iMac 2007(?) C2Q upgrade?

[OfficerJackMehoff]

Hi all,

 

My hackint0sh endeavors finally led me to purchasing an actual mac.

 

As I've always been an AMD/ATi man, I'm really at a loss when it comes to the specifications Apple uses with it's machines...

 

I just got a 2007 iMac C2D 20" 2.4GHz used off of craigslist. This machine, in typical functions, performs nearly as well as my AMD Phenom based system, but the processor is not cutting it for the work I intend to do with this Mac (music production). The CPU monitor on Cakewalk Sonar 6 CONSTANTLY says 'warning' during playback, and the system gets choppy and I think I'll do longstanding damage if I continue to use it at the pace I want. I've researched some on the matter, but I can't make a solid determination and I really want to find out about a quad core solution.

 

Wikipedia lists the Q9000 as the lowest-end Quad Core/notebook platform solution available, and I found one online for about USD$300.

 

This machine has an 800MHz system bus (I understand Core2 cpus adjust their FSB to fit the moment) with a Socket P ZIF socket.

 

I'm pretty handy with modifying hardware (I've made some Frankensteins in my day!) but I'm completely new to the Intel Mac world and was hoping someone might have input on the matter...(other than "it's time for a new Mac"

 

Thanks in advance!

[f41qu3]

For music production, think in buy a good profissional sound card, like some M-Audio USB or Firewire.

[JaS]

http://www.maclife.com/article/create_upgr...2_duo_processor <-- a quick google came up with this ... has pics and everything

[BlackCH]

Hi all,

 

My hackint0sh endeavors finally led me to purchasing an actual mac.

 

As I've always been an AMD/ATi man, I'm really at a loss when it comes to the specifications Apple uses with it's machines...

 

I just got a 2007 iMac C2D 20" 2.4GHz used off of craigslist. This machine, in typical functions, performs nearly as well as my AMD Phenom based system, but the processor is not cutting it for the work I intend to do with this Mac (music production). The CPU monitor on Cakewalk Sonar 6 CONSTANTLY says 'warning' during playback, and the system gets choppy and I think I'll do longstanding damage if I continue to use it at the pace I want. I've researched some on the matter, but I can't make a solid determination and I really want to find out about a quad core solution.

 

Wikipedia lists the Q9000 as the lowest-end Quad Core/notebook platform solution available, and I found one online for about USD$300.

 

This machine has an 800MHz system bus (I understand Core2 cpus adjust their FSB to fit the moment) with a Socket P ZIF socket.

 

I'm pretty handy with modifying hardware (I've made some Frankensteins in my day!) but I'm completely new to the Intel Mac world and was hoping someone might have input on the matter...(other than "it's time for a new Mac"

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think the CPU is the problem. I've done audio production on a P4 (and even in a PIII); large projects with a lot of virtual instruments and plugins without much problems. A C2D 2,4 cpu should be more than enough for audio (I dont know how big are the projects you wanna run). I thing you should be looking for a pro firewire audio interface (MOTU or Focusrite have very good ones), instead of upgrading the CPU. Offcourse if you can afford both things would be great.

[OfficerJackMehoff]

Thanks for the input guys! A firewire audio interface is already in my future And I found that page you linked to myself when I was searching for some frame of reference on this topic, but it doesn't address what I'm really wondering: Will the 'logic board' (I guess is what Apple calls them ) can handle the thoroughput/power demands/architecture of the C2Q Q9000?

 

BTW the reason I'm fixated on this concept is because when I'm mastering my projects in Cakewalk Sonar 6 (using bootcamp) I have to use an inordinate amount of DirectX FX plugins (mostly Waves brand noise reduction, compression/limiting, or reverb plugins) to compensate for the low quality of my equipment, ambient white noise, and other problematic and randomly-occuring situations. After I'm about 1/2 way through mastering a track, even using Sonar's multi-processing mode, the CPU meter in the corner of the program invariably reaches 100% and even says 'WARNING'…

 

This leads me to believe the C2D this machine is packing doesn't pack the punch I need to chop through all the processor intensive {censored} I put it through

[OfficerJackMehoff]

bump

[OfficerJackMehoff]

I realize a second bump may be inappropriate...but... BUMP

 

Seriously...Anyone know if the Santa Rosa platform can manage a low end quad core mobile proc like the Q9000?

[OfficerJackMehoff]

For research purposes: I found my answer and it's 'no'. A CPU with a 1066MHz fsb will not work on a Santa Rosa based chipset.

 

Reference:

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread...2933&page=2