Laptop spec for up to 32 tracks and VSTs, etc......

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scarypod
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Scarypod

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Hi y'all,

As a newb to all this recording stuff I wanna get some feel for what level of laptop (no fruit please) I'd need to get going. I am using Reaper and purchased that and several VSTi's to get me going.

My 4 year old Toshiba XP Pro LT is starting to struggle with the effects I'm adding in now. It is a 2Ghz processor with 2G Ram. As I said, quite old. I don't mind spending what I need but don't really wanna go too expensive as it's really only a hobby.

I don't do live and only record 1 channel at a time (Line 6 UX2) for guitar, bass and vocals with a basic midi KB.

Any suggestions? I am in England so only stuff that's available over hear would be cool.

Cheers

Stevie
 
You might find that simply increasing your RAM will get you going again. However, you don't say what version of Windows you're using and this affects how much RAM you can have.

I can tell you that I have a 2.9GHz i7 processor and 8 gig of RAM and I can handle 32 tracks with a modicum of effects in Audition no problem--but this doesn't necessarily apply to Reaper and VSTi plug ins (which Audition doesn't use--just VSTs).
 
Hi Bobbsy,

I am using XP Pro on a 32 bit machine with 2Gb RAM as such I can only expand up to 3Gb. I could do this but it is the processor which is really starting to struggle. EG. Last night, recording a guitar line with Addictive drums on 16 channels, bass on 1 channel, rhythmn on 1 stereo channel, keys (Proteus) on 2 channels it was running at around 95% and giving me occasional dropout. In the end I muted the rhythm and drums and used click.

Any ideas would be cool ;-)
 
I've got an i7 2.3 GHz machine with 16gb of RAM and an SSD drive. It can handle anything I throw at it, including 100 track projects with lots of VSTs.
 
Scarypod said:
rhythmn on 1 stereo channel
Click to expand...

Probably not the solution to your problem, but this caught my eye. Why would you put rythm (I'm assuming you mean ruthm guitar) on a stereo channel? That probably uses at least some un-necessary memory. If you mean you have 2 tracks of rythm, then disregard my comments. But if you have a single, mono guitar track on a stereo channel, there's no good reason for that.
 
You need to think whether this is just a laptop for only recording, or general use as well.

Also, the 32 / 64 bit OS question and the OS you end up with, presumably Windows 8 if you're in Windowland....

That said, any basic lappie you can pick up has 4GB RAM these days, and a faster processor, so for your stated recording level, would do handsomely... question is whether you'll stay at that level or start wanting more tracks etc.

I did what PTravel did... very fast processor, SSD, 16GB and stayed on Win 7 for my sanity's sake... it can take anything I'm ever likely to throw at it in the next five or so years...

Comes down to what you can afford and what else you use the machine for... which in my case, is nothing.
 
Armistice said:
You need to think whether this is just a laptop for only recording, or general use as well.

Also, the 32 / 64 bit OS question and the OS you end up with, presumably Windows 8 if you're in Windowland....

That said, any basic lappie you can pick up has 4GB RAM these days, and a faster processor, so for your stated recording level, would do handsomely... question is whether you'll stay at that level or start wanting more tracks etc.

I did what PTravel did... very fast processor, SSD, 16GB and stayed on Win 7 for my sanity's sake... it can take anything I'm ever likely to throw at it in the next five or so years...

Comes down to what you can afford and what else you use the machine for... which in my case, is nothing.
Click to expand...
I agree with all your points. For what it's worth, I'm also running Win7 and have no intention of upgrading to Win8. I do use my laptop for all sorts of things -- it's with me here at work running the full Microsoft Office Suite plus a bunch more programs. Whenever I buy a new laptop, I think of it as my "new best friend." This particular friend is going to be around for quite a few years.
 
Good morning from sunny Aus! The conversation has moved on since I went to bed but my suggestions are the same. Windows 7 (64 bit if possible) and as much RAM as you can afford. SSDs are nice but I've had no problems without one--however, I do suggest (and forgot to mention it last night) the use of two drives, one for the operating system and DAW software and the other for your music data. If using hard disk drives, check the spin speed. Most laptops try to fob you off with 5400rpm or less; at least 7200rpm is better.
 
Hi y'all. Thanks for your comments. In answer to RAMI, you are right. I actually have two tracks of rhythm on mono channels panned slightly for separation.

I think the answer is an i7 with Windows 7 64bit (can't stand 8) and loads of RAM. I already put my audio files onto a dedicated external drive which is actually USB 3.0 so it should have noooo bother if I get a machine that is 3.0 capable. I found a machine (8MB RAM, i7) for a little under £700 which should future proof me for a few years. After all, my XP machine has served well until now.

Here's to some dropout free music on a laptop (without any other software on it to spoil the experience).

Stevie :guitar:
 
Hi Stevie,
You seem to be sorted but I would like to ask, "why a laptop?"
If you are not going to do location recording* you would get a better, more reliable machine cheaper going desktop. You can still buy W7 DTs or even machines sans OS and load your own. Ram is cheaper and easy to fit, you can have at least 3 hard drives with ease. Vastly more connectivity, usb, 2 and 3. I would fit a decent PCI/PCIe sound card.
* You would keep the old lappy? So you have a location recorder if needed. Almost all modems these days have at least 3 ethernet ports on them so it is easy to network the two machines for file transfer but kill wireless in the router!

Just my 2penn'o'th.
And re SSDs. I have read (SoS) that their main advantage is faster boot? I just put the kettle on.
Dave.
 
I have to agree with ecc, if you're not going to be portable (and there are reasonable solutions for that), desktops are still the easiest to maintain and upgrade. You get a lot more life out of a desktop. My desktop is now 10 years old (case) as when needed, I've swapped out the mother board, upgraded OS, and I have never had to be out more than $300 at any given time.

Laptops have everything on the board and just have no opportunity to keep it updated. It is either good or it is bad. If you take the laptop you have, you can still use it for tracking on location. Use the desktop when you are back at the shop for processing.
 
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