soundcard or RAM?

  • Thread starter Thread starter pdadda
  • Start date Start date
pdadda

pdadda

Captain Sea Boots
Let me start off with the specs on my computer and soundcard:
Pentium 4 processor
2.66 GHz
120 GB hard drive
128 MB RAM

Soundblaster Live 5.1

I have obviously run into problems with latency being too high. I am planning on purchasing an Audiophile 2946 (still kinda leary of going with E-MU).
Will this definitely be able to lower my latency, or do I need to get more RAM right away? I am planning on getting 512 more MB RAM as my next purchase after the Audiophile, but I don't have the money for both right now. Would it be better to get the RAM first?
As for my recording, I am recording one or two tracks at a time, and probably mixing down 6-10 tracks in one song alltogether. Some of the tracks are VST plugins (nothing huge--mostly drumatic and crystal).
 
I'd go with ram first definitely, but just don't buy it from BestBuy, because all they sell is garbage.

Try to get the fastest type of ram you can, PC-3200 is standard, but I'm not sure if that'll work with your system. Doesn't sound like it's too old so it probably can, but you'll want to check yourself before you spend the casholla.

Check out ram at NewEgg.com, cheap prices and fast (and usually free) delivery, make it a good place to get computer stuff.

Crucial, Corsair, Kingston, Mushkin, and OCZ are all good ram manufacturers. Also, if your computer supports ram in dual configuration, I'd recommend going that route. In order to do that you need 2 sticks of matched ram in the proper slots on your motherboard, but whether or not your computer even supports that again is something I cannot answer you, but it's worth looking into.
 
You never said what OS you were using. That makes a difference as far as whether the OS will make good use of it.

I'm surprised some of the other senior forum members didn't already ask that.
 
Well, if he initially says that he has only 128MB, I don't have to ask which OS he's using if he wants to get any recording done.
And anything less than Win2000 on a P4 2.66GHz would be rediculous anyway.
 
...

ack winXP with 256!!!

immediately get more ram, run, run like the wind

you need at least 512 to run XP, the OS itself uses a huge amount of ram. 1 gig is actually the best choice

peace
LB
 
Re: ...

LiquidBronze said:
you need at least 512 to run XP, the OS itself uses a huge amount of ram. 1 gig is actually the best choice
Click to expand...
That's a bit steep in my book. I use Cubase SX with WinXP Pro and so far my 512MB has been more than adequate. 1 gig is definitely nice but really not a necessity.
 
wanna know if your system could use more ram?

set your page file to start at 50MB and allow it to expand to-whatever ...700 MB

if the little bubble comes up saying that it needs to increase your pagefile, then you could use more ram in your system.

Myself i have 512 ram and a static pagefile at 256 ...just in case, only ever used 128 of the page file though.

once something goes into the pagefile it is alittle slower to get retrieved and stuff. Windows just makes a note of stuff you use or are using, so 'ramcleaners' are BS, anything not being used is overwritten immediately.

I don't edit video and longest audio clips are only maybe 5 minutes here. I don't need much ram. I have 640 MB of stuff on call (max)from what this testing showed me.
well RAM lesson over for today:p
 
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