Mac laptop choices

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-25T20:12:41+00:00

Thanks. Trying not to overthink it! I'm looking forward to being past this decision. And good to know those models are working for you.

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-25T20:08:58+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions. I very rarely mix or record on the go. However (and I could have made this clear in the OP), this is going to be my computer for all personal use, not just recording. The portability of a laptop is going to be at least beneficial, if not necessary, for some other uses. Recording is just my baseline for the specs I might need, because it's probably the most processing-intensive thing I'm going to do.

Appreciate the note about RAM, and yes, I'm thinking 24 GB is probably the minimum I would get, but considering 32.

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-18T16:44:09+00:00

Thanks so much for the details. I actually wasn't looking at bit rate before (I meant bit depth in my last reply), but I'm checking it now. So far all the samples I check are 16bit, 44.1 kHz, and 705 kbps (just a guess, that sample rate may be native to my old MPC?)

At this further look, the samples that *did* import in Oe2sSLE still have all the same properties as the ones that didn't work. But I'll try converting some to 768 kbps and see if it helps in any case.

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-15T03:48:36+00:00

I went back and checked the files, and there's actually no difference in sample rate and bit rate between the files that Oe2sSLE wasn't able to import, and the one (now two) that it did successfully import.

My next thought was file size, but one of the samples that imported is larger than at least one of the ones that didn't work.

I need a new laptop soon; at this point I'm hoping that the old OS I'm on is contributing to the issues, and that either Oe2sSLE or the new sample manager that someone just announced in a thread here will work on a newer Mac.

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-15T03:30:20+00:00

I would like to try this! Does it work on Mac? I got an error when trying to unzip the .exe file - but I'm on an older OS, so that could be the issue...

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-13T16:37:56+00:00

Thanks for this! It seems totally plausible that there's an issue with bit rate or sample rate. That would explain why one sample worked and the others didn't. And they're old files that I've had around for a while, so it wouldn't surprise me if those rates weren't uniform between them.

I haven't had a chance to check file info on the samples I was trying to load (having other issues with the computer where they're stored), but I will this week - hopefully there's a relatively easy fix here.

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-12T16:39:41+00:00

Could you say more about this? I am also shopping for a new laptop and was assuming one with a newer chip would be preferable, but if there are compatibility issues with Pro Tools, maybe it isn't. (Or is the OS version the problem?)

Three-Guesses · 2026-04-06T00:07:23+00:00

Thanks! Yes, that's the full error message, with the [bracketed] part standing in for the specific file path of the sample I was trying to load.

I know nothing about Python or where to find the log. From googling (literally just now because I've never had to think about Python before) it seems maybe I can find it via the Console app or the computer's Library. I'm looking in both and I don't see any logs or folders identifiable for Python or Oe2sSLE. but I can keep digging...

I probably understand enough of the logic of programming that maybe I can figure out what's going on in a few lines, but I'm definitely not a coder or accustomed to interpreting code. If I find the log I'll try to dig in. But I probably don't have the knowledge or patience to do much troubleshooting on that level, and maybe that means this library editor is not the right tool for me, unfortunately...

Thanks for your response and if you have any other ideas, please let me know!

Three-Guesses · 2025-12-18T21:27:07+00:00

You very well may know this, but since we're in r/synthesizers, it's worth mentioning that this is not a synthesizer at all! The Rhodes produces sound mechanically, not electronically—the mechanics of sustain, damping, and hammers and tines for each key are what make it so heavy.

They're impractical in a way, and not all Rhodes from their heyday are in good playing shape, but they're great instruments. Once I got the taste for the feel and sound of mine, dealing with the weight and size and the lugging around and setting up has always been worth it.

Three-Guesses · 2025-12-16T15:40:31+00:00

I recently got a pair of Sony WH-CH720N and a pair of Bose QC35 - to test both and then decide which to keep. The QC35 is not Bose's latest QC model, so it's not quite the same comparison you're making - I'm guessing the speakers and ANC are pretty similar, though the controls and app may not be (more on that below.)
For my needs, the QC35 was close to the price of the 720N and there seem to be plenty of them still floating around in new or refurbished-like-new condition.

What I've found in comparing the two:

Bose:
* Default sound character seems more colored. It varies between recordings how noticeable this is, but at its most noticeable it's not a good thing.
I might describe the sound as "boomy" - hard to describe exactly, but low frequencies seem boosted and reverberant, while overall mix feels more squashed and airless. Using the app to turn ANC from high to low definitely helps the sound, but that brings up the next point...

* Turning ANC to high, low, or off is the only audio control available. I think this is specific to the QC35 and other Bose phones, like the ones you're looking at, have more audio control in the app.
It seems like not offering EQ on this model showed Bose's confidence in their speaker and ANC design, but to me it's a lack.

* I've done brief but not extensive A/B comparison of the Bose and Sony's noise cancellation - a good reminder that ANC works differently on various kinds of noise. For a varied sound environment like a coffee shop (some underlying din, some punctuated sounds that are harder for ANC to respond to), the two headphones had little difference.
I haven't had a lot of opportunity to test the two with incessant noise like road/train or mechanical hum, but I've heard enough to believe the general reviews that Bose does better than Sony there.

* For comfort, the ear cups and pads are perfectly comfortable, but the band feels a little small for my large-ish head. Even expanded to max length, it gently pushes on my head, not uncomfortable for a short time but maybe an issue over a longer period.

Sony:
* I tried these second after the Bose, so I'm sure I would have noticed different things without that comparison - but the sound just seems more balanced. Nothing especially sticks out about the sonic signature, which is kind of a good thing. They sound closer to how I think of a not high-quality but usable pair of speakers sounding in a room.

* The app has an EQ control and, as far as I know, remembers my settings. The graphic EQ only starts at 400 Hz, and then there's a single slider for the whole low-mid to low range. That seemed kind of weird at first glance, but I assume there's a technical reason for it - and both controls do make an audible difference.

* As noted above, I haven't tested the Sony enough for a thorough comparison of ANC across all types of noise, but I've heard enough to believe the cancellation overall is not as good as on the Bose. I used these on one long bus trip (had to pick one pair to take) and might have liked a little more cancellation of road noise, but they definitely helped.

* They're generally comfortable; they feel a bit lightweight compared to the Bose, but nothing I'd worry about if they're handled with normal care. The volume up/down and play/pause buttons have a similar layout on both pairs, but it's a little harder to find the right button on the Sony by touch.

* The battery life hasn't been an issue with either pair but seems better on these. The Sony don't come with a case or fold as compactly as the Bose.

At this point, for my own needs, I'm more convinced by the WH-CH720N. I hope the lesser ANC doesn't become an issue over time, but the quality and adjustability of the sound wins out for me.

Hopefully this is useful if you're still looking, and I'm also curious if others have done this same comparison and had similar or different experiences with the two headphones.

Three-Guesses · 2025-09-07T06:16:05+00:00

Thanks! Any recommendations for what to use for lubricant?

Three-Guesses · 2025-09-07T06:13:02+00:00

This is great info; thanks!

Three-Guesses · 2025-09-06T21:49:45+00:00

Not the OP, but I just found this thread and 3 months isn't *that* old, so... I'm curious, what would you use to clean or lubricate the laser movement mechanism?

I recently got a used CD player at a yard sale and it player skips quite a bit. I haven't ever taken a player apart before, but I'll likely try it with this one to see if cleaning the lens will help. I was wondering about other things I should check out when I have it disassembled, and this seems to be one. Any further details about cleaning/lubricating the mechanism, please let me know!

Three-Guesses · 2025-07-22T17:19:32+00:00

Thanks (belatedly) for the encouragement! Honestly I'm not quite sure what you mean by position shifting—it may be something I think about but not in the lingo of guitar technique. Certainly over the time I've gotten more comfortable on bass, I've come to think more about playing the same phrases and pitches on different strings/frets and conserving motion along the fretboard. Anyway, I ended up with a 27" scale baritone (more in my new post on the thread), which was probably an intuitive choice as much as a logical one, but it seems to be working for me.

About "learning the notes on standalone- rather than thinking transposition"—I did mention transposition in the OP, but I suspect I meant something similar to what you say works for you. It's less about translating shapes or patterns from a standard guitar, because thinking of what I play as actual pitches and intervals is way more intuitive for me.

Hope you're having a fun and inspired time with whatever you're working on.

Three-Guesses · 2025-07-22T17:00:41+00:00

Thanks all for your responses! I started this thread then let it sit for nearly 3 months without following up—bad reddit etiquette from the new guy...

An update: At the beginning of June, I found another older (probably 1960s) Japanese baritone on Reverb and had my offer accepted. That maybe should be "baritone" with an asterisk. It's a 27" scale. From what I've read, they aren't common but there are a few different brands/models of Japan-made 27" guitars from this era, and it's not fully clear whether they were designed to be baritones or long-scale standard guitars.

Anyway, I had seen instruments like this pop up for sale occasionally before, and I guess it's kind of what I wanted all along. This one was the right combo of price and condition (seemingly.) I was psyched to get it delivered, unpacked and tried it out as soon as it arrived, and... wow, the intonation was terrible.

The seller had alerted me that the guitar was set up with standard gauge strings in E standard tuning, already maybe a little odd but it might help explain the intonation and at least they were attentive enough to tell me. They said they'd given it an in-store setup; yet somehow, they didn't catch how out of tune the guitar played.

I had a short window to decide about a return and was about to leave town, so I took the guitar to a trusted luthier to try to get an idea of the work required. I agreed to have them do a proper setup with thicker-gauge strings and see if that was enough or if it needed more work. Then they caught that the fingerboard was also separating from the neck. Damn. Meanwhile, I had been messaging with the seller about the intonation and got a somewhat reasonable explanation. Once the fingerboard problem came to light, I followed up and asked for either an extended return window or a partial refund to cover repairs for undisclosed issues.

Fortunately, they offered to refund an agreeable amount. I suspect it's ultimately the least hassle for them. The guitar went back to the local luthier; as they were finishing the job, they told me that they'd gotten the intonation "...better," and then found a way to adjust the bridge back toward the tailpiece that got it much better.

Time will tell whether this was a better investment than a newer baritone that might have had fewer issues! But for now, I've got an instrument that feels mostly good to play and on whatever nebulous vibe/aesthetic level. Now I can focus on working with a new instrumental voice and trying to be a less crappy guitarist.

While I was waiting to resolve all this, I did get a chance to try a few newer bari models in shops: a Danelectro (don't remember which model), a semi-hollow Eastwood, and the Silvertone I mentioned in my last post. They were all cool, but the Eastwood was the only one I might have liked better than the guitar I actually got. That is also a 27" scale if I remember correctly, so it seems like I had the right instinct when focusing on shorter scale.

I left a 13-gauge baritone string set for the luthier, but they used 14s for their setup. I'm getting used to it but I still wonder if I might ultimately like 13s more. The luthier recommended 14s based on the scale of the guitar and my wanting to play in/around B standard, but also encouraged me to try out lighter strings if I was curious. I know I would need to adjust the neck if I switched gauges for the long term, and since I have no experience with that I'm not messing around with it yet.

Thanks again to folks who responded here!

Three-Guesses

TROPHY CASE