FW bus to have full-bandwidth use of something like liquid mix. we'll see.
anyway, so far so good. like I said in my first post, logic is running like a demon. in general, this machine is running real fast for everything, like a fast desktop.
but I think the problem with your question is.. it's going to be hard for anyone to be able to tell you how it would have been had they gotten a different drive. I have no idea if my system would be running logic any less fast if I'd gone with the 5400. my instincts tell me that maybe it'd have slightly less of an edge, but I can't really say. it's probably true that if I was using my 7200 drive less cautiously than I am, and that it was getting close to full, then it would probably slow down a bit more dramatically than a 5400 would have, if I had one of those and it was getting full. this is to do with the fact that higher data density on the same sized platter can mean faster seek times only when they are starting to get fuller, and also to do with aspects of how PMR disks work. but I think that a well managed and lean 7200 drive that is much more than half full will still give you a slightly perkier system than a 5400 PMR drive used at its best. there's not really any way I can know this for sure though.
end of the day, I don't honestly think logic would run like a dog with a 5400rpm PMR drive. but if you want the absolute best performance you can get, you're better off keeping a lean system drive, trying to keep it at least only half full or better.. and then using a fast external for your projects and sound library. in that case, I don't see the point of getting a 160GB internal drive, just so that you have more space to keep empty.
but if you want to use the machine for multiple purposes and you could really use that extra disk space, then I still think logic will run more than fine. compared to your powerbook, there's no way you'll be dissapointed.. it's like having a dual 2.5ghz G5, if not faster, only in a less than one inch thick case that you can carry in your bag.

Now who has a brand new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo?

Hi,
Keep checking each week or so for experiences with the new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo.
Please let me know how things are working, whether you went 5400 or 7200 internal, pros and cons, size of screen (15" or 17"), etc...
Got my eyes on a 17", but don't know which internal to do.
Thanks!

david, to be perfectly honest I think the primary advantage of the trio is its convenience. no fuss, well thought out monitoring. a dumbed down (in terms of controls) compression and EQ section on the mono mic preamp strip. easy to use talkback, monitor switching and 2 separate headphone amps.
the compressor and EQ do sound nice, the circuitry is lifted from their high end gear, but it's more intended just for getting a decent sound easily and quickly, I'm sure some corners were cut. the EQ bands are preset, the compression control is one knob (plus gain as another way to drive it), but it's a variable mu compressor design so it's normal that there's no threshold and attack/release settings. for what it is, it sounds nice, and I have on occasion chosen to use it over the avalon 737sp because it had the sound I wanted. it sounds good, but as a vocal producer I'm sure you know that for precision work, if its compressor and EQ don't let you tune in to just the right sweet spots in your source due to only having a single preset variable mu threshold/attack/release curve and preset HF and LF EQ, then it won't cut it on that day. you'll need more precise control.
that said, you can bypass its comp/eq by inserting another one, so if you have your fancy rack of golden preamps and channel strips you use for single mic recording, you can stick that in the chain and just benefit from the trio's nicely implemented ease-of-use and record away using all the glorious sounding input and control you get on the channel strip of your choice.
I've found the sound of its converters pretty good too. I haven't A/B'd it with a rosetta or with a digi 192 but I doubt it is in either of those leagues. still, it's clean. stereo field is good.
what would you be looking at it for exactly? if it's for your idea sketchpad setup I'd say check one out, no hesitation. for that kind of use it could hardly be better. and as I mentioned above, you can effectively swap out its channel strip for the best one you have, so it can also be used for tracking of material that you will still be pleased with taking through to mix stage, for those days you aren't tracking in a 2000 dollar a day studio. even the internal comp/EQ is good enough for this if its tuning happens to gel with your source.
one thing I have noticed though is that it's not the quietest pre in terms of hiss. not talking anything as horrible as say the cavernous white background noise of the worst mixer ever made, the yamaha pro 1? I have banished the name from memory.... it's just a subtle thing, comes up more obviously when you wind in HF EQ, obviously.. not even a real issue for rock/pop/dance vocals, maybe more so for recording your favourite baritone at carnegie hall, but you wouldn't really be bringing a small all in one tracking/monitoring box to a session like that anyway, it wouldn't pass dress code. and again, the channel strip is bypassable for a better one anyway, so bye bye to its sound, hello to the sound of your choice.
as for build quality etc, well I think it feels a bit more solid than it looks in photos. although once or twice I had to switch it off and back on again cos the sound died, on a very hot day in a very not airconditioned room.
anyway there you go. if you want better advice, tell me what you actually would want to use it for and I'll tell you what I think. an RME may be a better idea depending on what you need.
btw had a look at your site. looks like you've done your share of nice work. I'd love to play you some of my vocal production work some time (part of me wants to be a vocal producer when I grow up). are you based in LA? I'll likely be there at some point in the new year on a project, always a pleasure to meet fellow music heads.
take care,
antonio

Mac Mini Core 2 Duo died and now won't boot - any help or advice appreciated...

Hi, all
I have a core 2 duo Mac Mini (possibly a 2008 model?) which has been retro-fitted with a superdrive at some point in its life and was running Lion.
It used to be left running 24/7, but one day I returned to find it powered down and it will not boot up at all now. Applying power and then pressing the power button results in the cpu fan starting, and the HD spinning up - the white power indicator lights steady, but other than that there is no sign of life - no noises, beeps, no display, nothing.
I'm not averse to getting the lid off (I've opened up a fair few mini's before ) so any suggestions as to what my next step should be?
As an aside, the Intel minis have a small push button on the logic board, about half-way down the right hand side - what is this for?
Many thanks in advance for any help and advice you may be able to offer.
O.

Thanks for your reply, mooblie...
I have tried the SMC reset (which, unless I have misunderstood occurs as a result of removing all power for a while then reconnecting the psu and turning on as normal after a few seconds delay) with no luck.
The PRAM reset is a bit of a problem, though, as I do not appear to have any keyboard function - I'm using an aluminium Apple keyboard and mighty mouse (both are the wired variety, plugged into separate USB ports), but the 'boot' process doesn't appear to get far enough to enable operationof the keyboard (shift lock light doesn't light if appropriate key pressed), so I can't give it the 4-finger death grip at power up. The mouse illuminates, and I've tried all 4 USB ports, BTW...
I forgot to add to the previous post that there is 2GB RAM fitted, and both Bluetooth and Airport.
O.

I have a MacBook Pro 13inch 2.4GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, 4Gb RAM, 250Gb HDD, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, SD card slot, up to 10 hour battery life)bought in October 2010 in the UK. The charger has stopped working. Which model and voltage do I need please?

I have a MacBook Pro 13inch 2.4GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, 4Gb RAM, 250Gb HDD, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, SD card slot, up to 10 hour battery life) bought in October 2010. The charger has been playing up for a while now - the light going out but coming back on when I move the cable a bit - faulty connection it seems. It has now stopped working at all.
Apple UK charge a whopping £65 for a replacement - and the reviews are AWFUL for it!
I need to know which one I need - 45w, 60w and 80w are listed - can someone tell me please? If I'm going to pay this price I want to make sure I get the right one!
Also, is a genuine Apple one available on Amazon UK, does anyone know please?
Any help will be much appreciated.
Meanwhile my battery is going down.....

Thanks for that wjosten. Much appreciated.
I've read here on Apple's site that the 85W version will work, as you say, and that it would run cooler with a 13" Macbook - I have a 13" MBP of course but assume this would be the same with mine. I wonder if running cooler is a good thing (it sounds as if it is) and it would be better for me to get the 85W version than the 60W one?
Then I have to decide whether to pay the (extortionate as it seems to me, though I may be wrong) £65 from Apple (bearing in mind the rotten reviews here of the Apple product), or risk a cheaper alternative from Amazon UK, at around £20 (also with various rotten reviews)... Any suggestions? Please? :-)

Can't install OS 10.6 on my iMac Core 2 Duo

I purchased a used Apple 20" iMac INtel Core 2 Duo 2.16GHx with 2 mgs of Ram Desktop #1207. The computer has been
wiped clean of all software and data.
I have not been able to install an operating system. I have been trying to install OS 10.6. When the software asks me to
choose which disk I want to install the OS on, there's no choice listed in the answer box. It does not recognize the Mac OS 10.4.6
disk. So I can't install it either.
I've tried looking at the disk utility to see if I can find out the problem. The disk utility software recognizes the iMac
hard drive but it does not allow any repairs or any access to the hard drive.
Any idea what is causing this problem and how to resolve it?
Judy Campion

Since from the sounds of your tale of woe, it sounds like you don't have the correct install DVDs for that Mac I suggest that you call AppleCare and order replacement DVDs for it. There will be a niminal charge for shipping and handling.
Allan

Will Macbook Pro Core 2 Duo perform well enough with Mainstage.

Hi there,
I normally keep each of my macs for about 4-5 years before upgrading, and its about that time for me. I currently have a 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4GB Ram, and am leaning towards getting a new 27 inch imac for my home studio. My alternative is getting the 15 inch mac book pro retina, which I could still hook up to a large display at home, but also use for live performances.
My question is has anyone had any experience running Mainstage (2 or 3) on a Core 2 Duo, and does it run it well enough to process reverb and maybe chorus for one vocalist, and a couple of guitar effects for an acoustic guitar?
The reason I'm leaning towards the iMac, is because my configuration will likely be $400-600 less expensive than the macbook pro retina, the size of the screen, and the ease of not having to plugging a laptop into all my peripherals whenever I enter my studio. This will only be viable however, if my macbook pro is capable of handling mainstage duties.
A couple of notes, I'm aware I can always get a external monitor for a macbrook pro, but am interested to hear anyone elses experience with either an intel core 2 duo running Mainstage, or your experience using an iMac vs a Macbook pro for your home studio.
Thanks in advance!

I have a mid-2009 MBP with a 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo with 8 GB of RAM and MainStage 3.0.1 runs very well. I recently played a pit orchestra job with Alicia's Keys as my primary piano sound from within MainStage and there were no problems (I did alias the patch throughout the show but that's just good resource useage).
I suspect you would have a similar experience on your current hardware. Buy MainStage and try it out. Its only $30 or so and you can run it on any Mac you own so you really won't waste the money.
Good luck!

Late 2006, 24" iMac, 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Screen Tearing, nVidia 7300

Late 2006, 24" iMac, 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Screen Tearing, nVidia GeForce 7300 GT
I've been suffering with screen tearing, strange screen artifacts, etc. followed by totally unresponsive freezing machine. This problem has been happening to varying degrees for about 9 months.
Initially, I was able to mitigate the problem with smcFanControl. Adjusting the fan speeds up helped keep the machine cool and prevent most of the problems. Recently, we had a spell of hot weather and the fans just couldn't keep up. If you're using smcFanControl, the only fan speed that will really make a difference is the CPU. The HDD and ODD fans are no where near where you need to be.
Also, I noticed the machine was LOADED with dust when I took it apart, including the heat sink fins for the graphics card. If you have time you may want to try a thorough cleaning with compressed air before replacing the card. You just need to get through step 11 below to access what needs to be cleaned.
Based on reading here and elsewhere, I decided to replace the graphics card. To give back to the community, I wanted to layout the procedure here.
Where to buy the card.
I had a tough time finding the right card. I did exhaustive web searches using every combination of Nvidia 7300 GT, etc. You really need to search by the Apple part number. The Apple part number for the 7300 is 661-4179, for the 7600 is 661-4180. I found it at We Love Macs and at dv warehouse. I paid $248 for the 7600 card. BE CAREFUL buying a "refurbished" card. At We Love Macs, "refurbished" means "pulled from a working machine." Could be a machine with as much mileage as yours and prone to the same failures as yours.
The card is an MXM style card (generally used in laptops), with a giant heat sink and heat pipe assembly. The card can be separated from the heat assembly. If I had time, I would have tried a generic, cheaper, MXM style card.
Dispelling some myths.
People here and elsewhere have said that no Intel iMac graphics card can be replaced, that they're wedded to the logic board. The one on this model can be replaced, I've done it. Also, some have said you can't put a 256MB, 7600 GT in a machine that originally had a 128MB, 7300 GT. Also, not true. That's what I did to my machine and it is working fine.
So here's the step-by-step on my take apart and replacement. This is just one user helping out others, PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. This takes about 1 1/2 hours to take apart and 2 to put back together.
1) Install the iStat widget and monitor the temperatures for a few days and record the temperatures (to be able to verify that you've completed the repair correctly later)
2) Make a complete backup of any internal drives and make sure the backup will be bootable (use Carbon Copy Cloner)
3) Use static safeguards, like an anti-static wrist strap.
4) Get a pen a stack of paper envelopes to separate and label the pieces you remove.
5) You'll need a #2 Phillips and #6, 8, 10 Torx. Most of the screws at T-8. There are 8 T-8s holding in the LCD. They are about 1 1/4" down. You'll need a long, skinny T-8 to get to them.
6) Unplug the machine and place it on it's back on a large white sheet of paper.
7) Remove RAM door, #2 Phillips x 2.
8) Remove RAM.
9) Remove 4 T-8s along bottom.
10) Remove large rectangular plastic bezel surrounding the whole machine, tilt up being careful not to stress iSight cables. You'll need to stretch it around the RAM ejection tabs.
11) Detach two iSight cables.
12) Peel up black stickers at lower corners of speakers.
13) Remove LCD screws, T-8 x 8. You'll probably drop a few, they're pretty easy to retrieve.
14) Remove two retaining screws on right hand LCD cable. T-6 x2 Unplug cable.
15) Remove LCD inverter cable, left.
Start unplugging everything connected to the logic board.
16) Unplug cable coming from right speaker. Note cable routing, it is the only one that's a little tricky. Also, note that the left one plugs in on the right and the right one plugs in on the left.
17) Remove right speaker. T-10 Note: left and right speaker screws are different lengths.
18) Unplug ODD blower cable.
19) Unplug ODD temp cable and lift up tape.
20) Unplug HDD blower cable.
21) Unplug the HDD temp cable.
22) Unplug the camera & mic cable.
23) Unscrew the clamp securing the airport card (has two antenna cables going to it, labeled PCIE), T-6 x 2
24) Unplug SATA cable.
25) Unplug Power cable, thick black plastic harness, socket.
26) Unplug ambient temp cable.
27) Unscrew the bluetooth card, T-6 x2.
28) Unplug CPU blower cable.
29) Unplug power button cable, 2 conductor, tiny cable, bottom left.
30) Unscrew left speaker, T-10, unplug from logic board, but just leave dangling, no need to remove cable completely.
31) Remove logic board screws. Be careful to segregate them, they have different lengths and different thread pitches and thread types. Some are machine threads going into metal, some are coarse threads going into plastic.
31a) Heat sink frame to case T-8 x 2
31b) Logic board to case T-8 x 3
31c) Screws at heat sink from arrows T-8 x 3
31d) Logic board at bottom near RAM slot T-8 x 2
32) Unplug ODD ribbon cable, be extremely careful. Release plastic tabs on each side to remove. Be sure it is fully and evenly seated when you put it back later.
33) Remove logic board with attached graphics card.
34) Unplug graphics card heat sink sensor cable at logic board end.
35) Remove graphics card screws 2 x T-6
36) Remove single screw from small L-bracket on heat sink 1 x T-6
Replace graphics card.
Reverse steps, put everything back together. Be careful not to pinch any cables when you put the logic board back in. When you put the LCD back in, if you can't get the screws to stick to the driver, use some glue stick from your kid's art supplies.
Test everything. You've disconnected every cable in the system.
I torture tested the machine with a space heater on it, 5 different videos of different formats playing at the same time. No problems.
I took a lot of pictures inside the machine. As soon as I figure out a good place to post them, I'll try to add a link here.
Good luck

Greetings!
I know this is in response to your post from over 2 years ago, but I was searching on Apple's site for the max RAM I can upgrade our refurbed iMac too and it brought up this post.
Oddly enough, I've been experiencing the same screen issues and locking up on our iMac as well. I was concerned it was a bad memory module, but now I'm thinking it's the same issue you found.
Because I bought this some 2+ years ago refurbed from Apple, I'm not surprised that could be the actual problem.
I've pulled this thing apart once to replace the hard-drive which crashed about a year ago, so I'm not totally new at opening it up, but this process you mention sounds pretty intense...just wanted to get your second take on it based on what I've done thus far.
Thanks again for posting this...it was an eye-opener as to what might actually be causing our issues with our trusted Mac!
Joshua

Core 2 Duo or Intel Core i5?

I am planning to buy a used or refurbished 17" Macbook Pro.
I do a lot of graphics work, using an Intuos 4 tablet. My usual software is Photoshop CS 6, Photoshop Elements 10, Photoshop Elements 6, and Toonboom Storyboard Pro. There's also a very strong chance of my using programs such as Adobe After Effects and Toonboom Animate Pro in the future.
I'm wondering what is best for me: Will an older Core 2 Duo be enough, or do I need an Intel Core i5?

JaiJethani wrote:
Unfortunately, the 17" was taken out because of not having a high demand.
I'm well aware of the numbers. I'm also aware of the fact that the Retina display could not be produced in the 17" form factor at the time the 17" MBP was discontinued, and Apple did not want its flagship notebook computer to be "outclassed" by the 15" model, which some say is the real reason why Apple killed the 17" MBP. Of course, only Apple knows for sure, and in any case, it's their decision to make...for whatever reasons they want.
But consider this: The 17" MacBook Pro was unarguably the priciest notebook in the Mac product line. I suppose some units might have been purchased by folks who had more dollars than sense — people who didn't really need the screen area, but simply HAD to have the top of the line, the best of the best, la crème de la crème. But I don't think that's true of most 17" MBP users.
In fact, if the posts I've read are any indication of the typical 17" MBP user profile, most of them are professionals who use their machines for productive work. Apple could charge any price and they'd buy it because it's the tool they need. Price is not the primary consideration, which means that the 17" could easily have been a low-volume, high-margin product; IOW, high profit per unit, which is generally not the reason why a company discontinues a product.
So the argument that demand was low doesn't quite ring true. Superficially, it sounds plausible, but I suspect there's more to it.
Anyhow, that's a glimpse into a debate that won't be resolved here. The fact remains that, for those who know the value of the 17" form factor, nothing else will do. It might not make any sense to those who have never used a 17" MBP day in and day out for production workflow. But to those who do, it's a fact.

Delayed sound on 2.66 Core 2 Duo

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