DoggieHowser Posted January 1, 2013 Posted January 1, 2013 I have been using the UltraFi guide to optimize the MacOS installation for music playback. But the UltraFi guide is now no longer free and I don't think I should reproduce it. Besides, the guide was originally designed for their specific USB-DAC and some of the stuff are either obsolete (no need to disable Rosetta or force 64 bit when you run Lion or newer) or not applicable if you are using something like Pure Music or Audirvana Plus. So I thought we could find some of the resources online that are freely available and consolidate this as a knowledge-base. Start COPY from the following and add to it if you have something to share. I am particularly keen to see what Mach2Music or the new Mojo Mac Packages do ------START COPY------- 1. Disable Spotlight Apple/System Preferences/Spotlight Manually uncheck all the items inside. 2. Disable IR Apple/System Preferences/Security/Advanced (you need to click on the Lock to unlock the Advanced button) 3. Disable iTunesHelper Apple/System Preferences/Users Click on the user account that you log on with Click Login Items Click on iTunesHelper Use the '-' button to remove it from running on start up I usually use the '+' button to start Audirvana Plus (which then also starts iTunes with iTunes Integration enabled) 4. Disabling Dashboard Spaces and Mission Control http://www.defaults-write.com/mac-os-x-disable-mission-control-and-spaces/#.UOLjXqWAFSU 5. Enable Finder Quit http://www.defaults-write.com/adding-quit-option-to-os-x-finder/ 6. Disable Dashboard http://www.defaults-write.com/disable-dashboard-in-mac-os-x/#.UOLj_KWAFSU
Briz Vegas Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Doing a new install now, just jumped to 8gb of RAM and ssd. Because I went back to the instal disc I seem to have lost my mountain lion purchase - very annoying. I checked before I dropped out the old drive and it said ready to download, now it says I have purchased nothing, although it was 6 months ago. It must look for something on my hard drive? Price you pay for going with a fresh install. At this rate it will be a while before I see the sonic benefits, if there are any.
DoggieHowser Posted January 3, 2013 Author Posted January 3, 2013 If you've purchased it, it should be in the list of purchases in the App Store.
Briz Vegas Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Thanks. It was missing for a while but suddenly it's back. I quickly downloaded it just in case it decided to go AWOL again. Machine is fast to boot but no other signs of lighting speed. Mind you it's been hamstrung by apple so I've read as its a mid 2009 machine. There is a firmware upgrade but I have read that folks are un installing it due to problems. None of this should impact audio performance however, it's the lack of spinning disk that is supposed to help. I may know shortly if the 270 bucks was well spent,
Briz Vegas Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) Track one. Am I imagining this. System stone cold, half my artwork has gone, lots of stuff will need to be fixed in iTunes, but it is definitely better sounding than before. Definitely worth the 270 bucks and a whole night getting back up and running. It just sounds more relaxed, emotional and more together. Recommended if you have not done it yet, SSD and ram has never been so cheap. Definitely more 3D sounding. This is going to be one of those " listen to your collection again" type upgrades and the system is stone cold still. Nice. Edited January 3, 2013 by Briz Vegas
Newman Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Is the disabling needed if one has, as I did this week, installed Audirvana Plus which runs exclusive access mode?
DoggieHowser Posted January 4, 2013 Author Posted January 4, 2013 The idea is to cut down background processes. A+ can disable some of the stuff from System Preferences (IR, Spotlight) in its optimization menu but not all
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