Father Jack Hackett

(originally posted in Photogrphy by mistake ...)

Has anyone used the new Macbooks for music production?

I currently run a 15" G4 Powerbook w/768 MB, and use Propellerheads Reason and Ableton Live. This is not high end or professional production, just a bit of tinkering around. The Powerbook is OK for this but a bit lacking in grunt - any kind of reverb stretches it to the limit.

I'd like to get a Macbook but would only do so if it is a reasonable performer and better than the Powerbook. What concerns me is that the HDD is only 5400 rpm.

I know a Macbook Pro would be better but I'd rather not spend the extra cash.

Cheers!

KiwiGTI

Worst case you can just replace the hard drive your self.

But I don't think it's really an issue anyway

eg:

2.5-inch Serial ATA hard drive round-up - The Tech Report - Page 1

mattbeef

Unless you upgraded your own hard drive it will only be a 5400rpm drive and your going from IDE to SATA which is miles faster anyway so id say that you'll love a macbook as a replacement machine

AllanB

Friends of my gfs uses her imac for the same stuff and has produced some excellent stuff. I'd reckon a MacBook might be better but the MacBook Pro would offere more clout.

Shame you didn't come to our ( MacWarrehouse) event at Wembley stadium today as we could have chatted about this aface to face and shown you some of the kit and got the techhie gods to answers this for you



AllanB

Father Jack Hackett

Thanks guys. AllanB - I would have loved to have gone for a drool at the Wembley event but had to be at work ...

ScoobyDoo555

I use a MBP for professional music production PM me if you want to ask any questions

Dan

druddle

I have used a Macbook for Arkaos live productions and to be honest it does wheeze a bit. Far better on a more powerful iMac.

Dave

mattbeef

Ive seen it first hand people using Live (5) on MacBook with no problems but not Reason so i dont see why that wont run just as good

Father Jack Hackett

Thanks again for the responses guys.

Mattbeef - I think if it will run Live 5 OK it will run Reason 3 fine, as Reason seems to be a lot lighter on resources.

ScoobyDoo555 - I'm assuming that since you use the MBP for professional music production, it works fine. What spec do you have?

Cheers.

ScoobyDoo555

Intel Core 2.16 (?) with 2Gig of Ram....

Runs :-

Logic Pro 7.2
Reason 3
ProTools (granted, the hardware helps )
Some heavy-duty plug-ins -
Spectrasonics Atmosphere and Stylus RMX
FM7
Waves SSL EQ
SSL LMC1

Arturia Arp2600
Moog summit


The list goes on

Dan

Oh yeh, Cubase works on it too, but I think it's sh1te and slow

Father Jack Hackett

Cheers ScoobyDoo555!

Do you use an external hard drive, or is at all on the internal drive (which is 5400rpm)?

ScoobyDoo555

External jobs

Dan