Laptop for audio production

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Hey,
I am looking to get a new computer (preferably a laptop) to
record/mixdown audio. I currently have a windows machine with a 2 GHz
processor, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB 5,400 rpm, etc. With Pro Tools LE,
recording worked fine, but when it came time for mixdown, my CPU stood
no chance! Even with an 8 track mixdown if I EQed a couple track and
used more than one effects plugin I ran out of resources; I sold Pro
Tools LE out of frustration. I am looking into getting an Apple
Powerbook this time and using recording software other than Pro Tools.
I only record one track at a time so my main concern is mixdown. I
like to use a decent amount of effects and EQ. I have a $3000 budget
for the software and computer. Any suggestions? Do you think I should
look beyond a laptop and go with a G5? I noticed the 1.8 GHz dual
processor models are just under $2000. I would appreciate any
suggestions. I do not want to again be stuck with a machine that
cannot handle its workload. I assume an average song of mine would be
around 16 tracks.

Thanks,
Adam

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 17:11:31 GMT, walkinay@thegrid.net (hank alrich)
wrote:

>adaM wrote:
>
>> I am looking to get a new computer (preferably a laptop) to
>> record/mixdown audio. I currently have a windows machine with a 2 GHz
>> processor, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB 5,400 rpm, etc. With Pro Tools LE,
>> recording worked fine, but when it came time for mixdown, my CPU stood
>> no chance! Even with an 8 track mixdown if I EQed a couple track and
>> used more than one effects plugin I ran out of resources; I sold Pro
>> Tools LE out of frustration. I am looking into getting an Apple
>> Powerbook this time and using recording software other than Pro Tools.
>> I only record one track at a time so my main concern is mixdown. I
>> like to use a decent amount of effects and EQ. I have a $3000 budget
>> for the software and computer. Any suggestions? Do you think I should
>> look beyond a laptop and go with a G5? I noticed the 1.8 GHz dual
>> processor models are just under $2000. I would appreciate any
>> suggestions. I do not want to again be stuck with a machine that
>> cannot handle its workload. I assume an average song of mine would be
>> around 16 tracks.
>
>You would be able to run many more plugins on the dual processor desktop
>machine than on any of teh laptops. (You might have just kept PT until
>you had a machine that could handle the plugs. Be sure to get hands-on
>with the various DAW apps before you spring for a new one. And check the
>various lists and forums about each of them to see what people like and
>don't like, and how those opinions might align with your own.)

Hello Hank,

Seems like a vicious circle. Get a more powerful machine and one
starts blopping more effects into the mix until the machine croaks
(going through this reckoning with my new powerbook). I think this is
similar to the poor coding practices occuring when prices for desktop
hardware began to fall -- Code writers weren't constrained and got
sort of loose.

Seems like one can avoid the choking processor syndrome by thinking
through the project in advance and working with submixes?

When Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon went through it's bounce down,
I recall Alan Parsons describing it as an all or nothing affair. Talk
about pucker! <vbg>

Best,
Andy