Update on Live Sound Devices?

[Ernie Mansfield <ernie@mansfieldmusic.com>]

I was just reading the Looper "Tools of the Trade" website...

Is it still true that laptop computers and software are considered
"non-real-time" devices? As stated at the website? Is it still true that
there are latency problems, even with the most recent laptop speeds? It
seems to me that if one is wanting a *delay* effect, latency should not be 
a
problem anyway (since the live signal could be routed to a sound system
directly...).

I would like to get the best live looping device, but it is hard to accept
the price of the Gibson Echoplex at $999, when a laptop - altho more money 
-
can do 100s of things besides looping...

Can someone enlighten me, please?
-- 
Ernie Mansfield
Mansfield Music
--
http://www.mansfieldmusic.com
ernie@mansfieldmusic.com