A Quad-Core Laptop

An Intel Q6600 Quad Core Processor Laptop (17", 200GB/7200 HD, 4Gig Ram, Geforce 8700)

... is scheduled for delivery 1/19/2008 (Saturday) ... by ADK of KY. Note: ADK highly recommends XP-32 as the OS of choice, still.

If this thing works it will be equivalent to my bulky Dell desktop ... but a road warrior DAW with 2 vital peripherals:

1) RME ff 400
2) AKG Cans

I hope to use it for mixing and experimenting on the road (while undocked). I hope this doesn't become another stupid fad of mine; but that it will have enhanced my music business/hobbie ... like my EMR-laptop enhanced my podiatry practice.

I'll be sure to let you know if it seems worth the $3k, etc. ... to be toting these 3 pieces with me everywhere.

Any suggestions about portable DAWs? Regrets? Ideas?

Thanks for chiming M4Ever,

I found out I won't get this until Tuesday (after M. Luther King, Jr Holiday). So I'll try to remember to bump this thread a bit and give a reasonable critique (photos may not be good quality).

Again, I'm counting on 3 things for a Portable Studio:

1) a Reliable Laptop w/XP-32
2) a portable power-packed interface (w/stand-alone): the RME FF 400 (which I have already and is recommended by ADK)
3) a the best cams possible (for least compromised mixing)

Note: Midi-Controllers (and Control Surfaces) are not factored in. My proven Control Surface is a mouse (for envelope adjustings). I suppose a track-pad will become a bit tedious.

And like Thomas says, you can always go with a rackable form factor PC... and then everything can be buttoned up in one portable rig.

Sometimes you just need the portability of a laptop!

(I've given up portability lately, in the interest of multiple fast hard drives and big screens, but when quad core laptops reach a reasonable level of availability and price, I'm sure I'll be tempted again.)

Good luck!

Tom, John ... have you ever been inspired "going down the road" ... desperately making mental notes of your haunting (daunting) melody ... only to totally procrastinate on implementation ... or worse yet ... totally lose your artistic revelaton?

For the faint-of-heart, a portable rack might be difficult to set up enroute.

Today, I eagerly await this ADK laptop (again).

M4Ever, here's the system: http://www.adkproaudio.com/systems/system_review.cfm?saved_id=12936; I'm sure the laptop is generically un-pretty.

I'll just grab my laptop, FA-66

Please let me know (in the not-to-distant-future) if this works OK for you ... 'on the road'.

try to get the nicest thing that I can afford at the time and be thankful

Yes; I suppose I should be thankful for anything that doesn't crash nor hinder inspiring moments.

Originally I thought of a Best-Buy Toshiba (on clearance) with a Vista 'Windows Experience Index' of 4.8 ($1500); but I'd expect some 'ouchy' Vista-bugs and firewire issues.

Thanks Mike,

I got it directly on my lap now; while it would take a while for it to fry an egg; I'm afraid you're right ... that the Q6600 lifespan may be signficantly hindered by heat issues.

Tomorrow I'll try to search a fitting firewire to connect the RME ff 400.

If you bump the thread tomorrow, I should remember to give a better first impression after configuring some more.

Hey Scott and everyone; I've a frustrating firewire issue with the laptop; its only got a 4-pin port for the RME ff 400 ; which
(1) I think requires external power (vs. bus power) ... ouch! (and a power chord that I don't have)
(2) the 4-pin connector is extremely delicate, allowing it to fall off with even minor movements.

Is a 6-pin firewire PCMCI card the answer? to regain a (1) bus-powered and (2) sturdy firewire port?


(P.S.; I will continue to report 'laptop-progress' (or lack thereof) after I address this issue)

ORIGINAL: Hard2Hear

There are no PC laptops that provide power to firewire. Even the cards that have 6 pin on them use an additional power adapter to give power to the device. Pretty pointless if you ask me, just use the proper adapter for the device in those cases. 4 pin cables vary in size, so some of them make a really good fit and some don't. Look for the cables that look like the one that came with your Fireface, those are usually of better quality and connectors.

Mike, I'm using a 6-pin RME-400 connection to my desktop without external power. This is supposed to be a 'desktop-replacement'.

4 pin cables vary in size?

What? You've got to be kidding, Mike?

The one that came with the ff is 6-pin to 6-pin anyway?

I researched today and you're absolutely right, Mike; I must have a reliable power supply to run the RME FF 400 on a laptop.

Speaking of laptops, Scott:

FI thats NOT a laptop... its a desktop replacement.. not supposed to be in your lap.

???? Ouch!!! ... this is a 'lap'-top-DAW, Scott; its not that hot (yet?) and diffuses the heat well enough to be warm only.
I use it on my lap in the office, library, and home. It sits well on my lap ... in my recliner.

I have a lot of hope in it as a Lap-DAW but have not tested yet if my car can drive both it and the RME FF 400 on my lap. Are you (or anyone) suggesting its too heavy to be a laptop?

LOL

Hey M4Ever,

I used the laptop last night in a motel for 3 hours OK.

... The RME FF 400 firewire came off only once;

... and i got a lot of sequencing done (with the track pad and AKG headphones)
... Remember its heavy but lap-able in an awkward way ... I had it on a desk there.

Despite my evil tidings about trying to use it in my car ... ha ha
... My motel experience was excellent:
1) I hyper-focused more casually
2) My sequencing seemed more harmonious
3) There were no crashes (at all)
4) The headphones seemed to promise 'ample' translation

I had wanted to burn a demo (to listen in my car) but forgot disks.

Copying from a laptop DAW to another DAW may still present problems:
DimPro doesn't "program" correctly after transfers (it seems).
VSTs and S.Synths may yet be tricky.
Laptop screen is not as bright as video monitors (but you can connect one bright monitor (your docking area).

I'll keep reporting back with further testing results about transfering projects from DAW to DAW here. If it gets to tricky, you probably don't want to have more than one DAW.

I think you can honestly say that my laptop-configuration as probably the ideal and reasonable standard DAW. I mean what could be better?

Ultimately, I hope to be able to commit to the Laptop as the Primary DAW; I presently see no significant advantages of having a tower-computer instead.

I may eat my words though.

I'll look for one.

Wow, you have the same great processor!