New macbook air for computer audio

Good, it looks like your USB converter will work.

The Apple Remote "app" will work, without a doubt. I've set a few of the new Airs up and they work fine with the Remote "app".

The new Air does not have an IR receiver, so the "physical" Apple Remote will not work. Note, there is a difference between the Remote "app" and the "physical" Remote.

Apple Remote for iTunes, an Apple app, does work for the new ( 2010 ) MB Air.

I do like the MBA very much however, personally, I would buy a Logitech Squeezebox Touch, use the iPeng remote-control app, and put the computer in some other room.

If you still need an additional computer for music storage I would get a mac mini ( possibly used on ebay, I see some for around $385 right now ) and plug a firewire/usb external disk into it and store your music on the external disk ( for portability ).

This may not be the optimal solution for you however, it is what I would do.

I haven't done this because I think that SACD DSD recordings are just this year maturing and are nothing short of incredible.

Hessec, I do own the Air with optional SSD. It is one darn sexy little number, but I will never download/store music. Hmmm...(reminds me of when I bought a used B&O 5000 25+yrs ago, no TT, then their first linier tracking table came out. Bought it new with m3 cartridge $500. Loved it! Next their first CDP came out, 5500.. I inquired the price..$1000.!! Hey, I loved LP's...I will never get into CD's, I said!!). Well...I recently bought a Naim cd555/ps555 and am building a CD collection...I will NEVER say NEVER again, really this time! Oh, Mac Pro is so much more in performance than Air. This is one example where a little more $ buys alot more. Enjoy

well, I just reworked the pricing and the top of the line Air w/external disc drive is $1779- 4gRAM 256GB Storage, 1.86Ghz processor.... 15"Macbook pro w/ 4g RAM 500GB 7200RPM hard drive and 2.53Ghz i5 processor is $2149....... closer than I thought.

I guess I just question whether I need the features of the Pro to do what I am going to do with it. I.E. I will never make videos, make my own music or anything else that really uses all of the CPU.

I would like the internal cd drive and firewire. But I like the size of the Air. Apple products are annoying in that it seems there is always a compromise. Such is life.

The Air will work with most iLife apps, including iMovie and GarageBand, just fine. Even though it has a "slower" processor, the way it's designed with solid state storage and an integrated GPU allows it to perform just fine with what most of us use a Mac for. The only reason to have concern would be if you are using "pro" apps such as Final Cut and Logic.

I'm dealing with the same issue, and helping some clients decide which is best for them, so this is something that is fresh in my thought process. It really comes down to whether or not your willing to pay for the sleekness of the Air. The solid state storage also has some benefits, both with performance and sound quality. I'm a big believer that SSDs allow a Mac to sound better for music playback, and most people who have used (listened) to an SSD Mac find it difficult to go back to a standard hard drive. Adding a SSD to a MacBook Pro is not cheap, so in that regard, the Air isn't as expensive. Decisions, decisions, decisions....