julien breval

I have ordered a Fireface 400 and I am going to buy a new laptop for making

music with it. The Macbook (non-pro) with additional RAM looks interesting

- it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)

- you can use the JACK or Soundflower protocols on OS X, which is impossible

- anyway I will keep my Windows/Linux desktop computer

Do you have any experience of using this computer with a Fireface 400 ? or with

another similar professional interface like the MOTU Ultralite ?

The most important thing that I need is a very low latency (128 samples or

below at 44100 Hz) without any sound drop, while the CPU load remains below

60-70%. Indeed, I will use this computer in live concerts as a polyphonic

(Max/MSP) sampler, controlled by a MIDI keyboard.

To give you an idea, with my current laptop there are audio drops at 256

samples / 44100 Hz (HDSP sound card) if the CPU load goes above 30% or such ...

Other example: in Cubase SE3, if there are 2 stereo tracks in a 88200 Hz

project I have to set the latency to 2048 ... I don't want this anymore !

(Actually, these bad performances are related to an ACPI / IRQ problem)

I have ordered a Fireface 400 and I am going to buy a new laptop for making
music with it. The Macbook (non-pro) with additional RAM looks interesting
for these reasons:
- it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)
- it's cheaper than the Macbook Pro
- you can use the JACK or Soundflower protocols on OS X, which is impossible
on WinXP
- anyway I will keep my Windows/Linux desktop computer

Do you have any experience of using this computer with a Fireface 400 ? or with
another similar professional interface like the MOTU Ultralite ?

The most important thing that I need is a very low latency (128 samples or
below at 44100 Hz) without any sound drop, while the CPU load remains below
60-70%. Indeed, I will use this computer in live concerts as a polyphonic
(Max/MSP) sampler, controlled by a MIDI keyboard.

To give you an idea, with my current laptop there are audio drops at 256
samples / 44100 Hz (HDSP sound card) if the CPU load goes above 30% or such ...
Other example: in Cubase SE3, if there are 2 stereo tracks in a 88200 Hz
project I have to set the latency to 2048 ... I don't want this anymore !
(Actually, these bad performances are related to an ACPI / IRQ problem)

any-macbook-non-pro-user-here

On 6 Nov 2006, at 19:21, julien breval wrote:

> - it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)

Says who? It not only has a fan, it has at least one firmware patch 

nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- 

Says who? It not only has a fan, it has at least one firmware patch  
to deal with the fan being too noisy.

   nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http:// 
www.cassiel.com


So far 4.6.2 is running brilliantly on my black MacBook with and without a Fireface 800. Runs relatively cool and quiet.

same here on my white MacBook 2.0 gHz, 2gb ram, Fireface 400....

She is silent most of the time, but when she gets mad, she can really make a lot of noise !

> On 6 Nov 2006, at 19:21, julien breval wrote:

>> - it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)

> Says who? It not only has a fan, it has at least one firmware patch to 

Not just that, I heard from a user who had to get the motherboard 

exchanged on a brand new MacBook because it was not only noisy but also 

SHUT DOWN after several hours of use. The shop that sold the machine 

said this is a known problem and it's even covered by Apple's garanty.

So if you have one of the noisy one, get it repaired, not just patched!!!!

Nick Rothwell wrote:
>
> On 6 Nov 2006, at 19:21, julien breval wrote:
>
>> - it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)
>
>
> Says who? It not only has a fan, it has at least one firmware patch  to 
> deal with the fan being too noisy.

Not just that, I heard from a user who had to get the motherboard 
exchanged on a brand new MacBook because it was not only noisy but also 
SHUT DOWN after several hours of use. The shop that sold the machine 
said this is a known problem and it's even covered by Apple's garanty.

I read on the Internet that some Mac Book had various problems (shut down,

plastic tape forgotten on the fan, etc) but these devices can be exchanged.

So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the Powerbook G4

> > On 6 Nov 2006, at 19:21, julien breval wrote:

> >> - it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)

> > Says who? It not only has a fan, it has at least one firmware patch to

> Not just that, I heard from a user who had to get the motherboard

> exchanged on a brand new MacBook because it was not only noisy but also

> SHUT DOWN after several hours of use. The shop that sold the machine

> said this is a known problem and it's even covered by Apple's garanty.

> So if you have one of the noisy one, get it repaired, not just patched!!!!

Thanks for your comments
I read on the Internet that some Mac Book had various problems (shut down,
plastic tape forgotten on the fan, etc) but these devices can be exchanged.

So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the Powerbook G4
for example] ?"

> Nick Rothwell wrote:
> >
> > On 6 Nov 2006, at 19:21, julien breval wrote:
> >
> >> - it's a silent computer (I don't want any fan noise when recording)
> >
> >
> > Says who? It not only has a fan, it has at least one firmware patch  to
> > deal with the fan being too noisy.
>
> Not just that, I heard from a user who had to get the motherboard
> exchanged on a brand new MacBook because it was not only noisy but also
> SHUT DOWN after several hours of use. The shop that sold the machine
> said this is a known problem and it's even covered by Apple's garanty.
>
> So if you have one of the noisy one, get it repaired, not just patched!!!!
>
> Olaf
>

Would you record very quiet sounds with it ?

> So far 4.6.2 is running brilliantly on my black MacBook with and without a

> Fireface 800. Runs relatively cool and quiet.

> So far 4.6.2 is running brilliantly on my black MacBook with and without a
> Fireface 800. Runs relatively cool and quiet.


On 07-nov.-06, at 11:24, julien breval wrote:

> So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the 

The PB G4 is silent as long as you don't launch Max/MSP :-) There is 

this extremely annoying buzz coming from deep in the motherboard that 

makes me maaad. As it is cpu related, I guess it doesn't happen on 

intel Macs. (I konw about nap stuff etc. but I prefer to keep my PB as 

On 07-nov.-06, at 11:24, julien breval wrote:
> So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the 
> Powerbook G4
> for example] ?"

The PB G4 is silent as long as you don't launch Max/MSP :-) There is 
this extremely annoying buzz coming from deep in the motherboard that 
makes me maaad. As it is cpu related, I guess it doesn't happen on 
intel Macs. (I konw about nap stuff etc. but I prefer to keep my PB as 
cool as possible).

So if I understand correctly the only silent Mac computers are the Mac Mini and

> On 07-nov.-06, at 11:24, julien breval wrote:

> > So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the

> The PB G4 is silent as long as you don't launch Max/MSP :-) There is

> this extremely annoying buzz coming from deep in the motherboard that

> makes me maaad. As it is cpu related, I guess it doesn't happen on

> intel Macs. (I konw about nap stuff etc. but I prefer to keep my PB as

So if I understand correctly the only silent Mac computers are the Mac Mini and
the iMac ?

>
> On 07-nov.-06, at 11:24, julien breval wrote:
> > So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the
> > Powerbook G4
> > for example] ?"
>
> The PB G4 is silent as long as you don't launch Max/MSP :-) There is
> this extremely annoying buzz coming from deep in the motherboard that
> makes me maaad. As it is cpu related, I guess it doesn't happen on
> intel Macs. (I konw about nap stuff etc. but I prefer to keep my PB as
> cool as possible).
>
> p
>
>

On 7 Nov 2006, at 10:24, julien breval wrote:

Well, my PowerBook G4 is certainly not silent; the fan is running 

most of the time (certainly when doing DSP).

> So the question is rather: "is a NORMAL Mac Book silent [as was the  
> Powerbook G4
> for example] ?"

Well, my PowerBook G4 is certainly not silent; the fan is running  
most of the time (certainly when doing DSP).

> So if I understand correctly the only silent Mac computers are the Mac Mini and

I have a MacMini (G4) that isn't silent at all. But my G3 Pismo is, 

still wondering whether they forgot to plug in the fan because I haven't 

> So if I understand correctly the only silent Mac computers are the Mac Mini and
> the iMac ?

I have a MacMini (G4) that isn't silent at all. But my G3 Pismo is, 
still wondering whether they forgot to plug in the fan because I haven't 
heard it once in the last 8 years.

07/11/06, kl. 12:19 +0100 , skrev Olaf Matthes:

>I have a MacMini (G4) that isn't silent at all. But my G3 Pismo is, 

>still wondering whether they forgot to plug in the fan because I haven't 

hehe - I had a Pismo, and also didn't hear the fan for years. Then i did

a processor upgrade, to a 900 MHz G3 from PowerLogix. That for sure

>I have a MacMini (G4) that isn't silent at all. But my G3 Pismo is, 
>still wondering whether they forgot to plug in the fan because I haven't 
>heard it once in the last 8 years.

hehe - I had a Pismo, and also didn't hear the fan for years. Then i did
a processor upgrade, to a 900 MHz G3 from PowerLogix. That for sure
brought some life to the fan.

yes, i might. it really depends on a lot of other factors. i would bet that there's ambient noise louder than the MacBook's fan, though.

> 07/11/06, kl. 12:19 +0100 , skrev Olaf Matthes:

>> I have a MacMini (G4) that isn't silent at all. But my G3 Pismo is,

>> still wondering whether they forgot to plug in the fan because I haven't

> hehe - I had a Pismo, and also didn't hear the fan for years. Then i did

> a processor upgrade, to a 900 MHz G3 from PowerLogix. That for sure

Similar on my Pismo, except I did a Daystar G4 upgrade. Even then, the fan

would only come on in the middle of things like hour-long video rendering,

Gotta MacBook now. Quiet, not silent, and the fan does go on during even

Hmm. I'm gonna hang on to that 'ol Pismo for a while yet, I think!

> 07/11/06, kl. 12:19 +0100 , skrev Olaf Matthes:
>
>> I have a MacMini (G4) that isn't silent at all. But my G3 Pismo is,
>> still wondering whether they forgot to plug in the fan because I haven't
>> heard it once in the last 8 years.
>
> hehe - I had a Pismo, and also didn't hear the fan for years. Then i did
> a processor upgrade, to a 900 MHz G3 from PowerLogix. That for sure
> brought some life to the fan.

Similar on my Pismo, except I did a Daystar G4 upgrade. Even then, the fan
would only come on in the middle of things like hour-long video rendering,
hardly ever when doing audio.

Gotta MacBook now. Quiet, not silent, and the fan does go on during even
relatively light loads.

-- 
J. Simon van der Walt    -----     Composer

Had the 2 GHz one for about 19 hours... It was crap --spontaneously shutting down or rebooting, even after minimal use. Traded-down for the 1.8. It's been totally solid. It's not silent, but it's not cool either, so I'm kind of glad it's not silent! ;-)

The new firmware, AFAIK, was actually to make the machine louder, so to speak... to get that fan going so it wouldn't keep thinking it was frying itself. The rumor mill is buzzing with the thought of core 2 duo Macbooks. It wouldn't hurt to wait a little. I downloaded the little smcFanControl app you can find kicking around, and I actually turn up the speed a little when it's working hard. I'd like to have the machine last for longer than 9 months!

Any Macbook (non-pro) user here ?