Processor Speed

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kayak50
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2011/03/12 12:02:52 (permalink)

Processor Speed

I'm a bit of a newbee to recording.  Need some really basic advice. 
I have Sonar x1 Studio.  A Cakewalk audio interface.  An Maudio Oxygen 25 usb midi controller.
I record generally one track at a time - maybe 2 on occasion.  I'd probably never end up with more than 8 to 10 tracks total and that would be running minimal effects and instruments.  I'm OK about spending the money for a new computer, but I don't want to end up buying way more than I need - or worse, less.
My one passion is getting rid of the latency.  I'd like zero if that's attainable on a budget.  My current machine is a dog - I know that. I won't even tell you the specs - it's embarrassing.  It ran Sonar Home Studio - but just barely. 

In advance:  Sorry if this seems like a fatefully ignorant post.  I'm a musician, not computer scientist. 

So does this machine look OK?

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-760 quad-core processor [2.8GHz, 1MB L2 + 8MB shared L3 cache] 6GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM [3 DIMMs] from 4GB Or is this a safer bet?

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-870 quad-core processor [2.93GHz, 1MB L2 + 8MB shared L3 cache] 8GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM [4 DIMMs]
Any general advice on processors and speed would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks!
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    johnnyV
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    Re:Processor Speed 2011/03/12 13:08:59 (permalink)
    First you should post in either the X1 or the Hardware form, not many people are here anymore, it's a ghost towns since x1 came out.  so you'll get more answers in X1 forum. But theres a hardware and a computer forum too. Trouble is they get way to into this stuff and your head will spin ;0
    I'll give you the bare bones.
    Any new computer i5 ( and AMD equivalent) and up with 4 GIGs or more of RAM is fine. But you need to optimize it for running a DAW like Sonar. Keep it clean and off the internet, no wireless devices, run the dpclat meter to test it for background issues.  If a desktop system then 2 hard drives is a good idea so don't by a mini box system or all in one.

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    bitflipper
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    Re:Processor Speed 2011/03/12 13:36:28 (permalink)
    For playing soft synths in real time, get the fastest CPU you can afford.

    Another option is to pick up a cheap (hardware) synthesizer and record all your tracks with it. That, you can monitor with zero latency. Even if it's one of those $100 jobs you buy at a department store, as long as it's got MIDI it'll work. The idea is to record the part with the hardware synth as MIDI, then re-assign the MIDI track to a soft synth after it's recorded. You end up with the best of both worlds.



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    kayak50
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    Re:Processor Speed 2011/03/12 14:34:30 (permalink)
    Thanks to both of you.  I reposted to the X1 section of the forum.  I'll probably end up going with the i5.   But I woukld like to use synths in real time, and even though I'm not running a billion tracks at a time, do you think the i5 will still be OK?  The i7 is about $200 more.  Maybe in the long run it's a better bargain?
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    Fog
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    Re:Processor Speed 2011/03/12 16:58:40 (permalink)
    http://www.cpubenchmark.net/

    might be a nice read for you to give you an idea. with this stuff you won't have to worry so much about the pc if you get a machine capable.. think about 2 years down the line.. if you will still be happy with it.

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    sdpate67
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    Re:Processor Speed 2011/03/12 23:23:15 (permalink)
    The chart is nice but it bears only a partial relationship to performance. There is bus i/o, memory speed, hard drive speeds/feeds, video performance and audio card with the fun latency issue.

    Every time you buy the latest and greatest hardware, somebody is telling you it's not fast enough and the system would work if you only bought such a such. Usually that guy has a Q6600 processor from 4 years ago.

    The whole audio industry is playing catchup with software that is not optimized for the latest hardware. It's always been that way. Intel creates some new hot chip, Microsoft is about 2 years behind with the OS tweaks and then the application software plays catch up for another 5 - 10 years.

    This time Intel and Microsoft are in sync on technology and the applications, drivers and patches are pathetically standing without the proverbial Emperor's clothes.

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