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Posted by echosystm on Jan-15-2010 01:44:

Live Setup

Hey guys,

I'm setting up a live rig and I need to make sure I get a laptop without poor grounding. Anyone who has bought a recent laptop, please give me the following information:

- What is your laptop brand/model?
- Do you get noise through your audio interface when your laptop has the AC adapter connected?
- What is your audio interface brand/model, what connection type does it use (USB/FW) and are you running it bus powered?

If you use onboard sound and don't have proper monitors, don't bother replying please.

Cheers.

Posted by Energy_3 on Jan-15-2010 02:05:

(Not recent)But" I had a huge problem with an Acer, cant remember model though few years ago, and I had a usb tascam US-122 (bus powered) with Berringher monitors. I did a rent to buy thing to with A&R computers at the time. I asked the guy specifically will this Acer laptop be suitable for audio production yeah sure thing he said. Little did i know when i connected it all up, my monitors were shitting out fizz and fuzz. I had such a hard time getting my money back and canceling the order. I actually went to their head office with a voice recorder in my pocket and asked him whether he told me it would be ok, and got him on tape admitting it. So i pulled it out of my pocket and said thanks for that. then you guessed it, i got a full refund. So be careful..!

The only two i can recommend with a certainty are Toshiba and Apple and from what i know that dont have poor grounding problems.

Posted by echosystm on Jan-15-2010 02:11:

I heard people were getting issues with some previous generation MacBooks, so Apple aren't sure fire either. I don't particularly want to buy and then get the shaft!

Renting might be a good idea. It would certainly keep the band members from whinging about cash flow. I'll look into it.

Posted by EgosXII on Jan-15-2010 02:23:

i have the last white macbook they brought out before they went all aluminium, with an echo audiofire2 (which can be run with or without power plug)-- never had any sound issues..

i believe the white one they still sell for around 1.6k is the same as mine.. I've never had any trouble with my mac that was OS-related... runs really well for me, using logic for production, and occasionally ableton for 'djing' with a novation launchpad for kicks, or house-parties once in a while..
the echo audiofire2 goes for around 4-500 also and is awesome if you don't need heaps of ins, havn't personally gigged with it, so can't 100% confirm, but i've never had ANY negative issues with it, and i always hot-plug it.. i used to use the power chord for it, but don't anymore since it works fine without
edit: it's bloody tiny as well, would be great for slapping in a bag

i know you hate macs, but they are GENERALLY more solid for not crashing etc, and though i have heard some stories of macs crashing on stage (PVD ones are always funny cause he goes crazy), i've heard wayyy more PC ones..

Posted by echosystm on Jan-15-2010 02:34:

I wouldn't have a problem using a Mac for this, because I'll hardly be touching it. If I'm guaranteed to have no grounding issues, I'll get one in a heartbeat.

I was of the understanding that only MacBook Pros have firewire now?

Edit: Haha, shit MacBooks only have 2 USB ports and no firewire. FAIL.

Posted by echosystm on Jan-15-2010 02:46:

Also, we're going to have 4 MIDI controllers, but most laptops only have 3 USB ports. I'm wondering whether I should use a USB hub or a USB MIDI interface with 4 inputs. I'm leaning towards using a MIDI interface, because I think it's probably going to be more reliable.

Posted by Energy_3 on Jan-15-2010 03:20:

quote:
Originally posted by echosystm
Also, we're going to have 4 MIDI controllers, but most laptops only have 3 USB ports. I'm wondering whether I should use a USB hub or a USB MIDI interface with 4 inputs. I'm leaning towards using a MIDI interface, because I think it's probably going to be more reliable.

id prob go the midi interface over a usb hub, may give you less hassles. From what i know most of the midi data processing will be done externally freeing up CPU usage, tho may be wrong. Instead of it all being sent in at once and then having to rely on the CPU to interpret it etc. especially if running 4 midi controllers.

Posted by EgosXII on Jan-15-2010 03:22:

quote:
Originally posted by echosystm
I wouldn't have a problem using a Mac for this, because I'll hardly be touching it. If I'm guaranteed to have no grounding issues, I'll get one in a heartbeat.

I was of the understanding that only MacBook Pros have firewire now?

Edit: Haha, shit MacBooks only have 2 USB ports and no firewire. FAIL.

lulz yeah, i actually got mine like a couple days before those ones came out, they tried to give me the new macbook, and i demanded the old one for the firewire.... was INSANELY difficult to get one! it took weeks, and lots of argument before they could understand that i needed firewire, and didn't just want a computer because it looks nice on the outside...

fuckwits.

shit, will definitely need a strong laptop if you'll need 4 running...

shit, i thought they ended up putting firewire back in the macbooks...

that's so lame.

Posted by evo8 on Jan-15-2010 11:52:

Occasionally do the odd Traktor mix with my macbook pro (1 year old), connected via firewire to my ultralite - no noise that i can notice and i always have the power adapter plugged in. Ultralite is just powered via the firewire (no mains)
Used to have a Toshiba laptop and could always hear noise when using it, didnt have the ultralite back then, think i was using Torq.

Posted by Zak McKracken on Jan-17-2010 23:17:

id love if u of all people ends up with macbook. would be hypocrite of the year.

Posted by echosystm on Jan-18-2010 07:56:

quote:
Originally posted by palm
id love if u of all people ends up with macbook. would be hypocrite of the year.

I wouldn't be touching the laptop at all, other than turning it on and opening Ableton. Not exactly a hard task, even for a mac

That said, I just got a new 28" iMac at work today, and it crashed twice. After running for a few hours, it was noticeably slower than when I got it out of the box. My hatred for all things Apple is well and truly reignited.

Posted by kitphillips on Jan-18-2010 11:32:

Depending on how much power you need, I'd wait for the new i7 laptops to come out. The benchmarks for audio will blow your mind. Otherwise, I'd wait for the next generation of macbooks to come out and grab one of the older macbook pros cheap.

Posted by Acton on Jan-18-2010 12:07:

quote:
Originally posted by echosystm
That said, I just got a new 28" iMac at work today, and it crashed twice. After running for a few hours, it was noticeably slower than when I got it out of the box. My hatred for all things Apple is well and truly reignited.

I'm purchasing one soon, I love being filled with confidence .

Posted by Zak McKracken on Jan-18-2010 20:05:

Posted by Acton on Jan-18-2010 21:23:

quote:
Originally posted by palm
lol what are u doing with your computers man?

He's stretching them, so they're an inch longer.