Looking for Advice on what comp to buy for music production & DJing

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peaceninjah

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I'm looking to spend between 1.2k and 2k on a new laptop which I will use primarily for music production. My plan is not to build my own, but to look for a slightly used or refurbished quadcore mac, but I'm very inexperienced as to what my real plan of action should be. I plan on running instruments through DAW's with multiple programs open at once as well as using the system for DJing / Live performance. I would appreciate any tips or knowledge that could help me slim down my options. Thank you!
 
are you reccomending windows over lion? i honestly haven't got much knowledge about computer specs, thanks for the reply by the way :) {#_#}
 
If you are looking for a Mac and a Laptop, your choices are rather limited. You wouldn't go for a Macbook Air as they are clearly not the best choice for high performance. So you really have a Macbook Pro to look at. The only problem is finding a refurbished one, for a reasonable price.
 
ok so i guess my real question now is should i really get a mac or is it better to get another brand? -_- thank you +_+
 
Hey,

I use protools and other music programs all the time. I've always done it on windows but people say Mac's are better. Maybe they are a little nicer since the programs work a TAD differently but I honestly think its a bunch of crap for the most part. If you're intending to use MAC specific software then I think your mind is already made up but if you aren't set on anything specific I'll tell you now Windows has just as many good programs most of which work for both operating systems anyway. The one thing you need to keep in mind is the soundcard/onboard sound the laptop is going to have. That's why everyone generally says get a Macbook since they generally have better sound efficiency compared to a Dell, HP or w/e. I use Protools on the other hand and you need to use an Mbox for it, which has a soundcard in it that will beat the snufs off any laptops capability. Lotta things you need to consider. If you're willing to spend the extra money on the Mac go for it but you'll usually always get more bang for your buck the PC route. I've only talked about sound cards but a decent amount of RAM and a good CPU are important as well!!

P.s. I really have no idea what kind of sound cards you can buy for laptops these days (if any at all), something you might wanna look into or maybe someone on here knows something more but if you could plug one of those into that Asus listed above for example I think your decision would be a no brainer!!

Edit: Apparently PC's can utilize something called ASIO drivers which enables them to mimick the sound effiency of a Mac. That in itself, if true should make your choice a no brainer.
 
If you are looking for a computer for audio defiantly go with an iMac or macbook pro they are the best for audio I have worked with studio musicians and they swear buy them. Metallica said they used them in revolver magazine.
 
thanks so much for all the info, the search is almost over and i'm really looking forward to finally having a strong comp, if i could ask one last question about upgrading,
i've been looking into SSD's a bit and i'm wondering if it's worth it to get one for a music producing rig or if it's more of a gaming thing, anyways,
thanks a bunch!
peace +_+ :)
 
Well yes and no, it also depends on what kind of computer you are going to get. SSD's are going to have less space and if you are going to be doing a lot of recording that's going to eat up a lot of space on a drive that doesn't have a lot of space to begin with. Currently I have my OS and Protools on my SSD along with a few games that I play. I also have a 2TB 7200rpm hard drive that I got from a friend that I record everything onto. Protools suggests that you record everything onto a separate drive than the one Protools is installed on anyway. If you are getting a Laptop (and i use to produce on a laptop) you can always partition your hard drive and record onto a separate partition which works (since laptops generally only have 1 hard drive) but it dosnt work as well as having a separate hard drive all together (and no external drives don't work effectively). That is of course if your using a program that requires you to record onto another drive. An SSD is pointless for music production in a laptop due to the lack of space and the price factor. Just try and get a hard drive with 7200rpm or 10000rpm if possible. Honestly if I was buying a new laptop strictly for producing Id probably go with a Macbook pro simply due to its out of the books convenience factor and its zing of looking hot when Djing at a club lol. Im pretty sure you can get a nice new mac for your budget. But if your looking to use the laptop for more than just music and your regular day to day needs like doing some gaming then id head down the PC route.

P.s. I forgot to mention the SSD in my Desktop is somewhat of a luxury if you ask me, it speeds up the boot times and just the program itself. You can easily get by without one. Thought Id mention it since I didn't say that above!
 
Macbook pro 15" with the quadcore i7. My girlfriend has the 13" i7 and you cannot go wrong. My father makes music on his freetime and uses an imac 27". He used windows before but as he aged more he wanted something more reliable so he went for mac.
I owned a macbook pro 15" a couple years ago, and for music it is the ultimate choice. Cubase, garageband....
 
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