New Mac OS? No Sur!
Should I update my Mac to Big Sur?
UPDATE 4th Feb 2021:
Both Native Instruments and Pioneer DJ have announced support for Big Sur and Mac M1 chipset.
Traktor DJ and Rekordbox software and controllers will work on the new OS and hardware.
For the full ist from Pioneer click here: https://www.pioneerdj.com/en/landing/support-for-macos-big-sur/
For the full list from Native Instruments click here: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013515618-macOS-11-Big-Sur-Compatibility-News
It is worth noting that while Pioneer has announced support for their Serato DJ controllers, Serato have yet to announce software support.
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As a warning to all DJ's, we're strongly advising you all not to update your Mac to Big Sur.
Despite a few people reporting successful updates, the new Mac OS is not supported by the big DJ softwares, mainly Rekordbox, Serato and Traktor.
Furthermore, if you have already updated and want to add some hardware, most will not work due to the drivers not being available yet.
If you have already updated your Mac and are looking at purchasing some DJ equipment, we strongly suggest you check if there is a driver available for it or if you can revert the OS back to Catalina.
So far, the problems reported have varied, it seems that MIDI signals will work, so controllers can control software (when the software runs) but audio devices are not being recognised. We're also hearing issues of software crashing too.
What about the new Macs with M1 chips?
We know, it's tempting to get the new, latest, shiney Macs, and these look like they offer great value and performance. If you are thinking of getting a new Mac with the M1 chipset for DJ'ing, hold off! Or, get a new one with the Intel i3 or above.
These first generation Apple chips will be supported at some stage, but with so much hardware out there at the moment using Intel processors, the support for these will not go away anytime soon.
Also, all these new Macs will only be running Big Sur, so... see above!
When will it be safe to update?
The software and hardware manufacturers are working on compatibbility as a priority. Typically, with previous updates, this has taken a month or two at least. We suggest checking the manufacturers support pages for any hardware you own or intend to purchase before you update your OS.