New Macbook Pro recording setup

[broken_synthesizers]

hi

I am finally upgrading from my ancient slow and noisy G4 to a lovely new Macbook Pro. I really want to be able to record in lots of places and will be mainly recording live bands. I would really like your opinions on what I have planned for my set up.

1. Hard drive

I have ordered the machine with a 5400 rpm 250GB drive but have realised I should have got the 7200 rpm 200GB drive for a tiny bit extra. My order is ready for shipping so I cant have it changed but Apple have said I can send it back and get it changed when it arrives. I am thinking of doing this but I'm also wondering if I should leave it and get an external Firewire 800 drive. Or should I do both? What external drives whould I be looking at? I would like something small and quiet and with a 16MB cache.

2. Audio Interface

I have been looking at the MOTU 828mk3 which seems to have lots of nice features and fx but I also like the look of the Presonus FP10 and the Firestudio. I will be using Logic Studio 8 and am keen to have something that will take lots of inputs for live recording.

Will I also have an issue with having a firewire audio interface and an external hard drive? I think I read somewhere the MBP has an 800 and 400 port but if tehy are both used it makes them both 400.

3. Mixer

This might seem like a dumb question but should I be looking at getting a mixer if I will be recording live bands? At the moment I just record straight into an old M-Audio Quattro/Omni and use Logic Express 7 but I'd like to really improve my set up so I can record lots of tracks.

4. Monitors

Can someone recommend some inexpensive monitors? Something small and portable that I can plug straight into my Audio interface would be cool. I also want to get some good headphones for mixing/recording.


Also if anyone has any recommendations for a good MBP mobile recording set up let me know.

Thanks!

[brandondrury]

I am thinking of doing this but I'm also wondering if I should leave it and get an external Firewire 800 drive.

I wouldn't bother with Firewire 800 unless you are recording a live Billy Joel concert or something, but I would get a Firewire 400 external drive spinning at 7200 RPM.

I have been looking at the MOTU 828mk3 which seems to have lots of nice features and fx but I also like the look of the Presonus FP10 and the Firestudio. I will be using Logic Studio 8 and am keen to have something that will take lots of inputs for live recording.
I've been very happy with my Presonus Firestudio. It can do up to 26 simulatenous inputs with ADAT and S/PDIF. I've used 18 simulatenously so far (8 in the Firestudio, 8 through a M-Audio Octane, and 2 through a Mytek S/PDIF converter) and have been very happy.

Will I also have an issue with having a firewire audio interface and an external hard drive?

I don't think so. I'd be very suprised if it was an issue.

This might seem like a dumb question but should I be looking at getting a mixer if I will be recording live bands?

What is the mixer going to do for you that the pres and DSP routing in the audio interfaces mentioned won't do?

Can someone recommend some inexpensive monitors?

http://forum.recordingreview.com/f8/...hey-work-6404/

I also want to get some good headphones for mixing/recording.

Headphones and monitors.

[broken_synthesizers]

Thanks Brandon. I think I will go with the Firestudio.

It is now my life's ambition to record a Billy Joel concert!

[brandondrury]

It is now my life's ambition to record a Billy Joel concert!

You had better hurry! He's about 200 years old now!

Brandon

[scribe]

Hey there,

I use a MBP with cubase. 4.0.3 I have a seagate 750 gig firewire 400 hard drive. I use an echo audio fire 12 daisy chained with the drive. I have had no issue at all with the reliability and grunt of this set up. I record 12 analogue tracks simultaneously all the time. The echo is a great thing and well priced imo. I have taken the mac, the echo, hard drive to gigs and use a friends little behringer desk which has direct outs (cant remember the model) and have been really happy with the results. My desk is not portable (well it could be but I drive a beetle)

Your 5400 internal drive shouldnt be an issue when tracking, it may load up on mixing heavy projects with stacks of instruments and plug ins but i really doubt it.

Cheers.

[scribe]

oh yeah forgot to mention,

monitors, if your after something real cheap that dont make any promises the behringer ms16 are ok. I have a set hooked up to my office mac that I use to reference mixes on in an environment out of the studio.

I picked up my set for $80 (aust) new.


Cheers