[Rathe]

Alright, so, I'm currently saving up for a laptop. I'm getting pretty close to getting it. I'm buying and Apple Macbook Pro, prolly 17" and I'm sorta pimping it a bit with a 7200rpm 500gb hard drive, 8gb RAM and an Intel i7 2.66ghtz processor.

I know, what does that have to do with anything? Well, the big thing I'd like to use it for is recording. I know they come stock with Garage Band. I really don't know much beyond that.
I'm hoping to save up about $1000 after getting the laptop and put it into a mini home recording studio that I can run through the laptop.

I really know NOTHING about what I would need, apart from a nice studio mic and a way to plug a 1\4 in jack into a laptop. So, I'm looking for some advise to get me started so i can get a more specific price in mind.
Price ceiling is around 1k, but, cheaper would be nice if possible.

what i need out of it: I need it to be able to record basically just your typical things. Guitars (both electric and acoustic), vocals, bass, drums, etc, etc. Multiple tracks per song.
Also, the ability to, or a program to, record tracks and use them in live performances would be great.

Thanks!
Rathe.

[RadioHead67]

Good luck man i really hope it works out. Me and my friend want to do the same thing but were limited on dough $$$

For now its just a computer, a few instruments, and some equipment

[surferdude9375]

Your never going to utilize all that processing power. I would suggest scaling down your expenditures on the laptop (4GB RAM is PLENTY, 2Ghz would be perfectly fine) so you have more to spend on other more crucial equipment.

Basically your going to need 3 things:
1. Mics
2. Interface (for preamps and D/A conversion, firewire is pretty much preferred)
3. Monitoring speakers if you plan on doing any real mixing

[ibanez_dude]

Originally Posted by surferdude9375

Your never going to utilize all that processing power. I would suggest scaling down your expenditures on the laptop (4GB RAM is PLENTY, 2Ghz would be perfectly fine) so you have more to spend on other more crucial equipment.

I don't know dude, when I get a 25+ track project going, with a lot of VST/AU plugins running, it's not unusual for me to max out my 2.4GHz Dual Core, and I have 2 gb's of ram too.

[Rathe]

Originally Posted by surferdude9375

Your never going to utilize all that processing power. I would suggest scaling down your expenditures on the laptop (4GB RAM is PLENTY, 2Ghz would be perfectly fine) so you have more to spend on other more crucial equipment.

Basically your going to need 3 things:
1. Mics
2. Interface (for preamps and D/A conversion, firewire is pretty much preferred)
3. Monitoring speakers if you plan on doing any real mixing

What do you mean by 'interface?' and what sort of speakers might I need?

Also, I'm not simply using the laptop for recording. I'm buying it for other reasons, which is why I tricked it out so much. I'm using it for a future investment, because I want it to last for a long time and be really nice.

[ethan_hanus]

Eh, I would avoid a Mac unless your going to be using a windows operating system on it, simply cause most DAW programs run on Windows, and VST's are designed for windows, so your cheating yourself out of a lot of free VST's and programs available on the net.

A computer that's much better than that mac and costs half as much is the Asus G73 laptop. Has 17.5 inch screen, I7 processor, 8 GB ram,500 GB hard drive, super high end graphics card, and a decent sound card.
http://gizmodo.com/5468476/asus-g73-...-sale-for-1430

But, for mini recording studio, get these things

DAW-Reaper-$60- REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits
M-Audio Fast Track Interface- $120- Buy M-Audio Fast Track MKII USB Audio Interface | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend
SM-57 mic- $104- Buy Shure SM57 Mic with Cable & Stand | Dynamic Microphones | Live Microphone Packages | Recording Microphone Packages | Musician's Friend

And presto, mini recording studio that'll get you close to professional recordings.

[redbaron]

get a desktop machine. Honestly laptops don't tend to have big longevity when pushed hard because the heat kill's em. I have a friend who uses his macbook pro whenever he's out to do recording and they're usually dead right around the time the warranty period ends. Not bad computers, just not designed for that kind of punishment, really.

If your recording studio is not mobile, the only thing you're getting with a laptop is additional cost. Sadly macpro's cost a fortune. I'd build a machine and hackintosh it if you really want to run native mac apps. Way cheaper fwiw.

[ibanez_dude]

Originally Posted by ethan_hanus

Eh, I would avoid a Mac unless your going to be using a windows operating system on it, simply cause most DAW programs run on Windows, and VST's are designed for windows, so your cheating yourself out of a lot of free VST's and programs available on the net.

Uhhh, wrong and wrong.

Mac:
Protools
Logic
Cubase
Digital Performer
GarageBand
Reaper
Ableton Live
New: Presonus Studio One

Um, that's pretty much all the big names here, you're only missing Sonar Cakewalk and a couple of others, mostly smaller ones. I've personally used most of these, and they work very well, and are native apps.

Secondly, lots of VST's exist of Macs. While there is a division between Windows & Mac VST's, both exist in fairly large quantities. Mac also has can AU (Audio-Unit) plugins, which Windows can't. Here's a bunch websites of VST's just from a 10 sec google search:
Macintosh Music Software: Plugins VST (Shareware Music Machine) (I used this one a lot, back when I had a windows machine)
Plugins | SonicTransfer.com
Free VST PlugIns
KVR: Virtual Instruments, Virtual Effects, VST Plugins, Audio Units (AU), DirectX (DX), Universal Binary Compatibility - Audio Plugin News, Reviews and Community
Plug-ins / VST for Mac - freeware downloads
Free VST plug-ins for Mac OS9/OSX? - ehMac.ca
Macintosh VST Plugins

Originally Posted by ethan_hanus

A computer that's much better than that mac and costs half as much is the Asus G73 laptop. Has 17.5 inch screen, I7 processor, 8 GB ram,500 GB hard drive, super high end graphics card, and a decent sound card.
http://gizmodo.com/5468476/asus-g73-...-sale-for-1430

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/...co=MTg1ODA3OTA
You can get an iMac (desktop) with 21.5 inch screen, I3 processer, 8gb of RAM, and similar other specs, straight from Apple for 1399.00, which is less than that laptop. You could save more money if you put your own RAM in. An i3 should be sufficient, and either 4gb or 8gb would be fine.
You can get a 15 inch Macbook pro with 4gb of RAM and an I5 for $1800
You can get a Core 2 Duo Macbook with 4gb of RAM for $1200.
Not sure where you're getting these "half" numbers from, unless you're looking at the really super freakin high end macbook pro's. Really though, who needs 17" screen on a laptop? Get an LCD, save your back, maybe even get two. Or get the iMac for $30 less than the Asus laptop...




Not trying to be mean or anything, just do the research before you post.

[ethan_hanus]

Originally Posted by ibanez_dude

Uhhh, wrong and wrong.

Mac:
Protools
Logic
Cubase
Digital Performer
GarageBand
Reaper
Ableton Live
New: Presonus Studio One

Um, that's pretty much all the big names here, you're only missing Sonar Cakewalk and a couple of others, mostly smaller ones. I've personally used most of these, and they work very well, and are native apps.

Secondly, lots of VST's exist of Macs. While there is a division between Windows & Mac VST's, both exist in fairly large quantities. Mac also has can AU (Audio-Unit) plugins, which Windows can't. Here's a bunch websites of VST's just from a 10 sec google search:
Macintosh Music Software: Plugins VST (Shareware Music Machine) (I used this one a lot, back when I had a windows machine)
Plugins | SonicTransfer.com
Free VST PlugIns
KVR: Virtual Instruments, Virtual Effects, VST Plugins, Audio Units (AU), DirectX (DX), Universal Binary Compatibility - Audio Plugin News, Reviews and Community
Plug-ins / VST for Mac - freeware downloads
Free VST plug-ins for Mac OS9/OSX? - ehMac.ca
Macintosh VST Plugins



Configure - Apple Store (U.S.)
You can get an iMac (desktop) with 21.5 inch screen, I3 processer, 8gb of RAM, and similar other specs, straight from Apple for 1399.00, which is less than that laptop. You could save more money if you put your own RAM in. An i3 should be sufficient, and either 4gb or 8gb would be fine.
You can get a 15 inch Macbook pro with 4gb of RAM and an I5 for $1800
You can get a Core 2 Duo Macbook with 4gb of RAM for $1200.
Not sure where you're getting these "half" numbers from, unless you're looking at the really super freakin high end macbook pro's. Really though, who needs 17" screen on a laptop? Get an LCD, save your back, maybe even get two. Or get the iMac for $30 less than the Asus laptop...








Not trying to be mean or anything, just do the research before you post.

Are you kidding me, an I3 processor, that'll run so slow it'll be shameful. I had an Asus G71 laptop with a dual core processor, did everything I needed it to, and did it better than any mac I've seen. Not to mention cheaper.

Just because Mac's are supposedly renowned for their recording and artistic abilities it's a bunch of hot air, it's just an over priced laptop made in China with a stupidly complex operating system. In all honesty, he could get a desktop that'll make the most high end mac look like trash for less than a fraction of the price. I saw an Asus desktop with 6 intel processors, something like 3.5Ghz, two 2GB graphics cards, 2 TB hard Drive, 16GB of ram for $1500 at Best Buy, I kid you not. That'll make any mac look like trash easily. Also, Asus computers are renowned for their cooling systems, they rarely have overheating problems. When I ran high end games on my G71, it was blowing out 100 degree air for hours, when I ran 20 tracks in Reaper the fan hardly came on.

Stupid Mac Vs PC arguments.

Not trying to be mean or anything, but you should do more research and compare best bang for your buck, and either a desktop or an Asus laptop is the best bang for your buck, not a Mac.

[Rainer.]

Which is aside the point entirely, because either a Mac or a PC would work fine for this... It's just personal preference, aight, folks?

DAWs work on both, plug-ins (generally speaking) work on both.

I use a pretty un-special consumer HP laptop and a two-track interface (Tapco Link) for my recording needs, mobile and easily set-up. Works fine.

[ABPOS]

I hope my dell is good enough. It does get heated up sometimes. If you keep it on a hard surface, it's usually fine. On our lap, it can get overheated. And I'm not even hot natured.

[redbaron]

for what it's worth, it's pretty laughable to compare an i3 to an i7, since a fast Core 2 Quad will spank an i3 in almost every test...

Honestly, a laptop or imac style computer (apple or not on either) is a lame replacement for a desktop. They're slower, run hotter, have extremely limited upgrade paths, and limited usable life.

[ibanez_dude]

Originally Posted by ethan_hanus

Are you kidding me, an I3 processor, that'll run so slow it'll be shameful. I had an Asus G71 laptop with a dual core processor, did everything I needed it to, and did it better than any mac I've seen. Not to mention cheaper.

Just because Mac's are supposedly renowned for their recording and artistic abilities it's a bunch of hot air, it's just an over priced laptop made in China with a stupidly complex operating system. In all honesty, he could get a desktop that'll make the most high end mac look like trash for less than a fraction of the price. I saw an Asus desktop with 6 intel processors, something like 3.5Ghz, two 2GB graphics cards, 2 TB hard Drive, 16GB of ram for $1500 at Best Buy, I kid you not. That'll make any mac look like trash easily. Also, Asus computers are renowned for their cooling systems, they rarely have overheating problems. When I ran high end games on my G71, it was blowing out 100 degree air for hours, when I ran 20 tracks in Reaper the fan hardly came on.

Stupid Mac Vs PC arguments.

Not trying to be mean or anything, but you should do more research and compare best bang for your buck, and either a desktop or an Asus laptop is the best bang for your buck, not a Mac.

Never claimed best bang buck for the buck, didn't want to get into that here. Just trying to debunk that unfounded "half" quote, which is not fair. The fact is, they run exceptionally well, are super easy to use, and are great & reliable machines, albeit slightly overpriced, but not double. "makes any mac look like trash"?? come on dude, chill out a little bit, that's garbage anyways. There's gotta be a reason why most of the pro audio world have macs. Never been that impressed with Asus (yet) anyways. Let's wrap this up or take it somewhere else, no more hijacking this poor person's thread

[ethan_hanus]

Ts has yet to respond... but to sum it up for TS, it does not matter what kind of computer you get, as long as it has a good amount of processing power then he'll be fine for any kind of home recording project except studio work. Professional studio recording takes one beast of a computer, unless you do it all through a mixer board.

[Rainer.]

I think the most important consideration for "pro studio recording" is what the guy behind the controls knows, whether it be you or someone else. Then mic placement, then a quiet room, then good musicianship, then maybe a set of good mics... maybe somewhere far along the chain is a beastly computer, but it is far from a big factor in getting a professional recording sound.