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Subject:What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Posted by: MattX
Date:3/23/2004 1:25:09 AM

Hello All...
I'm not feeling this Dell 2.6...it just doesn't shock me like i though it would. =(

I was just at the studio...my friend noticed how slow this computer runs...very embarassing because I spent a nice piece of change on this hoping it would WOW me...it has not.

What are the best...hardest working...WOW...laptops for Audio Productions?

Ya know...something that won't make me have to write in to this forum about laging...especially since the projects are only doing a bit more than my old 600mhz P3...its rather sad actually.

any ideas would be appreciated...

many thanks in advance.

matt_


Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: DKeenum
Date:3/23/2004 6:58:01 AM

Do give up yet. What is your soundcard? Have you checked on IRQ conflicts. We've probably already been over this, so I'm probably barking up the wrong tree. But it just seems that there is something.... Have you tried Dell? It will take a while, but there may be some help if you can move up the tech support chain. Have you tried other forum? What about one of those computer forums? Maybe it's time to start trolling.

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: DKeenum
Date:3/23/2004 7:00:43 AM

Have you contacted Sony Media tech support?

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:3/23/2004 11:01:50 AM

Matt: Have you tried formatting this laptop and starting clean? (Provided Dell actually gave you a master CD with Windows XP on it; they usually still do.)

HTH,
Iacobus
-------
RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid
mD's ACIDplanet Page
Guitars 4 Kids

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: UNITIS
Date:3/23/2004 11:33:30 AM

First thing you need to understand, is that you will never be able to serious audio tracking on a laptop. Second, If it is new, you should have Windows XP. Which is becoming very popular with many top engineers. You will need to steamline XP for audio (www.musicxp.net) or (Tweakxp.com) These tweaks will help you performance. Third, You will need to spend some cash and buy a good Interface/soundcard. If your still not happy, buy a desktop!

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: MattX
Date:3/23/2004 12:44:27 PM

well boyz...
i bought it, did a clean format, reinstalled everything, applied all the tweeks...and it did nothing to help.

i was told to undo tweeks....so..i wiped it clean..formatted again...reinstalled XP home....updated bios,video,audio and everything else the Dell phone support offered......reinstalled only Acid + Waves....shut off video acceleration, sounds, screen saver, updates & other basic stuff.....still, NOTHING.....removed and replaced memory...did nothing.

"The problem with this particular computer is that the video is on the same IRQ as the USB and believe it or not this will effect the performance of Acid even if you do not "

must be true...because...nothing has improved.

my dell 2.6 works approxmately 10%-15% better than my old 600mhz...


Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: luceses
Date:3/23/2004 4:33:49 PM

What sound card are you using? If it is the onboard Sigma Tel that might be part of the problem. I am using the Inspiron5100 and not that this matters, but I am able to run a bunch of stuff....30or so loop tracks, 3 instances of SampleTank, 3-5 Beatmapped(or disk)Tracks with at least 3 track FX on each track as well as 3-5 FX on the Master. I'm not trying to brag, but I just want you to know that the Dell has been very capable for me. It sounds like you did all the right stuff to the computer, but I personally would not disengage the video accelerator, b/c for me it had a negative effect. Once again check into your sound card. Good luck,luceses

Oops, I forgot, I am using the M-Audio Adiophile USB
I hate to ask this, but is the Waves a retail version or a demo, or something else? Although Waves is a fine product I remember an engineer friend having a bit of a lag problem with his studio PC using Waves. Just a thought.

Subject:laptops do not give the same performace as desktop systems
Reply by: ozzborn
Date:3/23/2004 5:41:25 PM

i have a sony via that i use for a portable studio.
its a pentium lll 900 it does not even hold candle to my pentium lll 550.(which is now a pentium lll 1.2).

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: MattX
Date:3/26/2004 11:00:27 AM

Dell Computer Has Been:

SOLD.

ended up losing $100 value.

I don't recommend making the purchase...other than the support.

cya.

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: grainerr
Date:3/27/2004 1:27:58 PM

To answer your original question: ever heard of Alienware?

http://www.alienware.com/workstations_daw.aspx

just a thought

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: metrazol
Date:4/2/2004 1:12:54 PM

I really hate to do this but...

Powerbook G4 12" 1.0ghz, 768 MB RAM, 80GB HD, 802.11G, DVD-RW

$2,000

HOT.

No ACID, No Sound Forge, No Vegas... but fabulous performance with Audacity, Final Cut, etc. Get a breakout box, USB 2.0 or Firewire, much hotter.

Only good PC laptop I've used is an IBM ThinkPad, and those are...more than $2,000 for a really nice one.

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: dorkus
Date:4/2/2004 1:33:31 PM

My latest laptop: Sager 3.4 ghz, 2 (yes 2) 60 gb 7200 rpm drives, 1 gb ram - $2700 from PC Torque. I can always lay more tracks (latest project - 80 tracks without a hiccup).

Subject:RE: What are the Best Laptops for Audio Producing??? (ie:Acid 4,Reason 2.5)
Reply by: Waltern1
Date:4/3/2004 9:23:01 AM

metrazol: Are you using OS-X?

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