choosing a computer for live audio
- Thread starter verytorpe
- Start date
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
Alienware Notebook
I just got an Alienware notebook. I admit, they are not cheap (I paid almost $3k), but they are extremely fast and easily outperform a G4 powerbook (and have more memory up to 2GB).
Best of all: they have a silent mode, which means that at the touch of a button, the notebook will switch off its fan and run as silent as possible -- perfect for recording situations where you are close to the sound source(s).
I just got an Alienware notebook. I admit, they are not cheap (I paid almost $3k), but they are extremely fast and easily outperform a G4 powerbook (and have more memory up to 2GB).
Best of all: they have a silent mode, which means that at the touch of a button, the notebook will switch off its fan and run as silent as possible -- perfect for recording situations where you are close to the sound source(s).
noodles2k5
New member
It's also more than twice as thick, half the battery life, and weighs around 5lbs more than a Powerbook (which is naturally silent).
I guess it's cool if you just want pure power. Wouldn't be too bad lugging it around shows, but I'd never take it anywhere else.
I guess it's cool if you just want pure power. Wouldn't be too bad lugging it around shows, but I'd never take it anywhere else.
elevate
New member
If these things were primary considerations, he probably would've got a Centrino-powered laptop and still had had a more powerful laptop than a Powerbook with longer battery life than a Powerbook.noodles2k5 said:
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
Alienware vs Powerbook:
These are the specs of my 12.1" Alienware notebook. The screen resolution is 1280x800 which is also better than a Powerbook 12" (1024x768). You can even choose between three colors (aluminum like the Powerbook, grey and black.). The CD-writer is twice as fast (8x compared to 4x), it can have up to 2GB memory (Powerbook: 1.25GB), they come with an integrated 4-in-1 memory card reader, have FireWire, etc. A PowerBook has none of that. They come with Win XP Professional installed, and have a 2MHz Pentium M processor, which is comparable to the MAC processors.
As you can see, the Alienware notebooks outperform PowerBooks in EVERY aspect. Here's a comparison chart in case you don't believe me:
http://www.alienware.com/product_de...x?SysCode=PC-LT-SENTIA-CP&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT
wrong: same thickness!noodles2k5 said:
wrong: 4hrs, similar to a PowerBook.
wrong: 3.5 lbs, including battery - which is lighter than a 12.1" Powerbook! (4.6 lbs)
A Powerbook doesn't have a fan?
These are the specs of my 12.1" Alienware notebook. The screen resolution is 1280x800 which is also better than a Powerbook 12" (1024x768). You can even choose between three colors (aluminum like the Powerbook, grey and black.). The CD-writer is twice as fast (8x compared to 4x), it can have up to 2GB memory (Powerbook: 1.25GB), they come with an integrated 4-in-1 memory card reader, have FireWire, etc. A PowerBook has none of that. They come with Win XP Professional installed, and have a 2MHz Pentium M processor, which is comparable to the MAC processors.
As you can see, the Alienware notebooks outperform PowerBooks in EVERY aspect. Here's a comparison chart in case you don't believe me:
http://www.alienware.com/product_de...x?SysCode=PC-LT-SENTIA-CP&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
I forgot to mention that even the small 12.1" Alienware has 3 USB-2 ports and one FireWire 800 port (Powerbook: Firewire 400). They also have an amazing "dead pixel" warranty: if the notebook has just ONE dead pixel within the warrenty period, they'll replace the notebook at no costs. You can also chose between "normal" 5,400 and "fast" 7,200 rpm hard drives, and between four different processors. Apple has none of that.
<copy>
Alienware notebook. I admit, they are not cheap (I paid almost $3k)
</paste>
3K! a little too much... I want to spend 600-900 euro
Here are a couple of examples of what I've been reading (I haven't been able to register at kvraudio)
http://remixmag.com/mag/remix_live_pa/
http://www.modsquare.com/modsquare_more.php?id=191_0_27_0_M
http://www.brainspawn.com/images/marillion01.jpg
It seems that using a computer onstage is habitual, and not just for electronic musicians. Of course, it doesn't state anywhere that they use their computers for mixing.
Now a question arises: We are just starting. I plan to use this equipment in very small venues, where you don't even need to mic the drums and a 150Watt amp is enough for guitars and monitors are virtually unnecesary. I've taking a look at digital mixers and they are big and expensive. Does it make any sense to do the mix through the pc? too risky? too unprofessional?
Alienware notebook. I admit, they are not cheap (I paid almost $3k)
</paste>
3K! a little too much... I want to spend 600-900 euro
Here are a couple of examples of what I've been reading (I haven't been able to register at kvraudio)
http://remixmag.com/mag/remix_live_pa/
http://www.modsquare.com/modsquare_more.php?id=191_0_27_0_M
http://www.brainspawn.com/images/marillion01.jpg
It seems that using a computer onstage is habitual, and not just for electronic musicians. Of course, it doesn't state anywhere that they use their computers for mixing.
Now a question arises: We are just starting. I plan to use this equipment in very small venues, where you don't even need to mic the drums and a 150Watt amp is enough for guitars and monitors are virtually unnecesary. I've taking a look at digital mixers and they are big and expensive. Does it make any sense to do the mix through the pc? too risky? too unprofessional?
Tifstorey
Guinea Pig
elevate said:
In the Mac vs PC debate - a lot of it is down to individual opinions, in this case however your at the risk of making yourself look stupid. The centrino is a higher frequency chip, but being designed for power saving, its the vertiable Celleron if the mobile world, with less than 1/4 of the cache of the Powerbook G4's chip, thats a major fall at the first hurdle.
...and next Architecture,
Everyone knows, and has done since apple finally developed a usable OS for the RISC platform, that the ROSC (g4) chips are more effienct per cycle than the x86 equivilant.
of course the Centrino will have a better battery life, it's designed to sacrifice speed and usefulness for longivity.
Like i said, i dont want to start a Mac Vs. PC debate, but saying that a centrino is more powerful than a G4 is just...wrong, im sorry!
Tifstorey
Guinea Pig
Giganova said:
Im sure nobody is saying theyre G4 powerbook is more powerful than your alienware laptop, because it isnt.
I think we should get back on the subject here guys and try to move away from the debate, which i feel is going back to a Mac Vs. PC argument! Which im sure you all know, arent pretty!
In fact, I don't know if I'll finally buy a computer, but in case I do it'll be a pc. So...
It seems that using a computer onstage is habitual, and not just for electronic musicians. Of course, it doesn't state anywhere that they use their computers for mixing.
Now a question arises: We are just starting. I plan to use this equipment in very small venues, where you don't even need to mic the drums and a 150Watt amp is enough for guitars and monitors are virtually unnecesary. I've taking a look at digital mixers and they are big and expensive. Does it make any sense to do the mix through the pc? too risky? too unprofessional?
It seems that using a computer onstage is habitual, and not just for electronic musicians. Of course, it doesn't state anywhere that they use their computers for mixing.
Now a question arises: We are just starting. I plan to use this equipment in very small venues, where you don't even need to mic the drums and a 150Watt amp is enough for guitars and monitors are virtually unnecesary. I've taking a look at digital mixers and they are big and expensive. Does it make any sense to do the mix through the pc? too risky? too unprofessional?
elevate
New member
Jesus...the Centrino is not the Celeron of the mobile world. At some point, Intel is going to move the Centrino core over to the desktop space to replace the P4. And regarding the cache - whoa! I had no idea that Powerbooks were sporting 8MB of cache. Apple's site says they only have 512K, but I'm sure you know better. I noticed you failed to mention the huge disparity in bus speed between Centrinos and Powerbooks. Any particular reason for that?Tifstorey said:
No, everyone does not know that RISC chips are more efficient than their x86 equivelant. First, not all RISC chips are created equal. Second, what is an "x86 equivelant"? Third, stop getting your technical info from apple.com.
There, fixed that for you.
Well..I'm afraid it's you who's wrong.
Let's take a look at SPEC's site. We'll compare a 2Ghz Pentium to a 2.2Ghz PPC970 (read: G5). We'll use the PPC970, as opposed to a G4, for comparison, since Motorola and Apple never submit to SPEC.
scores for CINT2000/CFP2000
Pentium M: 1541 / 1088
PPC970: 1040 / 1241*
*PPC970 CFP score is for dual 2.2Ghz
Now, don't make yourself look uber-stupid by trying to say that a G4 is faster than a 2.2Ghz 970.
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
I agree with you, elevate. Its interesting from a psychological point of view that almost every MAC user thinks that MACs are the most powerful, most this & that computers out there when they obviously got the facts wrong.
That's why I felt like replying earlier when it was said that the Alienware notebooks are heavier, thicker, slower, more noisy, whatnot, compared to a Powerbook, when none of that is actually true.
That's why I felt like replying earlier when it was said that the Alienware notebooks are heavier, thicker, slower, more noisy, whatnot, compared to a Powerbook, when none of that is actually true.
elevate
New member
I hear ya. I have no qualms with anyone choosing to use a Mac (or Linux or whatever), if they feel it works best for them. Hell, I own a Powerbook. However, if someone makes a platform decision based on complete bullshit, and then continues to propagate this bullshit, well...that's just lame.Giganova said:
In fact, I don't know if I'll finally buy a computer, but in case I do it'll be a pc. So...
<copying again>
It seems that using a computer onstage is habitual, and not just for electronic musicians. Of course, it doesn't state anywhere that they use their computers for mixing.
Now a question arises: We are just starting. I plan to use this equipment in very small venues, where you don't even need to mic the drums and a 150Watt amp is enough for guitars and monitors are virtually unnecesary. I've taking a look at digital mixers and they are big and expensive. Does it make any sense to do the mix through the pc? too risky? too unprofessional?
<pasting again>
<copying again>
It seems that using a computer onstage is habitual, and not just for electronic musicians. Of course, it doesn't state anywhere that they use their computers for mixing.
Now a question arises: We are just starting. I plan to use this equipment in very small venues, where you don't even need to mic the drums and a 150Watt amp is enough for guitars and monitors are virtually unnecesary. I've taking a look at digital mixers and they are big and expensive. Does it make any sense to do the mix through the pc? too risky? too unprofessional?
<pasting again>
elevate
New member
Based on what you want to do, I'd think a mixer in conjunction with a computer would be the best case scenario. That way, if the computer, for whatever reason, dies, you'll still be able to have a dry mix. I don't know what your budget is like, but this would probably break it...unless you can find a used analog mixer that has the I/O you need.verytorpe said:
Giganova
gimmi your mic!
In your case I would not use a computer at all (unless your band makes electronic music). I'd be afraid the pc might crash during a performance, hang, or do other stupid things. I think a decent rugged mixer would be the way to go. You could always suppplement that rig with a notbook later if you feel you need one. I'd just ge a decent mixing board with FX you can blend in (delays, reverb, etc).