Advices with Amplitube MacOs, newbie

[thirty_days_in_the_hole]

Hi everybody, first time here. Nice to meet everyone.
would like some suggestions / advices from users.
Long time guitar quitter who foresees a comeback.
Mac User since 5 years. I'm very interested in AT 5 but I could not tell which is the best way to have a proper setup. Currently I play very seldom, using Garageband + Apogee Jam 96Khz plugged in with USB.

My questions are:
1) HW, will MacBook Pro late '14, 8GB Ram, 128GB SSD suit or is it better to upgrade ?
2) may I get rid of the Apogee Jam (really **** sound) ? How is Axe I/O performing ? do you eventually suggest to buy the AT5+Axe bundle I see in the homepage ?
3) can you suggest a reliable, well sounding pair of loudspeakers ? What is the ideal connection for them ? (currently going with Bose Soundlink mini via cable)

My purpose is to get near to the sound I see in the impressive demos around the net, in order to jam with bases at first.

thanks a lot in advance for your welcomed input, guitarists!

Kind regards,
Marco from Italy

[garfy]

Hello Marco and welcome to the forums.

Some of the answers are a bit subjective, but I'll try my best....

1) You don't specify which processor is in your MBP (i5 or i7) but in theory either will be powerful enough to run AT5. Obviously, the more you have running at the same time, the more your processor will have to cope with as well as AT5, but this is the same for everyone. Also, at the moment, Big Sur is not officially supported with IK software, although I'm sure it will be soon. If you've upgraded to this most recent OS you may have to wait a bit, but we will know more when AT5 is released.

2) That's surprising about the Apogee Jam as they are well renowned for their AI. However, it's all personal preference. I don't use the AXE I/O but many do and love it and it has great integration with the AT software, which I'm sure will be continued in v5.

3) Again, this is down to preference and also budget. Mid-range monitors from the pro manufacturers such as Adam, Yamaha, KRK etc will get you a good sound but they are all voiced differently and so it is always wise to demo monitors if you can. You could also look at the IKM iLoud Micro or MTM systems https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/i ... L=Speakers I've heard the Micros and they are amazing for their size.

Connection will, in the end, come down to what AI and speakers you have. Balanced jack or XLR connections are ultimately the best, but different setups may require different connections.

Hope that helps.