This might seem like a pretty obvious or dumb question...BUT


I currently have a 2.8 8 core mac pro w/ 10gb of ram (but 32bit os, so that doesnt really help when running logic)
I want to streamline my setup and make it more mobile as i plan on doing more on location recording and eventually touring and traveling and i want to have a powerful machine to take with me.
I have an opportunity to trade it for a brand new mbp 17" w/ 3.06 processor, 5gb ram, 500gb 7200rpm hd etc.
Its exactly what i was thinking of switching to, but i was wondering how will using a 3.06 2 core processor compare to the 2.8 8 core. Will it make a BIG difference to how logic can handle sessions? As it is right now logic overloads when i have a session that has over 16-20 tracks w/ multiple plugins etc.
Will the laptop be able to handle it? I'm thinking as its 64 bit it will be able to allocate all 5gb of ram to logic so make things run smoother.

Can someone help a comp n00b out?

but arent vst's and audio in general more about cpu than ram?

regardless, if you're overloading an 8 core with 10gigs i'm guessing the lappie is gonna do a fair amount of groaning.

you'll definately have to change your workflow, bouncing more or working 44.1k but switching back to higher settings for renders, etc. if your current rig is straining with 16-20 tracks, i'm guessing you're working at really high sample rates?

i've got a quadcore in storage, in pieces actually, and i really do miss it,.... but this crappy dualcore laptop has been surprisingly resilient,..... i've recorded 2 hours of 6 channels straight, in reaper at 88k with no hiccups, so the mac should be no problems on that front atleast.

i do bounce a hell of alot, but then again its like enforced breaks for the ears so its not that bad really.

for basic editing and mixing i'll switch to 44.1 while working, but then change it to 88.2k for renders or bouncing, ummm and i'll disable plugins of channels i'm not focusing on if it doesnt affect what it is i'm working on at the time, and even go as far as trim silent bits of audio so the system doesnt even have to read the silent parts.... you know basic stuff like that, you just have to plan more.

so if you're prepared to make a workflow change then yeah its great to have something mobile.

dont mac do 4 core laptops?

it might be worth paying a bit more, but then again knowing mac it might not be

Yup, BUT im not overloading the cpu. Thats not the issue, its logic not handling everything (VERY common logic problem...possible switch to cubase?)

Actually im not working at high sample rates (96/192). i generally just work at 44.1.
Yeah, i definitely think i have to change up my workflow. For example i usually open one instance of battery for each of my drum sounds (kick, snare, hats, ride, hat, glitchy perc, hand drums etc) so that REALLY bogs the machine down.. Stupid way to work....i know, its just an old bad habit.
I definitely should be bouncing more as i work, so i have no problem changing my ways.

nope, they are dual core..

the thing is...i have an opportunity to make a trade and potentially make some money on top. Im not sure if i want to wait it out until after june (when apple are supposedly going to release a new mbp) which im hoping will be the quad core etc... but im afraid i wont get nearly as much for my machine.

ahh ok, i've never used logic so cant really help there. but i would have thought that an 8 core would be able to handle loads of battery instances. battery is heavy but not as heavy as some so it does sound like logic is your bottleneck as it were.

maybe give reaper a shot, i dont use midi much, but i've heard that reaper's midi is much better than it was before. wont cost you anything and its stupidly light on resources.

you're right, 8 cores are still pretty special, but by june who knows,... especially if a 4 core option is going to be on the table. i would imagine the price of your machine would drop to that of a second hand 4 core at best, market forces and all that.

having said that making money on a machine is so rare that if you can, and if you're willing to change workflow, it is quite tempting.

how much do you need to work with logic? cos if i were you i would consider the trade in, get the cash and the laptop, and then spend it on building your own shit hot desktop with the only drawback being that it'll be pc. (its acutally not as hard as it sounds)

or if not, there is still something to be said for streamlining ones workflow, after all your battery abuse ( ) is not that hard to get around i reckon.

Ya, you would think that! Logic is REALLY buggy tho when it comes to stuff like that tho.

Hmm, i dont want to switch to reaper, i really like what logic has to offer, i use a lot of its built in effects a lot and its perfectly integrated with my apogee hardware.

Exactly! getting money out of the machine over a year after i bought it seems pretty dam good to me!

I dont want to work on a pc (i built a crazy machine about 18 months ago for photo work) and i've always been much happier working on a mac. Thats not the biggest issue tho, the biggest issue is that i want to be mobile, so building a desktop doesnt sound very appealing.

i meant that if you sold your 8 core, you'd get to be mobile with the laptop and maybe have a bit extra for a desktop.

and yeah apogee is only mac isnt it? that throws out the diy desktop then i guess.

can you run logic from a flashdrive?

then you could load a battery heavy project and head down to the mac store and ask if you can try the laptop out.... dont know if they'll go for it or not really.

are you on gearslutz?

i found this over there which might help, dude is switching from a mac pro with 2 dualcores:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/467378-mac-book-pro-logic-9-a.html

if you're going to do location recording then that pretty much makes the decision for you.

you just cant beat beat making outside, or at a cafe, or on the toilet

Ah i see what you mean.

Yup! It is indeed..

I'm not too sure, but thats not the setup i'd be running so i dont think its a very fair comparison..

I lurk on GS, but never post. Good thread, thanks for the link.

Yeah totally. Especially as i plan to travel and i HAVE to have a production machine with me!

I really wish apple would release the new mbp already! i dont want to pickup a new machine and in a week a waaaay better one comes on the market.

one thing i've learned after buying much too much pc gear, you normally dont get things that are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better until about 24 months after, more or less like moores law for cpu's only his was 18 months and didnt factor in money really.

i was travelling around japan for 3 months last year, before moving here, and the urge to compose comes at the weirdest times when you're on the road.

where you headed?

Yeah true enough. I'm pretty sure that a new mbp is about to drop tho.

yup! for sure, inspiration hits at weird times.

potentially looking for a new place to live. right now im establishing my mixing/mastering company, so i can have steady mixing work as i travel to fund everything (which will be killer!)
I'm going to go all around europe (i was born and raised in the uk, moved to canada in dec 2001), so im heading back to the uk, germany, france, spain, italy, czech etc. Vancouver is a beautiful city and it gets a decent amount of good shows, but its not inspiring me in anyway right now. (maybe its just a phase) but the plan is to find a dope new place to live for a few years at least.

nice, i enjoyed my several years in the UK, only it was ages ago and i wasnt into making music,... kicking myself now

france i found quite interesting but i wasnt there for any real period of time, but yeah aside from the dog shit covered sidewalks i quite liked the vibe of underground paris. hah, spain and italy, i would never get any work done there

eastern europe i've never been to, but there's this whole wild west thing going on there which makes it very interesting i grew up in the middle east and theres something about 3rd world living that is very liberating, and frustrating at the same time.

happy trails for when you do go.

Thanks!
Im going to revisit all the places i've been when i was younger (as i've been pretty much everywhere in europe...just when i was under 11 yrs old ) and get my explore on!

so.....a 2 core macbook pro DEFINITELY wont run my sessions...
even if i do change my workflow etcetc.

...gotta wait until the new mbp is released.

This also will give you a good idea of relative performance:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... ktest.html

I'm just about to upgrade from a 1st-gen G5 1x1.8GHz machine (still pretty decent) to a MBP but I'm waiting until the new ones are released, which should be any day now:

http://guides.macrumors.com/MacBook_Pro_Buyer%27s_Guide

damn, so apple is pushing the release date of the 2010 macbook pros up to june? i thought the new models were coming out in february ish (which still hasn't happened). i just got my student refund and was saving it for the new model but if it ain't coming til june i may as well just buy it now!

There's no reason to think they're coming out in June.

Every sign points to a March release. Just keep an eye on that Macrumors page.

sorry bout that bro, i didn't even see your post.

and thanks for the macrumors link!