Home Studio Choices(Not mindless noob questions)

[trendflows]

Hello and thank you very much for taking the time to read my thread.
I really appreciate it, i think that help has become secondhand on forums and online and people have lost appreciation for those who take the time out to truthfully say thank you, (thats another story though, On to the questions!)

I will be purchasing a laptop soon(i know new laptops are going to surface soon, too good of a deal to let go since i currently do not own a mp3 player).
Is it that big of a difference between the pro and macbook, the fire wire ports are the only thing that scares me. Should i really think about pitching in the extra 500 bucks for those ports, the graphics card and screen dont effect me.
I was going to go with the blackbook btw.
I would like a mobile studio thats why i am not purchasing a desktop mac.

As for audio interface I am scared, i have a recording aquaintaince who bought an mbox 2 and never used it, hes willing to sell it with everything includede for 175 to me. Which is a fantastic price, however on the digidesign
website, my model is not represented
http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?navid=54&langid=61&itemid=24152

So if that doesnt fall through, Im looking to spend around 500 on an audio interface, the apogee duet, firestudio project and the tascam 1641 all catch my eye.

So i mean thats the largest question between choosing a laptop and the audio interface, from there I think i can find my way, mic wise im going to stock up on sm57's, have a dynamic mic similar to the SM58 for vocals.
As for a mixer does that plug directly into the audio interface? and if so do most mixers have preamp inside so that i can have more ports then the normal 2 that are offered?

I know thats alot of questioning,
I just need a bit of direction.

I truly do appreciate your time,
i wish i could buy yall a drank(t-pain.. bad joke).

I'm new here but always chheck out the forums, im usuall very pleased with my results.
Nice to meet you all,
best regards,
Stamos

 

[nixoblivion]

ok so first of all, if your going to get a mac laptop soon then you should have no problem with the mbox2. you might want to stock up on the ram, but otherwise it should be fine (might also have to update the PT LE).
not too sure about the difference between the pro and normal, but what i know is 1 firewire port should be fine! i have the normal macbook and the screen is tiny, so if thats not a problem then good.

about the mixer, your ghoing to have a little problem if you want to record more than 2 signals. the mbox has 2 mic inputs. if you connect your mixer to the mbox, your going to have to go into those 2 mic inputs which again limits you to 2 inputs, even if your mixer has 16 preamp channels. all your channels will be mixed and routed to the main and recorded on ur laptop as 2 signals (L/R)
if you want more simulataneous tracks, you will need an interface with more inputs...

 

[fridmanator]

you are so right about the thank you stuff in the beginning...

so... I work with Cubase 4
which is GREAT!
than the whole protool thing is not a problem
I would recommend the macbook with the tascam 1641 (I bought it in 300 dollars +-)

BUT!!!!!
the tascam 1641 have bad communication with the macbook
Im trying to solve it now but I steel haven't worked it through.
I also got tascam us122 who work flulessly with the mac (only two channal's and midi)
tascam have great sound!!!
and they not expensive