laptop tips? need to go mobile

R

rockironwebb

senior newbie caveman
I am going to start doing some out of town work and would like to bring some music with me to keep me occupied during down time. So far this is what I am looking into:

Description
ThinkPad T520 - 1 Yr Depot Topseller Warranty
Processor: Intel Core i3-2350M Processor (3M Cache, 2.30GHz)
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
Operating system language: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 - English
Display type: 15.6" HD (1366x768) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display
System graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor graphics with dynamic frequency
Total memory: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
Keyboard: Keyboard - US English
Hard drive: 500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device: DVD Recordable
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot, 4-in-1 Card Reader with place-holder cover
Battery: Lithium Ion 6-cell Battery
Power cord: 65W AC Adapter - North America, Latin America (2pin)
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel WiFi Link 1000
Integrated mobile broadband: Mobile Broadband ready (no mobile broadband module)
Language pack: Publication - US English

I got to looking at the lenovo brand based on reviews, and they also seem to be still putting stock firewire on their units.
Other than a little more ram, does anyone suggest anything? I will mainly be using ableton live, but would like to be able to record some drums with my alesis firewire mixer. Right now the price tag is about $800 but I am willing to spend a little more to upgrade out of the gate, I am not as confident about cracking open a laptop as I am a desktop.
Your help and advice would be appreciated.
 
You will probably need to invest in a TI Chipset Firewire Express card if you want to run your Alesis mixer... I'm sure the stock Firewire won't cut it.
And fill her up with as much memory as she'll take :)
 
That is an area I am concerned with. I know little to nothing about laptops, I am not sure if I need to be looking for laptops with built in firewire, or just the ability to use a firewire card.
 
BentRabbit said:
You will probably need to invest in a TI Chipset Firewire Express card if you want to run your Alesis mixer... I'm sure the stock Firewire won't cut it.
And fill her up with as much memory as she'll take :)
Click to expand...

That really depends if it comes with TI as stock. My mobo did.
 
If your going to up grade your RAM in a laptop be sure and remove the battery before you open up the compartment to switch out or add RAM..
 
I had a much older IBM/Lenovo (right from when IBM sold out to Lenovo if that gives you an idea of HOW old!) and the Firewire was the TI chipset that worked fine with my audio interfaces. However, it's worth ringing them to ask.

Ideally, you'd also check the spin speed of the internal hard drive--many laptops use 4800 rpm drives. That said, my old Lenovo was 4800 and it was adequate for basic audio work and I used an external drive for any big tracking and mixing.

The i3 processor is a fairly low spec compared to some others--eventually it would be a limiting factor in the use of real time effects etc. but how serious this is would depend on your workflow. My ancient single core Pentium Lenovo was okay on Audition 1.5 up to 8 or 10 tracks so yours should be better still.

I really liked the Lenovo--it worked well and reliably and, indeed, it's still functional as my "bedroom laptop" even at something like 8 years old.
 
so I am finding that many new laptops do not have a pc express port, or firewire. WTF. i'm gonna need that firewire, unless there are any usb 3 interfaces out now?
 
Firewire is getting very difficult to find--I've been recommending against investment in FW interfaces for that reason (says the guy with a Profire Lightbridge).

How many tracks do you need simultaneously? Even USB2 can handle enough for most home studio work reliably and without dropouts--and USB is a lot less fussy about things like hot plugging and switch on order.
 
Just bought the wife a lenovo think pad this week and it did not have firewire. As I was setting it up I was thinking it would have been a good laptop for me to buy until I realised no firewire. However it has the feel of a very solid machine and seems to run fast enough.

Alan.
 
I would like to have 16 simultaneous tracks, just to have some room to grow. I am a drummer and use 7-9 just for myself. (i've been playing around with a subkick and am also liking having the underside of my ride bell miced) 2 guitarist and bass player and I am at 12. I search all of the time, and have trouble determining what actually does and does not do simultaneous multitrack into usb. Tips in that department would be appreciated. If I search for 16 X 16 usb audio interface, firewire seems to be the common result. I am about to sell my alesis firewire 16 and upgrade. It was suggested to me to go with something like a presonus firestudio along with a preamp with 8 xlr inputs that could connect via optical. Many choices in my near future.
 
still uncertain about some things but sure of some others. I figured screw it, I don't want to scimp on performance of the lap top I plan on buying. I want corei7,7200 RPM HD, as much RAM as I can get, possibly an SSD as well(?). Now again, the problem becomes the firewire issue. I am able to find many,many, laptops with the specs I require, but finding them that are in some way able to accommodate firewire, not so many, in fact I think my list (of within budget) is 2, maybe 3. I am an option guy, I hate having my options so limited.for some reason, .y caveman brain can't grasp the simultaneous multitrack recording with usb. Probably my start up experience buying a behringer usb just to find that I could only record the stereo mix.
Sweet Jebus!!!!
 
I've been told that some of the top models of Lenovo still have firewire--I've no personal knowledge myself and their site is short on details so a call to their customer service might be in order.

Or, if you can find a laptop with Expressbus or Cardbus slots there are lots of firewire adaptors to go into those. Yeah, card slots are getting hard to find as well.

However, USB2 can easily handle your 16x16 channel throughput--the Behringer was 2 channel because it was cheap, not because of a USB limitation. The trouble is, getting the channel count you want won't be cheap. Check out an RME Fireface UFX (which, despite the name, is dual USB/Firewire) with an extra RME OctamicII pre amp to ADAT adaptor. Sit down before you read the price though!

Kinda destroys the portability though!
 
lenovo is actually the brand I want. I haven't had time to call directly, but I did chat with someone who did say their thinkpads have firewire, but I also read something that said otherwise. the RME interface does look pretty sweet but would be out of budget( I do have a wife!) I won't need my interface to be portable. I'll call lenovo right now.
 
Okay...off the wall suggestion...

Search eBay for a second hand 01V96 mixer. Get it for a cheap price (haha!). Buy an Audinate Dante MY16 card for the mixer, then connect all 16 ins and outs via the network socket on your computer.

(That's what I'm seriously thinking of doing next upgrade--except I already have a DM1000 mixer and would just need the Dante card. It should replace my firewire (Profire Lightbridge) interface and the bundle of ADAT fibres I presently use....)
 
There are certainly mini pci express card slot firewire adaptors with the TI chipset out there but I don't have personal experience of any of them. However it sounds promising!
 
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