Macbook / Macbook Pro SUCCESS stories

[gunnarg]

We need To know guys!, We need your advice!!...

There is a lot of us in this forum that need a portable solution for our Pro Tools needs, and we are looking at the New macs as a good alternative, can you share your experience answering a few questions from us?

1. Do you use pro Tools on OSX or Xp?
2. Can you work at 64 or 128 HW Buffer settings without erros or buffer underruns?
3. post your Davec or/and Dverb test scores.

if you Macbook/ Macbook Pro owners can answer this, we will appreciate it.

Feel free to add any questions

(sorry about my English)

I'm upgrading to a 002 from my MBox, and although I'm going to primarily work from my G5 machine, I'm sure I'll just have to set things up and try them out my MBP too. I'm also interested in reading about experiences others are having with this setup!

[Makkan]

I use Mac OS X, Macbook Pro. I Recorded 16 channels of audio at the same time with buffer set to 64.
EQ, Compr and DVERB on all channels(for the test...). No click or pops. Works fine.
The Macbook Pro is a killer machine!

//Marcus

[EDurney]

Marcus

Thanks for your reply, are you using the standard configuration of your macbook pro? have you applied any tweaks to your system?

[Makkan]

Its the 2.16 GHZ with 2GB RAM
No tweaks just the ones recommended by the manual.

//Marcus

[EDurney]

marcus

Thanks for your replies!

Nice setup! ....do you use virtual instruments like Reason or Xpand? if you use them, how are they performing?

thanks!

[DJ Insomaniac]

Hey sorry I've been so slow in getting back to you, but heres what i've got so far:

It's amazing. The computer is much more responsive than my old on, a PowerMac G4 dual, the FW800 model. It's quieter (duh) and just more responsive. I opened a few larger sessions and it played them back without a hickup, even under battery power.

Once i got the upgrades for Intel versions of Smack! and Synchronic, they run great with it as well. No word on ReWire yet, as my Reason 3.0 installation can't complete because my computer refuses to read the Orkester and Factory libraries. It's the only problem i've hit so far, but i don't think the Mac is completely to blame: EVERYTHING else works in the SuperDrive except the Reason CDs.



Oh, and here's the system:

MacBook Pro 15"
Intel Core Duo 2.0 ghz
1 GB RAM
100 GB internal HD
300 GB Maxtor One Touch Ultra II FireWire drive
Digi002 console with ProTools LE 7.1.1cs1

Rock solid!

[EDurney]

DJ!...Thanks for your reply!

have you worked at 128 samples yet?...

[pk_hat]

Using a dual 2.0 MacBook with 1GB RAM.
Digi002R with PT LE 7.1.1
Reason 3.0.5
Ableton Live 5.2.1

All is dandy in PT world. This machine kicks my previous Powerbook G4's ass. The other night I had finished tracking and forgot to up my buffer size to 1024 from 256, yet I had 2 reverbs, 4-band EQ3 on a dozen tracks, a bunch of compressors, etc, and not a hiccup. Bear in mind I am only using stock Digi plugs as there isn't much yet in the way of Intel-ready processing (waiting for PSP and I'm diving in, and even a few URS when a little money comes in). So in regards to ProTools, Reason and Live, my llittle white MacBook is one sick machine, I'm glad I didn't spend the near $3K again for the 'Pro' as I did last time. Oh, and the glossy screen is killer, I love it.

All that said, there is a very annoying issue when trying to record audio into Ableton Live (5.2.1) using the 002R as an interface. Arm recording a track creates a loud burst of white noise. I emailed Ableton and they are aware of the problem, told me it's a Core Audio issue (imagine that) and to contact Digidesign. I emailed Digidesign about 3 weeks ago and still no response (imagine that). So far I cannot record any external audio into Live using my DIgi002R, I'm not too happy about that.

[EDurney]

Pk hat, Thanks for your response!!

great info in your post!...

so, do you think that 2Gb ram is needed to run virtual instruments on the macbook?

have you applied any tweaks to your system?

[pk_hat]

I think I will eventually bump it up to 2GB on the RAM, but so far what I have seems to suffice. This machine is so snappy it makes my head spin (instead of a beachball on the screen). I haven't done any tweaks to it, other than the usual no screen-saver, no internal sounds, highest cpu performance setting, etc...


Digi, if you read this, can you shed some light on CoreAudio and recording in Ableton Live 5.2.1 please? Thanks!