Its Time For New Laptop for My Ableton Live Rig

[JKIEYZ]

Its time to take it mobile so I'm in the market for a new laptop due to my frequent travel schedule so the desktop won't get it for me anymore.I'm looking for a PC laptop that's poweful enough to run my Ableton Live 8 sessions and Cubase 5 sessions and have a few models I'm considering and need your advice.

#1-Sony AW Series
Specs:
-18.4" widescreen
-Intel core 2 duo 3.06ghz
-8gb ram -640gb HD

#2-Sony FW Series
Specs:
-16.4" widescreen
-Intel core 2 duo 3.06ghz
-8gb ram -500gb HD

#3-HP HDX18
Specs:
-18.4" widescreen
-Intel core 2 extreme quad 2.53ghz
-8gb ram -1tb HD

#4-Open Labs Dbeat
Specs:
-12" Touchscreen
-Intel core duo 3.06ghz
-4gb ram -320gb HD

I'm only looking at PC models because I have a few of my main programs that only work with PC so a Macbook Pro isn't a options I'm considering.I plan on using a RME fireface 400 and probably be adding the Akai APC40 with Native Kontrol so im looking to have a mobile setup that scaled down but productive.

So post your suggestions or comments and if you have any other ideas for a mobile setup please post them!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Formant024]

macbook pro runs windows lol np there...

id say get the smallest one if you in for portability (the nr2), dbeat is not portable, its just smaller...18.4 isnt either. Check to see if the laptop has a good FW controller for the rme, i think thats the most important thing second to portability (i assume thats proper with the sony).

 

[JKIEYZ]

macbook pro runs windows lol np there...

id say get the smallest one if you in for portability (the nr2), dbeat is not portable, its just smaller...18.4 isnt either. Check to see if the laptop has a good FW controller for the rme, i think thats the most important thing second to portability (i assume thats proper with the sony).

I don't even think the Sony laptops even have firewire and that sucks.Yea I know the mac runs windows but let's say I get a Mac and get a apogee duet I can't run windows on bootcamp and use the duet I may be wrong though.Guess ill continue searching

 

[LDB]

The higher end Sony VIAO or Toshiba's should work for you. Both have the same or similar components as the MacBooks. I own a MacBook but I'm seriously looking at one of the Sony joints myself. They still have them out there for decent prices with Vista and the ability to revert back to XP Pro. Pro comes with it!

P.S The Sony's do have firewire.....in the specs they don't use the word "firewire" it'll be (4 Pin i.LINK (IEEE1394), 400 Mbps 1) IEEE1394 is the real name for firewire.

 

[JKIEYZ]

The higher end Sony VIAO or Toshiba's should work for you. Both have the same or similar components as the MacBooks. I own a MacBook but I'm seriously looking at one of the Sony joints myself. They still have them out there for decent prices with Vista and the ability to revert back to XP Pro. Pro comes with it!

P.S The Sony's do have firewire.....in the specs they don't use the word "firewire" it'll be (4 Pin i.LINK (IEEE1394), 400 Mbps 1) IEEE1394 is the real name for firewire.

Oh ok that makes sense I was wondering why it was called iLink, in that case I'm going to rock with the Sony FW

 

[Formant024]

I don't even think the Sony laptops even have firewire and that sucks.Yea I know the mac runs windows but let's say I get a Mac and get a apogee duet I can't run windows on bootcamp and use the duet I may be wrong though.Guess ill continue searching

No, you're right, duet is mac only but you have a FF400 which goes both ways so why bother with a duet ? its a cheap option in order to have the ensemble converters but there are more options possible through adat for additional io/converters.

 

[elementsrtyte]

lol how is the dbeat even comparable to those computers?! that thing is amazing, get that if you can afford it.

 

[JKIEYZ]

lol how is the dbeat even comparable to those computers?! that thing is amazing, get that if you can afford it.

I made two stops tonight first I went by the Sony store at lenox mall to check out a hands on demo of the FW series laptop and it was pretty nice and I also dropped by Patchwerk studios in ATL and a friend of mine just got his Dbeat and I have to say its a pretty awesome machine and I spent 3 hours using hands on using it with ableton live 8 & reaper and it was flawless with the workflow.I know a lot of people hate on the openlabs all-in-one solutions but the Dbeat is awesome piece of gear and the quality was great in my opinion.Of course it isn't laptop portable but its portable enough for my needs and very powerful with all the controls I need.I'm ordering first thing tommorrow so ill keep you guys posted and ill be loading up videos and pics once I get it in and do a few tutorial videos of my ableton live 8 workflow.

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[LDB]

OpenLabs has so very dope shit. Them having Ableton as there go to software with in there gear speaks volumes. A lot of catz aren't ready for Ableton. They can't pry themselves away from Pro Tools and the new main stay "LOGIC".

If u want something mobile then Dbeat is "da shit" I'm sure. As the center piece to a real studio though....NAH....

I could see it in a pre production B room if the A room was centered around Ableton though on a desktop computer.

I don't think u can go wrong with that Dbeat........some big names are co-signing it. It hasn't been out long enough for me though. If I had the money to splurg I'd seriously think about checkin itk, I won't lie. Of course because I'm an Ableton fan anywayz....lmao

 

[JKIEYZ]

lol how is the dbeat even comparable to those computers?! that thing is amazing, get that if you can afford it.

OpenLabs has so very dope shit. Them having Ableton as there go to software with in there gear speaks volumes. A lot of catz aren't ready for Ableton. They can't pry themselves away from Pro Tools and the new main stay "LOGIC".

If u want something mobile then Dbeat is "da shit" I'm sure. As the center piece to a real studio though....NAH....

I could see it in a pre production B room if the A room was centered around Ableton though on a desktop computer.

I don't think u can go wrong with that Dbeat........some big names are co-signing it. It hasn't been out long enough for me though. If I had the money to splurg I'd seriously think about checkin itk, I won't lie. Of course because I'm an Ableton fan anywayz....lmao

I was a cat that dissed ableton live until I realized its workflow and its power but I haven't look back at my mpc4000 since I figured it out.If dudes only knew they would drop there mpc's easily.I use pro tools but only for recording & mixing but everything starts in ableton live 8. I actually placed my order with openlabs today and I was looking for a center piece for my studio so I decided to go with the Neko XXL instead of the dbeat because of its power and I still wanted to take advantage of my ssl duende pci-e cards for mixing and it comes pro tools m-powered ready.I'll probably purchase the dbeat for the road as well.Once I get everything setup ill post so videos on using it with Live 8

 

[elementsrtyte]

damn the neko's whats upp good solidd choice. i guarantee that thing will not let you down.'

and yeaa man i fcukdd with ableton for a bit, but couldn't get use to the workflow in it. its completely different than every other workflow. and I couldn't seem to trigger my patterns fast enough just by using a mouse, i think that apc40 really adds to it infiniti-fold. dude actually bro if you or someone else could post a video on a quick production workflow demonstration that would be tyte. Like I can picture ableton for DJing or even making beats but ive never been able to pictre it being used for vocals/mixing comparable to a typical daw (logic, pt, reaper). let me know what you think about what i think.. lol

 

[elementsrtyte]

damn the neko's whats upp good solidd choice. i guarantee that thing will not let you down.'

and yeaa man i fcukdd with ableton for a bit, but couldn't get use to the workflow in it. its completely different than every other workflow. and I couldn't seem to trigger my patterns fast enough just by using a mouse, i think that apc40 really adds to it infiniti-fold. dude actually bro if you or someone else could post a video on a quick production workflow demonstration that would be tyte. Like I can picture ableton for DJing or even making beats but ive never been able to pictre it being used for vocals/mixing comparable to a typical daw (logic, pt, reaper). let me know what you think about what i think.. lol

 

[JKIEYZ]

damn the neko's whats upp good solidd choice. i guarantee that thing will not let you down.'

and yeaa man i fcukdd with ableton for a bit, but couldn't get use to the workflow in it. its completely different than every other workflow. and I couldn't seem to trigger my patterns fast enough just by using a mouse, i think that apc40 really adds to it infiniti-fold. dude actually bro if you or someone else could post a video on a quick production workflow demonstration that would be tyte. Like I can picture ableton for DJing or even making beats but ive never been able to pictre it being used for vocals/mixing comparable to a typical daw (logic, pt, reaper). let me know what you think about what i think.. lol

Yea ableton takes some getting used to but once you get used to the workflow and how everything works you'll be amazed.Live has some really dope effects and the looping features are crazy and its easy to chop samples and loops and assign them easily.its possible to record vocals in live but personally I keep everything in Protools for vocals.Live is just a great tools for producers who use loops and samples and vst's like I do.Working with live reminds me of my first piece of gear I ever had the ASR-10, to me the asr-10 was the best sampler workstation ever and the effects are still awesome and that's how I use live.I take my samples and spread across the keys and with effects like beat repeat and auto pan those samples create some interesting arrangements.It all depends on how you like to work but it works for me and I would suggest it to any producer.

 

[elementsrtyte]

oh okayy, yeah i can definitely seeing it being put to good use as a beatmaker. i have a ton of loops now too that are just waiting to be chopped up, and its just a pain in the ass stretching and chopping them with different programs (i'm mainly just a reason user for beats). abletons defi the way to go when dealing with loops.

I thought you were using ableton for everythingg, and even though i'm sure its possible.. I can't picture it topping logic or coming even close to it for mixing down vocals

 

[JKIEYZ]

oh okayy, yeah i can definitely seeing it being put to good use as a beatmaker. i have a ton of loops now too that are just waiting to be chopped up, and its just a pain in the ass stretching and chopping them with different programs (i'm mainly just a reason user for beats). abletons defi the way to go when dealing with loops.

I thought you were using ableton for everythingg, and even though i'm sure its possible.. I can't picture it topping logic or coming even close to it for mixing down vocals

Recording vocals is another story and for me Protools does that very well, so I just export my stems and dump into pro tools and record and mix but lately what I've been doing is taking my vocal stems from Protools and dumping back into live and playing with the warping features.Live does it all from a production end homie if I were you I would def consider it

 

[LDB]

Recording vox in Live is no diff't than any other DAW. I mean, other than leveling, maybe some effects, EQ and compression what else are you going to do to your vox that would make it even a little difficult in Live?

I use live for everything....yes...recording vocals 2. Actually when recording vox is when ableton performs (work flow wise) like Pro Tools, Logic etc etc.

The Session view it what throws people off. I build my track "musically" in the session view but I record my vocals in the Arrangement view after I have my track laid out the way I want it.

You have to look at the Session view like it's your brain. It's the place where all your ideas are formulated and stored before you put them together and present them! The thing is unlike your brain you won't forget that brilliant idea amongst all the other brilliant ideas you came up with. It's there in a clip (i.e a part of the brain) that you can recall immediately. You can never "forget" and idea if you utilize the session view.

For you sample based producers(and there are a billion of 'em here on ILL) lmao You would be in samplers heaven with Ableton. I really don't like sampling (used to back in the day) but I have to do a tutorial on how u can reallllllllyyyyyy freak a sample in session view and how creative you can get with the arrangement after you lay out all your ideas via clips! Your work flow can be "stupid" with Ableton.

 

[JKIEYZ]

Recording vox in Live is no diff't than any other DAW. I mean, other than leveling, maybe some effects, EQ and compression what else are you going to do to your vox that would make it even a little difficult in Live?

I use live for everything....yes...recording vocals 2. Actually when recording vox is when ableton performs (work flow wise) like Pro Tools, Logic etc etc.

The Session view it what throws people off. I build my track "musically" in the session view but I record my vocals in the Arrangement view after I have my track laid out the way I want it.

You have to look at the Session view like it's your brain. It's the place where all your ideas are formulated and stored before you put them together and present them! The thing is unlike your brain you won't forget that brilliant idea amongst all the other brilliant ideas you came up with. It's there in a clip (i.e a part of the brain) that you can recall immediately. You can never "forget" and idea if you utilize the session view.

For you sample based producers(and there are a billion of 'em here on ILL) lmao You would be in samplers heaven with Ableton. I really don't like sampling (used to back in the day) but I have to do a tutorial on how u can reallllllllyyyyyy freak a sample in session view and how creative you can get with the arrangement after you lay out all your ideas via clips! Your work flow can be "stupid" with Ableton.

I completely agree it is possible to do everything in Live 8 and for me Live has opened up my creativity 100% more and I think its perfect for sample based producers as well producers who compose because most producers work with 4 or 8 bar loops and like you said live helps build on those brillant ideas.Its not like your tradtional DAW so you have to open up your mind to its workflow and its a whole other world.For me its the perfect way to mesh my samples & virtual instruments.