Re: the new iBook...

[Kevin Cooney <hideaway53@opendoor.com>]

Hi:

We have been recording, mixing and mastering with a Tascam 428 board 
into an original IMAC 233 bondi blue machine using Digital Performer 
2.7.  We upgraded the IMAC to 198 megs of Ram and a fast 7200 rpm IBM 
hard drive.  We are having a great time with this system.  The sound 
quality at 24 bit 48 K sampling blows the doors off the old analogue 
input that we've used for previous Digital Performer recordings on the 
g3 series IMAC.  Latency seems FAR less of a problem then with the old 
analogue input system. And yes, the sound card is built into the Tascam 
mixer, so you are bypassing the Mac's sound inputs and outputs.  
Everything is routed USB.  We monitor our recording with a full range 
system at high db levels using Magneplaners and 400 watts a side with 
biamped subwoofers.  Anybody telling you that USB can't sound good is 
listening with some other equipment then human ears.  Maybe they're 
sampled too many mpeg3s over their mini disc systems! (Just kidding...we 
like both mpeg and minidisc formats for what they are, but find it 
ironic that USB is catching flak when it has far more bandwidth then 
aforementioned sound formats!)  We ARE extremely interested in new 
firewire options.  And we are also interested in adapting G4 cards as 
soon as possible because now that system 10  is out G4 is the chip of 
choice and a dual processing G4 MAC sounds like it would be great for 
Digital Performer 3.0.   That said, you can make terrific full bandwidth 
recordings now at a low price.  The Tascam 428 goes for a street price 
of about $400.  And a used IMAC should be available for about the same.  
We would think twice before investing in a new MAC that DIDN'T have a G4 
chip.  But we can't believe how good things are getting for the money!  
Wish they had installed a USB system and a MAC in the White House 
instead of the primitive fossil fuel burning and not  for the masses 
mastahs that are running the joint right now.

Best,
Roctologists
On Friday, May 4, 2001, at 08:47 AM, rich wrote:

     Thanks!  a little surfing later, and my eyes are opened.......  i 
think
i may have to get an iBook and turn it into my little portable recording
studio....  =)

remembering an earlier thread...folks were chiming in about USB not 
being terribly friendly to audio.  seems to work fine for midi 
information, but y'all were commenting that for critical audio work, it 
might not be the best way to go.  that kindof stopped my interest in the 
Tascam USB mixer, and also the new Event mixer (although the event's 
matrix system seems terribly intriguing).

Is USB that bad for audio?  Right now, i'm messing with the onboard 
sound input/outputs on a powerbook G3.  Would a USB audio interface be 
better?  worse?

the firewire interfaces are starting to show up.  i've had pretty good 
luck using Imovie with firewire to a digital video cam, but sometimes 
the communication between laptop and camera chokes and you have to start 
again.  i wonder if the same will be for firewire audio.


On Friday, May 4, 2001, at 08:47 AM, rich wrote:

>>     Thanks!  a little surfing later, and my eyes are opened.......  i 
>> think
>> i may have to get an iBook and turn it into my little portable 
>> recording
>> studio....  =)
>
> remembering an earlier thread...folks were chiming in about USB not 
> being terribly friendly to audio.  seems to work fine for midi 
> information, but y'all were commenting that for critical audio work, it 
> might not be the best way to go.  that kindof stopped my interest in 
> the Tascam USB mixer, and also the new Event mixer (although the 
> event's matrix system seems terribly intriguing).
>
> Is USB that bad for audio?  Right now, i'm messing with the onboard 
> sound input/outputs on a powerbook G3.  Would a USB audio interface be 
> better?  worse?
>
> the firewire interfaces are starting to show up.  i've had pretty good 
> luck using Imovie with firewire to a digital video cam, but sometimes 
> the communication between laptop and camera chokes and you have to 
> start again.  i wonder if the same will be for firewire audio.
>
>>     if you use a USB audio interface, does that bypass the computer's
>> soundcard?
>
> as far as i know...yes.  although the macs have never shipped with 
> soundcards, per se.  they have always had the audio on board, with 1/8" 
> mini jacks for input and speaker output (some of the older AV macs 
> being an exception - RCA's).  funny that they've now dumped the audio 
> in on the new powerbooks and ibooks.  i've been a mac-head for about 7 
> years now, and it seems that with each new generation, they come up 
> with something really cool, but they dump something that was useful, 
> too.
>
> anybody want a 7100/66 powermac?  i'm getting a used G4 this weekend. 
> i'm sure someone is just dying for Nubus technology, yes?  and that 
> 66mhz 601 chip just SMOKES...and gosh, it only cost $2300 new.
>
> rich
>