From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Mon Jan 07 13:36:40 2002
Subject:RE: Native Inst. B4: LIVE??

Ed,

While the size is certainly compelling, dedicating a PIII-850 with maximum (512MB?) RAM for a music-only, no-email, no-web-browsing, no-word-processing, just-say-@#$%!-no purpose, then adding a MIDI keyboard, USB audio system, USB MIDI port, and NI software ... aren't we way above the cost of any of the current clones, including my "way too expensive" CX-3? That's what's keeping me away from trying it out -- that and the prospect of reboots, stuck software, etc., which has GOT to take the edge off the performance from time to time. ;^)

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
CloneWheel Support Group and HiNote moderator
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com

At 03:21 P 1/7/2002 -0800, you wrote:
>This is a subject that has intrigued me for some time now, but I haven't
>taken the plunge as of yet. However, I've been lurking on two related User
>Groups here on Yahoo!Groups called laptopmozart and LapTopMusic. Also,
>at SoniK http://community.sonikmatter.com/ there's a BBS about Native
>Instruments products (Reaktor/Dynamo/B4/Pro52) moderated by a NI employee.
>Anybody interested in this stuff ought to check 'em out.
>Some of the observations I've gleaned so far: 1) Only install on your
>PC/Laptop what is absolutely necessary for making music (no games, email,
>etc.). 2) For any softsynths including B4, the faster the CPU the better
>and max out the RAM. 3) Macs over PC's - most guys who are doing this
>seriously are using Powerbooks or iBooks. 4) There are no really good
>audio cards pre-installed in today's laptops and no way to install one -
>most everybody is using the USB port.
>My Compaq Presario 1800 laptop (850Mhz) is probably up to the job, but
>unfortunately I have to use it for too many other work related activities to
>delegate it to "music makin' only" status. I'm hoping in the next year to
>pick up a second-hand iBook and give this a whirl. The idea of showing up
>to a gig with only a laptop, a small MIDI controller, a stand and a JBL EON
>G2 is too tempting to not give a try.
>
>Ed Fliege
>k2mojo@groovedaddies.com
>www.groovedaddies.com