Building a new DAW computer!?!

[brett304msn]

Hey guys, I'm at a crossroads of sorts and I've been out of a couple loops for quite a while..... I've been using a M-audio delta 66 with OMNI I/O breakout box since about 2002/3 and Its given me great results... In about 2007 or so, I got a computer with an AMDx64 single core processor and Cubase SX3... The computer has 2 gigs of ram and is upgradable to four gigs... This setup has been great to me and has run for quite a few years with no issues and I'll probably keep it for quite a few more...

But here's where I need some advice.... In the last few months I've started rewiring reason into cubase for the synths and some fun with loops (not my normal thing really), and I would like to get into some more midi based stuff... At the same time, I need a new desktop for internet and such things.. SO, my idea was to consider building a new computer for multimedia and using my single core computer for the daily grind.. (only once I felt the new setup was right)...

There are a few complications however... One is that I own a version of Win Xp and it seems to me that original versions of windows that are bought are more stable than the ones that they give with a computer... You can uninstall all that crap, but I'm still not sure that its as stable... You guys can give your opinion on that, but lets move to a more pressing issue... Win XP or win 7??? From what I understand, there are RAM limits in XP as well as certain abilities to work with multiple processor cores..... The other question is would I be able to use my older versions of Reason and Cubase? I know that those softwares probably aren't optimized to utilize multiple cores if I could even use them on a new machine....

And if the final answer would be that I would be best off to get a new machine, new software, and new hardware (the old interface uses a PCI card), then the cost is going to go way up... I may just be better off to add more RAM and wait another 7 years!! LOL...

So anyway I could use some real-world opinions..

 

[somegeezer]

I'd definitely look into more cores and at least 4GB of RAM. It would be another computer that could do you with a long time. Win 7 vs XP isn't that gigantic a leap. I think you can even get 64bit versions of XP now? But 64 bit will allow you to add up to 16GB of RAM on most machines. Even that is only due to motherboard limits. I have 8GB myself. But 4GB is enough for most people.
You CAN use older versions of software. But which ones really depends. Hardware drivers will probably have to be updated to work on Windows 7 too. So make sure your interface has a Windows 7 driver you can download.
I'd say if your computer now is working well and doing what you want it to do though, then you shouldn't rush into it.

 

[brett304msn]

So I started reading up a little more on this situation, and it seems to me that I should probably wait a little while to figure out what I should do.... I did find for sure that M-audio put out a 64 bit driver for the delta 66.... I'm finding mixed reports about windows Xp and its RAM limits, but it seems to be somewhere between 3-4 gigs.... There was a 64 bit version of XP, but if you do that you've still gotta buy/upgrade to 64 bit versions of your softwares, plus alot of 32 bit plugins will no longer work..... I'm also finding some people are able to run 32 bit DAW softwares in 64 bit windows but you can only access 4 gigs of RAM for your 32 bit programs. So alot of options and choices and I'm just going to start doing more research and wait for the purchases..

So assuming you wanted to build a new win7 computer, what kind of hardware would you buy at about the 7 out of 10 mark... I'd like to buy a little behind the best to save cash and still get most of what people get when they buy cutting edge?? How much RAM would you all suggest in such a system? I'm finding that people running 32 bit DAW software are getting about 6 gigs, four for their 32 bit application and two for windows.... Then you can always up that later if needed, but what do you all suggest..... Are there any features specific to audio recording that I should consider? Thanks all for your time... I hope this thread can be enlightening not just for me but also for anyone reading it that are in the same boat as I am!

 

[somegeezer]

So I started reading up a little more on this situation, and it seems to me that I should probably wait a little while to figure out what I should do.... I did find for sure that M-audio put out a 64 bit driver for the delta 66.... I'm finding mixed reports about windows Xp and its RAM limits, but it seems to be somewhere between 3-4 gigs.... There was a 64 bit version of XP, but if you do that you've still gotta buy/upgrade to 64 bit versions of your softwares, plus alot of 32 bit plugins will no longer work..... I'm also finding some people are able to run 32 bit DAW softwares in 64 bit windows but you can only access 4 gigs of RAM for your 32 bit programs. So alot of options and choices and I'm just going to start doing more research and wait for the purchases..

So assuming you wanted to build a new win7 computer, what kind of hardware would you buy at about the 7 out of 10 mark... I'd like to buy a little behind the best to save cash and still get most of what people get when they buy cutting edge?? How much RAM would you all suggest in such a system? I'm finding that people running 32 bit DAW software are getting about 6 gigs, four for their 32 bit application and two for windows.... Then you can always up that later if needed, but what do you all suggest..... Are there any features specific to audio recording that I should consider? Thanks all for your time... I hope this thread can be enlightening not just for me but also for anyone reading it that are in the same boat as I am!

7 out of 10 pretty much describes my computer. Possibly an 8.
But also pretty cheap to get the parts. You can save quite a bit going with a cheaper case and just using on board graphics. Which is great if you're not into gaming too. 4-8GB RAM is good to have, so 6 should do you fine and then some. I use about 2.5GB on Windows stuff.

Separate hard drives for Boot/C drive, programmes and plug ins can be an advantage. I leave my programmes in C and use my second drive for music though. It's always good to at least have plug ins separate though. You'll want a DVD drive to install any software too of course.

I went with an i5 760, but you can always go for the even newer i5 2500, and even the 2500K if you are into OCing. My 760 does me great though.

Make sure your power unit is big enough to run all that too. I'm pretty sure my 550 watt is more than enough to power what I use.

MAKE SURE YOU GET THE CORRECT MOTHERBOARD FOR THE CPU!
Seems obvious, but there are people who make that mistake. Intel are especially bad for changing the way their processors work every generation. So there are specific boards they can actually go with.

It's also good to get a good cooler. If you're not planning on OCing, you can probably just use the cooler that comes with the processor. But I'd recommend adding a water cooler. Corsair do some good ones that can often fit to a range of processors. They can be one of the most fiddly parts to put into the computer! Haha.

Make sure your motherboard has firewire if you need it, or put towards a firewire card. Texas Instruments firewire cards are generally the ones with least problems when it comes to audio interfaces. But check the manufacturer's site to see if they state any they recommend, or even tell you to stay away from.

A good, large screen or dual screens are good to have in terms of having more space in your DAW, but not needed. If you do go dual screen, you will then need to buy a graphics card able to connect 2 screens though. Most on board graphics only support a single screen.

Other than your obvious keyboard and mouse, those are some tips on building a computer. It will cost more if you add anything or go for a better version of something. The more you spend now, the cheaper it will be to upgrade when you really need to though. The weakest part of my computer is probably my graphics card, and even that manages to play any game so far on full graphics qualities. My machine cost me about £700, plus probably £100ish upgrading RAM and hard drives.