(Please!) Advice on PC for Cubase home studio?

[thislevelisclou]

Hi everybody. My name is Michael.

I have been piecing together a home recording studio for a few months now, in between college student broke-ness, of course.

It has come time to wrap it up and buy the PC. I have an Alesis Multimix 16 interface which I will be using, and plan to buy a PC (exclusively for recording) to work with it. Here's where the problem begins.

I have two choices to make, basically, each with pros and cons.

1 - I could go with a Dell or HP for just under $1000, with the minimum requirements listed in the Multimix manual. This is the cost effective way and would allow me more wiggle room with the money I have for this. However, I have alot of qualms. For one, I need a system that is not going to start freezing on me in two years. I also need a system that is actually going to work with the Multimix 16 without a ton of hassle. I have heard alot of horror stories about Gateway, Dell, HP, all of them. But they are hundreds less than my other option. A Dell with the minimums and a Core 2 Duo processor is going to run around $600-$800.

2 - I have been looking at specialty workstations, but have only looked into Advanced Design Kentucky (advanceddesignky.com) - they make specialy workstations for musicians, directors, etc etc. They quoted me a Core 2 Duo system at about $1200 that is supposedly a no hassle system for recording,a nd has been pre-tested with my gear. They even say I can send my itnerface to them and they will install everything and tweak the system to the needs of my interface. Sounds great, but its $400 more AND who knows what all they actually do. But I have heard horror stories about having to make these small tweaks oneself, and this plan sounds nice.

Anybody familiar with the Alesis Multimix? Have any other workstation builders to recommend? Would you recommend Gateway, Dell, or HP? Any of them, none of them? Anybody using the Core 2 Duo? Or the Intel Quad processor?

Just looking to make the most educated decision I can, without depleting my funds. I am at about $1400 remaining.

Thanks!
Michael

[thislevelisclou]

A few things I should clear up:

- There are more super cheap PCs available, for more like $400-$600, but they don't have a Core 2 Duo and I was told to get that, minimum. Could I go for an even cheaper model?

- ADK builds actual PCs for recording, not all-in-one workstations.

- ADK uses Windows XP in thier systems and I heard XP was more stable for recording than the current Vista is. Is this true?

- This PC is strictly for recording, no internet, no school work, no nothing.

- I will be using Cubase. LE at first (it comes with the Multimix hardware), then maybe the full version.

- I tend to use alot of tracks, but don't plan on too much effects or mixing at home. Mostly tracking. I plan to do final mixes and mastering elsewhere.

[jamacian]

The Multimix is a Firewire mixer, what's the big deal? If you spend $400 on having someone do nothing to your computer rather than buy a nice mic you should just give up recording and walk away. The main thing is to be sure that you get an XP computer and not Vista. If you can't Google optimizing tricks and troubleshoot your own computer system you have no place trying to record with one. Not trying to be mean, just being honest.

Get a Dell Core2 duo, order it with a minimum of software and strip the junk out when you get it. Then plug the interface in and follow the instructions on the screen. How hard is that? Just make sure you have tons of hard drive space.

[theblackBay]

Forget about COmputer brands look for Motherboards and chipsets the Duo is good, a Quad core is better in pure floating point math.

both are great, so just focus on and study:

1. Motherboard
2. chipset
3. Ram Bus speed
4. USB ports for expansion drives
5. firewire for your card there.

the other stuff just work it out.
Seriously you can build your own... i suppose it's always easy when you know how

Asus do the WS pro and Gigabyte have some good Quad or Duo compatible mobo’s

Think about this: if you get a Quad compatible motherboard now you can upgrade the Processor without incident when the Quads are as cheap as chips because AMD has brought out there latest comeback.

I run an old AMD MP on a TYAN server board unbelievable longevity.
It still compares to the latest Quad on pure Floating point but gets it’s arse kicked everywhere else.

[theblackBay]

Amd are doing not a lot at the moment, you said you wanted to build for the Future:

get a core 2 duo in a Motherboard that is compatible for a Quad.

run a 1gig at least of RAM if not 2gig
but if you are shaving the edge run 1gig and get a Quad motherboard
ASUS do one as do others.
Ram will come down
Processors will come down
ultimately Mobos will too but not as dramatically.
Run XP as jamacian said and bobs your fathers brother.

[yoyo]

ok dude, this is what i've got for ya

I would defintely get a core 2 duo. that way your pc will last for many years, and you will never freeze or slow down. also, you cna use more plugins with a dual core processor. i u can build it urself, or get a dell, tho i hate them. don't get any "speciality" pc's, that's alot of crap. nothing special about them.



make sure you get XP, not vista.

[thislevelisclou]

Thanks everybody for all the quick advice. With this, and the advice of a trusted guy who I have recorded with before (with great results), I think I am going to plan on spending around $700 on the base system, with a Core 2 Duo. I am not particularly worried about upgrading in the future, because I plan on using this only for myself, and only for recording. I figure if the processor works fine now, and this is what I am perpetually using it for, why should I need to upgrade? Am i right?

As far as troubleshooting my own system, I am just trying to play it safe as far as hardware incompatibility goes. I have heard alot of horror stories and, well, I am a musician first and foremost, not a computer wizard. Maybe someday hahaa.

For your info on what I have experienced before, here is my friend's message. I recorded an album with him and was ultra-pleased with the results:

"Here is what i recommend

-A dual core processor 1.8ghz or faster (core 2 duo is best but more expensive, athlon x2 and pentium D are next up) no celerons or low end stuff here.

-2gb of ram at least

-firewire (of course for the multimix)

-120gb Hard disk or bigger (preferably 2 hard drives - one for operating system and one for song data - you can always add another drive later, so it's no vital)

-DVD writer

-Dedicated video/graphics memory (no onboard video cards and preferably something with 2 outputs so you can run 2 monitors in the future if you would like)

found a good one on bestbuy.com

(url omitted)

vista should work ok with cubase... you may run into some issues... but i've had some luck using vista.

you could make some nice recordings with a machine that has at least the stats above. it doesn't have to be a CUSTOM RECORDING pc. anything with the above hardware will do you good. I have a pentium D and it works fine (i will eventually upgrade to a core 2 duo... money is tight though)

hope this helps.

let me know if you have any more questions.

-Nick
"

Does this sound ok?
What are the issues with Vista?


Thanks!
Michael

[jamacian]

There should be nothing to troubleshoot, it's just a firewire device. You plug it in and install the mixer application. Done deal, not worth $400.

[thislevelisclou]

OK so I have shopped around all afternoon and here's what I am looking at:

Gateway can give me:

Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor E4400 (2.00GHz, 800MHz FSB, 2MB cache, non-HT)

Operating System: Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition

Hard Drive: 160GB 7200rpm Serial ATA II hard drive w/ Raid 0 (2-80GB hard drives)

Memory: 2048MB 667MHz Dual-Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2-1024MB modules)

Optical Drive: 16x Super Multi Format Double Layer DVD-RW/ DVD-RAM +/ -R / CD-R/ RW

Motherboard: Systemboard w/ Intel® Q965 Chipset and Integrated Intel® 10/100/1000 Twisted Pair Ethernet


For $764

Does anybody have any advice on this?

[ssscientist]

Looks good to me.

I have a Gateway P4 3.2Ghz w/2.5 Gb of ram that I bought refurbished about two years ago. It been dedicated exclusively to music duties and I've never had a bit of trouble with it.


.

[theblackBay]

Just Remember that I said get a Quad core compatible board.

As I said I’d even compromise on the Ram to do this I only run 1gig at the moment but have a Powerful dual processor, Plug-ins Tax the Processor not the Ram as much.

I understand technology, you may think it's a fixed thing but as more powerful processors come out and as you developed your technique you find yourself saying oh I’ll just EQ this and just Cut that and COmp this until you reach your Plug-in limit :

What then?

New motherboard = new computer.

If you can up to a Quad you are fine for a long time.
The difference might be $100 now with no change to your other hardware just ask about a Quad compatible Motherboard.

whats the point in doing a half job?

[thislevelisclou]

So Vista is absolutely out of the question? Because of early version bugs or is there something else wrong too?

Reason being is I can get a refurb for alot cheaper but all of them available have Vista. Go figure.

Lemme know, and thanks for all the help thus far!

[4p...]

im in a similar predicament, as im looking for a new pc and understand vista shouldnt be used for recording, but for how much longer will xp be of use, for A) recording and B) other general pc uses?

[COOLCAT]

Originally Posted by 4p...

im in a similar predicament, as im looking for a new pc and understand vista shouldnt be used for recording, but for how much longer will xp be of use, for A) recording and B) other general pc uses?

it doesn't matter, long term. there isn't any end to it all, there is no "final" gear list is there?

go look at 1990 and 1994 Recording magazines for insight. The Pro's were using hi-end 100mhz with 64 mega Bytes of ram, with frkn black and white printers...for $4500 or whatever..they were hi-end...
while your deciding on the "best" setup, their making the next model.

I'd just get something you can use today, and not worry about it lasting 10years because in 6 months there will be a new version.

I have a Professional Recording system, it cost about $200 total, er...it was a professional pc system 10yrs ago.

Application specific?

Using plug-ins..then you need mega memory. IMO.
This is where I crashed my old POS system, pushed it to the limits, traffic jam of the motherboard!
So I removed all that free-ware, and just use it for a recording only device.
It has unlimited, one track at a time recording ability, basic multitrack ability...works for my application.

I decided to go back to working on the "front end" for the sound.
mics, amps, preamps, guitar pickups, room acoustics... the pc only a canvas. So in this application, my POS pc works just fine for me and I can spend the money on Tube amps and new pickups for the guitar, maybe a mic or two.
This is choice, of plug-ins versus outboard gear. Ideally you can have both, but not usually the case for HR.

the OP didn't say what the HR application is, or I missed it.

If its one track at a time or maybe two at a time recording, I agree with the others, save your money for some nice microphones and gear...they never become outdated, timeless almost....like a SM 57.