macbook pro users: enough power for studio use???

[jenkzy56@]

putting together my writer/production studio (apartment)
and am wondering if my new 2.4 gig macbook pro will
be enough machine to run logic studio and a few choice third party plugs?

i'm doing mostly r&b popish stuff and have synths and modules already.
most likely i will get a esata card and an external drive as my onboard drive
is not a 7200.
want to keep the firewire port just for my interface (ensemble)

i was thinking of getting a macpro as well but i'm not sure that money
wouldn't be better spent elsewhere, ie mics, pres, room treatment ect..

so all you power macbook pro users, chime in and share your methods,
secrets or any advice you might have.

cheers,

kj

[rlg]

2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro here. Upgraded to 4GB RAM and 7200 rpm 200GB internal hard drive myself. Running Logic Pro 8. 16+ tracks@48 khz, Sonalksis, Metric Halo, Airwindows, Classik Studio Reverb plugins etc., as well as UAD Xpander plugs running with no problem. If you're doing projects on this scale, use the Macbook, and buy more outboard!

[Silver Sonya]

I have a year-old MacBook Pro 17" model (w/ the high-res screen, which I recommend).

I do the most amazing, mind-blowing stuff on this computer and it's not even the newest version (which came out a couple of months ago, I believe). I can't even imagine what one of the newer models is capable of.

I use Digital Performer and Pro Tools with a lot of different plug-ins and virtual instruments, etc.

Jump in, it's an amazing, life-changing product. It is really hard to tax this thing beyond its limits.

Buy one, you won't regret it.

I'm able to make the most amazing music while I'm at Starbucks, people walking by, totally unaware that I'm smashing planets in my headphones...

- c

[jeremycox]

No,

I'd never ever ever ever ever want to record/mix on a Mac Book Pro. Sure you might get 16 tracks but thats a huge limitation in the digital world. Plus its slow and tedious working on a MBP. Spend the same money and get a mac pro. If you need a mobile rig save up for a MBP later. I use my MBP all the time when traveling but its miserable to rely on for any sort of complicated production. For R&B or pop you're going to want 40+ tracks, not 16.


Jeremy

[tms8707056]

My MBP is the brain of my studio. I run BFD, Addictive Drums, Kontakt, Ivory, and a couple of other NI plugins with several tracks of audio without a problem. Specs in signature.

[jeremycox]

Originally Posted by tms8707056

My MBP is the brain of my studio. I run BDF, Addictive Drums, Kontakt, Ivory, and a couple of other NI plugins with several tracks of audio without a problem. Specs in signature.

you're fooling yourself

[jeronimo]

Originally Posted by jeremycox

you're fooling yourself

I use an almost 3 years old macbook (2Ghz DuoCore 1.25Gb RAM) everyday on my studio.
I track everything on my 7 years old G4 533 DP then mix on the macbook.
Never ran out of CPU with DP 5.12. And I if did, I would just freeze a few tracks.
I'm not fooling myself, something is wrong with your MBP.
Even if your doing regular stuff, like cuting drums (10/12 channels at a time) you won't be dissapointed.
Just get an external FW drive.
I'm using the internal drive and an external USB 2 for backup (actually, just started playing sessions from it).
I posted a few screenshots from 2 sessions, 1 in DP and 1 in Logic. The one in logic had 2 instances of Ezdrummer + a whole bunch of plugs.
Just do a search and you'll find.
Do go on the "I need the fastest machine money can buy".

[tms8707056]

Originally Posted by jeremycox

you're fooling yourself

Why do you say that? If I was fooling anyone it would be you... I work on projects like this all the time without any problems. The FW800 drives help out quite a bit.

[jeremycox]

Originally Posted by jeronimo

I use an almost 3 years old macbook (2Ghz DuoCore 1.25Gb RAM) everyday on my studio.
I track everything on my 7 years old G4 533 DP then mix on the macbook.
Never ran out of CPU with DP 5.12. And I if did, I would just freeze a few tracks.
I'm not fooling myself, something is wrong with your MBP.
Even if your doing regular stuff, like cuting drums (10/12 channels at a time) you won't be dissapointed.
Just get an external FW drive.
I'm using the internal drive and an external USB 2 for backup (actually, just started playing sessions from it).
I posted a few screenshots from 2 sessions, 1 in DP and 1 in Logic. The one in logic had 2 instances of Ezdrummer + a whole bunch of plugs.
Just do a search and you'll find.
Do go on the "I need the fastest machine money can buy".

My new MBP is 2 weeks old. I'd never recommend it for recording. Maybe if your really patient it can work, but it lowers productivity massively

[tms8707056]

Originally Posted by jeremycox

My new MBP is 2 weeks old. I'd never recommend it for recording. Maybe if your really patient it can work, but it lowers productivity massively

Everybody's workflow is different. How exactly is your productivity lowered on your MBP vs whatever you are most productive on?

[jeronimo]

Originally Posted by jeremycox

My new MBP is 2 weeks old. I'd never recommend it for recording. Maybe if your really patient it can work, but it lowers productivity massively

Dude, I think either there is something wrong with you or with your computer.

I'm in this business for 8 years, and my macbook is as fast as any other computer around...

the HD is the weak link... but it's not slowing my workflow...

I feel sorry for you.

[jenkzy56@]

wow!
thanks for the replies everyone
i am in europe at the moment and purchased my MBP right before i left
for this tour, so i haven't really had a chance to see what this thing can do yet.

when i get home i will pop Logic8 in and give her a whirl, considered buying L8
here but the dollar is a joke so i will just wait till i'm back
home.

peace

kj

[jeremycox]

Originally Posted by jeronimo

Dude, I think either there is something wrong with you or with your computer.

I'm in this business for 8 years, and my macbook is as fast as any other computer around...

the HD is the weak link... but it's not slowing my workflow...

I feel sorry for you.

Nothings wrong with me or my computer.... But I just wouldn't want to wish mixing on a MBP on someone else... Its painful.

[jimdonut]

i have a year old mac book pro and a brand new mac pro...
the difference isnt that much i can run pro tools le on the mbp with 48 tracks and heaps of plugins!!!

my drives give out before the mbp does!!

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by jeremycox

you're fooling yourself

he aint. Use external drives and you can do very jolly well. That's the bottleneck . Do the same here - been editing a 38 track abbey road session in the hotel quite happily!

[macleodgrant]

even the macbook are powerful enough to run heavy sessions. to help with the productivity, just make sure you have a standard extended keyboard with mouse and additional monitor for when you're working at home. upgrade the internal hard drive to 7200rpm and have a minimum of 2gig RAM.

for macbook, if you're using a firewire interface, get yourself a 500gig external USB drive or vice versa!

for macbook pro, you could do the same as above or take advantage of the express card to add faster storage

if you have older macs you could use that through ethernet for lots of very fast storage

there is no argument here, the current apple laptop lines are more than powerful enough to run some very heavy recording sessions - it's how you configure the system that makes it great or cumbersome to use

[cane creek]

Originally Posted by jenkzy56@

putting together my writer/production studio (apartment)
and am wondering if my new 2.4 gig macbook pro will
be enough machine to run logic studio and a few choice third party plugs?

i'm doing mostly r&b popish stuff and have synths and modules already.
most likely i will get a esata card and an external drive as my onboard drive
is not a 7200.
want to keep the firewire port just for my interface (ensemble)

i was thinking of getting a macpro as well but i'm not sure that money
wouldn't be better spent elsewhere, ie mics, pres, room treatment ect..

so all you power macbook pro users, chime in and share your methods,
secrets or any advice you might have.

cheers,

kj

For the same price why dont you just buy a 8 core mac pro instead of the macbook pro ?

i was all set to buy a macbook pro , then a huge light appeared God said 'buy a mac pro not a feeble macbook pro' i took his advice ... thanks God...

[jeremycox]

maybe the external hard drive thing is the issue. I don't generally bring one with me while traveling.
I wasnt trying to start a war here, but i really feel the MBP's performance compared to a Mac Pro is a huge difference.

[Dysanfel]

Originally Posted by jenkzy56@

i'm doing mostly r&b popish stuff and have synths and modules already.
most likely i will get a esata card and an external drive as my onboard drive
is not a 7200.
want to keep the firewire port just for my interface (ensemble)

I have seen people get 60+ tracks with the internal 5400 drive. I easily get 32+ without any hiccups at all from my 320gig 5400rpm drive. My sessions never get larger than that so I am not sure how high the track count can go. It seems today the 7200rpm drive is a luxury, not a necessity with a MBP.

[jeremycox]

Originally Posted by Dysanfel

I have seen people get 60+ tracks with the internal 5400 drive. I easily get 32+ without any hiccups at all. 7200rpm drive is a luxury, not a necessity.

Really? I can get maybe 20 at most using sonnox/waves stuff pretty heavily. Then i have to start freezing audio tracks and bouncing software instruments.

[Kadden Heart]

i run macbook pro, firewire 400 to mbox2 pro, a lacie external drive, via 800, and a liquid mix.

my latest session in pt le had roughly 40 tracks active (a bunch lying around inactive)

plenty of drum edits, fades, mute automation, level automation on all the tracks besides some drum stuff, and a bunch of plugs (vintage warmer, sonalksis, psp, smack, reneq, etc..)

it ran fine


i love my macbook pro, even if i can't run super huge sessions on it,.i tend to d jus fine with it.

[cane creek]

Heres my Mac pro running 15 instances of NI massive with a space designer plugin on each insert , you can see all 8 cores ticking away nicely....

Mac pro's are on a different planet to Macbook pro's......

[807Recordings]

Originally Posted by cane creek

Heres my Mac pro running 15 instances of NI massive with a space designer plugin on each insert , you can see all 8 cores ticking away nicely....

Mac pro's are on a different planet to Macbook pro's......

Thats my next move!
my MBP is core duo 2GB of RAM and I totally max it out often on music in logic. I work 24-96 so I often have to freeze stuff to get the project done then unfreeze for final bounce as the freeze sound like shit (wish they would fix it). Other than that though against my old Dell it's light years ahead.

MP is the only real solution I think for serious studio work.

[Angus202]

I have a 2.16GHz / 1GB ram macbook pro that I use to do editing at home on an MBox and have used in the clutch at the studio when my main rig is having problems (plugged into an 002 there). My sessions average about 30 tracks, lots of plugs all over the place and the thing has never hiccuped. Highly recommended!
-Ryan

[JPeters86]

I really love my MBP, it's the heart of my studio. I track with it, mix with it, master with it, you name it. Never had any flaws, or any regrets buying this great computer. Awesome for mobile recording, and I plug it into a seperate screen and keyboard/mouse at home, kicks ass.

Besides: I can chill in the garden and on the couch with it.

[jeronimo]

Originally Posted by cane creek

Heres my Mac pro running 15 instances of NI massive with a space designer plugin on each insert , you can see all 8 cores ticking away nicely....

Mac pro's are on a different planet to Macbook pro's......

I have to agree with you! Try to take your MacPro with you everyday from studio to home...

I could be wrong, but if he´s even thinking about a Macbook Pro, he sure needs some portability.

I never thought about buying a laptop before I got my first one. Now, I'm seriously thinking about dropping my old desktop, until I have the cash to get a MacPro...

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by 807Recordings

...I work 24-96...

Hmmm...

- c

[d.dot]

My year old mbp is currently the heart of my home rig. Upgraded to 3MB. I recently added eSata capability which I highly recommend. The drive meter hardly moves. I'm doing 48 track mixes in LE using all 32 buses and plugins on every track. Processor usage reads a little over half. However, i do plan on getting an mac pro 8 core. Logic 8 starts to feel a little sluggish if the production gets really involved. No "fooling" around here.

[SparkyCanada]

If you go with a MBP for the studio - would you expect any performance differences between the 15 & 17 inch screens - if they had all the same components except for the screen size?

Thanks,

SparkyCanada

[Silver Sonya]

To be clear: do not base a professional studio on the MacBook Pro. That's not smart. And even if it works, it's just tacky for clients. Stating the obvious: Nobody wants to pay you for work you're doing on a laptop. But for a personal studio, it's absolutely brilliant. There's really no practical limit to what you can do.

Also, go right to the top. Get the best model they make. The 17" high-res is worth every penny. And buy a little extra RAM if you plan to get intense about plug-ins and virtual instruments.

- c