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Apple’s latest major release of macOS was released yesterday (November 12), but you’ll probably want to skip hitting that shiny refresh button and head to Big Sur.
But it’s so bright …
So why not upgrade? Well, for starters, brands are still testing their software for compatibility with macOS Big Sur; By jumping the gun, you could potentially be dooming your plug-ins, DAWs, and other software to incompatibility limbo.
And that includes Logic users as well; Although the DAW is compatible from day one, the plug-ins you trust may not be. On that note, if you’ve reserved a new M1-equipped Mac, you may find yourself cornered because they come preloaded with Big Sur with the way back to Catalina blocked.
Apple started removing 32-bit application support for Catalina, so if your software runs below 64-bit, simply put, it won’t be supported. Otherwise, it is in the air.
For example, while Celemony’s current Melodyne 5.1 is compatible with Big Sur, previous editions are not. Avid and Ableton also seem to be working hard to get their DAWs running in Big Sur. Suffice to say, most brands are advising customers to stop receiving updates for now.
Rosetta 2
This year is a special one for the Cupertino giant, as it marks the arrival of ARM Macs, its first generation of computers equipped with Apple Silicon instead of Intel chips. To help with the transition, Apple has released the updated Rosetta 2 for macOS Big Sur.
Rosetta 2 is a compatibility mechanism (or “converter”) to help ARM Mac run software that has not yet been ported to Apple Silicon. But will this allow you to use your existing plug-ins and audio software on the new Mac M1s? Apple has said that Rosetta 2 compatibility will extend to plugins, but details are scarce, so the safest bet is to wait and see.
What about Boot Camp?
We know that Boot Camp, Apple’s utility that allows you to switch between macOS and Windows, will be excluded on ARM Mac simply because Windows is not designed to run on the ARM processor architecture. However, according to Ars Technica, it appears that Intel-based Macs operating in Big Sur will continue to receive Boot Camp support. That’s great news if you are running a dual OS setup.
When should I update?
If you’ve ever been unlucky enough to upgrade a studio computer, you know it can be a painful process where you have to say goodbye to trusty old add-ons. Transitioning to a new operating system isn’t usually a straight line for brands, either. On the bright side, you can expect the music-making community to highlight any glaring incompatibility issues fairly quickly. However, at the end of the day, it completely depends on your own settings.
As a general guideline, we recommend that you put off the update and keep an eye on brand updates for at least a few weeks (or months if possible). Also, remember that there is nothing wrong with staying on Catalina (or whatever operating system it is on) indefinitely, especially if your setup works for you.
Pro-Tools-Expert.com also has an ongoing checklist for tracking compatibility testing among well-known developers, here.
As always, if you’re still curious to hit the refresh button, we have a few suggestions:
- Take a full backup of your existing computer
- If you have another non-studio computer, please try to update it first
- Keep an eye on the forums for compatibility stories (horror)
- Check with software developers and hardware manufacturers for the latest compatibility information.
- Oh and cross your fingers
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