good computer vs good sound card?

[simoneau10]

should i go spend a bunch of money on a good computer and a stock sound card, or a cheap computer with an expensive sound card? also laptop or desktop? and 1 or 2 screens?

 

[mattr]

should i go spend a bunch of money on a good computer and a stock sound card, or a cheap computer with an expensive sound card? also laptop or desktop? and 1 or 2 screens?

Ideally you shouldn't have to compromise, but considering even the most basic of computers nowadays should have adequate number-crunching power for most recording tasks, I would make sure you leave a good cut to one side for a good sound card / interface.

I'd go for a desktop, just 'cos its easier to upgrade further down the line and gives you more flexibility with your choices now, i.e. you could get a PCI(-ex) soundcard if you wanted, easily fit a firewire card with a good chipset if you find a firewire interface doesn't play nicely with the motherboard firewire chipset, or add things like UAD cards - things that are possible on a laptop with PCMCIA or expresscard, but never seem to work so well or are as easy or cheap to come by.


As for the number of screens... why limit yourself to 2? Double that and add a bit, and you get to what I have. Trust me, once you start adding them it just makes sense to have more and more and more...

At the same time as saying that, you should be mixing with your ears, not your eyes. Having several monitors is useful for dealing with large projects with lots of tracks, takes, etc, but at the end of the day its what you hear that matters. I'd give higher priority to a good pair of monitors than having more screens.

 

[simoneau10]

thanks alot, you said basically the same thing as i was thinkin, just with some more detail, which i deffinitly appreciated. any other suggestions are welcome

 

[dnkygirl]

I would go with a desktop, because it's easier on the budget and upgradable. I would use the generic one that came with the system... as long as it has a mic input you should be ok. You will need a mic cable that converts down to that size or a mic pre that allows that type of output. Your monitors will require a cable conversion as well.. but that's not a big deal... Most important is cpu, hard drive, and ram. You need a good mix... a duo core machine with about 200-300 gig hard drive and 3 gigs of ram would be the ideal system. Pawn shop hop... you can find a really good system.... and not have to pay big dollars... lcd screen number is really a preference... not really a must have thing.

Demi

 

[mattr]

Sorry dnkygirl, I have to disagree with what you say...

...I would use the generic one that came with the system... as long as it has a mic input you should be ok. You will need a mic cable that converts down to that size or a mic pre that allows that type of output. Your monitors will require a cable conversion as well.. but that's not a big deal... Most important is cpu, hard drive, and ram.

I'm too tired to write why I disagree at the moment, but I do, and enough so to make me frown a bit when I read it

There's a good chance someone else will probably disagree with you, so I'll leave it up to them to justify and explain it.

Now, sleep time.



Oh, and 3gb of RAM in a Core Duo system is a bit strange, seeing as all the chipsets / memory controllers I know of run in dual-channel mode (so having an unmatched 2+1 set would probably cause a noticeable performance hit, as opposed to 1+1 or 2+2 (or 1+1+1+1 as I have !)). The Core i7 systems have triple-channel memory controllers however, so in that case 3gb does make sense (or 6gb)...

 

[simoneau10]

i would have to too, even though i don't know much i know im not goin to use a stock sound card, my buddy has a dell inspiron desktop, that he's goin to sell me, any suggestions on sound cards? and what about memory? minimum amount needed etc? i don't wanna go out buy a computer than realize everything is too small.

 

[adamangler]

try to get the best you can afford, simple as...

id start with 2gb ram, hd space is up to you, i dont know how much you will store on their...but start about 80g and upgrade as ans when
as for cpu a p4 2.8 would do....but better a dual core...going AMD is usually cheaper and perfectly adequate

basically the best spec you can afford with the capacity for upgrades as and when

 

[Mindset]

Sorry dnkygirl, I have to disagree with what you say...



I'm too tired to write why I disagree at the moment, but I do, and enough so to make me frown a bit when I read it

There's a good chance someone else will probably disagree with you, so I'll leave it up to them to justify and explain it.

Now, sleep time.



Oh, and 3gb of RAM in a Core Duo system is a bit strange, seeing as all the chipsets / memory controllers I know of run in dual-channel mode (so having an unmatched 2+1 set would probably cause a noticeable performance hit, as opposed to 1+1 or 2+2 (or 1+1+1+1 as I have !)). The Core i7 systems have triple-channel memory controllers however, so in that case 3gb does make sense (or 6gb)...

not at the new tri-channel ddr3..

ok, disagreement for the mic deal. Since I'm taking it that it's a dynamic mic with a 1/4" plug, down to 1/8th, your going to get a lot of noise etc. Theres
plenty of reasons.. From the a/d conversions, to the impedence change. I too am way to tired to discuss in detail lol.

If you have $$ issues, and are just starting off, I would still go Desktop because of being able to upgrade in the future, but I also would go with something like the fasttrack pro with a cheap condenser like the mxl 990, and use your headphones for now, or get some monitors. That'll allow you to at least run the basics, and learn the art of sound. The fasttrack you can get under $100, and the mic under $50.

 

[dnkygirl]

Oh, and 3gb of RAM in a Core Duo system is a bit strange, seeing as all the chipsets / memory controllers I know of run in dual-channel mode (so having an unmatched 2+1 set would probably cause a noticeable performance hit, as opposed to 1+1 or 2+2 (or 1+1+1+1 as I have !)). The Core i7 systems have triple-channel memory controllers however, so in that case 3gb does make sense (or 6gb)...

Ok... you've thrown me way to the left with this.... A core i7 system would be way too pricey.... and most daws don't support true 64bit architecture anyways... Let's keep this simple. He needs to start basic... shit i don't even have the money for that type of setup.

 

[dnkygirl]

What would be a good way to use a dynamic or condenser mic on a basic soundcard? I've not seen very many good quality mics that would even give you a decent sound direct to pc..without an interface of some sort. How is everyone on a daw like FL studio or adobe audition setup? I've been running protools from day one.. and by no means an expert on any other type of software daw setup.


Demi

 

[Mindset]

dnky, look at your setup as any other setup. What you replace it by brand in a signal chain, doesn't effect what it does in the signal chain. A built in sound card is a digital to analog converter by means not the best of the kind, your 002 or so is your better dac. Which you can consider both as called interfaces. but anyways I'm also saying basic sound card wouldn't be the best.. and I'm agreeing that 3gb is plenty enough ram, and even a pentium D would be efficent. I would go bare on the system, and spend the money on better equipment. and btw, it's been so long since we've been in 64-bit, nearly every manufacturer has upgraded their platforms to support 64 bit as thats the next step in technology, in 10 years, we'll be at 256-bit systems.

For info, refering to 'bit', what it is... starting from beginning at 8 bit, it is 7bits than 1 bit is error correct which equals to 8. it is slow because every 7 bits theres time for the error check. So at 64 bit, 63 bits can go on before your redundancy 1 bit check. Meaning more sets being done same amount of time.

 

[dnkygirl]

I think we are all making this way too complicated for a beginner. Would somene please list out a basic gear list for say FL studio and Adobe Audition.. that way he can go do some research on the gear and make a budget. I still believe a low end pc would be a great start, but i'm not up to date on the interfaces needed for these setups.


Demi

 

[shlama]

You should buy a good powerful computer but more important is your sound card and your monitors.