Hello, this is pretty long, but hopefully it will help someone doing research in the future. I searched the forums and haven't seen a review specific to Logic Pro, so I thought I would contribute this mini review.
I bought the Macbook Air for one reason. Portable audio studio for mixing and recording vocals. I record all my live and software instruments in Garageband and then finalize my recordings and production in Logic 8 Pro. In the past I have done all of my audio performing and recording using an iMac desktop - but I wanted the Air for 3 reasons :
1. When I am at my day job I will be able to break it out at lunch to continue mastering/tweaking my music.
2. I can't always get a vocalist to my place - so along with an iMic I can now take the studio to the vocalist.
3. Light weight. Going to work or a vocalist's house - can mean rollerblading or even walking for me, so the less weight I carry the better.
After reading this you might just say "Why not just get a MB or a MBP?". Because I wanted a MBA. This is the answer. Sure I maybe paid 'more for less' as people say - but I love my MBA.
What follows is my experience with the new 1.86ghz, 128gb SSD model of the Macbook Air (MBA) and the MBA Superdrive.
Once arrived - after a fresh install of OSX - my first task was to install Logic 8 pro. Now, if you have ever installed the full suite - you know it is 8 dvd's. on my desktop iMac it took about 3 full hours to install all the dvd's. For that reason - I purchased a MBA Superdrive. There is no way I want to install 8 DVD's (about 60gb worth of files) over my wireless G or N network.
So once the install was started - the installer was saying it wanted about 17 hours to install the program. Hmmmm.... After an hour (still on disc 1) - it stops and says it is unable to read disc 1. Well, these are original discs - and they have installed before on my iMac.
I setup the remote disc from my iMac and re-started the install. No disc errors when reading Disc 1 from the iMac - and when i transfer from iMac to Air at wireless N speed the install time said 3 and a half hours. Much Better. This was the ONLY reason I bought the Superdrive - for this one big install. It will be returned promptly. Seems like the Superdrive is a slow piece of .... or mine is just all around defective.
*Since writing this I have used the Superdrive to install a few other pieces of software like Adobe CS3 from DVD and while it is very, very slow I have not had any more read errors.
I read alot of posts in forums asking if the MBA will run various programs well. I mean, maybe you do some web surfing, maybe a little iPhoto, maybe a bit of Photoshop etc and you are worried the MBA will not perform? Trust me - it will work great. I have Photoshop CS3 installed also and it works quickly. Nothing too fancy - but I tested some of my RAW images - using about 4 layers in the image, effects like blur etc on 2 of them, a mask here and there and no issues. But Photoshop is a 'click and wait' type of program. Even with a slow computer you can get your work done - just more slowly.
A program like Logic is a real time program. When I have a song running that has - let's say 10 tracks running concurrent - 2 or 3 guitars I have laid down, some live bass, a few software drum tracks, some vocals and then on top of that I have automation on many tracks, and real time effects applied to most individual tracks and the final output signal - AND I am now trying to lay down some solos: That is real time. If the computer can't keep up with the work load, I am hooped; none of this sitting and waiting for a minute (like Photoshop etc). I need it all working together, now.
After Logic intalled - I loaded it up - and loaded a session that I want to lay down some vocals. I started playing the track - not doing vocals yet... just playing the song - and after 1 minute I got an error :
SYSTEM OVERLOAD - Logic is unable to play all data that is required for playback.
I had not restarted my MBA since installing Logic so I did. I then started Logic again, and have had no problems since. Activity monitor shows that Logic is using about 90% cpu when it is playing back one of the tracks. This is compared to my iMac (2.0ghz and 3gb RAM) which uses about 65%. As long as it runs I am happy.
The MBA is not a typical recording studio machine - but after reading the specs I was convinced it would be fine. I skipped the first generation MBA based on mostly threads on this site with regards to the core shutdowns. Plus, I wasn't too sure about the PATA interface - I decided to wait.
If you want to know if a MBA will run Photoshop etc - the answer is yes. Almost any computer will run photoshop. You might have to wait an extra 30 seconds for your effects to apply etc, but all current computers will run Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture etc. Those are not real-time programs. You tell it what to do and it will do it. Sometime. In the future.
In case anyone is wondering - it also handles Garageband without problem. My tracks have about 10 components in each : 4 or 5 software instruments along with about 5 real instrument tracks.
I recorded a video of my MBA beside my 2.0ghz iMac - and I have both machines powered down. I then press the power button on both at the same time. It takes 10 seconds for the Air and iMac to do its POST routine. It then took 17 seconds for the Air to load OSX and have my icons on the desktop. It took my iMac 28 seconds. Granted, the iMac is near a year old and has a bit more software, and has a bigger User folder.
MBA DETAILS?
I do not have the horizontal line issue mentioned in some other threads in various forums.
My MBA was produced in week 44 of 2008.
I do not have any trackpad/button issues.
My battery takes 8 and 1/2 hours to fully charge.
MBA arrived with a 'nick' in the aluminum on the lcd edge - like it bumped a machine at some point during its creation.
The fan on mine is almost whisper quiet even when it stats to really come on. The CPU seems to run idle at about 40C/104F. When using Logic it goes to 70C/158F. (per iStat Pro)
So, the MBA won't be the choice of many musicians: The lack of being able to burn your audio cd's (to an integrated drive), missing an audio input jack, lack of multiple USB ports, lack of Firewire. These are all things that are almost needed for musicians and their laptops.
However if you like to buy the newest of new, and only have limited needs like me - then the MBA is a great machine. It feels very solid. I ordered a Matias Aluminum armor briefcase for when I take it on longer road trips - but otherwise I just use a Tucano second skin slipcase and just put it in my back pack.
I've only had it for less than a week now - but its light weight, solid feel and zippy performance is exactly what I had hoped for.
I bought the Macbook Air for one reason. Portable audio studio for mixing and recording vocals. I record all my live and software instruments in Garageband and then finalize my recordings and production in Logic 8 Pro. In the past I have done all of my audio performing and recording using an iMac desktop - but I wanted the Air for 3 reasons :
1. When I am at my day job I will be able to break it out at lunch to continue mastering/tweaking my music.
2. I can't always get a vocalist to my place - so along with an iMic I can now take the studio to the vocalist.
3. Light weight. Going to work or a vocalist's house - can mean rollerblading or even walking for me, so the less weight I carry the better.
After reading this you might just say "Why not just get a MB or a MBP?". Because I wanted a MBA. This is the answer. Sure I maybe paid 'more for less' as people say - but I love my MBA.
What follows is my experience with the new 1.86ghz, 128gb SSD model of the Macbook Air (MBA) and the MBA Superdrive.
Once arrived - after a fresh install of OSX - my first task was to install Logic 8 pro. Now, if you have ever installed the full suite - you know it is 8 dvd's. on my desktop iMac it took about 3 full hours to install all the dvd's. For that reason - I purchased a MBA Superdrive. There is no way I want to install 8 DVD's (about 60gb worth of files) over my wireless G or N network.
So once the install was started - the installer was saying it wanted about 17 hours to install the program. Hmmmm.... After an hour (still on disc 1) - it stops and says it is unable to read disc 1. Well, these are original discs - and they have installed before on my iMac.
I setup the remote disc from my iMac and re-started the install. No disc errors when reading Disc 1 from the iMac - and when i transfer from iMac to Air at wireless N speed the install time said 3 and a half hours. Much Better. This was the ONLY reason I bought the Superdrive - for this one big install. It will be returned promptly. Seems like the Superdrive is a slow piece of .... or mine is just all around defective.
*Since writing this I have used the Superdrive to install a few other pieces of software like Adobe CS3 from DVD and while it is very, very slow I have not had any more read errors.
I read alot of posts in forums asking if the MBA will run various programs well. I mean, maybe you do some web surfing, maybe a little iPhoto, maybe a bit of Photoshop etc and you are worried the MBA will not perform? Trust me - it will work great. I have Photoshop CS3 installed also and it works quickly. Nothing too fancy - but I tested some of my RAW images - using about 4 layers in the image, effects like blur etc on 2 of them, a mask here and there and no issues. But Photoshop is a 'click and wait' type of program. Even with a slow computer you can get your work done - just more slowly.
A program like Logic is a real time program. When I have a song running that has - let's say 10 tracks running concurrent - 2 or 3 guitars I have laid down, some live bass, a few software drum tracks, some vocals and then on top of that I have automation on many tracks, and real time effects applied to most individual tracks and the final output signal - AND I am now trying to lay down some solos: That is real time. If the computer can't keep up with the work load, I am hooped; none of this sitting and waiting for a minute (like Photoshop etc). I need it all working together, now.
After Logic intalled - I loaded it up - and loaded a session that I want to lay down some vocals. I started playing the track - not doing vocals yet... just playing the song - and after 1 minute I got an error :
SYSTEM OVERLOAD - Logic is unable to play all data that is required for playback.
I had not restarted my MBA since installing Logic so I did. I then started Logic again, and have had no problems since. Activity monitor shows that Logic is using about 90% cpu when it is playing back one of the tracks. This is compared to my iMac (2.0ghz and 3gb RAM) which uses about 65%. As long as it runs I am happy.
The MBA is not a typical recording studio machine - but after reading the specs I was convinced it would be fine. I skipped the first generation MBA based on mostly threads on this site with regards to the core shutdowns. Plus, I wasn't too sure about the PATA interface - I decided to wait.
If you want to know if a MBA will run Photoshop etc - the answer is yes. Almost any computer will run photoshop. You might have to wait an extra 30 seconds for your effects to apply etc, but all current computers will run Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture etc. Those are not real-time programs. You tell it what to do and it will do it. Sometime. In the future.
In case anyone is wondering - it also handles Garageband without problem. My tracks have about 10 components in each : 4 or 5 software instruments along with about 5 real instrument tracks.
I recorded a video of my MBA beside my 2.0ghz iMac - and I have both machines powered down. I then press the power button on both at the same time. It takes 10 seconds for the Air and iMac to do its POST routine. It then took 17 seconds for the Air to load OSX and have my icons on the desktop. It took my iMac 28 seconds. Granted, the iMac is near a year old and has a bit more software, and has a bigger User folder.
MBA DETAILS?
I do not have the horizontal line issue mentioned in some other threads in various forums.
My MBA was produced in week 44 of 2008.
I do not have any trackpad/button issues.
My battery takes 8 and 1/2 hours to fully charge.
MBA arrived with a 'nick' in the aluminum on the lcd edge - like it bumped a machine at some point during its creation.
The fan on mine is almost whisper quiet even when it stats to really come on. The CPU seems to run idle at about 40C/104F. When using Logic it goes to 70C/158F. (per iStat Pro)
So, the MBA won't be the choice of many musicians: The lack of being able to burn your audio cd's (to an integrated drive), missing an audio input jack, lack of multiple USB ports, lack of Firewire. These are all things that are almost needed for musicians and their laptops.
However if you like to buy the newest of new, and only have limited needs like me - then the MBA is a great machine. It feels very solid. I ordered a Matias Aluminum armor briefcase for when I take it on longer road trips - but otherwise I just use a Tucano second skin slipcase and just put it in my back pack.
I've only had it for less than a week now - but its light weight, solid feel and zippy performance is exactly what I had hoped for.
