When considering the move to a new computer there are a number of considerations.
- What connection, or Audio Interface Mode, are you currently using?
- How many channels of I/O are in your Symphony I/O MKI?
- What ports will you have on the new Mac?
- What OS version will be on the new Mac?
Symphony I/O MKI can be connected to your computer three ways, via USB AIM, Symphony AIM with a Symphony 64 PCIe card or Thunderbridge, or PT HD AIM with a PT HD card like HD Native or HDX.
USB AIM – Direct connection over USB cable
If you currently use the USB AIM the move is simple. All Macs will have USB ports. So you only need to confirm the new computer will have macOS 10.15 Catalina or lower.
If you are looking at a newer Mac with macOS 11.0 forward the MKI USB mode is not compatible, so you might consider moving your cards to a Symphony I/O MKII chassis.
Note – Symphony I/O in USB AIM can use a max of 16 inputs and 16 outputs at 96k. You are able to prioritize your i/o by customizing the routing in Maestro.
Please Contact Support if you have questions about moving from a MKI to a MKII chassis, and to check your I/O Modules are compatible.
Symphony AIM – Symphony 64 PCIe/Thunderbridge
If you currently use the Symphony Mode, you will need to consider two factors, ports or PCIe slots on the new computer, and OS compatibility.
Symphony 64 PCIe and Thunderbridge are compatible up to 10.14 so the new computer must be able to run 10.14 Mojave or lower. Some newer Macs like the 2020 MacPro Tower cannot roll backwards so please check OS version of the new computer to be sure it can run 10.14 Mojave.
Since many newer Macs do not have PCIe slots first check if your new computer has a Thunderbolt port. The Thunderbridge can connect directly to this port, or if you have the Symphony 64 PCIe card it can be placed in a Thunderbolt housing. We recommend the Magma ExpressBox single slot housing, but you could look at other larger housings with more slots if you have other PCIe gear you wish to use with your new computer. Avoid the Sonnet brand single card chassis, as it does not have enough power for Symphony 64 card. Multi-rail Sonnet chassis are OK.
https://www.onestopsystems.com/product/expressbox-1t
If you wish to use a newer OS version, like 10.15 Catalina or higher, you can not use the Symphony 64 PCIe or Thunderbridge. Thus you can either use USB mode (note channel count and Sample Rate limitations above) or move to a MKII chassis with direct Thunderbolt connection.
Please Contact Support if you have questions about moving from a MKI to a MKII chassis, and to check your I/O Modules are compatible.
PT HD AIM – Symphony connected to Avid HD card
In this mode the Symphony I/O MKI is only emulating an Avid I/O device, and connecting to your Avid HD card, such as Core, Accel, HD Native, or HDX. Thus, please check with Avid for the compatibility of that Avid card you have with the new Mac.