How powerful should I make my computer?

[bengetarian]

I could run off and buy a $3,000 G5....

Or Build a PC for 1800.

AMD 64 FX-51
ASUS Motherboard
1 gb RAM
500g raid 0 (two hard drives)
firewire, usb 2, gB LAN
Radeon 9200 128mb DDR (not much power needed)
What's going to serve my purposes better?
Is this way overkill?


Mainly using Cubase, Arturia, GMedia, Native Instruments, Reason, Spectrasonics, etc. Though if the G5 would be a better buy I would go with eMagic

Any response is welcome?

[manning1]

with respect - if you have to ask which is better you must have been
away incommunicado.
the answer is obvious. just search the bbs and the net.

[xstatic]

The Raid array is cool, but you still need a seperate drive for audio.

[warble]

Make it really powerfull.

[bengetarian]

Is Video Power going to be important?
Should I get a DSP Card? Or rely on the Motu 828 MkII?
Does that even make sense?
1g RAM? 2gb? 4? 8? Seriously what is overkill?
I already plan on getting a bigass RAID so I am not wonderin much about HDD.
Raid will be for Audio, smaller disk will run OS and Programs, like a 76g 10,000 rpm for the main drive.

32 or 64 bit CPU architecture? make a difference?

I know plenty about computers, I just haven't got anything that can run Cubase right now. So I have nowhere to guage from.

Usually run lots of VSTs, not much live audio.

I wonder if I will get any type of valid answer now.
And btw, I already pretty much know, just want some assurance before dropping a few grand.

Currently running a 1337 1997 b0xx...hah.

AMD K7 750 mHz
320 mb SDRAM (not ddr)
2 x 150g hdd
Sound blaster audio card
No MIDI
No 1394 Firewire
yeah...ouch. so that's why I have no idea what can run Cubase with heavy VST load.

Thanks in Advance.

[manning1]

well let me say this. if an amd 64 doesnt handle the plug in load...nothing else will that i know of unless you go dual opteron. but imho given the pace of tech change i wouldnt go opteron.
i'm a puter engr and i operate a more modest amd system.
i purposely keep my songs to 24 tracks max and if i'm in a crazy mood on the very extreme 32 because i feel anything more is way overproducing.
and a "normal" amd handles this with ease.
i gig ram should be plenty imho.
on the sound interface issue its very important that you check before going with any new computer confign that the sound solution you are thinking of buying will work with the particular chipset and motherboard your thinking of using. you might want to check out rme as an alternative to motu.
rme are known for their solid drivers.
i'm not a great fan of raid. not needed imho. also some folks can have probs with it.
just my 2 cents.
peace.