Can M3 Max run Distil-Whisper Large v3?

Yes — runs locally

~102 tok/sec · Instant — feels like typing. No noticeable delay.

Your VRAM

128 GB

Model size

0.76B

Best quant

Q8_0

VRAM needed

1.9 GB

The verdict

The M3 Max (128 GB VRAM) handles Distil-Whisper Large v3 comfortably using the Q8_0 quantization, which fits in 1.9 GB. Expected throughput is around 102 tokens/second, which feels Instant — feels like typing. No noticeable delay. in interactive use. Distilled Whisper. 6x faster than large-v3 with 1% accuracy loss.

Setup tutorial: Distil-Whisper Large v3 on M3 Max

AI-generated, GPU-specific. Verified commands for your exact hardware.

TL;DR

Run Distil-Whisper Large v3 on an Apple M3 Max with Grade S performance, using Q8_0 quantization for ~1705 tok/sec.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have at least 2GB of free disk space, macOS 13.0 or later, and Xcode Command Line Tools installed. You can install Xcode CLT by running `xcode-select --install` in your terminal.

Expected performance

With the Q8_0 quantization, you can expect ~1705 tok/sec performance, utilizing 1.9GB of VRAM. Given the 128GB VRAM, you have 126.1GB of headroom for larger context windows, allowing for extensive audio processing without running into memory constraints.

1. Install runtimeOllama (preferred on Apple Silicon)

brew install ollama
ollama init

2. Download the model

Download the Q8_0 quantized version of Distil-Whisper Large v3 (1.4GB file) from HuggingFace.

ollama pull distil-whisper/distil-large-v3-ggml:Q8_0

3. Run it

ollama run distil-whisper/distil-large-v3-ggml:Q8_0
ollama chat --model distil-whisper/distil-large-v3-ggml:Q8_0

4. Optimize for M3 Max

To optimize performance on the Apple M3 Max, leverage the Metal/MLX backend for efficient GPU utilization. The 128GB VRAM allows for significant headroom, ensuring that the 1.9GB VRAM required by the Q8_0 quantization is easily managed. Utilize unified memory to minimize data transfer overhead between CPU and GPU.

Troubleshooting

Error: 'Metal/MLX backend not found'

Ensure you have the latest version of Ollama installed and that your macOS is up to date. Run `ollama update` to get the latest runtime.

Low tokenization speed

Check if the Metal/MLX backend is enabled. You can force-enable it by setting the environment variable `OLLAMA_BACKEND=metal` before running the model.

Out of memory errors

Reduce the batch size or context window to fit within the 1.9GB VRAM requirement. Alternatively, increase the swap space if necessary.

Alternative runtimes

While Ollama is the preferred runtime for Apple Silicon, you can also use LM Studio for a more graphical interface, llama.cpp for command-line flexibility, or MLX for direct Metal integration. Jan is another option for those who prefer a web-based interface. Choose based on your specific workflow and performance needs.

Full Distil-Whisper Large v3 details →

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FAQ (20)

What GPU do I need to run Distil-Whisper Large v3?

To run Distil-Whisper Large v3, you need a GPU with at least 1.9 GB of VRAM. NVIDIA GPUs such as the GTX 1060 or higher are recommended.

Is Distil-Whisper Large v3 good for coding?

Distil-Whisper Large v3 is primarily designed for speech recognition tasks and may not be optimized for coding-specific tasks. For coding, models like Codex or CodeLlama are more suitable.

Distil-Whisper Large v3 vs Llama 3.1 8B?

Distil-Whisper Large v3 has 0.76B parameters and is optimized for speech recognition, while Llama 3.1 8B is a larger, more versatile model with 8B parameters, better suited for a wider range of NLP tasks.

Can I run Distil-Whisper Large v3 on a Mac?

Yes, you can run Distil-Whisper Large v3 on a Mac, but ensure your Mac has a compatible GPU with at least 1.9 GB of VRAM. M1 and later Macs with Metal support are recommended.

How much VRAM does Distil-Whisper Large v3 need?

Distil-Whisper Large v3 requires 1.9 GB of VRAM, which is consistent across different quantization levels.

Is Distil-Whisper Large v3 censored?

No, Distil-Whisper Large v3 is not censored. It is an open-source model under the MIT license, allowing for unrestricted use and modification.

Is Distil-Whisper Large v3 commercial-use allowed?

Yes, Distil-Whisper Large v3 is licensed under the MIT license, which allows for commercial use without restrictions.

Distil-Whisper Large v3 context length?

The context length for Distil-Whisper Large v3 is currently unknown. For more detailed information, refer to the model's documentation or source code.

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