Mac Mini + Live Multitrack Recording Options

[Quintron]

Hi All, glad to have found this knowledgable spot!
First off I know hardly anything about Macs except they have a good track record as stable units good with audio applications.

As I'm sure is the case with many others I have become enamoured with the new Mac Mini but am wondering if it will be sufficent for what I need.

I run a small Jazz CLub in Ireland and for a long time was considering a laptop to record live gigs there. I was looking at Macs and PC laptops, but on a budget of next to nothing with the venue, all desirable options were off limits.

With this new machine there is some hope. I am looking at the 1.4Ghz mac mini with 512MB RAM option. I would also get an Edirol FA-101 usb capture card and was wondering how good these would be at live multitrack recording using Logic or Cubase (Have both). I would need to record usually up to 6 Mic imputs or 4 MIc ins with maybe 2-3 Line ins at a push. The usual setup for a night is about that. Sometimes less. Mix it down when I get home. What can I expect from this box with the FA-101 (or indeed a cheaper alternative if anyone knows??)?

Any options / help / advice greatly appreciated!

One of the sellers of this for me is that it would also be an excellent replacement for my ailing PC at home.
Adding a KVM switch I'd have the best of both worlds. Not a laptop, but a unit in the two places I need it most. (Its' lighter to transport than a lot of Laptops) and a hell of a lot cheaper!

If my above expectations are unrealistic then caould anyone suggest the max abilities of this unit for live recording. I could work something out.

Sorry for the barage of questions.

Cheers in advance,
Quintron.

[editbrain]

well the 20" for one has the greater screen area. that is going to come in usful when you have to arrange and edit your recordings. you will have plug-ins open an arrange window maybe a mixing board view all open. why would you not want the largest screen possible so that you can see better what you are doing?

i have to say that if you think that the iMac will not do what you want. how are you going to accomplish what you want with a less powerfull computer.

i record on the road with my powerbook it is a 1st generation 12" 867. it does fine. i use logic 6 pro on it.
in the studio i have a dual G5 2x2 with lots of ram, and a 20" cinema screen.

i was just suggesting a computer that you would not out grow in 6mo to a year once you started getting into your projects.

happy recording,
editbrain