VXPocket for laptop vs. the alternatives

[Grotius]

I'm planning to record classical piano (probably just two tracks), and I'm thinking about using my laptop (Win 98SE, 128M RAM, 10G HD) as the recorder. I actually just inherited this laptop; I'm much more familiar with desktop PCs. Anyway, I have three questions:

1. Is a PCMCIA card like a PCI card? In other words, is the VXPocket a way around the configuration and latency problems that may pop up with USB interfaces like Quattro, Duo, Extigy, Tascam US 428, etc? Yes, MOTU and FireWire are alternatives, but they're pricey; I don't have Firewire inputs on my laptop (or PC). Is there any downside to the VXPocket?

2. If I come in to the soundcard with a SPDIF (digital) signal, does it matter whether the sound card is a fancy VXPocket or a lowly SB Extigy? I understand that the Extigy has less competent A/D converters and noisier analog inputs, but aren't its SPDIF inputs just as good as a VXpocket's or Quattro's or whatever?

3. I worry that I'll spend $500 on something like the VX pocket, only to buy a stand-alone hard disk recorder three years from now, when my laptop's hardware will seem lame. (On the other hand, I love editing waveforms on my desktop PC; unfortunately, the PC is two floors up from the piano.) Is a laptop a bad idea if one intends to record long-term?

Thanks!

[Chris Shaeffer]

Hi Grotius,

I can't speak about the VXPocket, though I'm pretty sure the PCMCIA interface is about the fastest way to get audio into your laptop. Firewire is fast too. I get 22ms latency with my Tascam US-428, though, and I've never had any problem with it.

I'm pretty much alone around here in my opinion that USB is a valid option for laptop audio- as long as you can use the ASIO drivers instead of the windoze media crap ones.

As for the validity of laptop recording...

I LOVE my laptop studio. I can play with my mixes while I'm traveling, record scratch tracks in motel rooms, write MIDI drum parts at work (oops! I don't really do that at work...), etc.

I have classy harware, though. The biggest bummer about laptops is that they are almost completely unexandable. You're stuck with what you have. Are you really interested in sinking $500 into a high quailty interface for a machine that will NEVER be able to play back more than 12 tracks at a time?

Its doable, but it isn't really cheap. I have a laptop studio because I NEED a laptop for work and would rather sink the cash into one good computer than have 2 so-so computers. Its fun and useful to be portable, but not cheap.

Take care,
Chris

[crosstudio]

after weighing the options between the VxPocket and the US-428, I decided on the US-428. I just purchased it from MacMidiMusic an hour ago.

the company that makes them (Frontier Designs) for Tascam is top notch. I use their soundcard and digital converter (WaveCenter/Tango24) for my desktop.

having the tactile controls with a physical gain knob was also a plus. The VxPocket does not have this feature.

neither the VxPocket nor the US-428 have phantom power so you'll need a mic-pre.

fortunately I already have one, because I bought the M-audio Duo a few months ago. The pre-amp sounds pretty darn good, but as a USB recorder the Duo is a piece of sh*t.

I've read the specs and whitepapers on USBv2 and the possibility of recording excellent audio through USBv2 is tremendous. Hopefully, the US-428 will be upgradeable.

[j]

i've been wondering about usb 2.0 also...as far as i know there are no usb 2.0 devices besides hard drives and cd,dvd type drives available...usb 2.0 does look to be real competition for firewire...i wonder if this will hold things up.