Members venkiee Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 I am planning to build a DAW PC as I am an hobbyist...mainly...Here are the specs I am trying to narrow down.....I would expect advise from experts on my configuration.... Mainly it's gonna be a Home Studio PC w/o internet connection... Mother Board - Asus P5W-DH Deluxe (i 975 chipset) Processor - Intel core2 duo E6400 RAM - DDR2-800 (PC2 6400) 2x1GB sticks Graphics Card - NVIDIA GeForce 7600GS Hard Disks - 2 x 320 GB (Seagate Barracuda SATA2 - 16MB Cache) Casing - Antec Sonata with 450W power Supply BENQ DVD Writer/Multicard Reader ofcourse..XP Pro OS and 2x17" LCD displays....and other necessary accessories... Since there are too many sound cards in the market., I am looking for a PCI card which does good work and not so expensive...My list..below ..Please suggest me a good one even not in the list... 1. ESI-PRO ESI1010 2. EMU 0404 3. Echo Gina3G 4. M-Audio Delta 1010 .... Peace... 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 I strongly suggest you work backwards, and decide what you want to use with your computer. Then check what manufacturers have to say about compatibility. For example, if you want to use a FireWire interface, it's likely the manufacturer will recommend a specific FireWire chip set. Graphics cards and motherboards are key to a good computer system...I'd recommend particular ones, but I let ADK do the work for me One other comment: Core 2 Duo absolutely rocks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Craig, The Motherboard and Processor alone costs me 500+ bucks..which is a key thing...I am not sure about ADK..what's ADK (Mic manufacturers ?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Personally, I like external firewire interfaces, and in general I've had better luck with them being easy to set up (IOW, fewer / no conflicts) than PCI interfaces, which I think are kind of going to go the way of the DoDo anyway (at least the old style PCI cards). The best interface to get really depends on what your needs are insofar as amount of inputs and other features... can you tell us a bit more about what you're going to be using it to do? Oh, and if you're thinking longer term, you might want to go with 1 X 2 GB or even 2 X 2 GB RAM chip(s) if you can afford it - especially if your board of choice has a small / limited number of RAM slots. From what I've read, Windows Vista will have a 1 GB MINIMUM RAM requirement, and if your board only has a couple of slots, you may find yourself having to pull both of those 1 GB DIMMs out of there when / if you decide to upgrade to the next version of Windows and discover you need to bump your amount of RAM up. Craig's advice about reverse engineering the system is dead-on. Start with the application you want to run, and work backwards from there... See if the manufacturer of your preferred software has any FAQ's or recommendations on system hardware. Don't just look for their minimums - sometimes that's just gonna get the software to run, not really what I'd call "work". See if they have any recommended hardware, and just as importantly, any specific warnings about what NOT to use - what's known to have "issues". Write that all down. Then move on to the hardware interface you are considering, and do the same checks. Don't forget to check the manufacturer's user support forums if they have one. And of course, asking here was a good move IMNSUA (in my not so unbiased opinion ). Doing all of that should give you a good idea of what not to use, and what generally has worked for other people who are using the same software and hardware you are. As far as your commputer hardware goes, I'm not as up to date on the new Intel boards and CPU's as I should be (I'm running an AMD Athlon 4200 X2 dual core), but IMHO, you've selected a good case / PSU, and I've generally had good luck with Asus mobo's. I've got a few Seagate Barracudas, and they've been good drives for me, and I do like the 16 MB cache. S-ATA is great, but if you can, why not grab a third 7,200 RPM drive? A small (80-120 GB) IDE for a system drive would free up more HDD space for files, and backups will be easier with two non-OS drives onboard. Of course, if your motherboard has onboard firewire interfacing (a good board should IMO), you can use external firewire drives for backups too. Don't forget Craig's suggestion on the firewire chipset - you need to make sure it's compatable with whatever audio interface you want to run with the system, and if not, plan on adding a PCI firewire card to your system. I recommend that anyway - I like having one dedicated to external drives and a seperate one for the audio interface. If you plan on also using an external firewire DSP product such as the TC PowerCore, SSL Duende or Focusrite Liquid Mix, you will definitely want two seperate firewire interfaces - one onboard the mobo and also a PCI card - on your system. Good luck with your project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Thanks Phil... Detailed reply indeed....I do notice your point on the FW chips... I intend to use Nuendo 3 as my software for sequencing and Audio...I plan to plug in a PCI Firewire expansion card by not disturbing the motherboard in-built one... Also I was told by a local friend that LYNX 22 are also good sound cards.. Any opinion ? I am terribly confused with the soundcards now...too many... Still I shall wait for expert's advise before I place the order for building it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 How many inputs do you need to run simultaneously? Do you need to have a certain amount of mic preamps onboard - for example, for recording a live drum kit? If so, you'll need to tke those needs into account and look for a interface with the features that best meet your needs. You mentioned you're on a tighter budget for the sound card, and that you are using Nuendo... you might want to check out the Yamaha i88X. They were selling for around $400 recently, although they're getting harder to find... but they sound very good and work great in combination with Nuendo. Oh, one more thing on your computer - don't skimp and try to cut corners with bargain-basement RAM - make sure you get good quality chips from a "name brand" vendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Phil, Max. 8 ins/outs should do for me...as I intend to record live guitars and woodwinds (I do Indian Music) RAM: I am intending to use Corsair memory which my friend suggested that it is better than Kingston ValuRAM thing... Soundcard: I shall check with local dealer if it is available (Yamaha i88x) or have to look in ebay... Once again thanks for your valuable advise Phil ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ViLo Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Phil, Max. 8 ins/outs should do for me...as I intend to record live guitars and woodwinds (I do Indian Music) RAM: I am intending to use Corsair memory which my friend suggested that it is better than Kingston ValuRAM thing... Soundcard: I shall check with local dealer if it is available (Yamaha i88x) or have to look in ebay... Once again thanks for your valuable advise Phil ! Just a few examples of firewire interfaces, "google for reviews". and check users reviews on the interface that fits your needs. Keep asking.............. :thu: Presonus Firepod http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Firepod/ MOTU http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/8pre/ Alesis iO|26 [This one is new, no reviews yet] http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/io26/ Like they already told you, choose and interface first and then build your machine around it. The Asus is a very good choice, but choosing the rigth Chipset is a key factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Craig, The Motherboard and Processor alone costs me 500+ bucks..which is a key thing...I am not sure about ADK..what's ADK (Mic manufacturers ?) ADK is a computer that integrates computers for music, so they do all the hard work I bought my last desktop from them and it has been absolutely rock solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dylan Walters Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 I just built three systems last week for a client and two of the motherboards needed special drivers for Windows to recognize the OS hard drive during the Windows Setup. Unfortunately, these drivers have to be put on a floppy disk, so you might want to ensure that you have a floppy drive as well. It's a bit silly that you need a floppy drive anymore, but they are cheap and can come in handy for other things like BIOS upgrades and recovery. There are tools out there that will let you integrate IDE and SATA drivers onto a custom Windows CD, but unless you want to go through this process you are probably better off using a driver disk. Another thing I've noticed with new Asus and Intel boards that support DDR2 is that they are *very* picky about RAM. You might want to check the Asus website for tested memory to save yourself the headache of troubleshooting RAM compatibility. I like Antec cases, but the Sonata is not one that I'd recommend. It scratches easily, show fingerprints, and is heavy. The cheaper Antec cases are actually my favorite budget cases. You might check out some of the brushed aluminum cases from Cooler Master as well. Otherwise, the parts list looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Dylan, Thanks for the advise. I was told that Antec casings are quite and not noisy.. Any other alternate quite casings than that ? Also I have a external floppy drive..will it work? for BIOS upgrdes? or I am putting an internal multicard reader..is that compensates a floppy drive ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dylan Walters Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 All of the Antec cases are quiet and do a nice job with cooling as well. Unfortunately, external floppy drives are not supported during Windows Setup, so you'll need an internal model that hooks up to the motherboard for this purpose. You might be able to do BIOS upgrades from an external USB floppy drive if your BIOS supports booting from it, which most do today. I haven't tried this, but it's a good idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Dylan, Ignoring Floppy Drive..Is ist possible to do BIOS update through internal Multicard reader which also works on the basis of floppy drive ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dylan Walters Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 If the BIOS supports booting from the card reader then it should be possible. Asus, Intel, and most other good mobo vendors offer a Windows utility for flashing BIOS ROM's, so the need to boot from a floppy is not usually required unless something goes wrong and you need to recover the BIOS from a special recovery BIOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amplayer Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 Here's my $.02. Take it for what it is worth to you. Considering your choice of audio cards, do you really need such a high end computer? Why do you need two displays? If I were you, I'd get a single 19 inch display and spend the money you would have spent on a second display as an upgrade for the audio card.Also, considering you are a hobbyist, I'd suggest saving some money for some cool software synths and effects. The higher end computing is only necessary when you get into trying to do a lot of stuff at once: i.e., playing back 20 or 30 tracks of audio while simultaneously running 10 or 15 software synths and software effects while recording a few tracks also. Most hobbyists probably don't have scenarios such as this, and unless you do, your money is better spent on music software toys than on the raw computing power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 Here is what I'm thinking of getting, it's slightly less high end but still seems like it'd be rock solid (and pretty dang high end) and compatible with anything I'd want to use. What do you hardware geeks think? ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD MotherboardAMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Windsor 2.2GHz Socket AM2 ProcessorGIGABYTE GV-NX76T256D-RH GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Silent Pipe II Video CardCORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel KitCOOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Oh, and can y'all recommend a good power supply? The case doesn't come with one and I'd like to know what's good, quiet and not too spensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joel Oporto Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 The mobo is quite an expensive one, try looking at models from gigabyte (better mobo quality than asus but might be as expensive) or from MSI. Check out mobos that support DDR2 - 1000 instead of just DDR2-800 this might be a better mobo for you, its cheaper but has the same features as the asus and comes from a quality mobo manufacturer.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128323#spec personally I'd go for the EMU but I do have the m-audio 1010 and never had any problems with it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joel Oporto Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 hey lee, go for Intel core2duo http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=469&model2=433&chart=182 $50 more than the X2 4200+ but also a lot faster, even faster than the more expensive $242 X2 4800+. you can get a cheaper nvidia vidcard to offset that difference slightly, and upgrade a little on a later time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 Here is what I'm thinking of getting, it's slightly less high end but still seems like it'd be rock solid (and pretty dang high end) and compatible with anything I'd want to use. What do you hardware geeks think?ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD MotherboardAMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Windsor 2.2GHz Socket AM2 ProcessorGIGABYTE GV-NX76T256D-RH GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Silent Pipe II Video CardCORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel KitCOOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer CaseOh, and can y'all recommend a good power supply? The case doesn't come with one and I'd like to know what's good, quiet and not too spensive. Lee., What is the cost of this configuration ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 Here's my $.02. Take it for what it is worth to you. Considering your choice of audio cards, do you really need such a high end computer? Why do you need two displays? If I were you, I'd get a single 19 inch display and spend the money you would have spent on a second display as an upgrade for the audio card. Also, considering you are a hobbyist, I'd suggest saving some money for some cool software synths and effects. The higher end computing is only necessary when you get into trying to do a lot of stuff at once: i.e., playing back 20 or 30 tracks of audio while simultaneously running 10 or 15 software synths and software effects while recording a few tracks also. Most hobbyists probably don't have scenarios such as this, and unless you do, your money is better spent on music software toys than on the raw computing power. amplayer., Your point is worthy..noted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 Lee.,What is the cost of this configuration ? $780. Of course that doesn't include hard drives, DVD drive and a few other goodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amplayer Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 Here is what I'm thinking of getting, it's slightly less high end but still seems like it'd be rock solid (and pretty dang high end) and compatible with anything I'd want to use. What do you hardware geeks think?ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD MotherboardAMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Windsor 2.2GHz Socket AM2 ProcessorGIGABYTE GV-NX76T256D-RH GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Silent Pipe II Video CardCORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel KitCOOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer CaseOh, and can y'all recommend a good power supply? The case doesn't come with one and I'd like to know what's good, quiet and not too spensive. 1) Core 2 duo is much better bang for the buck (as others have said). Besides that, Core 2 duo chips are much more overclock friendly.2) Unless you are into games, you can save money and power and space on the video card by getting a 760GS instead such as:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E168141210083) This Antec power supply isn't that cheap, but it is quiet and loaded with features:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817371002BTW, I also just bought an Antec case, and it is just fabulous. It made building the PC into something not so hateful.4) If you want to try overclocking, I'd suggest upgrading the RAM. The RAM is fine if overclocking isn't your cup of tea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 15, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks to all members who put in their valuable suggestions....Since My country is the place where you can get Computer Hardware Cheapest... (Singapore) I have come to the following configuration after lots'a considerations and advise from fellow members..Please correct me.. Mother Board - Asus P5W-DH Deluxe (i 975 chipset) Processor - Intel core2 duo E6400 Corsair RAM - DDR2-800 (PC2 6400) 2x1GB sticks Graphics Card - NVIDIA GeForce 7600GS Hard Disk (System) - 1 x 160 GB (Seagate Barracuda SATA2 - 16MB Cache) Hard Disk (Audio) - 1 x 320 GB (Seagate Barracuda SATA2 - 16MB Cache) Casing - Antec Sonata with 450W power Supply BENQ DVD Writer/Multicard Reader Samsung 22" LCD Display EMU 1616M Soundcard Windows XP Pro (Upgradable to Vista) All this costs me US$1650 except Software Sequencer....I already have Nuendo as I am endorsed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lucky #9 Posted January 15, 2007 Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 venkiee: I've been following your thread with a keen interest. I'm in the slooooow process of obtaining components for the new computer build that will be used strictly for audio/visual recording. I will be using many of the same, or similar, componnents that you have decided on, but half-way around the world from you. While your system is built around the E-Mu 1616m (of which I had) mine will be built around: E-Mu 1820m (PCI system, now discontinued) bought some time ago I had previously decide to go with an AMD 64 X2 CPU until the new Core 2 Duos came out - They seem to be the better brain at the moment - It will be Core 2 Duo now I, too, am using an Antec Sonata Case w/450w power supply that I've already purchased I like your Motherboard choice and have that on my short list Probably Corsair (or maybe Patriot Ram that Phil uses on his AMD 64 X2 system) A 19" monitor, probably wide-style that I am about to decide on - Was about to pick up a Viewsonic at Staples this past week-end for $200 but it had small speakers on it and I prefer a monitor without Two Sata drives of smaller capacity that I already have, although I may use a new EIDE drive that I also have for my OS and software Graphic card will probably be different - I'd like a dual head model ( I was thinking Matrox, but that was back when I was going to use an AGP card with the AMD CPU) in case I end up using a 2nd monitor or LCD TV in addition to the main monitor Note: I could use a recommendation here guys! (Remember, I'm doing video, also) I need one that will be quiet as I will be recording in the same room as the computer XP PRO- It will be a long time before I shell out the fortune that MS is looking for Vista While I have XP PRO already, I may go with the XP 64 version as the 1820m and Sonar (I think Tracktion as well) can use it Software is a bit different: I have Sonar 6, Cubase 3 and Tracktion 2 What I don't have is the time to learn it all. On a side note, occasionally it is actually good to be me! I upgraded to Sonar 5 from version 2. The deal was that you received a free upgrade to version 6 as well when it came out. Excellent, but even better for me. I was using the Studio version, though I would have liked to have had the Producer version for it's advanced features. I received the upgrade a little later than Cakewalk said I would, then I let it sit on my desk for a couple of months without even opening it. When I finally popped it open, I found the Producer version! Cool, yes, but my conscience works hard on me day and night sometimes. I called Cakewalk to ask if it was a bonus because I waited some two months for the free version 6 upgrade to arrive but they said it was just a mistake, and to keep it, no sweat!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members venkiee Posted January 15, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 Lucky, The graphics card I have chosen is dual DVI...hence 2 monitors are possible. I was asked to go for a big one...so in future I can add one more if reqd... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.