Desktop or laptop for mobile recording rig?

[jimcroisdale]

Hi all,

I'm putting a mobile recording rig together, based around the new Yamaha MR816 X firewire interface and Cubase AI4.

I had originally thought that a laptop would be the only way forward for a mobile rig - I'd considered a Samsung Q310.

However, I now feel that theres no reason why I shouldn't just get a rackmounted PC (2 or 3u?) and a separate monitor/keyboard/mouse.

Is this a good idea? Would I get more power and features for my £650?

I'm hoping to get the whole rig into an 8u rack case that would fit in the boot of my car, along with the mic stands, mics and leads etc.

1. Yamaha MR816 X
2. Behringer ADA8000 pre
3. Headphone amp
4. ART S8 splitter box
5. ART S8 splitter box

This would leave me with 3u spare. I guess the only main stipulations for the PC would be:

Windows XP (Vista=shit as Slipknot sang....)
Firewire port for the interface
Separate 7200rpm audio HD
Plenty processing power (will be used for mixing, not just tracking)
Plenty RAM too I guess!

The machine would ONLY be used for recording. NO games or internet!

Comment would be greatly appreciated!!

Cheers,

Jim

[videoteque]

This reminds me the funny story of this friend of mine who bought a "portable PC". It was a racked PC that looked like military technology. It weighted more than 30 pounds/15 Kg and real PITA to move...

Make your mobile-recording gig as light as possible, your back will thank you!!!

[skiltrip]

Seriously, it may need sound like a lot at first, but lugging around a racked PC is a real heavy prospect.

Stick with a laptop... you will thank yourself. the less lugging of stuff the more energy you can be put into the music.

[jimcroisdale]

haha, cool. Thanks for the heads up!

What do you think of the Samsung Q310?

Samsung Q310 Laptop - Laptops at Ebuyer

Think it will be ok for my needs?

[kooz]

however, as your clients get more demanding and diverse, you will need to upgrade to a tower....by then you'll be able to either afford some muscle to move your racks and cases around, or have interns knocking at your door.

[JPZ]

I've recorded 32 tracks on a laptop using firewire interfaces but it's not for the faint of heart. What I usually do is take a Tascam X48. It has all the AD/DA built in, a monitor port so you can edit or mix ruffs in it's software mixer as you're recording and it's only 4 rack spaces big. I can bring whatever pre's I want to use as the front end and it's pretty solid. Then I can import the files into whatever DAW. Costs only about $4500. If you're serious about live recording it's a good, safe option.

[jimcroisdale]

Well, I'd be recording 16 at the most, because thats pretty much all the inputs I'll have. I'll only ever really be recording rock bands.

[tracktension]

my freakin heavy recording rack.i would very much like to find a laptop with windows xp to lighten this load .especially with my new 3 bulging discs in my back.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by videoteque

This reminds me the funny story of this friend of mine who bought a "portable PC". It was a racked PC that looked like military technology. It weighted more than 30 pounds/15 Kg and real PITA to move...

But still half the weight of an old Ferrograph tape recorder - those were 53 pounds if my memory serves me well.

[mrickaby]

If it were me I'd keep your mobile setup as light and, well, mobile as possible.

There are a couple of options that would work well. Maybe look at getting one of the Gator Studio2Go cases that will hold a laptop and various outboard gear. The 2u and 4u versions are most popular. For me, I'd go with a MacBook Pro running Logic Studio and probably an Apogee Ensemble 36 channel interface and an SSL Duende. You could maybe stick a Presonus HP60 in there.

If you want, you could add a Euphonix MC Mix to this for portability and then have the new Apple 24" Cinema Display and a Euphonix MC Control back at base for extended mixing capabilities.

That would be my preference - it all integrates nicely and it's not going to break your back carrying it in and out of venues. If you use the Gator Studio2Go cases as well, you can permanently keep it rack mounted it means your setup time is down to a minute or so.

[d_fu]

Use a laptop - there is nothing to worry about performance-wise, if you have a good and well-tuned laptop. 2.5" drives are also fast enough, I've managed to record 64 chanels at 48k/32 bit onto a USB 2.0 drive (not even a particularly new one, it's an 80 gig Samsung which is at least 4 or 5 years old..).

[videoteque]

My buying theory is to buy things from the companies that are specialized in that field.

Buy Canon or Nikon digital cameras, for example. If you need a PC notebook get a Dell or a Toshiba, even Sony machines look good.

I am Mac based, but will refrain to recomend it!!!

[d_fu]

Originally Posted by videoteque

My buying theory is to buy things from the companies that are specialized in that field.
Buy Canon or Nikon digital cameras, for example. If you need a PC notebook get a Dell or a Toshiba, even Sony machines look good.

Unfortunately, the analogy doesn't work too well. Dell etc. make good notebooks for whatever most people uses notebooks for, but pro audio isn't high up on their priorities list. Current "brand" laptops (which are no longer even manufactured by the companies whose names they bear) are often nearly unusable for audio. If you want an audio laptop, find out what other people use or go to shops that specialize in audio PCs, they will know what it takes.

That said, I recently bought an inexpensive Acer Aspire 5220, which works quite well. It still uses TI chipsets for Firewire etc.