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#1
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laptop rec for live performance
Hi there,
I'm thinking of getting a 13-in white Macbook with Firewire for about $949 w/ student discount. I will need to spend another $50 on third- party RAM. My main purposes for the laptop: - a sound module for live MIDI keyboard playing ( I need reliable low- latency, low-jitter MIDI ) - pull of some highly-sculpted pads and sweeps found in the house music genre - run loops/samples triggered in Ableton Live - do some light recording of demo quality, single-track at a time I have an additional $500 to spend on a sound module + software ( again with student discount ) ( if I went with the macbook, I was thinking Tascam FireOne for $99, Ableton Live, and a lite version of Reason or Cubase ). For about $1000 or less, is there a Windows XP based laptop that could do as a good a job for live performance? I'm concerned with crackling, and noisy audio, and have heard that Apple is well-engineered for live audio. I've heard bad things about Windows reliabilty for live performance. I have also heard that latency can be greater in an Apple, however, but maybe this is due to using Firewire instead of a PCI sound module. Technology changes fast, so I was wondering if any of you could help out on some new non-mac alternatives to the macbook...particulary including a good low-latency sound module that you like, total budget around $1200. Thanks, Isaac |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
In article
, zikester wrote: Hi there, I'm thinking of getting a 13-in white Macbook with Firewire for about $949 w/ student discount. I will need to spend another $50 on third- party RAM. My main purposes for the laptop: - a sound module for live MIDI keyboard playing ( I need reliable low- latency, low-jitter MIDI ) - pull of some highly-sculpted pads and sweeps found in the house music genre - run loops/samples triggered in Ableton Live - do some light recording of demo quality, single-track at a time I have an additional $500 to spend on a sound module + software ( again with student discount ) ( if I went with the macbook, I was thinking Tascam FireOne for $99, Ableton Live, and a lite version of Reason or Cubase ). For about $1000 or less, is there a Windows XP based laptop that could do as a good a job for live performance? I'm concerned with crackling, and noisy audio, and have heard that Apple is well-engineered for live audio. I've heard bad things about Windows reliabilty for live performance. I have also heard that latency can be greater in an Apple, however, but maybe this is due to using Firewire instead of a PCI sound module. Technology changes fast, so I was wondering if any of you could help out on some new non-mac alternatives to the macbook...particulary including a good low-latency sound module that you like, total budget around $1200. Thanks, Isaac Doesn't the Macbook ship with Garageband as part of the iLife Suite? Maybe you don't need a sound module: http://www.macjams.com/article.php?s...40128064923856 Tons of loops too. I had a client come in with something they did in Garageband, and the sounds they used were quite good. David Correia www.Celebrationsound.com |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
"Soundhaspriority" wrote in message
... Consider: Not necessarily. You need to check the firewire chip. See http://www.google.com/search?client=...=Google+Search and: The speed of the machine is not important. I have recorded 12 channels, 24/96, with the aforementioned Asus, which has a 1gHz processor.It's mainly a question of the BIOS. The one Asus I use has a very friendly BIOS for audio purposes, since it implements an extended interrupt system. But this machine is 4 years old. Look for a deal where the supplied Vista has a "downgrade to XP" option. It will save you alot of heartache. Then the conclusion must be: buy a macbook. It simply works. Period. Meindert |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
On Oct 22, 7:05*am, "Soundhaspriority" wrote:
"Meindert Sprang" wrote in message ... "Soundhaspriority" wrote in message m... Consider: Not necessarily. You need to check the firewire chip. See http://www.google.com/search?client=...ozilla%3Aen-US... and: The speed of the machine is not important. I have recorded 12 channels, 24/96, with the aforementioned Asus, which has a 1gHz processor.It's mainly a question of the BIOS. The one Asus I use has a very friendly BIOS for audio purposes, since it implements an extended interrupt system. But this machine is 4 years old. Look for a deal where the supplied Vista has a "downgrade to XP" option. It will save you alot of heartache. Then the conclusion must be: buy a macbook. It simply works. Period. Meindert You did not read:http://www.google.com/search?client=...ozilla%3Aen-US... Bob Morein (310) 237-6511 Seems like this problem with the Agere firewire chip is limited to Macbook Pros, correct? I didn't see this explicitly stated, but every post that discussed this mentioned a MBP, not Macbook. But thanks for the heads-up, this is exactly the type of problem I wanted to be aware of *before* plopping down cash...similarly, if any of you have a configuration that is windows-based that works, and is low-latency, rock solid, then that's also something I'd love to hear...Thanks! |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
zikester wrote:
Seems like this problem with the Agere firewire chip is limited to Macbook Pros, correct? I didn't see this explicitly stated, but every post that discussed this mentioned a MBP, not Macbook. But thanks for the heads-up, this is exactly the type of problem I wanted to be aware of *before* plopping down cash...similarly, if any of you have a configuration that is windows-based that works, and is low-latency, rock solid, then that's also something I'd love to hear...Thanks! The fact is, that the latest MacBooks do *not* have FireWire built-in and no expansion slot for a FW card. If you want/need FW, you have to buy a "MacBook Pro"... Windows-based laptops with FW controllers (and usually expansion slots, too) can be found at lower prices than a MBP. I´ve used a 4 year-old Dell Inspiron laptop with a TI FireWire chipset a few times now without any issues. MOTU 828 Mk2 - laptop via FW - Cubase SX3 Recorded up to 10 tracks at once successfully - at 24 bit / 44,1 kHz WAV. Phil |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
"Soundhaspriority" wrote in message
... You did not read: http://www.google.com/search?client=...=Google+Search Indeed, i did not. This is a very serious problem and very bad for Apple's reputation. Meindert |
#7
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
"zikester" wrote in message
... On Oct 22, 7:05 am, "Soundhaspriority" wrote: Seems like this problem with the Agere firewire chip is limited to Macbook Pros, correct? I didn't see this explicitly stated, but every post that discussed this mentioned a MBP, not Macbook. But the latest Macbooks come without firewire.... Meindert |
#8
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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laptop rec for live performance
On 21 loka, 23:10, zikester wrote:
Hi there, I'm thinking of getting a 13-in white Macbook with Firewire for about $949 w/ student discount. *I will need to spend another $50 on third- party RAM. *My main purposes for the laptop: - a sound module for live MIDI keyboard playing ( I need reliable low- latency, low-jitter MIDI ) - pull of some highly-sculpted pads and sweeps found in the house music genre - run loops/samples triggered in Ableton Live - do some light recording of demo quality, single-track at a time I have an additional $500 to spend on a sound module + software ( again with student discount ) ( if I went with the macbook, I was thinking Tascam FireOne for $99, Ableton Live, and a lite version of Reason or Cubase ). For about $1000 or less, is there a Windows XP based laptop that could do as a good a job for live performance? I'm concerned with crackling, and noisy audio, and have heard that Apple is well-engineered for live audio. I've heard bad things about Windows reliabilty for live performance. I have also heard that latency can be greater in an Apple, however, but maybe this is due to using Firewire instead of a PCI sound module. Technology changes fast, *so I was wondering if any of you could help out on some new non-mac alternatives to the macbook...particulary including a good low-latency sound module that you like, total budget around $1200. I would by a small-sized laptop with an SSD drive. HD troubles gone...and they're QUICK. I've a tiny Toshiba Portege, and I record with a Proteus Firepod (firewire) eight tracks onto it, with Cubase, in 24bit. Then I toss the audio tracks to an USB memory stick and bring in for mixing on another machine. To my utter surprise it all works very well - and quick too in Vista Business. (I wouldn't choose Vista for music but so far everything's worked absolutely hitchless. We'll see later on. Cheers, Dee |
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