Laptop Vs Desktop, which one is the best for studio use Options

[gury]

Guys,
I'm thinking about buying a mac for studio use and also need something that's portable that I can take anywhere and work on it. I need to run the entire studio on there sequencers, soft synths, audio midi interface, plug ins run mics, mastering. I'm thinking about using Reason, Cubase SX...Please advice which is a best option for me, Desktop or Laptop. I really want to get a laptop but I need to know if the laptop will be versatile enough to add additional external hardware to it.

[enygma]

most external hardware is USB/Firewire anyways. Just the fact that you want to be portable would tell me you need a laptop, considering I don't see that haulin around a desktop everywhere would be very efficient, and the iMac G5, even after haulin it around after a while, might just become a pain after a while.

[fastlanephil]

Check your software system requirements before investing in the hardware and also plan for upgrades and the inevitable additional speed and memory needs.

[gogmagog]

ok - computer - yup go mac - big as you can max the memory as far as budget allows
reason - you might just die of pleasure using that - if you like techno that is

cubase sx - i am using it on a powerbook aluminium with 777 mb ram
and it is not happy - needs more power i suppose - but i'll say this - its a lovely interface to work with.

if you are making music for yourself and dont have to impress customers with the latest everything then go for the latest Logic pro
but read some of the entries here about upgrades/support - they do
not care about you at emagic (or apple for that matter)

it is really really really worth trying all the demos you can - try the
smaller (ANDCHEAPER!) programmes - some of them really rock.

if youiwant an easy life then focus some serious investment on your
outboard devices - go firewire )carefully read posts on the mbox stuff - very revealing)

ignore those posts which seem to adfvise you to buy your way out of trouble - and think about whether your priorities are going to be
midi or audio that will affect which prog to choose.

Having said all that, for portable set ups most pro musicians i know just seem to automatically go for Apple / Logic end of story.


finally (at last) - spend some time reading all the complaints on the various boards - if something isnt working for so many people
then its probably best to avoid - so you can get on with the important bit - making music.

[gury]

I'm going to be setting up this studio to go professional, will most likely do midi along with audio, do all kind of stuff.

I was thinking of getting PB 1.33, 15 inch.

Can you tell me what other good hardware I require to make this a complete studio setup, like midi outboard/inboard, I know I need a quality mic with provided power.

[ruby]

Would the imac G5 be able to handle multiple virtual instruments?

[octatonic]

Would the imac G5 be able to handle multiple virtual instruments?

Indeed it can- as can most G4's.
I currently get 16 or so vsti's out of a 15" powerbook- depending on the complexity of the synths.
Additionally around 24 audio tracks with minimal processing.
Very much in favour of Logic as a front end on a portable as freeze function and distributed audio processing is a bit plus.

My desktop system is a HD rig and if you are recording live instruments there is little to compare to it- zero latency (aside from the converters) is just fking lovely.
I dislike recording live struments on a native system- especially when I am the musician.

Hope this helps.

JR