Imac/iBook: Why the Difference?

[512ke]

Hi. The live music tracks I've recorded with Garageband on my iMac G4 17" 1.25 sound much better than the tracks I've recorded on my iBook G4 1.2. Same instrument. Same kinda tunes. Same distance from the built-in mic. But the live recording quality coming from the iMac is much better. Does anyone have any idea why? Hard drive speed difference? Difference in built-in mic? It seems to be they should be exactly the same...

Here is the kind of stuff I record just for reference in case anyone is interested:
http://www.macidol.com/jamroom/bands/405/music.php

If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear 'em. Often I'm not around my iMac so I'd like to record on the iBook... Thanks!

 

[BeoVir]

have u tried testing this out at all? I mean playing a cd or something and then listening to it from both recordings. Also *obviously* you have the same quality settings on each computer right? Same sample rate etc.

 

[512ke]

Well that's a great question. I'm using the exact default settings for GB on both computers. GB doesn't let the user alter the sample rate for recording live instruments. Maybe GB scales down the sample rate automatically depending on the speed of the hard drive? I'm really not sure (obviously). Thank you for your input!

 

[PlaceofDis]

i dont know too much about this stuff, but i would say that it is either different built in microphones, OR it could sound different depending on the speakers you are using to play it back on......