New DAW advice

[api4u]

I’m setting up a DAW, using some of my Windows Pentium 4 system, and was wondering if anyone has any reason not to use any of these components?
The recordings will primarily be recorded a single track at a time, probably a max of about 8-tracks per recording. It will mostly be instrumental rock guitar type stuff, with some lead or backing vocals. Guitar will be recorded direct. Keys will be recorded direct using midi, and ProTools software add-ins. Drums will be recorded using the keyboard trigger and drum software.
I appreciate any input anyone has into whether this is a good mix of components for solo home recording, better places to purchase, or recommendations on what to use that would be better, without getting “too extravagant”. I’ll be purchasing the computer components new, and the software and recording components used, if I run across good deals.
Will need New:
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX M’bd
Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66 GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) 240 pin DDR3 SDRAM 1600 (PC3 12800)
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower
I’ll probably also need to get a video card – haven’t settled in on that, yet.
I’ll need drum software – probably Addictive Drums
I’ll be adding a preamp – considering these: Grace 101, P-Solo, Focusrite ISA Blue, Black Lion Auteur
I plan on purchasing most of the components through Newegg.
Re-using:
Antec power supply (I forget the specs, but it’s about 800 watts – should be plenty – about 8-months old)
View Sonic VX2235 22” monitor
M-Audio Delta 1010
M-Audio BX-5A monitors
ProTools 8
Currently MS Vista, but will be switching to Windows 7 when Digidesign stabilizes their W7 drivers
Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra
Akai MPK49 midi keys
Mic's: SM58 Beta, SM57, Rode NT1A
Various SATA, ATA, IE1394 and USB drives – I keep system on programs on one, iTunes files on another, ProTools files on one, and music listening data on another. A USB/IE1394 external is used for backups. I also have a couple DVD 16+ burners.
Logitech G15 Keyboard
Logitech G9 Mouse
I've not actually recorded anything, yet, with ProTools, so this is a completely new concept or me, so feel free to add anything I'm missing. I've been doing tons of research, and picking up components, but I'm about ready to launch, so I'm open to suggestions to make this a smooth learning experience. Once I get things all set up, and the bugs worked out, I want to spend time writing and recording, and for it to sound decent, but don't want to be so bogged down in the details that I lose out on the joy of playing.

 

[Bristol Posse]

i7 920 uses triple channel RAM you should really be shooting for groupings of 3 sticks so either 3 or 6 GB etc if you are sld on the i7 9series route, depending on if you are going with windows 7 32 or 64 bit if you want to get optimal RAM performance (if you are going 32 bit get 3x1GB. 64 bit then get as much as you want in sets of 3)

for track at a time recording, unless you are doing projects with hundreds of tracks with multiple vsts on each with many vsti sythesizers running, i7 9 series is huge over kill. If you are looking at what you actually need then get an older (Cheaper) model Dual or Quad core and use the money saved for something else that will actually have an impact on your recorded sound (CPUs don't make music sound any better). If you want an i7 9 series just because, that's totally understandable but be aware you most likely will never use it to it's full potential so it is spending money on processing headroom you don't need and won't use.

Corsairs RAM is OK.
Antec PSU not bad, Corsair is better right now (although both are actually made by seasonics) but if you already have an Antec it's not a bad option by any means

Gigabyte boards are good for DAW in my experience, I do all my DAW builds on Gigabyte boards.

For a video card (if this is strictly DAW) I'd suggest a gigabyte passive cooled card. No Fan so no fan noise which keeps the noise footprint of the machine lower

 

[dintymoore]

I'll bet you that on this entire forum, my mic/mic pre combo is the most expensive (approx $7K) and my computer is the least expensive ($40).

You can't hear the computer, I still don't understand why everybody is overkilling that and then buying $300 mics 'cause there's no money left.

 

[Bristol Posse]

You can't hear the computer, I still don't understand why everybody is overkilling that and then buying $300 mics 'cause there's no money left.

Because the manufacturers of Chips do a fantastic job of getting people to belive the hype that they need enough processing power to run NASA on their home computer
And because the manufacturers of cheap audio gear also do a great job of getting people to believe the hype that you can get fantastic sound out of a shitty, cheap ass USB mic (when plugged into your hyper, ultra, much too powerful computer of course)

It's the perfect storm of hype belief that gets people to focus their efforts and spending in completely the wrong places and then wonder why they can't get a "Pro" sound

Same thing happens when you suggest room treatment vs a preamp upgrade. Many people will completely disregard treatment and put it off until later because it's just not sexy enough or something.

Ah the wonders of advertising

 

[dintymoore]

I suspect a lot of it is due to people who know a lot about gaming and have formed their computer requirement common sense on what would be great to run GTA on.

Not being sarcastic, but I really think that that's it.

Lots of RAM is good. Any more than a 10 GB hard drive is just a convenience but isn't needed.

 

[Bristol Posse]

I suspect a lot of it is due to people who know a lot about gaming and have formed their computer requirement common sense on what would be great to run GTA on.
.

Actually even that is a fallacy. Generally gaming is behind the curve compared to audio video production on Multicore/hyperthreading usage and adoption. There are certainly gamers out there that feel they have to be bleeding edge but that eventually becomes a self serving goal in of itself and really beyond a certain point makes no difference to the overall experience

That won't stop anyone from rushing for the 6core i9s in a few weeks because they "need" the performance even though you can run pretty much anygame out there perfect adequately on a dual core or even a pentium if you don't want super high frame rates that the eye can't even detect

I will also be looking at i9s when they are available not because I feel I need them or they will make any difference but simply because I am a sucker for tech and love building super powerful computers for the heck of it just to see what they are capable of and there's usually someone foolish enough to pony up for it when I'm done building and testing even though I will tell them repeatedly they have absoluely no need for that much power. But it lets me sell the machine with a clear concience and maybe they get a placebo effect out of having all those cores running at 5% that makes them try harder or something