Oh, you're using a 192kHz/24bit CD-player on a 192kHz/24bit HiFi system, yet???
I don't need more than 44.1kHz/16bit because that's HiFi standard. As long as this is standard for CDs this will be sufficient. Any higher rates uses too much disc space only.

Oh, and by the way, I know softsynths in the meantime. A friend of mine uses Cubase (and others) with many plug-ins but he's also not really happy with it. He says: "It's not comparable with a real synth played in life situations!"
What should I say? I couldn't agree more...

I don't confuse anybody here - I only make some facts clear. The hardware architecture of modern computers are not fitted for making music. You have to power them up by extra hardware elements like midi cards, audio cards or USB-to-midi converters. And those extra elements require extra software drivers for the OS communication. That's the way it goes if the hardware wasn't made for music. You'll have to bow it...

Siriously, if you want to have a good synth (not a baby toy keyboard) you'll have to pay $3,000 and more. That's also the price for a PC with the required power, a good qualified audio system and a high quality midi system with no latency. It's a little bit more expensive if you plan to by a Mac instead of a PC. Okay, you can lower the system's price if you're familiar with Linux.
The difference is: The computer is good for studio surrounding only but the synth is extra made for studio AND life situations. Okay, you may say that there are laptops which were made for outdoor usage but though don't trust a laptop system for any main controlling in life situations.
I know there are some users here in this forum and anywhere else in the world who didn't make any bad experiences with their laptop but I personally made three times the experience that a band couldn't start to play because of a computer crash - they used a Windows laptop!!! I never saw any other band playing with a computer!!! The other band's gigs were good - only minor failures which means "standard" to me!

@evan: I'm not really sure what you want to try. Do you want to play life on one computer instead of on six synths?

I'm using a Kurzweil K2000RS - a hardware synthesizer with a sampler on board. But I'm using it in my studio where I'm also using an Atari Falcon HD recording system and a Windows PC as a digital tape recorder (my 2nd stereo sampler). So, I can sample sounds and re-sample it with tons of effects by using only one effect device...

In life situations I'm playing my Gibson only. I let the keyboardist play the keys...

Oh, and there's one further point before I forget it: If you create a good sound in your studio, for example a good grand piano, when you hear it through your studio speakers then it's possible that the same piano will sound terrible through the PA's speakers or monitors.

We often changed our instruments from gig to gig and so we played this or that piano sound. I didn't realize any different envelopes because I tried to hear my guitar all the time through the monitor...
And the audiences didn't realize any differences because they heard our songs the first time...*LOL*...that's really a big advantage...
Regards, Danny

[This message has been edited by Sheriff (edited 09-26-2005).]