Now who has a brand new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo?

Question

Hi,
Keep checking each week or so for experiences with the new MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo.
Please let me know how things are working, whether you went 5400 or 7200 internal, pros and cons, size of screen (15" or 17"), etc...
Got my eyes on a 17", but don't know which internal to do.
Thanks!

Answer 1

david, to be perfectly honest I think the primary advantage of the trio is its convenience. no fuss, well thought out monitoring. a dumbed down (in terms of controls) compression and EQ section on the mono mic preamp strip. easy to use talkback, monitor switching and 2 separate headphone amps.
the compressor and EQ do sound nice, the circuitry is lifted from their high end gear, but it's more intended just for getting a decent sound easily and quickly, I'm sure some corners were cut. the EQ bands are preset, the compression control is one knob (plus gain as another way to drive it), but it's a variable mu compressor design so it's normal that there's no threshold and attack/release settings. for what it is, it sounds nice, and I have on occasion chosen to use it over the avalon 737sp because it had the sound I wanted. it sounds good, but as a vocal producer I'm sure you know that for precision work, if its compressor and EQ don't let you tune in to just the right sweet spots in your source due to only having a single preset variable mu threshold/attack/release curve and preset HF and LF EQ, then it won't cut it on that day. you'll need more precise control.
that said, you can bypass its comp/eq by inserting another one, so if you have your fancy rack of golden preamps and channel strips you use for single mic recording, you can stick that in the chain and just benefit from the trio's nicely implemented ease-of-use and record away using all the glorious sounding input and control you get on the channel strip of your choice.
I've found the sound of its converters pretty good too. I haven't A/B'd it with a rosetta or with a digi 192 but I doubt it is in either of those leagues. still, it's clean. stereo field is good.
what would you be looking at it for exactly? if it's for your idea sketchpad setup I'd say check one out, no hesitation. for that kind of use it could hardly be better. and as I mentioned above, you can effectively swap out its channel strip for the best one you have, so it can also be used for tracking of material that you will still be pleased with taking through to mix stage, for those days you aren't tracking in a 2000 dollar a day studio. even the internal comp/EQ is good enough for this if its tuning happens to gel with your source.
one thing I have noticed though is that it's not the quietest pre in terms of hiss. not talking anything as horrible as say the cavernous white background noise of the worst mixer ever made, the yamaha pro 1? I have banished the name from memory.... it's just a subtle thing, comes up more obviously when you wind in HF EQ, obviously.. not even a real issue for rock/pop/dance vocals, maybe more so for recording your favourite baritone at carnegie hall, but you wouldn't really be bringing a small all in one tracking/monitoring box to a session like that anyway, it wouldn't pass dress code. and again, the channel strip is bypassable for a better one anyway, so bye bye to its sound, hello to the sound of your choice.
as for build quality etc, well I think it feels a bit more solid than it looks in photos. although once or twice I had to switch it off and back on again cos the sound died, on a very hot day in a very not airconditioned room.
anyway there you go. if you want better advice, tell me what you actually would want to use it for and I'll tell you what I think. an RME may be a better idea depending on what you need.
btw had a look at your site. looks like you've done your share of nice work. I'd love to play you some of my vocal production work some time (part of me wants to be a vocal producer when I grow up). are you based in LA? I'll likely be there at some point in the new year on a project, always a pleasure to meet fellow music heads.
take care,
antonio