Laptops and Sound Cards

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

With my twelve-year old laptop just about having disintegrated in the last couple of weeks before my eyes (it's kind of sad, really), I'm now having to think more seriously about getting a new one. I understand, though, that laptops aren't often given to having cutting-edge sound cards, and I'd like to make good use of it for recording, among other things. Is there anything in particular that I should watch for?

[bradm]

You might consider getting an external sound processor, maybe an M-Audio or Edirol box, which will feed (digitized) audio to the laptop over Firewire or USB. A further advantage is that an external unit can also come with XLR inputs.

Aloha,

Brad

[can-o-phish]

I concur with brad. I recently picked up a MacBook and run my Pro Tools Mbox2 with it (USB) and did my first "live record" of the Sisters a couple of weeks ago with an external FireWire Lacie Drive and it ran without a hitch.

You can pick up the MacBook at a sweet price and Digidesign has just released the Mbox Mini which comes bundled with craploads of software including drum loops, soft synths and so much more. Digi also owns M-Audio and they offer their M-Powered Pro Tools but with the release of the Mbox Mini, I would highly recommend going this route as no matter how you slice it, Digi will be around for a loooong time while others might disappear at any given time and POOF, there goes your support...

Just my $0.02