About To Blow 2500 Smackers Options

[londan]

Hello there,
Thanks in advance for any useful comments
I wish I had found this site ages ago

Im basically looking to invest in enough to make me a home studio, and I have nothing except a Midi Piano and Guitars.

Therefore, my shopping list is as follows:
a. PowerBook 15inch, 2GB RAM, 1.67 ... I have found a place in Switzerland, where I live, where I can get this for about 1300 quid new.
b. Logic Pro 400 quid (id like to compose classical, rock, pop, jazz, piano based, with programmed sounds/effects/rhythm/bass - which i hope are included in logic 7 after all ive read - and some audio and vocals i can supply with electric guitar and mikes) ... student price
c. Sennheiser Microphone for vocals around 150 quid
d. M-Audio Firewire FW410 M-Audio FW410 200 quid

Headphones, Speakers, Cables, Stands ... another 450 quid, making about 2500 in all

Any specific comments about suggestions for components would be useful, as well as a general slap in the face to completely rethink my architecture, but I appreciate the advice of another poster suggesting one question per post ... thus, if it had to be one question, i would ask about the mac itself

I mean, I've never bought a mac before, its just that a few people have told me that logic has everything i need and macs run logic and macs are good for creative stuff ... but can i get away with an ibook instead, or am i much better off with an imac? i guess im into the powerbook as its more powerful than an ibook and more portable than an imac ... but as imac is cheaper and more powerful it may be a better option as im slightly more into performance than portability ... if anyone has serious doubts about logic on powerbook 1.67ghz, then maybe they could let me know ?

thanks alot

daniel

[Bubowski]

I have an iMac G5 2 GHz with 20" monitor and am running Logic Express. This is perhaps the finest music computer I have ever used. The screen is large enough to display a ton of information. Processor is fast and audio quality pristene. I agree with the other poster regarding Express. It has much of the functionality of Pro and is substantially less expensive.

The two primary factors between Laptop and iMac are processor (speed and type) and screen size. In both cases the iMac wins over any presently available Mac laptop by a large margin.

As far as cost of iMac vs PC, remember that the PC carries many "hidden" costs which usually fall under TCO (total cost of ownership). The additional time and cost of managing virus and spyware issues on a regular basis on the PC instead of spending productive creative time on the iMac should also weigh in on your decision. I work with both systems (PC at work Mac for music) and can't imagine waisting my creative time dealing the all the PC maintenance issues instead of plugging in and recording like I do on my iMac.