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I'm always being asked to make PC systems for people who want to get into Audio Production. So here's my latest recommendation (as of Oct 15th).
ASUS P4T 533-C Motherboard
Intel P4 2.4 Ghz 400/512
512 MB PC800 RDRAM
2 x 40 GB Maxtor Hard Drives
Lite On CDRW 48x12x32
1.44MB Floppy
Matrox G450 Dual Head - for two screens!
Windows 98SE at the very least!
RME Hammerfall 96/52
+ all the usual incl.
Lots of fans/Monitor/Case
Let me know if anyone has any other/better specs!
I use the Soundblaster Audigy Platinum Internal Box, is brilliant for nearly all audio uses and not to expensive. I'd be interested to know what external hardware you use if any?
That's a beasty spec!
Generally, you can get away with anything as low as Pentium II 400 MHz, 256MB of Ram, and minimum of 10 gig harddrive (unless you wish to be patient and have samples over many cd's!). A good soundcard which is a brandname (brandnames often link well with software packages!) is a help.
Hell I'm using PIII - 600Mhz, 384MB of Ram and 6GB Hard Drive and a Sound Blaster 16! does the job... although the sound card Mr Pitt has I want... it's amazing for linking up with external hardware and damn good soundcard overall I think.
Hard Drives? I'm going 100GB plus... once the cash is there!
Hope that helps!
Nothing more... Nothing Less...
don't forget you should go for fast drives -ata100 7200rpm minimum
Oh deffinitly... if your motherboard even supports the new ATA133 then get it!
My board supports ATA66 but I'm using a 33 transfer rate harddrive! Not so bad with a small harddrive but if your scouring through a large hard disk expect lengthy pauses!
Nothing more... Nothing Less...
Personally I prefer AMD cpus tho they will die if you overcook them
I think HDD and RAM are two of the most important things to go for (tho im sure some could argue :P) when your working audio files (they can get HUGE!). Get a mobo that supports something like Ultra ATA/133 RAID (i do like the MSI boards) and nice fast HDD (7200). Get as much RAM as you can, cant get enuf of that :P
Im not a soundcard man tho, whats the best out now?
Eneah >:)
i like m-audio delta 1010
8 analogue in
8 analogue out
midi in
midi out
spdif in
spdif out
24 bit 96khz
what more do you want
I stand 4 my RME...
config... at least 2 Partitions ... samples, work...
another 4 docs, emails, etc...
each particion with it's own os.. I have good things 2 say about XP! ... also if u use cubase drop to they're page and find massive tweeks 4 XP ... It really really improves performance ... and u can rest assure it won't interfere with normal work ..as u have an os just 4 music pourposes!!
Z
I got my computer tweaked by Millenium (Nottingham) about 1 1/2 years ago for 40 quid. I got it back and then used Norton Ghost EVERY time I added something and I have 0 probs with my comp. Before this it used to crash nearly every time I did a track. And I use to spend all by time understanding drivers and pc stuff that was absolutely wasting my time.
Norton Ghost is essential.
Common sense! it's essential too
As long as you know what your doing with different files, what your adding and more importantly what your deleting you shouldn't find yourself in a situation where you've broken everything and lost all your work
I reformat to keep things fast and tidy but I still have files from more than 4 years ago and I I dnormal backups. If I do reformat I plan out what I need to do, what I need to keep and store them in a safe place (usually another HDD) till I'm ready to put them back onto the HDD.
I'm not sure what the chances are of a freak accident, fire or theft but id say most the time people will have problems caused by something they have done
Eneah >:)