How does this setup sound?

[volcano_lance]

CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2600 (2.13GHZ) 333FSB - $200.00
Motherboard: Asus A7S333 - $65.50
Power Supply: Enlight ATX 420w - $55.00
Hard Drive: Western Digital 40gig 7200rpm - $66.00 (for OS)
Hard Drive: Western Digital 40gig 7200rpm - $66.00 (for for audio)
RAM: Kingston 512mb PC 2700 - $70.00
Audio Card/interface: M-Audio Delta 44 - $250.00
Video Card: Geforce2 MX400 64MB - $40.00
OS: Windows XP - $95.00

I plan on using this with N-tracks for a month or so (because this will wipe out all money I have), but plan on getting sonar 2.2 around late june.
I would just mic drums (4 mics), and then overdub the bass, guitar, and vocals.
I mean, for around $900 I don't think you could do much better.
thanx for any input.

vl

 

[gixxer2nv]

The only thing I could suggest would be to RAID the two hard drives in RAID 0 and you could probably upgrade that video card something a little better.

 

[volcano_lance]

Thanx gix...
I will take that into consideration, although the video isnt that much of an issue with me.

 

[moskus]

I will take that into consideration, although the video isnt that much of an issue with me.

No, but more efficient parts means more efficient computer...

And I would go for just one big harddrive, around 120 gig...

 

[webstop]

Unless you plan to play games on this box, you video should be fine for a start.
Like moskus said you need to think about a larger hard drive. I would use the large one for recording. 40 gigs for OS may be too much, but it is not too much for OS and programs. These days more and more programs (samplers, virtual instruments) come on one or several CDs. Two Virtual Guitarists are three CDs each, so is the Grand, Atmosphere comes on 6 CDs, a box of Plugsound libraries are 6 CDs, etc. So space may go pretty fact.
Since you will be running Athlon, cooling and fan noise will be an issue. Consider a good quite processor cooler - probably another $50 or so, and quite power suply - Antec, for example.

 

[trogdor]

get a cpu heatsink/fan with an 80mm fan... I just built a machine with an athlon XP 2100+ and I'm using a $7 Speeze hs/fan combo from newegg that works great and has excellent reviews on the site. Should work just fine for the xp2600 as I have my chip overclocked to ~2.3ghz and she still stays nice and cool.

 

[Meshuggah]

I'd dish out the cash to get an nForce2 mobo like Abit NF7-S v2, Epox 8RDA+ or ASUS A7N8X

 

[christiaan]

Since you will be running Athlon, cooling and fan noise will be an issue. Consider a good quite processor cooler - probably another $50 or so, and quite power suply - Antec, for example.

Pentiums 4 run hot as well. Cooling/fan noise being a bigger problem for Athlons is basically a myth. Don't fall for that.
I have a Arctic Super Silent Pro, producing only 20dB of noise and costing me 10 euros (9 bucks). A 2600+ may need a bit more powerful/more efficient cooler than that but you definately don't need to spend $50,- on a cooler.

The only thing I could suggest would be to RAID the two hard drives in RAID 0

Don't bother. For homerecording you don't get much use out of the higher transferrates you get from a RAID 0 config with modern single drives that do >50MB/s (sustained). Seek times and latency don't improve at all.

and you could probably upgrade that video card something a little better.

Neh.. All you need for recording is 2D performance. Any card will do.