KVR Audio

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:28 pm

https://youtu.be/MUKows5hNfg?t=42

There are a series of these videos, of this guy using his laptop like it was an iPad with various different bits of hardware. It blurs the line between hardware and software more than anything I have ever seen. I watched it the other day, having seen a less impressive one a few weeks ago. I was so impressed I went and had a look on eBay and got a lesser version of his laptop for Au$1140 (about US$830). Mine's got a 10th Gen, U series Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The graphics is a very basic GeForce MX250, which is all I should need. It's about a year old but it was a really sweet deal - they got for Au$2500 in the shops (it's still a current model). I've already got a buyer for my Surface Pro so I'll only be about Au$600 out of pocket. Gotta love a deal!

melomood · Post by **melomood** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:31 pm

Looks a bit cramped

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:52 pm

Check out the Bitwig one, then -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALOZq2Q ... Technology

bermudagold · Post by **bermudagold** » Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:06 am

BONES wrote: ↑Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:28 pm

congrats...when the zenbook came out...the industry seemed to balk at it...everyone asked what were the use cases...industry and consumers seemed to prefer the touchscreen laptop or full convertible form factor instead...they were crazy expensive when they came out...much like the Vaio Z Canvas which didn't sell either...did you ever check those out?...it's similar to how no one bought the 2 screen phones...let us know how you get on with it...I've put off buying for forever, letting the market shake out from the corner of my eye

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:40 am

It definitely comes at a price. The newer model, which seems to have a few definite improvements, is more expensive than an equivalent MacBook Pro. That kind of price really limits sales in PC land.

I got a few things installed last night and just being able to chuck Studio One's piano roll onto the second screen, so I don't have to switch between it and the mixer, is a big improvement for my workflow. But it has also thrown up a couple of unanticipated issues. e.g. The cabin light is directly above my table and it reflects on the second screen so I am going to have to buy a lamp.

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:11 am

How is this not the most interesting/amazing stuff anyone making music on a computer has seen in ages? How does it elicit so little interest around here?

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:35 am

BONES wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:11 am How is this not the most interesting/amazing stuff anyone making music on a computer has seen in ages? How does it elicit so little interest around here?

I've only become aware of these very recently, and I am blown away. Looks like a real work flow game changer, in a whole lot of ways. Cool score for you.

bermudagold · Post by **bermudagold** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:10 am

BONES wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:11 am How is this not the most interesting/amazing stuff anyone making music on a computer has seen in ages? How does it elicit so little interest around here?

you already had touch screen laptops...you already had touch screen monitors that can be used horizontally or vertically...you already could tile windows on a single screen to control multiple apps or multiple windows of the same app...you can design custom touch controllers on a sensel morph or any tablet or phone with osc...is the convenience of the single appliance the main draw?...btw there is an article in sound on sound by molten music that breaks down pros and cons of this device for DAW use...and fyi for folks looking for them, apparently the new models only the second screen has touch.

And I'm not so sure touch is not a lil placebo...breaking the connection to the mouse makes control feel more like performance which makes it feel more musical...i think there is a psychological stigma of the mouse that makes control seem like work or pedestrian....but are these touch control examples really any more efficient or accurate than the mouse and traditional midi controller combo?

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:29 am

Cool stuff! Now I discovered actual justification for this kind of price and I want one

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:59 am

BONES wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:11 am How is this not the best thing since sliced bread?

Meh, it's just another touch bar, but somewhat bigger

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:06 am

If that's true then every screen on every computer is "just another touch bar" because the Screen Pad+ is big enough that you could do all your work on it and never need the main screen if you wanted to. It's a proper second screen, just like dual monitors on a desktop workstation.

bermudagold wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:10 amyou already had touch screen laptops...you already had touch screen monitors that can be used horizontally or vertically...you already could tile windows on a single screen to control multiple apps or multiple windows of the same app...you can design custom touch controllers on a sensel morph or any tablet or phone with osc...

All this is true, yet I've never seen anyone actually DO IT until I saw this guy's videos. If you look at this photo of my live rig, you'll see that I had been planning to use my Surface pro almost horizontal, not because it made me feel less like I was operating a computer but because it would make it look less like that to an audience. Of course, that's all out the window now, with the new Asus, but the reality is that the Surface Pro was just a little bit too old and slow to do what we needed of it. I could have bought a newer Surface Pro but there is no way I'd have got a 10th gen CPU model for anywhere close to what I paid for this.

is the convenience of the single appliance the main draw?...

Yes, of course - all ready to go, minimal set-up required.

btw there is an article in sound on sound by molten music that breaks down pros and cons of this device for DAW use...and fyi for folks looking for them, apparently the new models only the second screen has touch.

Interesting article. It's about the Pro model, which costs almost twice what mine does new. From the photos, it is also the older model like mine. From what I've read, they have done a great job fixing the heat problems on the new one - now the second screen hinges up as you open the lid, allowing for free airflow into the chassis.

And I'm not so sure touch is not a lil placebo...breaking the connection to the mouse makes control feel more like performance which makes it feel more musical...i think there is a psychological stigma of the mouse that makes control seem like work or pedestrian....but are these touch control examples really any more efficient or accurate than the mouse and traditional midi controller combo?

Of course, the advantage of touch over a mouse is 10 points of touch over just one. That was really bought home to me when I saw him play a chord on the Screen Pad+ (that's what Asus call the second screen), something you can't do with a mouse. To be clear, though, I have no intention of using mine like this, I'll get most use from the screen+ in a production setting. On stage it will be just like any other laptop would be, only slightly sexier looking. (Asus' design is just about the best there is at the moment, I reckon.)

DJ Warmonger wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:29 amCool stuff! Now I discovered actual justification for this kind of price and I want one

I've been lusting after one for ages, I just couldn't justify the expense until I saw the one I got on eBay at a ridiculous price. I tried to get a good price from a local retailer, so I could buy it through work pre-tax, which makes it about 30% cheaper, but they wouldn't do me a discount if I did it that way and 70% of full price was still too expensive. This one was 35% of full price, which is much more to my liking!

iPlogger · Post by **iPlogger** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:21 pm

At the beginning of the year when I was looking to upgrade my Surface Pro 3, I ran across this and was very interested, but every time I looked, and double-checked, and re-checked again, yep...I read the price right. I couldn't justify it. I did end up getting an Asus ZenBook Flip and I have been extremely happy with the choice.

stillshaded · Post by **stillshaded** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:27 pm

I prefer a mouse and keyboard to a touchscreen any day. They're just too fiddly for this kind of thing. I hate it lol.

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 1:44 am

I agree completely but it's not an either/or situation. You don't have decide which you are going to use and be stuck with it for the rest of your life. You can use whichever you like from moment to moment. Use the mouse to make a few tweaks, then use touch to play a few notes on the virtual keyboard on your synth, with a bit of mod wheel and pitch-bend at the same time, to check out the results. Think of it like a laptop with a piano keyboard built into it. It doesn't have to be any more than that to be worthwhile. Or don't use touch at all and just be happy with a dual screen laptop. TBH, that is the bigger attraction to me - being able to separate the Mixer from the Piano Roll in Studio One so I can see both at once. But when we are on stage, I don't want to be using a mouse or a trackpad, so being able to use touch to load the next song will be brilliant for us.

MC-909 · Post by **MC-909** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:06 am

Interesting what you think about slate raven devices? That seem like a level up from this

How Cool Is This? Laptop & Tablet in One