Need advice on running DP live with Macbook Pro

[Killahurts]

First, we got a refurbished 17" Macbook Pro quad-core (2011?) recently and put 16 GB RAM in it. I want to very reliably run DP with up to 16 stereo audio tracks, and a V-Rack with probably 5 or 6 virtual instruments (probably Kontakt 5, mostly). Maybe a couple FX plugins, but nothing major as far as plugins.

The hard drive it came with is no doubt a 5400 RPM standard drive, i.e. slow as hell. I don't trust it not to buckle during even that much activity. I'm on a budget, so I can only really consider one of these two options:

1) Replace the 750GB drive with a super fast 480GB SSD internal Drive, or 2) keep the internal and get a 120GB external Thunderbolt SSD, which would host the projects and the VI library sounds. The TB drive solution is far less expensive, but would it be any better, or the same as replacing the internal drive and use just that for everything? I admit, it's nice to think of it all being self contained, in the laptop.. but the show has to be safe from poor drive performance or failure. Can one drive do everything, if it's a 6G SSD?

I would like to run the buffer at 256, although I might be able to get away with 512 if it's necessary for solid performance.

Second, what other steps would you guys take to optimize the performance with DP? With 16 GB RAM, I was thinking of setting up the VIs to load more into RAM, so as not to work the disk so hard. But what else should I consider?

And, before you think I'm way underestimating what the MBP can do, remember that I have very little experience with laptops.. my DP experience is almost exclusively on machines like the ones in my signature.

Thanks friends!

[Tidwells@aol.com]

I'm very happy with my 480 GB 6g SSD from OWC (macsales.com) in my 2012 Macbook Pro for live use. Make sure all your VI libraries will fit on the SSD. I use DP 8.06 in the studio, but for live on stage I still use DP 7.24 because of its ability to output a dv video clip via firewire. Since I'm mixing our live sound "inside the box", I set the hardware buffer at 64 samples (using a Motu 828 MK3) to reduce latency on our live mics, but latency wasn't too bad at 256 samples.

I suspect you will be very pleased with an internal SSD.

Of course, using DP control on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad (Best) makes it super easy to cue up the next song. Also, if you are functioning as the sound man instead of a performer, it's super fun to run the show from your iPad while sitting unnoticed in the middle of the audience!

Doug

[Killahurts]

Thanks Doug!

Sounds like you're really getting good performance from the MBP! I think the internal drive is the best option for our rig. Plus, it makes (my wife's) computer faster for everything else she wants to do with it.

Fortunately, the VI's we'll be playing from the MBP will be keyboard type instruments, which means some degree of latency is acceptable.. for the (electronic) percussion sounds, we might use a real sampler.

I don't know if we could pull off our sound by actually mixing in DP.. I've done it before, but I had a MOTU Hybrid interface, which is a "mixer-in-the-box."

A friend of mine has one of those Behringer X32 mixers but he never touches the board, he does everything from a couple of iPads out in the house.

[Sergievsky]

I put in a 1TB crucial m500 SSD in my 17" 2011 MBpro, & also took out the internal DVD & installed a 480gb SSD (after trying a couple of caddies & ssds only the one from OWC worked in that bay). If you're gonna be doing both audio playback & VI's it's probably a good idea to have it split to two drives. if budget is a concern the 2nd drive doesnt have to be big tho. I keep my DP Project file on that and the VI samples on the other.

And yeah, it's really. awesome that this is all in one laptop. Gotta make sure you do have a backup clone ready to go tho just in case. I had some warnings about corruption from Drive Genius as well as some weird power issues (faulty power supplies..), so I got the latest & best retina 15", and I tell ya its a bit of a pain in the butt having to carry around an external thunderbolt drive with me, with the cable & iLok dongle I still like just having it all inside one laptop (even if it's a heavy sucker).

Anyway, I'd suggest definitely going SSD internal, then experiment to see if it can handle what you need it to before you spring for the second drive (my guess is eventually you will).

[Killahurts]

anyway, I'd suggest definitely going SSD internal, then experiment to see if it can handle what you need it to before you spring for the second drive (my guess is eventually you will).

Exactly! I've got the new internal drive coming tomorrow. After that is set up, I may look at a Thunderbolt SSD for the project/samples. Just didn't have the budget for it all at once.

I don't want to start a new thread, but does anyone know the best way of getting Kontakt (5) libraries to load into RAM and not tax the disk?