Can you recommend a PC/laptop for music?

[SH73]

My Sony laptop had it. The hard drive has gone ages ago. Lost quite a few files. I replaced the drive with ssd that works well but it's only 250 gb so nearly filled up. Can anyone recommend a good and reliable PC or laptop to use purely for music/ recording? Currently I use Windows 7.

[thebassist]

I'd personally recommend going for a MacBook. And if the cost is something to consider, the items for sale section here often has them crop up.

[Trueno]

If you want a Mac a bit cheaper and you don't want it to be portable, consider a Mac Mini. You can get a compatible monitor, 26", very cheap (as opposed to Mac's own) and a keyboard for next to nothing.
Or (as noted above) you can pick up really good deals second hand.

[Light Grenade]

You don't need to use apple products. I've been using a Lenovo PC and a Dell laptop 5 years with no problems at all - I just can't merit spending £1000 on a Macbook for average power.

Either of these laptops will work just fine, and will only struggle with crazy sessions, and I'm talking 70 tracks with about 8 plugins on every track.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-15-7567-laptop/pd

[ambient]

Depends what software you want to run.

Macs come with Garageband, or it can be bought for a really silly price from the app store, it's pretty amazing for the cost.

Logic Pro is simply stunning, and costs a little over £100, way cheaper than ProTools.

These only run on Macs.

[SH73]

I use Ableton live and no way I'm getting Mac. It's overrated.....

[AdamWoodBass]

I use a PC that I built myself (pretty easy nowadays as it's like lego, as long as you have all the right components there's only one place they will fit). In total I think I paid less than £500 for my PC and then paid about £150 each for my monitors.

I think really rather than looking at a specific laptop like a "Sony ACB" or "Dell XYZ" I would focus on the spec. For music production don't skimpt on your CPU, make sure you get something nice and beefy like an Intel i7. I use an AMD FX6300 (6 cores at 4Ghz) and it just shrugs off everything I throw at it.

Next you'll want a decent amount of memory (but don't go mad - more memory doesn't mean more speed - this is a myth, ask anyone who works in IT). You probably want 8Gb of RAM and you probably want at least DDR3 1600Mhz (pretty modest by today's standards in all honesty). I use 8Gb of Kingston HyperX 1600 in my PC and again have never had any issues.

Finally if performance is your thing then I'd recomend sticking with the SSD. If you're going down the PC route then get a second hard drive (a mechanical 1Tb normal hard drive will do) and use that for storage. Record your tracks to your SSD and once you've mixed them just move them to your storage drive so they don't take up too much space on your SSD. Also if you're using VST's I would suggest keeping your VST library on your SSD, don't panic about the space it takes up, even if you have thousands of samples it's not going to take up more than 30Gb.

As for software you simply cannot go wrong with Cockos Reaper. I use it for everything I do, it can do everything Pro Tools can do and is a fraction of the cost (£60). You can download a totally free and totally uncrippled version of it which never expires if you want to have a go with it, the £60 price tag is more of a pledge of your support for the developers than anything.
http://www.reaper.fm/

Hope that's helpful.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Light Grenade' timestamp='1491569892' post='3274037']
You don't need to use apple products. I've been using a Lenovo PC and a Dell laptop 5 years with no problems at all - I just can't merit spending £1000 on a Macbook for average power.

Either of these laptops will work just fine, and will only struggle with crazy sessions, and I'm talking 70 tracks with about 8 plugins on every track.

[url="http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-15-7567-laptop/pd"]http://www.dell.com/...-7567-laptop/pd[/url]
[/quote]

I don't think I've ever spent £1000+ on any Mac (including my desktop models) apart from my very first Quadra 650 in the mid 90s from the days when Macs were very much niche products and priced accordingly. I've owned 3 lap tops starting with a PowerBook G4 in 2001 and I'm currently using a 2012 spec MacBook Pro which cost £700 from John Lewis when it was EoL'd last year. By my reckoning it should last me until 2023...

If you look around there are plenty of EoL, reconditioned, B-stock and second-hand Mac bargains to be had. My desktop Mac is a second-hand 2008 3GHz 8-Core MacPro which came complete with 32GB of RAM at a total cost of £350 including delivery.

[quote name='SH73' timestamp='1491687157' post='3274848']
I use Ableton live and no way I'm getting Mac. It's overrated.....
[/quote]

Fair enough. Your loss IMO.


Do you absolutely need the portability of a Laptop?

IME for the same price as you would pay for a laptop you can get a desktop machine and a 24" monitor with far more performance and power. You also get a lot more options for audio interfaces if you are not just relying on the USB ports a laptop has.

Having said all that unless you are intending to go out a buy a couple of huge orchestral libraries and run 50+ tracks of that with multiple instance of convolution reverb plug-ins, anything with an i5 processor, SSD drive, and at least 16GB of RAM should do.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492006091' post='3277114']...unless you are intending to go out a buy a couple of huge orchestral libraries and run 50+ tracks of that with multiple instance of convolution reverb plug-ins, anything with an i5 processor, SSD drive, and at least 16GB of RAM should do.
[/quote]

+1, my system is less 'speced' even than this, and I've plenty of power to spare. More is nice, maybe, but a poor return on expenditure, in my opinion.

[Chiliwailer]

I'm new to all this, like a week in. Already, possible laptop issues are presenting themselves. I have a 2-3 year old HP, i3 processor and 8GB RAM. Running Cubase Elements, but getting a lot of processing issues so need to constantly freeze tracks.

I use a lot of inbuilt fx and instruments so wonder what, if ever, would be a worthy upgrade?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1492013565' post='3277210']
I'm new to all this, like a week in. Already, possible laptop issues are presenting themselves. I have a 2-3 year old HP, i3 processor and 8GB RAM. Running Cubase Elements, but getting a lot of processing issues so need to constantly freeze tracks.

I use a lot of inbuilt fx and instruments so wonder what, if ever, would be a worthy upgrade?
[/quote]

Probably.

However if you are using a lot of effects it might be worth thinking about how you are using them and work in a more efficient and processor friendly fashion.

There is a great temptation because it is quick and easy and you can use each effect as many times as you want (given that you have enough processing power) to slap each effect onto the instrument or audio channel that it is processing. However if you have several channels all using the same effect with the same or very similar settings, then it is far more efficient to route all these channels to a bus and put one instance of the effect on the bus.

[Chiliwailer]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492017273' post='3277254']


Probably.

However if you are using a lot of effects it might be worth thinking about how you are using them and work in a more efficient and processor friendly fashion.

There is a great temptation because it is quick and easy and you can use each effect as many times as you want (given that you have enough processing power) to slap each effect onto the instrument or audio channel that it is processing. However if you have several channels all using the same effect with the same or very similar settings, then it is far more efficient to route all these channels to a bus and put one instance of the effect on the bus.
[/quote]

Good advice, cheers. I'll definitely have to go down that route next time. I started off thinking that each track would have unique fx, only to realise that some had pretty much the same and that other tracks were getting duplicated, therefore again maxing the fx. I'll put that bus suggestion on my 'to learn' list.

Worryingly, the plug ins are acting up too, without fx being used anywhere else. I put it down to having an i3, but wonder what difference an i5 or i7 would actually make. I've no reason to be cynical, just a nature flaw

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1492019118' post='3277276']
Worryingly, the plug ins are acting up too, without fx being used anywhere else. I put it down to having an i3, but wonder what difference an i5 or i7 would actually make. I've no reason to be cynical, just a nature flaw
[/quote]

If you want to get the maximum out of your current computer try the following:

1. Make sure you aren't running any applications other than your DAW program.

2. Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi

3. Unplug any USB peripherals that aren't actually being used for making music. For a laptop that should be everything except your audio interface, and external audio drive if you are using one (you really should be).

4. If you are feeling really brave make sure you are complete disconnected from the internet and turn off your anti-virus programs. Don't forget to turn them back on when before you reconnect!

Does your version of Cubase have meters for showing the amount of processor and disk usage while it is running? These can be invaluable in tracking down performance bottlenecks. IME the biggest performance boost you can give a laptop is to replace the system drive with an SSD, and then buy a big fast external USB 2 or 3 drive to store all your audio files on.

[Chiliwailer]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492068051' post='3277554']


If you want to get the maximum out of your current computer try the following:

1. Make sure you aren't running any applications other than your DAW program.

2. Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi

3. Unplug any USB peripherals that aren't actually being used for making music. For a laptop that should be everything except your audio interface, and external audio drive if you are using one (you really should be).

4. If you are feeling really brave make sure you are complete disconnected from the internet and turn off your anti-virus programs. Don't forget to turn them back on when before you reconnect!

Does your version of Cubase have meters for showing the amount of processor and disk usage while it is running? These can be invaluable in tracking down performance bottlenecks. IME the biggest performance boost you can give a laptop is to replace the system drive with an SSD, and then buy a big fast external USB 2 or 3 drive to store all your audio files on.
[/quote]

Nice one Red, much appreciated. There's some good advice there so I'll give it some of it a go next time I switch on. Cheers

[mikel]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492068051' post='3277554']
If you want to get the maximum out of your current computer try the following:

1. Make sure you aren't running any applications other than your DAW program.

2. Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi

3. Unplug any USB peripherals that aren't actually being used for making music. For a laptop that should be everything except your audio interface, and external audio drive if you are using one (you really should be).

4. If you are feeling really brave make sure you are complete disconnected from the internet and turn off your anti-virus programs. Don't forget to turn them back on when before you reconnect!

Does your version of Cubase have meters for showing the amount of processor and disk usage while it is running? These can be invaluable in tracking down performance bottlenecks. IME the biggest performance boost you can give a laptop is to replace the system drive with an SSD, and then buy a big fast external USB 2 or 3 drive to store all your audio files on.
[/quote]

All of the above. Almost any laptop produced in the last few years should have more than enough power to run/record music.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='SH73' timestamp='1491687157' post='3274848']
I use Ableton live and no way I'm getting Mac. It's overrated.....
[/quote]
Ableton live will happily run on a Macbook.

My Mrs works in 2nd & 3rd line IT & for years and had the same sentiment as you towards Macs. 10 years ago I got an iMac & she said she'd never use it. After a few months I couldn't get her off the damn thing. She now has her own Macbook Pro.

On paper they look like a poor spec, but that's always been the case.

Me, I'll happily use anything that runs what I need it to. I'm not pro or anti any technology. I run Logic on an iMac & love it.

[Jack]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492068051' post='3277554']If you want to get the maximum out of your current computer try the following:

1. Make sure you aren't running any applications other than your DAW program.

2. Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi

3. Unplug any USB peripherals that aren't actually being used for making music. For a laptop that should be everything except your audio interface, and external audio drive if you are using one (you really should be).

4. If you are feeling really brave make sure you are complete disconnected from the internet and turn off your anti-virus programs. Don't forget to turn them back on when before you reconnect!

Does your version of Cubase have meters for showing the amount of processor and disk usage while it is running? These can be invaluable in tracking down performance bottlenecks. IME the biggest performance boost you can give a laptop is to replace the system drive with an SSD, and then buy a big fast external USB 2 or 3 drive to store all your audio files on.[/quote]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492006091' post='3277114']Do you absolutely need the portability of a Laptop?

IME for the same price as you would pay for a laptop you can get a desktop machine and a 24" monitor with far more performance and power. You also get a lot more options for audio interfaces if you are not just relying on the USB ports a laptop has.

Having said all that unless you are intending to go out a buy a couple of huge orchestral libraries and run 50+ tracks of that with multiple instance of convolution reverb plug-ins, anything with an i5 processor, SSD drive, and at least 16GB of RAM should do.[/quote]

I know that plenty of people run music production software in laptops (even mid specced laptops) just fine but if you're wanting the best bang for buck then joining the pc master race is the way forward. When I think about how little I spent on my pc and what that would (or wouldn't) have bought me in a laptop it's unbelievable.

I'm much more of a pc nerd than I am a bass nerd, but there's no replacement for horsepower if you're trying to record anything at all complicated. If you really, really need a laptop then some of Dell#s offerings (I have a Latitude 7420 for work) are brilliant. But considering you need a some (albeit not THAT much) processing power, lots of memory and hard disk space, desktops are the way forward. Difficult to get a ssd scratch disk and then a 4tb storage disk in a laptop.

TL:DR - Dell Latitude! But ideally a PC if you don't need the portability.

[Bigwan]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492006091' post='3277114']
If you look around there are plenty of EoL, reconditioned, B-stock and second-hand Mac bargains to be had. My desktop Mac is a second-hand 2008 3GHz 8-Core MacPro which came complete with 32GB of RAM at a total cost of £350 including delivery.
[/quote]

Where did you find that if you don't mind me asking?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1492612619' post='3281640']
Where did you find that if you don't mind me asking?
[/quote]

On eBay. I did have to wait for a couple of weeks for a suitably priced one to come up, and the cheap price was partly due to the fact that the casing had suffered some cosmetic damage, but the internals work fine.

The 2008 models ought to be even cheaper now that they no longer support the latest Mac OS (Sierra) - I bought mine when El Capitan was still the most recent.

And if you are prepared to travel to pick one up in person you should be able to get an even better bargain.

Edited April 19, 2017 by BigRedX

[Mornats]

This may give you an idea of how my PC's spec can handle a pretty heavy project. Hopefully it'll be useful for you to gauge what you may need.

Take this song I did recently for the composition challenge: [url="https://soundcloud.com/mornats/low-mass"]https://soundcloud.c...ornats/low-mass[/url]

[b]Here's the important bits of my spec:[/b][list]
[*]i7 4790k overclocked to 4.6ghz
[*]16GB DDR3 RAM 1866mhz running at 2133mhz (due to the overclock)
[*]Windows 10 drive: SSD
[*]Sample library drive: SSD
[*]Interface: Focusrite Forte
[*]Buffer: 256 samples (256 is the limit for latency that allows me to record a part in real time)
[*]Cockos Reaper
[/list]
I have 27 tracks of instruments in this.

I have 6 buses (I send strings to one bus so I can add compression/eq etc. to them all at once for example) and I have one reverb bus (RC 48 is the reverb plugin). This is important IMO. Rather than putting a CPU heavy reverb on each and every track and tweaking them all individually, you can send the audio of each track to one reverb bus and use just the one plugin. You can adjust the mix of the dry and wet signal for each track. It's a new trick for me and it saves massively on CPU (and time).

So on this I have:[list]
[*]Albion One synth
[*]Rise and Hit (three tracks of this)
[*]Albion One legato strings
[*]Albion One tremelo strings
[*]Albion One long strings
[*]Albion One spicatto strings (two tracks of these)
[*]Albion One woodwinds low
[*]Albion One woodwinds high
[*]Albion One brass low
[*]Albion One brass mid
[*]Albion One brass high
[*]Albion One percussion
[*]Damage (two tracks of this)
[*]Albion One hyper toms
[*]Apocalypse Elements orchestral percussion
[*]Juggernaut
[*]Storm Choir
[*]Olympus Elements choir
[*]Spirfire Orchestral Grand Piano
[*]Kontakt Library harp
[*]Zodiac synth
[*]Massive synth
[*]Spirfire Orchestral Grand Piano (another instance)
[/list]
I have Izotope Neutron on 11 tracks, 2 buses and the master bus along with various EQ, compressor and a couple of other plugins. If I counted it right, that's 25 instances of Kontakt running in Komplete Kontrol.

[b]Playing it real time[/b]
CPU peaks at around 90-95% across all 8 threads (4 cores).
RAM Usage: 12.7GB (just over a GB free but that will vary based on whatever you have running in the background. This is with just Reaper running. So I'm nearing the limits of the PC).

If I'm playing it back for mixing I will of course increase the buffer as latency doesn't matter for this. So this is just an idea of what type of musical production will push this system.

Now, this is a worse-case scenario for this song. I can (and had to when producing it) render some tracks to audio to help with the playback. A few of the strings tracks and the choir tracks helped. Not everything needs to be bounced down.

I also went in afterwards and purged all of the samples (essentially removing all unplayed samples from each library from RAM) and this got RAM usage down to around 6.5GB. So there are things you can do to make a system like this work for a song like this but hopefully this is a good example of how this setup can handle a demanding song.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Mornats

[SH73]

Very useful info on here as my laptop now is about to die. It ran smoothly with new SSD, reboot and new wind 10.

[Moos3h]

I have a gaming PC in the classifieds here that would work a treat. Can be supplied without the graphics card if you prefer, to keep the price down!

[Mcgiver69]

On 12/04/2017 at 17:12, Chiliwailer said:

I'm new to all this, like a week in. Already, possible laptop issues are presenting themselves. I have a 2-3 year old HP, i3 processor and 8GB RAM. Running Cubase Elements, but getting a lot of processing issues so need to constantly freeze tracks.

I use a lot of inbuilt fx and instruments so wonder what, if ever, would be a worthy upgrade?

If you're running Windows 32 bits you'll get all sorts of issues as you are not using more than 4gb ram. You need Windows 64 bits.

I had the same issues and installed Win10 64bits and now my very old Dell core duo is running smoothly and can handle more than 25 tracks with lots of vsts (effects and instruments) on them and I'm only using 4gb of memory (bound to upgrade to 8gb this week)

[Chiliwailer]

42 minutes ago, Mcgiver69 said:

If you're running Windows 32 bits you'll get all sorts of issues as you are not using more than 4gb ram. You need Windows 64 bits.

I had the same issues and installed Win10 64bits and now my very old Dell core duo is running smoothly and can handle more than 25 tracks with lots of vsts (effects and instruments) on them and I'm only using 4gb of memory (bound to upgrade to 8gb this week)

Thanks for the info. I’m now on a Mac, but due to full time work and being halfway through a Masters I’ve got no time to use Cubase - oh the irony!  

[SH73]

Problem solved. Have been running a new gaming laptop for a week or so. I had to re instal all the DAW plug ins and VST. It has been a painstaking process. Luckily, Focusrite sent me new activation codes 👍 and Ableton support team has been helpful. It appears to be running smoothly. I still have lots and lots of projects to transfer with  'collect and save' info. I find the process complicated and still lot to learn and do.

The best thing about the new laptop is that there is no more hum/ground noise. Quiet like a 🐁 when running even the highest gain amp through Amplitube 4.

I'm finally able to play with laptop plugged in.