Dear list,
I'm looking to buy new laptop and a matching audio interface for daily use
- audio performance/programming (not video). I would be interested to know
what are the current trends nowadays, and what experiences you have.
My current setup is:
- windows 10 (won't change)
- Lenovo X61s (I'm a bit of a fanboy for ibm/lenovo)
- RME multiface (still with pcmcia card)
I would be looking for a similar setup:
- a robust laptop where to run w10. The less weight the better, even if it
sacrifices some performance.
- which audio interfaces are used nowadays, compared with the multiface?
E.g. with at least 8 analog outlets (I don't need that many inlets), and also a digital outlet. Also the less weight and size the better - a half-case size such as the multiface is quite convenient.
- the computer will be used for day-to-day activities: office, notation
(sibelius/finale), and Pd audio programming. No games or too taxing environments, so some features such as a high-power graphics card or the latest ssd disk should be necessary.
Best regards,
Joao
Hi João,
Am Donnerstag, den 23. März 2017 um 08:51:36 Uhr (+0100) schrieb João Pais:
I would be looking for a similar setup:
- a robust laptop where to run w10. The less weight the better, even if it
sacrifices some performance.
I'm on a ThinkPad T460s and it's well worth it.
- which audio interfaces are used nowadays, compared with the multiface?
I'm using this:
https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/usbstreamer-box
It's cheap, flexible, superportable, stable and adheres to standards (USB 2.0 and ADAT) so you can combine it with tons of gear up to really high end. For concert venues without ADAT consoles I use it in combination with this (light, decent quality and the size of a multiface):
http://www.marian.de/en/products/adcon
They're out of production but you still find them fairly cheap on ebay.
-- Orm
João Pais jmmmpais@gmail.com writes:
I would be looking for a similar setup:
- a robust laptop where to run w10. The less weight the better, even
if it sacrifices some performance.
I'm a Linux user, but I've been using a Dell XPS 15 9550. The form factor is nice, it's relatively thin and light. I'd say my biggest complaint about it is that it's not the quietest laptop, particularly in terms of coil whine. Mine isn't so bad, but in a quiet room I can hear electronic whinings and chattering which are normally sounds I like but only when I make them haha. I'm okay with my laptop, but I'd definitely consider other brands in the future, those Lenovo Thinkpads look appealing, although a bit pricier. My model has an NVidia card but I think you can get them with just the integrated graphics as well, particularly the 13 inch 9350 (now 9360) models. I think the Thinkpad X series is comparable in form factor to mine? And I was looking at the T series as well when I bought this about a year and a half ago by now.
- which audio interfaces are used nowadays, compared with the
multiface? E.g. with at least 8 analog outlets (I don't need that many inlets), and also a digital outlet. Also the less weight and size the better - a half-case size such as the multiface is quite convenient.
- the computer will be used for day-to-day activities: office,
notation (sibelius/finale), and Pd audio programming. No games or too taxing environments, so some features such as a high-power graphics card or the latest ssd disk should be necessary.
I have an RME Fireface UCX. Half-rack size like you want. It does KINDA have 8 analog outs, 7/8 are combined as a stereo out. 8 ins, 2 of which are XLR combo jacks. It's been really solid for me. No TotalMix on Linux and there are issues with all of that but you're on Windows so that should be of no worry to you =). Sturdy as heck and reliable. I think it has firewire but nowadays computers don't seem to come with those and I've just been using the USB (2.0 I think) and even then you can get pretty low latencies (and it's class compliant too!). I think there's a new model of the Motu Ultralite these days that is also worth considering (I vaguely remember Alex Porres posting something about it on Fb awhile ago so he might want to chime in haha).
Derek
There's been mentions of a few laptop models suitable for Pd use, but there hasn't been any discussion about good CPU models. I wonder what makes a good CPU for Pd-like operations. What I observe is that my over 8 years old Lenovo T61p with a Intel Core 2 Duo T8300 outperforms the much more recent Lenovo X1 with a Intel Core i5-3427U that I use at work. By outperforming, I mean that I can load more instruments and effects in netpd on my older box before the pd process hits 90% of CPU core usage and I get glitches. One might object the X1 is an ultrabook and meant to have long lasting battery rather than a lot of CPU power. However, when you compare benchmarks on http://www.cpubenchmark.net%C2%A0, the Core 2 Duo has a single-threaded rating of 939 and the Core i5 a rating of 1419. So it seems we need again another metric for Pd.
My gut feeling is that Pd hasn't profited at all from CPU development for a few years already and I wouldn't know what to buy once my good old T61p dies.
What would a benchmarking patch look like that could be used to give CPUs a rating that would reflect their suitability for Pd?
Roman
On Don, 2017-03-23 at 08:51 +0100, João Pais wrote:
Dear list,
I'm looking to buy new laptop and a matching audio interface for daily use + audio performance/programming (not video). I would be interested to know what are the current trends nowadays, and what experiences you have.
My current setup is:
- windows 10 (won't change)
- Lenovo X61s (I'm a bit of a fanboy for ibm/lenovo)
- RME multiface (still with pcmcia card)
I would be looking for a similar setup:
- a robust laptop where to run w10. The less weight the better, even
if it sacrifices some performance.
- which audio interfaces are used nowadays, compared with the
multiface? E.g. with at least 8 analog outlets (I don't need that many inlets), and also a digital outlet. Also the less weight and size the better - a half-case size such as the multiface is quite convenient.
- the computer will be used for day-to-day activities: office,
notation (sibelius/finale), and Pd audio programming. No games or too taxing environments, so some features such as a high-power graphics card or the latest ssd disk should be necessary.
Best regards,
Joao _______________________________________________ Pd-list@lists.iem.at mailing list UNSUBSCRIBE and account-management -> https://lists.puredata.info/lis tinfo/pd-list
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Derek Kwan -
João Pais -
Orm Finnendahl -
Roman Haefeli