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Hi guys!

Just "defected" from PC to Mac. Have been using Sonar 6 (great program) but cannot stand the hardware issues of PC.

Anyway, my copy of DP6 will arrive tomorrow and I have bought myself a new MacBook Pro (with upgraded 7200rpm internal drive) and am thinking of adding an external eSATA drive. I am thinking of getting the Lacie Express34 card with 2 eSATA inputs.

Now here's a few questions I have:

(1) Do I need to go RAID for the external drive?
(2) Should I store all samples/plug-ins and DP audio files into one external drive? I am thinking of just installing DP6 on the internal drive and leave everything else on the external.
(3) I have NI Kontatk 2 and thinking of upgrading to Kontatk 3 but after reading the complaints on the forum, I'm not so sure about that. Has the issue been resolved? What about Guitar Rig 2?
(4) I have EZDrummer and I am thinking of crossgrading to the new Superior Drummer. Is there anyone who's having problem with SD 2.0?
(5) Electric Keys any good?

Ok, I know there's more than a "few" questions but I really appreciate any help i can get.

Thank you!

Superior Drummer 2.0 working great on my MacBookPro 2.4 (Santa Rosa) 4 GB RAM, 320 GB 5400 RPM Drive, Tiger 10.4.11. DP 6.01
I think you'll love it.

I'm not sure about answers to your other questions - I will be looking for answers about where to put the samples - same drive as audio, or different one... too .
If you're getting 2 SATA's for the Express Card, maybe one drive for audio and one for samples, and keep the internal drive free of them, just System and app files.
You'd lose the RAID that way, but judging by what some others here say, you probably don't need a RAID for a high track-count.
Depending how many and what type of VI's you use, the sample streaming might need it more.

felicidade1 wrote:(1) Do I need to go RAID for the external drive?

No. I'm not sure whether the MacBook Pro even has Firewire 800 built-in. If so, then it might be possible to do a RAID with something like a Western Digital "My Book Pro" drive. If so, then you still need to determine whether the Firewire bus can handle that kind of speed, and whether the system bus can take advantage of it. There should be articles around on the internet. If so, if it can be done and if it gives you an advantage, then there's never anything WRONG with more speed. That would facilitate the use of more VI's at the same time, and/or more audio tracks, etc. But for general usage, a single firewire 400 hard drive (7200 rpm plus at least 8MB cache) should be capable of a lot.

felicidade1 wrote:(2) Should I store all samples/plug-ins and DP audio files into one external drive? I am thinking of just installing DP6 on the internal drive and leave everything else on the external.

While that's probably how I'd do it, MOTU's own Magic Dave runs VI's and tons of tracks all on the MacBook Pro's internal hard drive. Maybe it's just superstition, but I don't like the idea of my main drive, the one that runs OS X and all my critical apps and files, to be accessing VI's and audio tracks a zillion times a minute. I prefer to put those on other hard drives. You'll get functionality either way. It's your call as to whether it's better to use the external.

felicidade1 wrote: (3) I have NI Kontatk 2 and thinking of upgrading to Kontatk 3 but after reading the complaints on the forum, I'm not so sure about that. Has the issue been resolved? What about Guitar Rig 2?

I don't know about Guitar Rig, but I can say that Kontakt 2 PLAYER definitely runs well in Leopard on an Intel machine. Someone else will have to speak for Kontakt 3.

felicidade1 wrote: (4) I have EZDrummer and I am thinking of crossgrading to the new Superior Drummer. Is there anyone who's having problem with SD 2.0?

--Not my area of expertise --

felicidade1 wrote: (5) Electric Keys any good?

I don't have it, but the reports have been very good. Not perfect, but no VI ever is. The range of instruments covered is certainly broad, and I have to admit to having wanted several of those things at different times. EK would have it all.

felicidade1 wrote:
Ok, I know there's more than a "few" questions but I really appreciate any help i can get.

Thank you!

You're welcome. Maybe others will have better advice.

Shooshie

Thank you so much!

I will be going to the store to collect my DP6 in about 3 hours and I will pick up Superior Drummer 2.0 at the same time Really excited, man.

I will try putting VIs/Plug-inS/DP Audio files/samples all into one external drive and just install DP6 on the internal drive. This should work well. Thanks for your advice!