Need Hardware Recommendation!

[szeno]

Hey guys!

Christmas is coming, so I think i'm gonna shelve out cash to buy something for myself!

I'm quite new in DJing/producing and I own these:
-Ableton Live 8
-Nocturn 25 Keyboard
-Behringer BCD3000 (Simple DJ Controller)
-N.I's Maschine
-Komplete 7
-A 2gig RAM laptop with the intel i3 processor
-I don't have a dedicated soundcard like NI's Audio Kontrol. Is it really necessary?

I feel like getting a macbook pro but again, I'd prefer experienced DJs/producers giving their two cents

I'm more into hip hop and electro FYI, I realized that Reason is geared more for my genre but I couldn't be bothered to learn up another DAW now. Help me out here!

Any suggestions for one or two new pieces of hardware? Software is okay too..


Signed,
Szeno / K-Wo
"Carpe diem & memento mori"

[grooverb]

You need an audio interface so you can have your music going out of your pc to the main mixer, and a separate output for your headphones, so yeah it is pretty essential and most laptop soundcards don't provide good enough playback quality, but a proper interface will. Have a look on West End DJ or Digital Village. Will give you some ideas of what's out there.

Far as I know Mac book pro is what lots of people swear by for playing out live, but don't forget you'll need to add the price of the OS and other bits on top of the price of the mac. I did read a whole article about what's better Mac or Laptop. The guy said the gap is getting smaller and you can upgrade laptop hardware, but not mac, but at the end of the day, if you can afford it, get a mac.

Other thing you need to think about is screen size, 15 or 17" is probably better but your chioce at end of day

[LeifonMars]

don't forget you'll need to add the price of the OS and other bits on top of the price of the mac.

You mean in case you want to bootcamp it?

[grooverb]

Hmmmm. Does this mean theat I've been lied to about buying a Mac? I was told if you buy a mac, the £1700, or whatever, for the macbook pro only pays for the macbook, not the OS etc. That was a guy at the Mac store told me that

[Nick Shepherd]

more likely that you didnt understand the guy correctly... all macs come with a pre-installed OsX and you get the CD with the operating system aswell...

[grooverb]

no he definitely said 'you need to buy the OS', but never mind. Every day is a learning day

[ark]

General rule of thumb about buying a new computer: Postpone it as long as possible.

Because as you wait, the amount of computer power you get for your money keeps going up, or the price you pay for what you want keeps going down.

So if you can do what with what you have, keep it.

[grooverb]

General rule of thumb about buying a new computer: Postpone it as long as possible.

Because as you wait, the amount of computer power you get for your money keeps going up, or the price you pay for what you want keeps going down.

So if you can do what with what you have, keep it.

This is a very good point, and you have an i3 laptop? What monitors do you have? Have you thought upgrading them?

[szeno]

i'm currently looking into an audio card. i think i'll just get a superior one and use it my whole life

i'm thinking of traktor control s4 too... but maybe it's a good idea to postpone it since NI's crazy with their discounts!

[wehkah]

I can recommend HP Notebooks with Intel I7 processors, quite worth the money. WIN7 64bit / Live8 / NI Komplete works very good.

pricing around 900€


have a nice christmas

T

[ze2be]

First and formost: iPad.
Second: NI Soundcard
Third: if you do hip hop you might really like NI Maschine

Why iPad? Check all the Ableton touch control interfaces for one. "Multitouch is the next step from mouse and keyboard." -from the Liine guys.
Other then that: shit loads of free or very cheep audio tools. (apps)

And if you haven't got monitors, that's absolutely first!
Cheep: krks. Expensive: Dynaudio, Adam, or Genelec.

[rhythm_kitchen]

NI has a bundle half-price audio interface DJ-8 and Tractor Pro Scratch {timecode] software comes with Kore 2 Player & Library. $335 USD while supplies last. Order online... or expect to spend three days on the phone. Those guys are busier than a one armed paper hanger. Four stereo tracks, BPM inspector detectve whatever.
OR --- You have an exernal firewire drive right? Oxford chipset 1394b (do not buy an Iomega). OWC sells empty enclosures- Newegg $59 sale 500 gig SATA WD-7,200 RPM 32mBs cache free shipping. This is a fast drive. USB-2 on those chipsets as well. You can install NTSF 3-g on your mac and format the drive to NTSF and use it for both mac and windblows if need be.

Id second the krk rockets only if u dont have sony 7506 cans.

[grooverb]

my recommendation for monitors is Yamaha HS80m. Go and listen to your fave tunes on lots of different monitors though and make your own mind up.