New Mobile Rig...

Two more days and I'll be leaving my career writing digital signage software for one that's a hell of a lot more fun - amp and effects modeling software. I finally have a good excuse to play my bass REALLY LOUDLY again :)

Been working on setting up my mobile rig for crossplatform development - here's what I've got so far:I've tried to get the best for the money - choosing fairly low end professional hardware over pricier consumer items. So far, the setup consists of:

• MacBook Pro 2.4GHz, 160GB drive, 17" display
• M-Audio StudioPro 3 powered audio monitors
  
• Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer
• Logitech VX Nano mouse

And, of course, my bass, GuitarPort, and lots of good coffee :)

It's been a while since I've used a Mac - my last one was one of the G4 Titaniums. My favorite part about the new ones is that I can finally run any major operating system I'm likely to write code for on one box. Between the (somewhat clunky) built in boot management w/BootCamp and VMWare Fusion (slightly buggy but *beautiful*), this is pretty much all the machine I expect I'll need for a while - especially when on the road.

The M-Audio monitors sound very clean and are pleasant to listen to. They lack a bit of bass, but that's probably to be expected for the size (let me know if you've heard these and know of better in a small package!). I'll probably be getting a larger pair and/or a sub after we move so I can get a full low end, but for mobility - they sound amazing compared to any of the consumer crap you'd buy at the same price or size.

My only complaint on the Behringer mixer is that the blue power LED is bloody bright. I work in the dark generally and find it distracting. It's either going to get some leads clipped or a piece of tape over it very soon. I haven't been using it for much yet other than direct level mixing, but so far it's pretty much perfect for my needs and I haven't noticed any noise from it when playing with the knobs.

The VX Nano mouse is really thoughtfully designed and I love the features. It's a little too small for my hands, but I'll probably stick with it regardless. It gets extra points in my book for having a free spin mode on the scroll wheel and a place to tuck the wireless receiver that automatically turns the mouse off when inserted. You definitely want to install the extra software from Logitech for use with OS X.

And the GuitarPort - well, I love it, but I have to admit I'm partial ;)