Post your experiences with laptops

[msquared]

I've seen a lot of threads in here where people have asked what recording platform they've used, and now I'd like to solicit some anectodal evidence from all of you who have responded with past experience. What I'm looking for is how stable your hardware has been. Any repair history to speak of? How does it work with your audio interface of choice? What is your audio interface of choice?

My story: I've been using a Macbook Pro since the beginning of November but they keep dying on me. I bought my third MBP a couple weeks ago and the disk is already dead, so it's going back tonight. Right now I'm faced with the question of whether to get a Macbook or to get a PC like I've been using for years. I really could go either way, so I'm soliciting some nudging.

[dumeril7]

I use a laptop in my studio along with a Mackie Onyx 1620 mixer/interface. But I've decided that unless the system has to be mobile, laptop-based studios aren't as great as I'd imagined. First, they're generally more expensive than a desktop. Second, the components are generally slower (especially the disk drives and memory) unless you pay top dollar for upgraded components. Third, based on my experience with my day job laptops, they can be kind of unreliable.

OTOH, if you have to take it on the road, a laptop and a controller/interface is really hard to beat.

[Edit:] Just to give you some background. I'm using a Toshiba Satellite in my studio. Its prone to overheating and I've had one disk drive crash. Ouch. At work, I've used Dell, HP, Toshiba, Sony and IBM. The best have been the IBM Thinkpads. The worst -- Sony. Complete motherboard failure after only one year. Although I know other folks who've had great luck with the Sony laptops. The Mackie Onyx mixer/interface has been terrific; stable, fast and extremely clean sounding.

D7

[msquared]

Originally Posted by dumeril7

I use a laptop in my studio along with a Mackie Onyx 1620 mixer/interface. But I've decided that unless the system has to be mobile, laptop-based studios aren't as great as I'd imagined.

After having used laptops as mobile studios for the last several years, I tend to agree. But I know it can be done with the right hardware. I have a good idea of what that is, but I'm interested in hearing what other people have to say as well.

[lemur821]

I'm using a Toshiba Satellite when I record. Surprisingly, the built in audio interface sounds pretty good when I run through a preamp first. The headphone jack sometimes has some hum though. You'd probably want an external interface for serious work. It's been rock solid for me though, none of the overheating Dumeril reports. I'm running Linux on a Satellite M45, so our configurations may make a difference here.

I also use it for live effects. Up until recently I had only used it experimentally at home, but I played through it with a group last night and it will be with me next time we perform. I get good results using a 2ms latency setting.

[seamonkey]

I've had great luck with laptops. Look for ones that park the hard drive if they're bumped. And don't put it where it picks up vibration or it'll constantly park.

A small cheap desktop can be used instead in some cases. With a clean OS you can boot in seconds. Load apps on boot and be ready to go in not much more time. The Muse Receptor is basically a Linux PC and it boots in seconds. Invest in a RAID mirror and you'll have great reliability. Keep it off the Web.

[infamousxtopher]

i'm using a 1.33ghz ibook g4, outdated i know but with maxed out ram and a 7200rpm hard drive it's quite a trooper and has failed me in my studio or on location, i'm hesitant about getting a macbook because of all the hardware problems i've heard about, so this little guy will have to suffice for now.

[luknfur]

FWIW:

Never been into recording but the only computers I've owned have been laptops cause mobility and space saving have been a priority for my application. I've had 3 of them over some 10 years. A Compaq, Sony, and now Toshiba.

The preceding info is pretty accurate compared to a desk unit. Like amps, small light and powerful = Muy Dinero. I've always bought warranties with them cause components aren't off the shelf for a laptop like desktop. Seems like the screen alone on the sony was $600 if it went south. Lithium batteries aren't cheap either and last about a year.

The sony had so much go wrong with it that the warranty paid for itself AND the computer and it crashed for a second time not 2 months after the warrany expired.

The compaq was faultless till it crashed after a few years and the Toshiba has been good to go for almost 3 years now.

So just in terms of the computer itself, I don't know that you can predict how reliable a laptop is going to be. Especially PC's cause there's a million different models and even more people making and assembling them. By the time sufficient reviews are out on them to get a solid fix, new models are out and it starts all over.

My use of a laptop has been a lot in terms of hours but 99% of that has been word processing and internet. I don't think I would go the laptop route for recording which I'm looking to get into. I don't need the mobility or space saving advantages of a laptop, they seem more fixed in terms of being upgradeable, and you get less of everything at a higher price.

Staying off the net with it is probably a real good idea.

[Spfairchild]

I love my laptop.
But not in the way that a man loves a woman (or another man, for that matter).
It's deeper.
It has allowed me to sell all of my big-ass, heavy, un-upgradable hardware pedals and have a myriad more effects available - way more than I could afford to buy in physical box form.
I have a Dell E1405 with the dual core 1.86ghz processors and a gig of ram. I also use a presonus firebox. I run Ableton Live 6 as a host with about 20 VSTs loaded all the time, triggered from a behringer fcb1010. For more recording power, I use Sonar 6. I've had this setup for about half a year now, played out many times, and have had absolutely NO problems! Even my pedals weren't that reliable - I was always soldering jacks, replacing batteries, just doin general upkeep, it seems. If you're a person who's really into sound experimentation, you almost can't go any other way. There's so much power available from real-time computing setups - just about anything you can conceive, you can either figure out how to do or get a program that just does it.
And, to make the deal even better, I just discovered that there are some pretty good audio-to-midi VST effect converters out there that can convert your normal audio into midi to trigger VSTi synths and anything else that accepts midi commands. I always thought you needed to drop like $1500 on pickups, converters and sound modules to do that!
Take the plunge. Do your research, then try a laptop based system. With the prices being what they are and getting cheaper everyday, it's getting so cost effective (if you're into all these other uses like audio to midi conversion, amp-modeling, tons o' effects) that it's pretty much cheaper now. The sound can be flawless. The latency can be unnoticable by human ears. Seriously.
It's so much fun!
I love my laptop.

The End

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by Spfairchild

It has allowed me to sell all of my big-ass, heavy, un-upgradable hardware pedals and have a myriad more effects available - way more than I could afford to buy in physical box form.

This is true. I was playing some noise last night and wishing I had some reverb -- so I did; simple as that.

[thehurlatron]

I've been running my Macbook (non pro) for a while now, and have had NO problems.
2ghz intel duo, 2gb ram, I use a glyph firewire drive, and a MOTU ultralite interface. The MOTU has 2 pre's in it, but has 6 more balanced inputs on the rear that I run to from my Allen&Heath mixer for when I track drums. I've recorded (so far) 8 tracks simultaneously with no problems. For interfaces, IMHO, MOTU makes some of the best stuff to use with Macs. (although I'm drooling for som Apogee DAC's and Pre's)
Software I'm using is Logic.

[luknfur]

Originally Posted by Spfairchild

... If you're a person who's really into sound experimentation, you almost can't go any other way. There's so much power available from real-time computing setups - just about anything you can conceive, you can either figure out how to do or get a program that just does it.

And, to make the deal even better, I just discovered that there are some pretty good audio-to-midi VST effect converters out there that can convert your normal audio into midi to trigger VSTi synths and anything else that accepts midi commands. I always thought you needed to drop like $1500 on pickups, converters and sound modules to do that!
Take the plunge. Do your research, then try a laptop based system. With the prices being what they are and getting cheaper everyday, it's getting so cost effective (if you're into all these other uses like audio to midi conversion, amp-modeling, tons o' effects) that it's pretty much cheaper now. The sound can be flawless. The latency can be unnoticable by human ears...

The End

Also a consideration in terms of thinking beyond immediate recording plans or needs.

[c-ba55]

I have a Toshiba Satellite too, which was recommended in audio forums as a good one for recording. I have done mobile recording with it, which is great. The problem is that components don't necessarily connect with 100% smoothness. Since it is a laptop, everything is an external component connecting through USB or firewire. If that doesn't go right, you got nothing.
Specifically, it has a real hard time with the USB disk drive unless this is a fresh boot and the disk drive has been turned on once and left on. Otherwise, it will disconnect, connect slowly, etc.... Not a problem for recording since I record to the internal drive, but pretty annoying.

Secondly, it will sometimes drop the connection to the firewire recording I/O for a second or two. Not cool in the middle of a recording.
Toshiba has a BIOS upgrade that is supposed to take care of the USB disk drive thing. I ran that and it made the problem a teensy bit better, but it is still a problem.

Then, with all these components, they each need power. And they may have differing ability to react to a power event. The laptop chugs on because of its battery, but the other stuff may shut down if there is a momentary power loss, and even if it starts back up, now the computer is confused about what just happened and the connections become problematic. Not to mention your external disk drive may headcrash and you lose your archive. They have external harddrives that draw power over the USB, and are supposed to be hot swappable, but they cost much more. It'd be worth it if you're going to use them seriously.

[thehurlatron]

I don't know the reliability of the above mentioned PC laptops, but my mac has no issues with it's firewire or usb ports shutting down, or not hooking up right. Everything has been plug and play.
For truely "remote recording", I've ran my Macbook, MOTU interface, and EX. HD all off laptop battery via firewire for recording 2 tracks and all was good. It ate up the battery pretty quick, but was good enough to get the two different tracks recorded.

[Muusers]

What program do you guys use to record? ie cubase?

[Embryodead]

I've been fumbling around with Logic, i might take the leap to Cubase or something else for mac though.

[thehurlatron]

Originally Posted by Muusers

What program do you guys use to record? ie cubase?

Logic 7 and Digital Performer 5. (Mac)

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by Muusers

What program do you guys use to record? ie cubase?

Audacity under Linux. Anything I record tends to be overdubbed or live, so there's no need for fancy editing features. I also don't have more than one stereo channel to work with on the laptop, although I'm looking to upgrade.

[luknfur]

Originally Posted by Spfairchild

...
And, to make the deal even better, I just discovered that there are some pretty good audio-to-midi VST effect converters out there that can convert your normal audio into midi to trigger VSTi synths and anything else that accepts midi commands.

Off and on I’ve been thinking about this post since I first read it. I already had a pod and V bass and since then a GR 20 has landed. Bought this stuff used and have over a grand in it - which would easily exceed $1500 new. The pod and V bass aren’t synths but the GR 20 is and what stands out about the GR 20 is it plays like a synth not like a bass/guitar, as do the other two (with a few exceptions). Regardless of tracking issues, the conventional expressionism in terms of slides, bends, (on and on) just aren’t there . Regardless of whether such things are appropriate for piano (whatever), I still want a bass to be able to play like a bass when I desire or I‘d simply use a keyboard. I’m already looking to move the GR 20 on.

A bit precipitous but I’m inclined to agree with the computer/VST approach to the synth stuff as long as it works effectively. It would seem no cheaper but more practical for the money.

If you just discovered the analog-digital VST converter, how were you accomplishing this before?

If such a converter works on a plain parallel to tracking on the pod/v-bass then that would be something to get excited about. If it tracks like a synth and not like a bass then it would effectively only be a potential replacement for the GR 20 and not the other two.

Are you using a conventional mag pup in the bass, piezo, GK-like pup or what?

[Classic5]

PC: Toshiba Tecra A5 (1.86mhz , 1Gig Ram)
Software: Sonar 6
Interface: Behringer BA2000 (fantastic!)

Very cost effective! Very Stable! Very Compact!
Great Results!

[Spfairchild]

As far as the tracking, that does seem to depend on the plugin you use. I've had varied results with all of them, and different VSTis seem to respond differently to each of the plugins, too. However, with SuperEel 2, I've had very good results with a certain synth I have on my system, but not well with others. There are so many parameters to tweak! And many audio-to-midi plugins I've yet to try.

That said, with my particluar SuperEel/synth setup, the tracking is flawless above the 12th fret (I only use that range of the neck for this - seems to track WAY better), no latency that's audible at all, and I'm a happy camper.

I use the stock pickups (magnetic) in my Warwick and nothing else. I'm sure piezos would track even better! No Roland pickup or anything.

And as far as accomplishing this before discovering these plugins - I wasn't. The discovery of those beautiful little strings of code have allowed me to do something I previously didn't think I could do with what I had. It's all new. And it rocks!

The reason I'm so much more excited about this than when using something like a POD is that this is much more expandable, and you're not stuck with proprietary Line 6 software/firmware or anything. You should be able to use any midi synth/plugin/program or whatever, rather than just the choices you're given by a hardware manufacturer. Well, I'm a geek. It excites me.

I'm happy to answer any more questions with my limited reserve of knowledge on the subject!