Faster CPU or more RAM???

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solo2racr

solo2racr

SUCK, SQUEEZE, BANG, BLOW
Just wondering what would be the better way to go to lower the latency. Right now the CPU is a AMD K7 2200+ running at 1.6g and the ram is at 512meg. OS is XP. Using Reaper software. I am thinking this is a better way to go instead of getting more outboard gear and just use plug-ins for now.

Thanks, Ken
 
get a better fsb for which you will need to buy a better cpu, mobo and more ram (all with a higher bus speed)

if i'm not mistaken your cpu currently is 400 MHz FSB and 256 KB L2 cache?
 
FSB is 266 and won't go any faster. I moved the jumpers to 333 and it was a no-go. L2 Cache I'm unsure.
 
new CPU. grab an intel dual core or the AMD X2, they're super cheap, change the mobo and you can get it up and running. Run atleast 2GB if not 4GB of ram, those things are cheap right now, take advantage of it.
 
I've been looking at a Biostar MB with a Pentium4 Prescott 3.4Ghz CPU with a 800FSB and 1gig of RAM. That's all my budget can do.

So pretty much keep the one I have just for web stuff and build the one above just as a DAW.
 
Why are you even thinking about buying 5 year old technology? The prescott is about the worst cpu for a daw ever. They run way too hot, so you've got all you're fans running full noise the whole time making a hell of a racket.

If you're that constrained with cash and can't afford a core2, then just throw another 1GB stick in what you've got and overclock it
 
More RAM will help you out for now.
And it is the cheapest way.

If you're planning on buying a new PC, and you don't have the money now. Don't just buy 'something', instead save some money and buy a really good PC for a DAW. At least a dual core with 2 Gb RAM. If you use XP 32 bit, it won't see more than 3 Gb.
 
Bulls Hit said:
Why are you even thinking about buying 5 year old technology?
Click to expand...

Huh........Because it's fast than what I have now. Can you say "starving artist"?
Believe me, If I could, I would get something much faster. I looked at dual cores and there just more than I can spend right now.

BTW.....The latency that I have right now is 23ms. That is the fastest that I can get out of it. Needless to say, the first thing I do when I record a track is to sinc it with the rest.
 
Your latency is 23ms? What audio soundcard are you using & at what ASIO buffer settings?
 
I just helped a buddy upgrade his older computer, and getting the old pc2100 ram cost alot more than current 800 ram would have cost. And it gets worse, I was trying to upgrade my athlon xp system about a year and a half ago and the only cpu upgrades I could find were used. I bought two bad prossesors, and then wished I had spent that money on the new mobo, pressesor, and memory that i had to get anyway. If I were you I'd save for a while and then build a current system.
 
key to upgrade, must buy stuff that's 6months - 1 years old, anything older and you'll spent more money, same deal with anything newer.
 
eh91311 said:
Your latency is 23ms? What audio soundcard are you using & at what ASIO buffer settings?
Click to expand...

Best way I know of to show you.

304138450.jpg
 
Well My DAW PC is a 2.4ghz Celeron D and it has extremely low latency (about 6ms) so I don"t think it is your PC that is causeing your latency, actually I know it isn"t your PC as I have run DAW"s on Much slower systems that yours....

Your problem is That Crappy Soundblaster Sound card you have...It doesn"t support direct Monitoring which is why you have Latency ,If you got yerself even a cheapo proper Recording sound card you would notice that latency dissapear....Maybe a Delta 44 or an EMU0404 would fit in your budget?


Cheers
 
Minion said:
Your problem is That Crappy Soundblaster Sound card you have...It doesn"t support direct Monitoring which is why you have Latency ,If you got yerself even a cheapo proper Recording sound card you would notice that latency dissapear....Maybe a Delta 44 or an EMU0404 would fit in your budget?
Cheers
Click to expand...

That "Crappy Soundblaster Sound card" as you call it is one of the models made AFTER they acquired E-mu. I get really tired of all the SB card crap I hear based on the old cards they put out. The old ones were crap but the newer ones are alot better.


Both of the cards you mentioned boast "zero latency monitoring". What a load of BULLSHIT. It isn't doing anything but passing the signal from the input right back out. I might as well use the headphone out from the mixer.

Why is it that I can almost never get a straight answer on this board. It's like if i where to ask a chef weather I should cook a pie in the oven at 350 or 400 degrees and they answer back " use a microwave" Although the microwave may be better, it isn't the question I asked.

Musicians trying to record...........GEEZ:D LOL


Anyway, Enough rant.

In the end, I really do appreciate all the answers, even if they don't answer the question. They still give me something to think about. After all, I know what I am trying to use is crap. It gives me an idea what to do down the road when I sell a million cd's and am rich.:rolleyes::D
 
You are way low on RAM. If budget is a problem, add more RAM now and save up to buy a faster computer later.
 
solo2racr said:
That "Crappy Soundblaster Sound card" as you call it is one of the models made AFTER they acquired E-mu. I get really tired of all the SB card crap I hear based on the old cards they put out. The old ones were crap but the newer ones are alot better.


Both of the cards you mentioned boast "zero latency monitoring". What a load of BULLSHIT. It isn't doing anything but passing the signal from the input right back out. I might as well use the headphone out from the mixer.

Why is it that I can almost never get a straight answer on this board. It's like if i where to ask a chef weather I should cook a pie in the oven at 350 or 400 degrees and they answer back " use a microwave" Although the microwave may be better, it isn't the question I asked.

Musicians trying to record...........GEEZ:D LOL


Anyway, Enough rant.

In the end, I really do appreciate all the answers, even if they don't answer the question. They still give me something to think about. After all, I know what I am trying to use is crap. It gives me an idea what to do down the road when I sell a million cd's and am rich.:rolleyes::D
Click to expand...

My SB Audigy 4 pro produce sound just as good as any of the emu up to the 1212, they uses the same hardware. The slight problem is input/output, it's not built for recording/monitoring, but if you're only doing 1-2 tracks at a time, it'll be just fine.
 
solo2racr,
Your soundcard's drivers either WDM or ASIO are the key to low latency,period.You can tweak your desktop,laptop,whatever to your hearts content but, unless your soundcard ad/da has well written WDM, ASIO drivers that play nicely with whatever flavor of Windoze you are on,you are pissin in the wind.Unfortunately for you,I believe minion gave you the answer, however bluntly he said it.
 
Yes, Warlock110, I am just doing 1-2 at a time. It's just myself so no need for more.

keith turner said:
solo2racr,
Your soundcard's drivers either WDM or ASIO are the key to low latency,period.You can tweak your desktop,laptop,whatever to your hearts content but, unless your soundcard ad/da has well written WDM, ASIO drivers that play nicely with whatever flavor of Windoze you are on,you are pissin in the wind.
Click to expand...

Soooooo....ASIO4ALL is crap? Do you have a better recommendation? :confused::rolleyes:

Sonic Albert.......Once again, yours are the most helpful answers I get when I ask a question on this board.:) Thank you once again. Off topic here but, it's MY thread.:D In another thread you recommended getting an AT-2020 mic ( and one other that was out of range for the budget). After calling tech at Audio-Technica the AT-2020 HAS to have 48v phantom power. My old ass board only puts out 30V. Soooooo, I'm thinking that it would be better to get rid of my old 12ch. board (Don't need that many channels for just myself) and get something smaller. I don't get a good feeling about the Tapco but, the Soundcraft Compact4 looks good. Opinion???? (I know, I know.....Firewire comes later when I get a better puter)
 
Sure the card might not be as bad as older Sound Blasters but it still doesn"t have direct monitoring which is the reason why real recording sound cards have no latency....

You seems to Bash Direct monitoring but it is the only way i know of to get (Virtualy) latency free monitoring...... I don"t know of another way to achieve this goal.... I have a Audigy X-Fi Xtreme Gamer on my Web surfing PC which is a 3.2gh P-4 with 1gb Ram and I have quite a bit of latency even with ASIO4All Drivers so I don"t think upgradeing your CPU and ram is going to solve your problem....

Just my opinoin...
 
Minion said:
Sure the card might not be as bad as older Sound Blasters but it still doesn"t have direct monitoring which is the reason why real recording sound cards have no latency....

You seems to Bash Direct monitoring but it is the only way i know of to get (Virtualy) latency free monitoring...... I don"t know of another way to achieve this goal....

Just my opinoin...
Click to expand...

I know the SB card isn't the greatest but, the cards you mentioned before that offer "zero latency monitoring" ONLY monitor the signal going INTO the card. NOT what is being recorded. To actually hear what is being recorded will ALWAYS have some latency. A good DAW will be down to 3 or 4 ms. It seems, from reading on here, that an acceptable latency is anything under 10ms.
 
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