Using Alienware to produce music

[PsiPr0]

After doing research online and reading up on why the pros use Apple only to make music these days, I wonder why no one uses Alienware. Specifically Alienware. Not some generic HP/Dell computer.

I think the most reasonable response I got was either:

"Programmers make audio tools for Apple because they make more money."

or:

"Windows hardware always has issues with the sound card inputting static or other noises into the song while recording"

Seriously? You can't just upgrade the soundcard with a PCIe or physical in laptop soundcard replacement?

I am kinda frustrated about this because my favorite genre of music has a bland white/silver laptop that sits on their decks for friggin music producing or live music.

Mods, please let me know if I need to move this thread somewhere else because I could not find an "Alienware OffTopic" subforum and I don't want to put it in NBR's "All Notebooks OffTopic" ocean of a subforum.

[Mr. Fox]

I think your thread is OK here. There's not another one like it specific to Alienware that I am aware of. If Apple trolls show up and start posting comments in our forum that are anti-Alienware or anti-PC, this thread will be closed and those posts will be deleted.

At the moment, the M18x with GTX 580M SLI is unsuitable for this purpose because of the significant DPC latency issue. NVIDIA needs to step up to the plate and take care of that. It's not ethical for them to sell killer hardware and then shirk their responsibility to provide quality drivers. Once that's fixed, I see no reason it wouldn't excel with the right software.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alie...-problems.html

"Programmers make audio tools for Apple because they make more money."

The reality of the situation is that really good video and audio editing software exists for Macintosh systems because the developers (understandably) cater to the crowd that rakes in the most cash for them. They are in business to make money, so that's completely understandable. I would do the same thing, even if I did not like the platform the product is designed the be used with.

"Windows hardware always has issues with the sound card inputting static or other noises into the song while recording"

I think this comment is inaccurate, although it's a matter of semantics. I think it is more a matter of crappy drivers and lack of regard for the end user rather than the hardware itself. Hardware that cannot perform properly due to sloppy driver production ends up being unsuitable hardware in practical application. I am as far from being an Apple fan as anyone could ever be, but PC lovers like myself often fall victim to technology companies that are mediocre at what they do.

[Tsunade_Hime]

IMO the price you pay for a fully loaded Alienware, you can get a business class machine like the Precision M6600 or M4600 or Elitebook which would be better suited IMO for music production. Also Alienware fans are quite loud, that would be a bummer for music production (my M17xR2 fans sound like jet engines).

[PsiPr0]

Alienware has the horsepower, it has the lights (not trying to stereotype here), it would look much more at home in a live venue, two or more hard drives, etc. It doesn't have to be fully loaded and I doubt you're going to mind the fans if you can't hear them live anyway.

In the studio, I wouldn't use a laptop necessarily. IMO You should use a desktop if you are in a studio. That, doesn't have to be Alienware, it can be whatever desktop you want. I'm just getting tired of the bland silver and white at every show. It's supposed to be entertaining you know?

Just figured I would ask people here and see what their input was on the subject.

[Tsunade_Hime]

Ha funny you mention that cause my friend DJ's with a fully loaded M17xR2...well good luck with your purchase.

[ThinkPaid]

In my personal expirance serato waveforms lag on windows but not on mac. Several threads on those forums abou it. Since it was developed on macs it just runs better on them. Of course there is traktor... This and iTunes keeps me from getting an m11x immed. iTunes on windows just does not feel the same.

[shriek11]

Isn't there any way to quiet the fan of alienware?

[Mr. Fox]

Yes, you can manually control the fans using HWiNFO64 or SpeedFan, or change the thermal settings with an unlocked system BIOS.

The fans are MUCH louder on my M17xR2 than they are on my M18x. The R2 fans are only obnoxiously loud during POST, then they simmer down and you don't hear them again until you create a load that heats things up. Audio editing and playback probably would not create the kind of load that gaming does and it's the GPU fans on my R2 that blast the loudest, not the CPU fan.

[PsiPr0]

Originally Posted by Mr. Fox

Yes, you can manually control the fans using HWiNFO64 or SpeedFan, or change the thermal settings with an unlocked system BIOS.

The fans are MUCH louder on my M17xR2 than they are on my M18x. The R2 fans are only obnoxiously loud during POST, then they simmer down and you don't hear them again until you create a load that heats things up. Audio editing and playback probably would not create the kind of load that gaming does and it's the GPU fans on my R2 that blast the loudest, not the CPU fan.

Good point. The laptop would be quiet most of the time because the GPU's aren't being pushed. Only if you're surfing the web watching a flash animation/video would you start stressing the GPU enough to trigger the fans.

[skygunner27]

Originally Posted by Mr. Fox

I think your thread is OK here. There's not another one like it specific to Alienware that I am aware of. If Apple trolls show up and start posting comments in our forum that are anti-Alienware or anti-PC, this thread will be closed and those posts will be deleted.

At the moment, the M18x with GTX 580M SLI is unsuitable for this purpose because of the significant DPC latency issue. NVIDIA needs to step up to the plate and take care of that. It's not ethical for them to sell killer hardware and then shirk their responsibility to provide quality drivers. Once that's fixed, I see no reason it wouldn't excel with the right software.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alie...-problems.html

The reality of the situation is that really good video and audio editing software exists for Macintosh systems because the developers (understandably) cater to the crowd that rakes in the most cash for them. They are in business to make money, so that's completely understandable. I would do the same thing, even if I did not like the platform the product is designed the be used with.
I think this comment is inaccurate, although it's a matter of semantics. I think it is more a matter of crappy drivers and lack of regard for the end user rather than the hardware itself. Hardware that cannot perform properly due to sloppy driver production ends up being unsuitable hardware in practical application. I am as far from being an Apple fan as anyone could ever be, but PC lovers like myself often fall victim to technology companies that are mediocre at what they do.

^^Exactly

Originally Posted by Tsunade_Hime

IMO the price you pay for a fully loaded Alienware, you can get a business class machine like the Precision M6600 or M4600 or Elitebook which would be better suited IMO for music production. Also Alienware fans are quite loud, that would be a bummer for music production (my M17xR2 fans sound like jet engines).

The M17x R2's fans are waaay louder than the M18x's. If I were to get an Alienware for audio reproduction/editing, I would suggest configuring with 6990M CF. The M18x with 6990M CF configuration doesn't have a latency problem and would be overkill for anything audio, and would smoke any MBP, Elitebook or Precision. Plus theres also that cool/gaming factor associated with owing an Alienware.