need some advice- anyone please help

[Djunior007]

hi my name is don. i was searching the DUC for info and fast fast advice which i am in die hard need of!...lol. of course u know how difficult it is to choose the right system and the right Mbox(whether 1,2,or pro, etc). i have been doing research and studying all this stuff for over a year now. my best source for advice is DUC. all other people i have tried to ask for help, they either dont know, pretend to know, lie to you, try to selll you everyting but the kitchen sink! so now i am trying to get some real feedback on people who have bought and setup exactly what i looking to buy. So i was wondering if u could help me out! I really NEEED to buy this system in next few days! it is absolutle must! u understand! but its expensive! do NOT want to spend my $4000 on whole new system and run into serious trouble as im sure u have read on ther DUC. Heres where i first ran into problem. I am mostly a windows user( i know i know...lol) so i had planned on going the cheapest route by going with a PC ( could get an MBox worthy system for prob $1000). As of January, u cannot get a PC laptop with anything except VISTA, which u may know is not yet supported by any digi hardware. So it seems i cant go PC unless i wait many months! not doing that! and am at a point in life where i am finally saying F WINDOWS! at least for music production!...lol. so i have been doing the research on all MAC laptops. Currently they only offer 2 laptops, Macbook and Macbook Pro. those r my choices. or would u maybe recommend any past Mac laptops such as iBook? or Powerbook? Now there are multiple ways to custom upgrade both Macbook and Macbook pro. Basically i am looking to do what u have done at least 2.0 Core2Duo with 2GB RAM. Something u may not know, its good u went with an even 2GB cuz ur now using dual channel RAM capabilities! i have read many places theres an issue going with 3GB.just info u might have wanted to know( not 100% sure if exactly true though, but i read that on 5 diff sites). Now what i need to know is how well is the MacBook working with your MBox2Pro? I hear different stories from liteally every resource i call ro go to. many people have been telling me the MacBook is not good enough to use. some say it works better with MBox2 than MBox2Pro, but not well enough. Now u have one so obviously i should be able to take your word of advice no?..lol i hope so. So yea everyone is telling me to go with MacBook Pro cuz it has all better features. But is way too much $. Really only wanna buy that if i really have to. I had a budget set up for this and was planning on spending no more than $1500 on laptop. I see thats gonna have to change...lol. If i go with Macbook and get the best one, it seems its close to same price as MacBook Pro so in that case i may as well go with pro. knwo what i mean? Ok now, u know how there are base models for each MacBook and the Pro? Now it looks as though the middle and highest MacBook are the same in all aspects except the hardrive, and color, correct? so u must have chosen either the middle or highest one and upgraded your RAM from 1GB to 2GB. SO how is it performing? have any problems yet? any latency issues? what have u heard form people? is the MacBook typically said to be plenty of power and speed(all specs good enough), or possibly is it more than in enough in any way? Does it leave any room for upgrading anythign later or expansion? do you think its worth spending for the MacBook Pro? like i said i really dont want to but will if i have to. I see the major differences btwn the MacBook and Pro is this: pro has better processors, can do 3GB of RAM(though i cant afford, so would only do 2GB anyway), the graphics processor is much better(is this something important u think? woudl we, using it for ProTool and music production, and surely everyday tasks like surfing, email , etc, see any great benefits for having it?), has a PC Express card slot ( will i need that now for anytyhing important? maybe need it for anything later on?), and then of course the pro has 1 firewire800. so with those differences, now that u have gotten to try ur MacBook out, do u think u woudl say its plenty good enough? or do u really wish you had gone with the MacBookpro?

Now for my problem choosing either the MBox2 or Mbox2Pro. What were your major decision making factors? to fill you in on what i am looking to do, i am basically looking to do most work on my own ( i play guitar, drums, bass, keys/piano, vocals, etc.) so i will be doing each track one at a time, till all are laid down. But i do hear some distress about the USB. Is firewire much better? for what reasons? what advantages does it give you that the MBox2 does give you? So it seems as far as number of ins/outs and everything on the MBox2(USB) seems well enough for me, but would go with pro(like you did) if the USB is an issue, guess it woudl also not limit my options down the road to be able to then record with more people simultaneously, and so on. someone told me the MBox2Pro does not have more ins and outs, is that true? doesnt seem true to me, but 2 pro audio guys at guitar center swore it doesnt have more! looks/says it certainly does on digi site. am i missing something? basically would again(like the laptop) like to keep it as cheap as possible, do NOT want to buy features ( that everyone wants to sell me everyting!..lol) that i will not need, or are not that important. but if they are somewhat important either now, or allow additional future capabilities without being limited as much as with the MBox2, then i might consider it. What other features are better on the MBox2pro, as compared to the MBox2? Are there any features that are on the MBox2 that are not on the MBox2Pro?( really ask that cuz some say the first MBox had some great discontinued features such as the Focusrite Mic Pres, etc)

Also, did you go with the factory bundle? if you did, do u recommend it? i have also heard wixed reviews about this as well. some said they expire. is that true? what happens after they expire? they dont work? partially work? must pay to renew? please explain. But as far as the bundle itself, are there many good things in there that you think are neccesary? is it worth that extra $100?

Also, with the firewire port on ur mac, is it 6pin? meaning does it supply power to you Mbox2pro without having to plug it into wall outlet?( for complete mobile applications)

My total setup i am looking to include is this: with approx price i think each will be ( if u know anything cheaper, or something good or not good in these extras, OR if my approx costs are not right, please advise me* with something good, but near my price range) Also let me know what you have set up. are we setting up similar sytems?
1) Mac laptop ( again not sure yet whether macbook or pro, but it looks like total will be somewhere btwn $1500(same as your macbook - $2300(macbook pro)**can go no higher than middle MacBook Pro with no upgrades
2) MBox2usb-($450) or MBox2Pro-($700)....again buy factory or no?(+100)
3) one external HD -($100?) not sure which one i will buy, but this one im not worried about...lol
4) one external LCD Monitor - ($250? ) something like 19in widescreen
5) pair of studio monitors - ($300?) go with powered? or no, go with external amp? no idea what to buy here, got any recommendations near price range?
6) a basic keyboard(with midi and audio in/out)OR a midi controller keyboard -($150-$200?)----( my original plan was to use keyboard to do drums tracks, and of course piano, as well as all other keyboard/midi functions( what other things can u use it for? But recently bought an electronic drum kit so i will be using that now. are there any reasons in which a midi controller (instead of basic casio/yamaha keyboard) woudl be better?
7)Mixerboard- not sure, maybe ( $300?) i knwo i dont need one, know what will work with PTLE and MBox?
8)Studio Microphone -($200?)with boom stand, shock mount, and a pop-it screen. again no idea, any suggestions?

Again, any suggestions or recommendations in any areas ( even prices and places to buy), especially including the extras(#'s 3-8) please let me know. as i have not yet dont full research on those as much as i have the laptop and mbox, so im really not sure whats good to go with and prices. Also, is there possibly any other extra things i may need that i have not mentioned? i would greatly appreciate it! I did my best to tell you all info and needed stuff, its late so i may have forgotten some things or some other questions or concerns i may have had wanted to include in this post, so if you have any extra info, suggestions, recommendations, about anything AT ALL regarding this setup and items, etc, please dont hesitate to let me know if you can please! Hopefully i can get my info all figured out maybe by 2morrow or next day and i can be on my way out to make all my awesome new purchases and finally cut the [bleep] of shopping around and research and finally get down to business and start writing and recording! man this has me so stressed!...lol
if neccesary feel free to email/im me at: [email protected]

basically to fill you in on the rush is a am running out of saving, which i really onlt saved just to buy this also have been waiting over a year doing research to buy this , but more imprtantly last week my car got rear-ended and will not be able to be fixed for about 3-4 weeks, i have a rental car right now for only a few days cuz i have to pay up front and hope that the other insurance reimburses me, so im sure u know its way expensive so i must return the rental by liek fri or sat, and then will be without a car for quite a while. so if u can please help me with whatever info and advice you can, and if you could please get back to me as soon as you can! You can see im in a real rush, by the fact i am here awake writing you now at 330am!...lol...if you want and i could, i would SO get the favor back to you!...lol. tell me anything and everyting you think i might even remotely need to or be helpful to know please!




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[kite]

less caffeine perhaps?

[mindnoise]

HI,

that´s a lot lot of stuff you are asking, and a thousand routes possible.
So I´ll keep it as short as possible and stick to your list

1) Mac laptop
2) MBox2usb-($450) or MBox2Pro-($700)....again buy factory or no?(+100)
3) one external HD -($100?) not sure which one i will buy, but this one im not worried about...lol
4) one external LCD Monitor - ($250? ) something like 19in widescreen
5) pair of studio monitors - ($300?) go with powered?
6) a basic keyboard(with midi and audio in/out)
7)Mixerboard- not sure, maybe ( $300?)
8)Studio Microphone -($200?)with boom stand, shock mount, and a pop-it screen.

1. is you NEED to save money a 2GHz MacBook with 2 GIGs of RAM is PLENTY enough for recording
mien works totally well.

2. I´d go for the MBox Pro since firewire is more stable digidesign Interfaces, OK I am using M-Bowered Transit US Interface but this is for mobile use only. MBox USB experience tends to vary greatly from what I read, but I don´t have one.
And NO, IMHO the Factory bundle is NOT worth it. Spent only a little bit more and the the Massey plug-ins, great quality www.masseyplugins-com. But digi´s EQIII and Dynamic Suite III are also excellent.

3. Just make sure they have the teh FireWire 911/924 chipset. The actual HD inside is less dramatic when ist has 8MB cache or more.

4. The MacBook needs an additional adapter MINI-DVI-DVI, can´t comment on a LCD, though.
You don´t really NEED the graphics power and expandability of the MB PRO, if you can
lice with the size of the MB.

5. Tannoy makes nice nearfield monitors in a decend price range. My STRONG suggestion:
BUY THE MOST EXPENSIVE monitors you can afford!!! This piece of gear is mostly HIGHLY UNDERESTEEMATED. You can´t edit what you can´t hear! LISTEN to them before buying.
Esp the cheaper models DO lack in the low frequency range, usually below 60Hz, makes mixing
bass quite troublesome. E.g. try some Genelec, Adam or Mackie.

6. you you want weighted keys or plastic keys? If you learned playing on a real piano you may have some probs with lightweighted keys and vice versa. Put your fingers on them. You can´t go really wrong here.

7. right now the ´old´ Mackie VLZ Pro are replaced by VLZ3 series. These are top consoles
and you can grab the VLZ very cheap right now.
Maybe you want to take a look at the ´all in one ProTools M-Powered/M-Audio MixProject,
which is a console, audio interface and control surface for PT-MP.

8. I have the AKG Perception 200 which is killer for $159, better than Rode NT1(a) is as good as a $400 mic and comes with shockmount, mic-stand and plop-killer go extra.

9. I already mentioned it: plug-ins. This is the butter on the recording-bread.
suggestins Massey, McDSP (esp. Compressorbank LE) URS EQs, Sony, Izotope Ozone.
There are a lot more and this is just a small selection.
There is a page at digidesign with a list of what plug-ins and Virtual Instruments are available
for ProTools check there and come back with SPECIFIC questions.
BEWARE: buying plug-ins is usually a pain in the butt since you have to get to compare the sound of them, deciding which one YOU like and the manufacturer policies. Take your time here.

And last: Guitar Center has a very bad reputation here do a search and you find all sorts of rant about them, as for the Waves plug-ins WUP money trap.
For nearly all plug-ins you need an iLok licence dongle ( wwww.ilok.com ) to run them.

that should be enough for now. Again: more specific question will get you better answers.

these are just 2 cents in the ocean.

regs

[cmrahm]

Your list of "needed" gear:

1) Mac laptop
2) MBox2usb-($450) or MBox2Pro-($700)....again buy factory or no?(+100)
3) one external HD -($100?) not sure which one i will buy, but this one im not worried about...lol
4) one external LCD Monitor - ($250? ) something like 19in widescreen
5) pair of studio monitors - ($300?) go with powered?
6) a basic keyboard(with midi and audio in/out)
7)Mixerboard- not sure, maybe ( $300?)
8)Studio Microphone -($200?)with boom stand, shock mount, and a pop-it screen.

My sugestions(I use all except for the laptop...I have an Imac):

1) Mac laptop go mac book, with added 19" look into student discounts, if you aren't one get a student to purchase for you
2) MBox2usb-($450) or MBox2Pro-($700)....again buy factory or no?(+100) Go Pro for the small extra price, Ihave the factory, not used that much but it came with the ilok i needed for other plugs ($50 for ilok, $50 for plug-ins...not bad)
3) one external HD LaCie D2 Extreme
4) one external LCD Monitor - ($250? ) Any will work, check the adapter needed though
5) pair of studio monitors - BlueSky 2.1 ($500) very good
6) a basic keyboard M-Audio Oxygen line ($50-$150)
7)Mixerboard- not sure, maybe Mackie 1202 VLZ-check ebay ($100 +/-)
8)Studio Microphone Rode NT1A or AT2020 (rode includes shockmount, AT doesn't)

My 2 cents.
Chris