New Macs
 

Who's getting what?

I'd like to get a macbook pro - but i'll wait a few more months to see if there's any teething problems.

been thinking about getting the new mac mini

Is this the ones with the intel chip?

Are those the portable boxes?

If so they're a mint idea, not sure on pricing though.

yes

also comes with remote control and front row

Mac mini 1.5GHz Intel Core Solo
1.5GHz Intel Core Solo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
60GB Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote
NZ $1,199.00

Mac mini 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
80GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote
NZ $1,579.00

So anyone got a macbook pro?

what are they like?

I'm planning on the new 12" 1.33 ibook + Maudio firewire 1814 as a dedicated portable music recording thingie.

hey... where does one go to get the best prices on macs in auckland?

wait for the new Macbook... 13.3 widescreen intel based...

yeah the macbook is all nice and stuff... but will it be around the $2000 rrp area?

Jonas, in my experience, the E-MU 1820M as well as its little brother the 1820, both wipe the floor with the 1812, and can be had for around the same price if you look around.

Don't get me wrong: The M-Audio 1812 is a good piece of kit - Heck, I've got one - but the E-MU 1820 / 1820M is better.

On the other hand, if you're lacking free PCI slots and/or are insisting on a Mac... :)

1812?

you mean M-Audio Firewire 1814?

will check out that emu thing after work.

Uh yeah... 1814

Let this be a warning to you all Kiddies: Don't try posting while holding a conversation with someone else.

1812?
 

da na na na na na na na na naaa

*boom*

da na na na na na na na na naaa

*boom*

hmm.. yeah the E-mu 1820 looks good and solid. Seems very powerful with the effects and all the hardware run stuff. I do already have a great PCI / breakout card by Aardvark. Recorded Simon Says' live bits on it.

My beef with my current setup is that whenever i think about recording I think about setting up the mixer, getting levels for mics, running 4 15-meter cables to the other side of the house where my noisy ass huffing desktop is waiting with it's PCI / breakout setup.

Then, when i want to do a take, I follow the cables and run through the living room, kitchen, lobby, down the stairs, through the garage, into my room with the computer, press record, run back, tell everyone it's running, then we play. When song is finished, I repeat the trek to stop the recording.

Basically my recording gear is ultra-unportable and I am put off when i think about all the effort required to set it all up good and proper. And I need to remedy that.

I want a quieter, more portable setup. I want an ibook with a firewire audio interface (i've already bought a Maudio Firewire 1814 from ebay for US$400 so there's no stopping me). I want the option of being able to record awsomely without needing to be near power sockets. This way, setting up for recording will be far far easier (minimum 2 items: Laptop, interface box... then whatever mics and shit...), I'll be able to take my recording setup anywhere i want, my friends will like me more because of it... etc

Plus the Firewire 1814 has 2 independent headphone monitor ports! with independent volume knobs! And it has blue LEDS!

Dude: The M-Audio 1814 requires a wall-wart, and not just for Phantom power.

Sorry.

So while we're completely off-topic, do either of you know the cheapest place to get some 6.5mm - 6.5mm patch leads? (don't tell me to make them myself or I'll strangle you with the RCA leads I currently have)

New mixer, new connections, etc.


Suggestions, fellow audio nerds?

Eh, get me the cables and the plugs and I'll make 'em for ya - I make my own anyway :p

But seriously, I saw some on TardMe about 3 weeks back (haven't looked again since though)

i refuse to believe that.

from the here

"powered via FireWire bus* or included DC power adapter
...

* requires 6-pin connection"

True? Hmm... I might have to try that then, as I keep running out of plugs as my collection of fun electronic things grows.

But really... what would "powered by firewire" be worth if we didn't have 2 headphone jacks, blue LEDs, and 18 goddam inputs! (yeah, balanced audio would be the icing i suppose... but hell, I won't not eat a cake if it ain't got icing.)

how long have you had yours crocos? And do you have any creations made using it that i might sample? And from where and for what price did you get yours?

this puppy is stuffed full of good features. It's even got wordclock, whatever the fuck that is. Just by reading the reviews / specs of most other firewire interfaces, it seems to be the best for it's market / price.

I have no creations that I'm willing to publically (or otherwise) exhibit; I suck, and persist purely because I enjoy the experimenting with different sounds.

TradeMe, about 10 months ago, Uh... I think you're getting a considerably better deal then I did (mine was just short of $900) - though I did buy new (this is when they were going for $1300 through Rockshop - dunno what they're going for now)

The only truely productive use I've done with it is micing mates instruments. Oh, and using it as a rather expensive DI box ;)

I reckon $900 is a damn fine price for 10 months ago.

they are still about $1300 at the rockshop... insane.

mine is new from some US retailer listing on ebay. Music123.com has them for US$499. I dont know how the rockshop justify their prices.

I'm gonna thrash mine... i hope it can handle it.



back on the subject of macs. The latest ibook 12" is at macwarehouse.co.nz for ~$1850 ex GST. Can i get it cheaper from anywhere else in aucks? Anyone know anyone who wants to sell a 1.33 12" ibook?

^^ found it... didnt know pricespy did laptops.

ok i caved and got me the new 12" ibook.

out of the box. I can rip mp3s, then loop sections of those mp3s.. So I am currently using it to transcribe Freddy Hubbard playing on Herbie Hancock's One Finger Snap.... while sitting in the room with the grand piano.

Portable bliss.

Might have to install Starcraft, Diablo, or Warcraft 3 next....

Did you get a new one? (cos there was a trademe auction ;))

yeah... you tried to outbid my autobid =) then that other guy came in putting it at $1700+ ... a used ibook isn't worth $1,700 to me. No way. I mean.. it's getting a bit close to retail prices there.

So i went to Noel Leemings and picked me up a new one. On monday my recording box will arrive... then the magic will begin.

Yeah good call. Easy to get carried away eh? I'm going to do the same as you (the auction was for a friend but I want one too :))

Pretty sweet deal, those Apples. They seem to have a really good resale value. Might even talk myself into a MacBook Pro ;)

Let us know how you get on with the audio.

Ooo - wait til the end of the week - there's a new macbook coming out this weekend apparently. Oooh cheap(ER) new dual-boot laptop. WUXGA resolution as well (woohoooos!).

I'm kinda excited. :)

12.x" widescreen I believe :)

Yeah, been thniking of making a mac my next PC purchase. UNIX environment and no Microsoft bollocks to put up with (I'm pretty much sick of Windows, and there's no way in hell I'll move to Vista - hell, I haven' moved to XP yet, still on 2000).

If I could get Reason to run in Linux (for the odd occasion when I actually try to write something) I'd probablly have 'switched' to Linux a while ago.

i just picked up a macbook pro 2ghz 1.5gb 100gig machine, very nice

apart from my power apapter which now wont work :( going to order a new one tomorrow and get a new replacement power apapter.

new macbooks will be nice

Congrats. Nice purchase.

Hope you dual boot that bad boy :) Post some pics will ya

wow nice one! that's some bad luck about the power adaptor. was it the new 17 inch macbook pro?

on a 20 inch intel imac, 1gig.. played oblivion at the max reso 1680 while dual booting and it ran pretty well..think it would have run better with more ram..but very pleased with the purchase.

For the adventurous among you, how to cool down your MacBook Pro even further.

Careful, or Apple will set their lawyers on you ;)

maudio firewire 1814 has arrived.

Did a quick test of recording some stereo piano in Ableton Live Lite 5.2 (nice little audio program. Originally coded in Max/MSP would you believe. Geared for gigs and such... will have more to report when i look into the loop manipulation / on-the-fly recording, sampling stuff.) Passable preamps. Definately captured a beautiful sound from the piano.

Annnnnndd it was all bus-powered from my ibook. Sweeeeeet.

15" macbook not 17", getting new power thing for it tomorrow. Will post pictures then.

got windows on it, very cool. just seeing a mac playing half life 2 is awesome :P

how much did that set you back Kickass ?

$4200 with 1 year worldwide warrenty (go apple!)

from the US :)

retail is 5100$ in NZ