Hello, and is my Dell Latitude useless?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fredosphere
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Fredosphere

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Hi. I'm Fred, and I'm glad to be a new member of this forum.

Currently I record on a Acer desktop. It's old and creaky but it does fine with Vista, Cubase 5 and M-Audio Delta 44.

That desktop is dying. It's the kids' computer and I have my own Dell Latitude E5520 laptop for all my non-recording needs. I'd love to start using the Dell for recording.

The Dell is basic; the only upgrade was a hi-res screen. 6GB memory, i3-2330M 2.2GHz processor. The internal hard drive has >200GB free. The crappy sound devices listed are IDT and Intel Display Audio.

The question: what's my low-cost, low-risk path to recording? What (presumably USB) device must I buy for high-quality sound input? Will Cubase 5 work fine on a 64-bit Windows 7 laptop?

Or, is it safest to buy a new desktop and move the Delta 44 to it? Are there desktops that even have PCI slots any more? Or, do I buy a new desktop (or laptop) and new sound device?
 
Your RAM and CPU are fine, you might want to get an external hard drive along the track. And yes, modern desktops DO have PCI ports.

I don't know if Cubase works with Win 7 64-bit, a few google searches will get you an answer.

You could get something like an M-Audio Fast Track
 
There are lots of audio interface options.
How many tracks do you want to be able to record separately and simultaneously?
What's your budget?
 
A bit of googling suggests that the Cubase 5 won't be a problem. So, I guess I need answers to my hardware questions.
 
The Delta 44 has 4 inputs (quarter inch phone jacks) and I've never used more than 2 at once in 10+ years of using it. So, something basic. That M-Audio Fast Track doesn't sticker-shock me by any means. That may well be the answer right there.

We already own an external drive, used for backups. I've seen others mention them. Why are they useful--for speed/performance, or just the extra space?
 
Fredosphere said:
The Delta 44 has 4 inputs (quarter inch phone jacks) and I've never used more than 2 at once in 10+ years of using it. So, something basic. That M-Audio Fast Track doesn't sticker-shock me by any means. That may well be the answer right there.

We already own an external drive, used for backups. I've seen others mention them. Why are they useful--for speed/performance, or just the extra space?
Click to expand...

Both, depending on the type of hard drive. Obviously, over time, you'll need more than 200gb. How many tracks will you be recording at once? Depending on this, you may need the upgrade to a 7200RPM hard drive.

Note that PCI cards won't work with laptops (generally). Personally I have the M-Audio Fast Track, and have no problems whatsoever.
 
Personally I'd get a desktop & use the PCI card. If the PCI doesn't have decent preamps & you don't have any external preamps or you want a balanced input or two you might consider the interfaces suggested above or the Focusrite Scarlette 8i6 which is quite a good price and seems OK to me.
Laptops are reasonably popular for recording but not ideally suited - except for field recording of course.
 
240v said:
Does your rig need to be portable? :thumbs up:
Click to expand...

+1 to that! I would avoid a laptop for audio if for no other reason than ergernomics, pigdog fiddly to set ins and outs and such on.

Yes, replace the desktop* if only to be rid of Blista! I am suprised it has worked so well for recording! Mind you, M-Audio are one of the few people that write decent drivers....Which brings me, very nicely I feel, to the Fast track pro.
Got one, great, bombproof in that they just bloody work on anything. Mic preamps lack gain tho', you will struggle for level with a dynamic unless it is against an amp or shoved up left nostril. Easy fixed with a capacitor or two tho.

But, I shall say again here, look at the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6. Seems everybit as reliable as the Pro and better mic pres. Plus two more line ins/outs (you could even run the Pro "stand alone" as a mic amp into those line ins or S/PDIF). The Ka6 is even bundled with Cubase LE5 so you will have the "lite" Cubase permanently on the lappy.

*Yes modern PCs have PCI slots but not a lot of them! Two is about it at the "office" price range and sometimes only the one.

Dave.
 
I use a laptop. But again, I'm only recording 1 or 2 tracks at a time, and I use my computer for other stuff as well.

Generally
Desktops = Powerful, stable, cheaper, NOT portable
Laptops = Weaker, more expensive, Portable
 
240v said:
I use a laptop. But again, I'm only recording 1 or 2 tracks at a time, and I use my computer for other stuff as well.

Generally
Desktops = Powerful, stable, cheaper, NOT portable
Laptops = Weaker, more expensive, Portable
Click to expand...

Yup, that pretty much sums thngs up for quick, off the cuff location recording. The laptop is compact and convienient. But I always feel this stands thinking through if you wanted to make even a 1/2 serious recording of a band?

Taking a powerful desktop to a venue means also dragging along monitor and keyboard and mouse, but that's it, got to have an interface anyway. When you consider the other stuff you need for recording, mics, stands, DI boxes and shedloads of cables, the additional couple of items pales into insignificance especially when you take into account the vastly easier time you will have using a proper mouse and a nice 22"+ screen? And this all assumes you will not be unpaid roadie/setup man for the band? If you are then rigging a desktop and monitor is but a drop in a logistical ocean!

No reason you can't take the lappy as well as a backup (e.g. I would run it usb from my ZED10).

Dave.
 
240v said:
How many tracks will you be recording at once? Depending on this, you may need the upgrade to a 7200RPM hard drive.
Click to expand...
Just worth mentioning that it might not be a very big problem... I mean I record with my laptop to 5400rpm hard drive and 11 tracks at once is not a problem.
That said I would still suggest you to get the fastest drive you can get. :)
 
Seidy said:
Just worth mentioning that it might not be a very big problem... I mean I record with my laptop to 5400rpm hard drive and 11 tracks at once is not a problem.
That said I would still suggest you to get the fastest drive you can get. :)
Click to expand...

Agreed. I can run 13+ tracks of Cubase LE6 on my 5400 laptop drive no sweat.

The tracking capabilites of a modern SATA 7,200 drive are vastly bigger than any home recordist would need and 5400 drives are not that far behind.

Martin Walker of Sound on Sound has commented on this I shall try to find a link.

Dave.
 
Since I never record more than one track at a time, and since avoiding competing with my kids for time with their computer is a major factor, I've decided to count on my laptop for recording. I'll try using the internal HD (and archive projects when I'm done with them) and switch to an external drive if necessary.

I already own a large mixer and a mic preamp (Art Tube MP) so any one of the very basic interfaces mentioned should be perfectly fine. I'm only interested in home recording of my own compositions and recording bands on location is not in the cards. A typical project is my latest: my voice for lead and backups, banjo, ukulele, slide whistle, triangle, and on-board synth bass. Everything written, arranged, performed, recorded and mixed by moi.

Thanks to everyone for replying. The kids are going to get a $500 Toshiba laptop, by the way. We're done with desktops forever and I am glad of it.
 
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