Need some advise...
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Posted on Dec 03, 2004 03:06 pm
Stab
Member Since: Dec 03, 2004
Hey everyone! I'll try to make this as brief and to the point as I can but let me give you a little back story so you understand what my specific needs are:
I have been a metal musician for about 13 years now (bass/vocal). 5 years ago, as I went to college, I didn't have time nor $$ to continue with my band so I quit, and switched to writing computer generated music. Now I am ready to get back into the scene with a weird mixture of techno industrial and metal...
With this being said, I need a laptop that can be used for both recording, as well as live performance of such music. Problem is, my knowledge of computer hardware is very limited, and I was hoping to get some advise from here...
Basically, I am looking for a machine built around a soundcard. It has to be an IBM compatible (not a Mac), with at least 1 gig of memory and 40G+ of storage. I would also prefer for all audio inputs and outputs to be made for 1/4" jacks. Oh, and I currently work with Acid Pro 4.0...
Thats basically all I know. Can someone please tell me specific configurations to research and where to look for notebooks like that?
Thanks
PS Money is obviously always an issue ;) I would really like to get something for under 2K but will spend more if necessary...
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Dec 03, 2004 03:09 pm Hello, and welcome to HRC :-)
Laptops really are never built around a sound card...since any decent sound device to use with your laptop would have to be an external device run via USB or Firewire.
There are many good options in that direction, but we need to know more about you such as how many track you plan to record at any one time and things like that...
Any modern Laptop would be strong enough to record on, just make sure whatever you get your cram full of RAM. And going with an AMD processor rather than Intel will save you a bit of money and they still perform great.
vdalehubbardLost for words with all to say.Contributor
Since: Sep 12, 2003
Dec 03, 2004 03:55 pm I agree, get a good laptop with as much money as you are willing to spare and then the external sound cards will work fine.
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 03, 2004 05:48 pm External sound card? Can someone tell me whats good out there?
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 03, 2004 07:14 pm As far as I can tell, I should never have a need for more than 8 tracks. Most likely all I ever need is 6. I am also more concererned about doing live performance, rather than recording. Are there any other specs you need for me to provide?
DB, thanks for that link. What exactly is an audio interface? Is it the same as external soundcard? I feel kinda stupid asking something this simple, but as you can see I'm a total n00b with this stuff.Please bare with me...
Dec 03, 2004 07:25 pm Bearing with...we were all n00bies once...
Yes, audio interface, sound card, sound device, it's all the same.
for live needing 8 tracks or so, I am think M-AUdio Delta 1010, or maybe the new ESI 1010...there's a few...just gotta look around
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Dec 03, 2004 09:56 pm Yeah, the USB2 and firewire audio interface "soundcards" opened up laptop recording an awful lot... sort of hard to engineer a PCMCIA card that can take an XLR plug :)
6 tracks for live performance shouldn't be too hard... I've just never done it :) mostlikely some effects will bog down the CPU... usually reverb will do it... It really depends on how you play it... If you play 4 tracks that are prerecorded and then run a couple DXi/VSTi/Softsynths for the other channels you "shouldn't have much of a problem... especially if you don't add reverb.. or apply it to a track in advance...
I don't kow if ASIO driver apply to firewire/USB2...doubt it... The goal for live performmance is for latency to be 11ms or less.
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 04, 2004 01:26 pm Ok, I did some research last night. MAudio Delta 1010 seems like a great gadget! I wasn't able to find any info on ESI 1010 though... Here is a question: As far as I understand, these "interfaces" function as a PA to a certain extent. Can it also be used as a regular mixer with analog equipment without a PC in the midle(guitars, drums, mikes, etc. go in with speakers on the output)? What other models/brands should I look for?
Also, should I take this conversation further into the Gear Gab or another area of HRC, or is this the right place?
Once again, huge thanks to everyone who replied so far! I have learned so much already! Keep them ideas coming people!
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 04, 2004 05:21 pm Nevermind that mixer question, I did some more reading and realize how stupid I am (LOL)
Can someone please give me the specs for a good/great laptop configuration to use with Delta 1010. Once again, I'm especially concerned about life performance aspect...
Dec 04, 2004 05:50 pm Get a Presonus Firepod. $600 with 6 mic pre's built in (you would have to buy mic pre's with a delta 1010, more $$$) It also has monitor & headphone out.
I would go with a Dell laptop because they seem to be reliable and are pretty reasonable price-wise.
Make sure you get a P4 and not a centrino because the centrino is made to prolong battery life and that will cut down on your plugin count.
Get as much ram as you can.
Once you do get it, look around on the 'net from XP tweaks for audio. It will improve the computing power tremendously. I would also recommend not using it to surf the 'net, or anything else. It will just bog it down.
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 04, 2004 07:54 pm "I would also recommend not using it to surf the 'net, or anything else. It will just bog it down"
I was thinking the same thing. I will only use it for music, and still keep my desktop for web, games, etc.
When you say "as much ram as you can", would 1G be sufficient? What about less?
What about an internal audio card? Can I go with a good old Soundblaster Live or do I need toething more advanced?
What exactly is a "mic pre"? Is PRE some srt of abbreviation?
Dec 04, 2004 08:21 pm A "pre" is a Microphone Preamp which improved the signal from a microphone to be accepted by recording media...be it tape, hard drive or whatever. Preamps can be standalone unit, or as the channel strip on a mixer, most mixers have preamps on at least some of their channels.
You can't really go with an internal sound card on a laptop. Laptops are very proprietary systems, you would most likely end up having to get an external USB or Firewire sound device. SoundBlasters work for some people, but recording is really not what they are made for and you will not get nearly the performance out of one that you would get out of a card meant for recording...and the real recording cards don't have to cost that much more either.
Don't follow the flock that is scared of the internet, I am in my studio on my studio PC right now, I have always used it for internet and never had any problems from it. Just be a smart surfer, run anti-virus, don't use Internet Exploiter and Outlook/Outlook Express and the likelihood of any problems are cut by about 95%. While the optimal solution is to use your PC for nothing but recording, with the speed of current computers and the effectiveness of common sense protection, if the internet bogs down your PC, it's time to lok for a PC or be a smarter surfer.
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 04, 2004 08:53 pm "...You can't really go with an internal sound card on a laptop. Laptops are very proprietary systems, you would most likely end up having to get an external USB or Firewire sound device. SoundBlasters work for some people, but recording is really not what they are made for and you will not get nearly the performance out of one that you would get out of a card meant for recording...and the real recording cards don't have to cost that much more either..."
Sorry, let me clarify... I wasn't trying to say that I will use SB instead of external devise. After all, this is why I started this thread in the first place. But as far as I understand its still good to have some sort of a rudimentary sound card in the laptop, lets say in case I just wanted to listen to an audio CD or something...
With this being said, let me get back to the previous question: In addition to getting an external soundcard/interface would I need anything more advanced than a stock internal sound card that most computers come with from a manufacturer?
Dec 04, 2004 09:13 pm oh, ya those little built in sound cards come in handy now and then, for MIDI ports or just simple system sounds...nothing wrong with having one.
StabMember
Since: Dec 03, 2004
Dec 04, 2004 10:16 pm So I shouldn't spend extra money to upgrade the stock soundcard? Just get a good external one and I'll be ready to go?
Dec 04, 2004 10:44 pm yup.
and one gig of ram is good.
Dec 04, 2004 11:01 pm No, I wouldn't spend money on upgrading the stock card, personally. Just put that money toward a good external unit...
Just my two cents...but what do I know?
Dec 04, 2004 11:06 pm ha, I read to fast. I was answering 'yes' to your second question. get a better external like dB said.
