Need recommendation for new Apple laptop to run Ableton & FTP for live gigs

Started by BobbyD, November 12, 2016, 12:46:57 AM

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BobbyD

Hello friends,

I am NOT an Apple techie so when I have questions about various topics, I go to the experts...Forum members.  I hope someone can give me advice who uses their Laptop live with Ableton and Fishman Triple play.

I have a maxed out late 2015 or early 2016  Imac at home.  It's a work horse with 32 GB ram, 1 TB SSD drive and 4.0 GHZ processors. So it handles multiple instances of heavy VSTs like Omnisphere 2 , Serum, etc.  It is dedicated for music production and is fast. I have an old 2009 27in Imac still running. It's great for watching instructional videos on 2009 computer and following along on new Imac.  I also have a 27 in 4k display so I can have session view and arrangement view both opened. So all set at home.

I do NOT have a laptop and need one for using Ableton for live solo gigs.  My 2009 laptop died and was waiting for new 2016 Macbookpro to be released which is now available.  I have a Fishman Triple Play and need the laptop so I can play MIDI guitar live to control soft synths. I will have Push 2, and a few other controllers hooked up, I will be using backing tracks from laptop and may also use the software looper so I wanted to most powerful Laptop possible because I keep them for 5 to 7 years. 

The new Macbookpro is limited to 16 GB ram, and fastest CPU is 2.9 GHZ.

Couple of questions:

I read about new USB 3 inputs being used on new model.  How does this impact all my current controllers which I belive are not USB 3 like Push 2 and Akai controllers?  Same goes for FTP dongle?

I have a Focusrite Clarett 8 pre interface at home.  I kept  the older Focusite scarlet 2i4.  This is probably a stupid question, but will I need an interface for live gigs?.  Originally analog guitar output was going to go direct to Helix or Voice Live 3 Extreme (VL3E).   I would think that if I wanted to use internal software looper than guitar needs to first run into laptop.  This is not a deal breaker because VL3E has a built in looper so guitar was going to go direct into VL3E and direct to PA.  I am thinking that I now  need a mixer to front end the VL3E so I can have multiple audio inputs fed into looper.  The audio output from using MIDI guitar will also need to go through mixer.

What type of mixer would you recommend?  At least 4 devices will be USB controlled and another 4 audio.  Plus I would want room for growth.  I am not a singer but I believe most vocal mics are dynamic and do not need phantom power.  This is new turf for me because for 40 years, I plugged a Les Paul into a wah into a Mesa Boogie. Never did I think I would wind up embracing technology but it happened.

Main Question:   Should  I buy the new fully loaded 2016 MacbookPro or the fully loaded Mid 2015 model?  I do not know enough about how all the new ports work and whether the older model if fully loaded is just as capable as new model.  Not sure which laptop is better suited for my current peripherals with the understanding that all future devices will be made to support USB 3.   Change is inevitable so I am really struggling to understand which model to go with and whether the new model will support all my current gear.

The only deal breaker is being able to use Fishman Triple Play live and do not know if dongle works in new 2016 Laptop.

Any recommendations from the gurus who use Ableton and Fishman Triple play for live gigs would be so much appreciated.

This Laptop and a PA are the final pieces of a long journey to get my live rig completed.   The Helix is on my wish. 

Any recommendations for a PA?  . Figured I would ask as some of you may be familiar with the JBL Eon One or new Fishman SA330. I would start with a single unit and could always add a second unit for true stereo and more power.  The Fishman allows two units to share an external subwoofer if I need the low end.

Sorry for long post but definitely grateful for anyone who took time to read and can help with recommendation.

I should mention that there will be a time when I am sure I will be using the laptop to collaborate with musicians and work on tracks in a home studio environment.  So power and Ram is important to me.   I also want to delve into using MIDI to control video so I know this laptop will need al the power possible.  Unfortunately, I am an Apple guy so I have to rule out PCs.   

Thanks Everyone!!

BobbyD



Brak(E)man

Same here always refurb, I'm still on a 2010 years MacBook , it works fine , with software synths , loopers , jamorigin, mainstage, logic, guitarrig, etc .
Get a soundcard that you can use as mixer , focusrite have good cards for the prices,
I dont know the 8 pre interface, but aye that works.
About PA , that depends on what you are going to use it for exactly.
Instead of a house PA or as monitors?
Mackie Opera are good for both depending on sub etc
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

Elantric

Cant recommend new Macbooks

and here's why
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2016/11/15/apple-finally-killed-upgradability-in-its-macbook-pro-line/

Apple finally killed upgradability in its MacBook Pro line


If you're buying a new MacBook Pro, you better upgrade to an SSD size you're comfortable with.

MacRumors reader Jesse D. found a surprise on his new 15-inch MacBook Pro after unscrewing the bottom — the SSD was soldered to the logic board. If you've been paying attention, this isn't all that shocking. Apple killed the ability to upgrade RAM in 2012 by soldering it in; it's only logical that the SSD would follow suit at some point.


And follow suit it did.

Last year's 12-inch MacBook was the first to feature a non-upgradeable SSD, but I think many of us prized the MacBook Pro not only for its performance but the one sliver of upgradability we had left — storage. That and the promise of what was to come after a 400-plus day upgrade cycle might have been the driving force to wait for those who would have otherwise settled on a 12-inch MacBook.

There's one glimmer of hope remaining for Apple fans — as long as you don't need the Touch bar. The 13-inch, non-Touch bar model, still seems to have an upgradable SSD.

If Apple sticks to being Apple, you can expect this to die in the next refresh as well.



-----
https://9to5mac.com/2016/11/15/2016-macbook-pro-non-removable-ssd-small-batteries/






Touch Bar MacBook Pro models have non-upgradeable SSDs, seemingly under-sized batteries
Ben Lovejoy - 11 hours ago  @benlovejoy MACBOOK PRO

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The first MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models are arriving, and if you were encouraged by the removable SSD OWC found in the entry-level machine, there's bad news. Owners who have opened them up are finding that the SSD chips in the Touch Bar machines are permanently soldered to the logic board.

This means that, like the 12-inch MacBook, the SSD size you order from Apple is the capacity you're going to be stuck with for the life of the machine, so you may want to take a fresh look at those rather eye-watering upgrade prices.

The SSD chips are beneath some shielding, but one owner was brave enough to remove it to peek beneath ...




While we'll need to await professional teardowns to verify the identification of the claimed SSD chips (seen in the photo below), this does so far appear to be the consensus on a forum post.
http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/does-the-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-have-removable-ssd.2014953/

It should be noted that although Apple's SSD upgrade prices seem extreme, it is using the very latest generation of high-speed NVMe PCIe SSDs, which are frighteningly expensive no matter who you buy them from. And crazy fast.

With the shielding removed, these appear to be the SSD chipsWith the shielding removed, these appear to be the SSD chips
Owners have also been noticing something odd about the innards of the new machines: the multiple battery cells all appear to have quite large gaps around them. One Imgur user drew particular attention to this in a series of open-case photos, speculating that Apple may have limited their size to hit a weight target.

The batteries look comically small. The two cells under the trackpad look the smallest in their slots [with] finger-sized 'moats' all around the batteries [...] Looks like they shrunk the battery as much as possible to hit that 4lb figure.

This photo gives a closer look at those gaps around the batteries.

hutl3yn

While there may be many valid technical reasons for having air-gaps around the battery cells, such as allowing room for the batteries to expand, or limiting heat build-up inside the otherwise tightly-packed casing, the discovery is likely to spark controversy given that multiple reviewers have been reporting that they were unable to get anywhere close to Apple's claimed 10-hour battery-life...and that Apple's weight specs on these are coincidentally rounded to 3/4lbs.

The figures manufacturers use for claimed battery-life are always under somewhat ideal conditions, usually with reduced screen brightness and continuous use, rather than the more realistic sleep/wake/sleep/wake pattern of mobile use. Apple's website says that both 13- and 15-inch models offer 'up to 10 hours wireless web' or 'iTunes movie playback.' All the same, the gap between Apple's claims are reviewer reports is a significant one.

For example, The Verge reported 5-6 hours.

Apple promises 10 hours, but our tests fell far short of that. Battery life averaged around five and a half hours while I used the 13-inch unit to do my work, which consists of keeping open Slack, Safari, Mail, TweetBot, and TextEdit, watching the occasional YouTube video, and opening various Apple apps here and there for testing. That's worse than the new Surface Book, which got between six and eight hours of battery life in our use, and it's significantly worse than last year's MacBook Pro, which our reviewer got around 10 hours out of on a charge.

Business Insider reported 8 hours under ideal conditions, 6 hours in normal use.

On Apple's specs sheet for the new MacBook Pro, the company says the laptop gets up to 10 hours of use on a single battery charge. But in my tests with the 13-inch model with Touch Bar, I only got about eight hours if I kept the screen brightness at a lower level. I got a little over six hours with the brightness all the way up, my preferred setting.

That's a shame because Apple historically advertised battery times that were much more aligned with real usage, even chastising other companies for exaggerating their claims.

If you've already received your machine, please let us know in the comments the battery-life you see in real-life use once you've had the chance to measure it.



montyrivers

If you can find a used or refurbished Macbook Pro from 2014 or 2015 you should be gold

Elantric

Refurb older macs
http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals

http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

and other opinions on the latest models
http://www.soundonsound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=54888&sid=c2a9f57e0cc56208c86636aba0fc2e49


http://www.pro-tools-expert.com/home-page/2016/11/7/the-reaction-to-the-new-macbook-pro-you-may-need-to-move-to-stage-5

QuoteIt's Time To Move To The 5th Stage - Acceptance
Team member Alan Sallabank summed it up so eloquently "What is a "pro" product anyway? Surely any product is only as "pro" as its user?" As a creative I've been using the Mac Pro 'Trashcan' and a MacBook Pro for the last few years to create music and video successfully and with few issues, in fact the biggest issue has been some of the OS releases over the last few years not the hardware. But both of my so called by some 'non pro' Apple computers are helping me run a successful business and making me money. To suggest that Apple's current crop of computers are useless for professionals is untrue - They may not work for every creative professional, they may not suit you, but that's not the same thing.

Like everyone else I would love an Apple computer built to my creative sector specifications. I like you have a lot of gear that I need to attach to my computer in the studio. I'm doing it but with some changes to my workflow. The reality is I don't think that a machine made to cater for our sector exclusively (the MacBook Niche) is coming anytime soon, I'd almost go as far to say never, I would be foolish to say never, especially in print! Would I put money on Apple making that computer? No.

So if you are holding out for that computer then I suggest you have two choices; work with the computers Apple already make or look elsewhere.

I suggest the sooner we accept this the better.

whippinpost91850


Elantric

QuoteCan you have 2 programs open side by side on a MacBook Pro

yes - any many more - depending on your screen resolution

whippinpost91850

Cool. I was gonna get another I pad Pro , But I think I'm gonna get a gently used MacBook Pro instead.

I need to have Presonus Capture open and Setlist Maker or Presonus UserControl open at the same time. Just found out that doesn't work on iPad