Macbook for production?!

[invictus]

Hey people

I've started thinking about getting a macbook for music production (mostly electronic), but they only have 2 usb ports..
I need at least 3 ports.. 1 for audio interface, 1 for midi controller (to which are my monitors plugged in) and 1 port for an external hard drive since
I'll be probably getting 340gb one.

Do you guys have macs? Are 2 ports enough for you, or do you use usb hubs?
Please tell me everything about macbook

Thanks

[IC0N]

I have the same situation. I use a hub plugged in one port and my hard drive in the other. And the other stuff plugged into the hub. But you might have to try different setups cause the only reason I plug my hard drive straight into the computer is cause it (for some reason) won't work plugged into the hub.

[Towany]

I got a mac about 2 months ago and my production has totally took a step up i can tell ya that. Logic is fucking amazing and has really good plug ins. I don't actually use my ports for anything as i don't have my monitors yet, but i will soon and I can tell ya that you have more than enough with a mac! I also have the smaller 13'' one as well and it does the job perfectly! I'll never look at another pc again i can tell you that much!

[Electric_Head]

please, a mac won`t improve your production.

sorry to be an ass but did you bother using the search function? or the google specific search?
mac is mentioned all the time and the questions always follow this trend

[invictus]

Towany, I believe you, a lot of people say that
Yet I'm going to stick to FL Studio.. does it work on mac?

IC0N, I just figured that I think Im gonna use firewire port for audio interface

Electric_head ; I'm not saying it will improve my productions lol
I just need a good computer to work with.

[justanotherdj]

There's no Fl on mac at the moment, although I think they have been running a beta lately? So it must be in the pipeline.

Even if Fl becomes available on mac you might as well stick to pc, having a mac won't make your production any better.

I use a macbook pro but I use Logic alot.

[Electric_Head]

Towany, I believe you, a lot of people say that
Yet I'm going to stick to FL Studio.. does it work on mac?

IC0N, I just figured that I think Im gonna use firewire port for audio interface

Electric_head ; I'm not saying it will improve my productions lol
I just need a good computer to work with.

I was referring to towany's post saying his production has suddenly improved since buying a mac.
But anyway, a usb hub is fine as long as you account for possible latency issues.
Firewire is by far your best option.

[hudson]

Towany, I believe you, a lot of people say that
Yet I'm going to stick to FL Studio.. does it work on mac?

IC0N, I just figured that I think Im gonna use firewire port for audio interface

Electric_head ; I'm not saying it will improve my productions lol
I just need a good computer to work with.

I was referring to towany's post saying his production has suddenly improved since buying a mac.
But anyway, a usb hub is fine as long as you account for possible latency issues.
Firewire is by far your best option.

Well I mean if he was working with a old, bogged down pc with stock audacity plug-ins, his music probably improved when he got Logic and a Mac.

[Towany]

Towany, I believe you, a lot of people say that
Yet I'm going to stick to FL Studio.. does it work on mac?

IC0N, I just figured that I think Im gonna use firewire port for audio interface

Electric_head ; I'm not saying it will improve my productions lol
I just need a good computer to work with.

I was referring to towany's post saying his production has suddenly improved since buying a mac.
But anyway, a usb hub is fine as long as you account for possible latency issues.
Firewire is by far your best option.

The reason my production has improved is cause i was using a shitty notebook pc from like 1992 with no firewire or barely even a usb....so maybe i kinda said it wrong and made it look like the computer does all the work. sorry bout that! But still mac is a beast but i suppose you could pimp the shit out of a pc to do the same. It just seems the workflow is better on mac with the touch pad options and the shortcuts on logic.

Electric_head: Fl isn't for mac as of yet and i don't see them trying to take over logic anytime soon, but if ya look into cubase i heard it was similar.

[Ongelegen]

i suppose you could pimp the shit out of a pc to do the same.

Ofcourse you can, and for half the price aswell

[aeser]

i use and love my mbp for production. i actually don't use any usb ports on it (firewire for audio interface, midi ports on the audio interface for the controller keyboard, bluetooth for the mouse).

[Eat Bass]

get this. this is what i have. it has TT technology basically meaning it can actually handle multiple things at once without bottlenecking

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... R&v=glance

also the thunderbolt port has adapters for it.

[Comfi]

I'm considering getting a new pc/laptop soon and my main reason for doing so is that I only have 2 usb ports and no firewire.

One of the usb ports is usable but slightly fucked, like I can't use it for Audio Interface or controller. I can use it for a mouse, (which makes my production process 100000% less fucking annoying than using a touchpad, fucking hate those stupid fucking cunts) but realistically that's the only peripheral I'd consider using it for.

Also, does sapphire 6 support firewire?

Ridiculous double usb's are ridiculous.

[Comfi]

get this. this is what i have. it has TT technology basically meaning it can actually handle multiple things at once without bottlenecking

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... R&v=glance

also the thunderbolt port has adapters for it.

Powered, as in, mains powered?

[AxeD]

i suppose you could pimp the shit out of a pc to do the same.

Ofcourse you can, and for half the price aswell

I did this and it failed. I'm getting a macbook for live situations.

Oh and one question to the OP: if you plug your monitors into your controller for some reason, then what do u use the external interface for?

[Eat Bass]

get this. this is what i have. it has TT technology basically meaning it can actually handle multiple things at once without bottlenecking

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... R&v=glance

also the thunderbolt port has adapters for it.

Powered, as in, mains powered?

powered as in it provides power to whatever you hook up to it. its a great little unit.

i recommend hooking your sound card directly to 1 of your pc's usb ports if you can and everything else through the hub.

[Electric_Head]

Towany, I believe you, a lot of people say that
Yet I'm going to stick to FL Studio.. does it work on mac?

IC0N, I just figured that I think Im gonna use firewire port for audio interface

Electric_head ; I'm not saying it will improve my productions lol
I just need a good computer to work with.

I was referring to towany's post saying his production has suddenly improved since buying a mac.
But anyway, a usb hub is fine as long as you account for possible latency issues.
Firewire is by far your best option.

The reason my production has improved is cause i was using a shitty notebook pc from like 1992 with no firewire or barely even a usb....so maybe i kinda said it wrong and made it look like the computer does all the work. sorry bout that! But still mac is a beast but i suppose you could pimp the shit out of a pc to do the same. It just seems the workflow is better on mac with the touch pad options and the shortcuts on logic.

Electric_head: Fl isn't for mac as of yet and i don't see them trying to take over logic anytime soon, but if ya look into cubase i heard it was similar.

ok fine, furry muff.

[blinx]

powered as in it provides power to whatever you hook up to it. its a great little unit.

i recommend hooking your sound card directly to 1 of your pc's usb ports if you can and everything else through the hub.

**this**

i do exactly this with my MBP and have had 0 problems with it. My live setup/rig goes up in a matter of 20 minutes and hasnt even wanted to crash once. Haters will hate apple, but if your smart you wont care and buy a macbook anyway.

[invictus]

okay, thanks guys for the answers, MBP MC700 i5 2.3 4gb ram will be enough?

[Divane]

Apple just released a minor update to the macbook:
2.4 ghz instead of 2.3
500gb instead of 250

and more depending on the size.