[glankrudolph]

I need some advice / assurance that I'm doing the right thing for my mobile studio.

Currently I have an MBox2 Pro, PTLE 7.4, and a Glyph FW drive.

My aging PowerBook G4 is done, it just can't keep up. I had 6 tracks up last night and it was a constant "CPU overload" battle. So I've ordered a MacBook Pro 2.5 Ghz intel core 2 duo with 4 GB ram and a FW expresscard.

Maybe it's buyer's remorse or just plain digital frustration (I am a vibraphone player - no Ram needed there!), but I need to know if the MacBook Pro with PTLE (8) will be able to handle what I throw at it.

Here are my concerns:

1. the "CPU overload" issue?: will the new MacBook Pro thwart this in general? (E.g., last night I had only 3 plug-ins running: East West Fab Four, McDSP compressor, and TimeWarp - I got the "CPU overload" constantly)

2. PTLE8 reading sampler libraries?: I have many gigs of sample libraries like Komplete 2. Before I upgrade the NI software to newer samplers, or get DigiDesign Structure, will the MacBook Pro / PTLE8 be able to read these "old" sample files?

2a. Is DigiDesign's Structure the best sampler optimized for PTLE8 and the Mbox2 pro with a laptop? Is there another sampler that anyone would recommend that will read Komplete (Native Instrument) files? One that runs efficiently?

3. General studio use: I typically run up to 24 tracks of audio will common plugins (eq, comp, mastering) and often with video. When I'm working freelance, I'm on HD 192 systems on G5's that have no problem keeping up. Generally speaking: will the MacBook Pro / PTLE8 keep up? How many plugins can I run?


Thanks for any advice. I know there are lots of questions here. Feel free to just pick one! :)