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Difference in digital audio processing between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

I am considering using a MacBook as my source of digital music (streaming as well as saved files, ripped cds etc). My question is whether there is any difference between the Air and Pro in terms of management of digital audio files. If they are the same, I can use an Air. Does additional RAM memory help in this application? Thanks in advance for your reply and advice.

Posted on Oct 9, 2024 11:57 AM

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5 replies

Oct 9, 2024 12:17 PM in response to RDamodaran

If all you plan is playback of music, then there will be no noticable difference in that function between a MacBook Air and a MacBook pro, assuming the same generation of processor, other than of course differences in the speakers included in different models. Music playback is not processor nor RAM intensive (which is why an iPad nano worked just fine), so a high-end system won't really make any difference, though I'd recommend that no matter the use you get a minimum of 16GB of RAM in whatever system you buy. 8GB just squeezes the OS and apps too much and recent and current Macs cannot be upgraded later.


If you intend to create and produce your own music, that's a different story. We'd need more information about such use before we could provide useful advice.


Regards.

Oct 9, 2024 2:39 PM in response to RDamodaran

As I said, music playback is very low in terms of the resources used. And if you're using an external DAC, there's really not much in the way of audio processing going on at all within the Mac. So if that's all you wish to do, a MacBook Air should be fine, assuming of course that the one you get has sufficient storage to hold your music comfortably, or you can use an external storage device.


Regards.



Oct 9, 2024 1:55 PM in response to varjak paw

Thank you for responding. Just to clarify my intentions, I will connect the MacBook to an external DAC (Digital to Analog converter) digitally through USBC connection. The signal will therefore not be subject to the DAC in the MacBook and thereafter. From the external DAC, the analog signal will go to a Preamp, Poweramp and speakers (all external). So my question was regarding possible differences between the Air and Pro was in the realm of Digital processing only. After all there are differences in Processors, configuration, price and possible better circuitry in the Pro. Thanks again for taking the time to time to respond. Regards

Difference in digital audio processing between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

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