Please help with suggestions for a laptop for music recording

[Yoshiii33524]

Hello,

I have a M1 Mac mini 8gig that I bought. I will use it for music production. I want to buy a laptop for music production too. To take places if I record outside the house, to use when playing out live, etc.

What would be better, M1 or M2 MacBook Air with 8 or 16 gig or ram? M1 MacBook Pro 14in with 16 gig of ram?

Can the M1 or M2 MacBook Air run music recording, music programs for more than 30 mins without throttling?

 

[Boyd01]

Not a laptop, but have you considered getting a field recorder instead? I used my 2013 MacBook Air with Logic to record live performances for awhile, but then got a Zoom F8 field recorder and it is just a much better experience for me. No messing with software and interfaces, just press the record button. And they have an iOS app that gives you a very nice control/mixing surface on an iPad (also works on an iPhone).

This is my setup recording 8 tracks of live audio. The recorder is sitting above a little stereo effects processor that I use for realtime reverb, with a 6th generation iPad in a rugged case running their app. Of course, you can also use the recorder all by itself if you want a smaller, simpler setup.

The F8 has been replaced with the F8n Pro and it seems to have gotten much more expensive unfortunately, however they also have cheaper options that record fewer tracks. You might also find deals on used models, I got my F8 as a demo from Sweetwater at a nice discount.

Anyway, just another option you might not have considered. After a few years with this, I really wouldn't want to go back to live recording on a laptop.

 

[Yoshiii33524]

Not a laptop, but have you considered getting a field recorder instead? I used my 2013 MacBook Air with Logic to record live performances for awhile, but then got a Zoom F8 field recorder and it is just a much better experience for me. No messing with software and interfaces, just press the record button. And they have an iOS app that gives you a very nice control/mixing surface on an iPad (also works on an iPhone).

This is my setup recording 8 tracks of live audio. The recorder is sitting above a little stereo effects processor that I use for realtime reverb, with a 6th generation iPad in a rugged case running their app. Of course, you can also use the recorder all by itself if you want a smaller, simpler setup.

View attachment 2050160

The F8 has been replaced with the F8n Pro and it seems to have gotten much more expensive unfortunately, however they also have cheaper options that record fewer tracks. You might also find deals on used models, I got my F8 as a demo from Sweetwater at a nice discount.

Anyway, just another option you might not have considered. After a few years with this, I really wouldn't want to go back to live recording on a laptop.

Thanks. Looks nice. Want a laptop for live performance also, connect keyboards , etc to use.