ooh, I came second in this one...
They have a list of Circuit City stores that are being liquidated in the CNN article.

Fran, I can't see you doing much better than that on a top quality Laptop. I was hoping for at least a Dual Core processor and 2 gig of ram to run Windows Vista. That's about how much I'm willing to spend on one myself, although being just before Christmas, I may have to give it away as a gift. Darn!

http://tinyurl.com/6g52rr


From $399.00

For $50 more..you get a 160g hard drive instead of an 80g...and 1 gig ram ..instead of 512..

$450 Circuitcity.. better deal..

Exactly Fran thats why I posted it.

My Acer Aspire One is better than your Lenovo IdeaPad.

chas

We'll A/B them....bring it to the Jam Chas

Compare the specs. And Acer comes with Windows XP!!
Even has built-in web camera.
DonM

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Lenovo-Id...il.do#prodspecs

If you are recording a Stereo track from the arranger to the PC and recording a few vocal tracks ANY computer you buy today will be more than enough, especially if you load XP or use the minimal Vista. However I only use the battery as a backup and save option, if I should use electrical power and rarely run a notebook off battery alone.

Pcs have come a long way and especially the Audio realm if you dont use 24 tracks and 12 plug in synths, a ton of EFX you really can get along with anything out there,

I did a ton of tracks on PIIIs with EFX. I am still using a P4 with 2GB in my studio woth no ill effect and my wife is using a $500 AMD Dell for basic tracking with vocals.

I have also a Dell 1705 and recently loaded Sonar 8 and FOUR software synths All of them Dimension Pro with 4 elements in each sample

And play the recording back using MME!!!!!

Its all about video needing all the power now and thats for quicker rendering.

Get yourself a GOOD USB interface. Most of them today are great and comparable to the $500 ones 10 years ago.

WE use the M Audio Fast Track on the notebooks. I use the Prosonus Firebox on the Desktop. The pre amps on the fire box are better but only a real Golden ear could tell the difference at the end of the day. MOst of your end users don;t fall in that category listening to your music on Ipods with $100 earbuds. Just record and have fun!!!


BTW In a Show I was in when I lived in Vegas the Keyboard player used a PC software synth for the Hammond Organ via midi. A LOT lighter then the real thing or even another keyboard. PCs are the great equalizer in CD recording and live playing nowadays.

SOft synths are getting so good, when an SERIOUS arranger comes out in software form with A ton of styles I won't need the Tyros.

Band in the Box doesn;t cut it.

[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 11-12-2008).]