re_PGC
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Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
I am planning to upgrade my DAW hardware (the PC) in the not so near future (let’s say for year end)
My questions to the forum are about the items that really make the difference?
The video card (mine insert noises when playing SW synths)
The amount of memory.
The CPU specs
The OS (I use win 7 pro)
The sound card model and type. (Internal or USB, etc.)
The hard disk(s) speed and capacity.
I am not a pro, just a hobbyist, but really like to get good sound (more an audiophile type)
Any comments are welcome and appreciated. (I have SONAR X1b Professional), GPO4, JABB3, and other SW nice synths, also an old Roland MIDI KB)
I think I accept private messages, if you prefer it.
Best Regards
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bz2838
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/15 19:51:46
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I suggest you contact ADK http://www.adkproaudio.com/ and tell them what you want to do and they'll build you whatever you want, they build computers especially for audio recording. I bought mine from them, I got an excellent computer at a good price, and they also have excellent support. Worth checking out.
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agundrum
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/16 08:28:23
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A couple of questions:
What is your budget?
Are you dedicating the PC totally to being a DAW? If you don't, then you leave yourself open to many performance issues.
An observation on your video card "inserts noises." If you have a PCI audio card and audio video card make sure you separate the two - don't insert them into slots next to each other. If you have audio built-in on the motherboard try moving the video card to another slot. Separation might help with the noises.
As for the rest - I prefer building my own DAW because, for me anyways, it saves a lot of money. I built my DAW almost two years ago and the only reason I rebuilt it was to upgrade to Windows 7 64-bit and SONAR X1. After applying all the little performance tweaks the system is running without a glitch.
John ------ SONAR X1 Producer, Adobe CS5 Master Collection, Gigabyte EP45-DS3R MB, Intel Core 2 Quad @ 2.66GHz, 4GB RAM, VisionTek Radeon HD 4850 video, 600W P/S, 4 SATA 7200RPM drives (1.8TB), DVD DL reader/re-writer, E-Mu 1820m Audio, Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, dual 22" displays
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re_PGC
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 12:42:35
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agundrum
A couple of questions:
What is your budget?
Are you dedicating the PC totally to being a DAW? If you don't, then you leave yourself open to many performance issues.
An observation on your video card "inserts noises." If you have a PCI audio card and audio video card make sure you separate the two - don't insert them into slots next to each other. If you have audio built-in on the motherboard try moving the video card to another slot. Separation might help with the noises.
As for the rest - I prefer building my own DAW because, for me anyways, it saves a lot of money. I built my DAW almost two years ago and the only reason I rebuilt it was to upgrade to Windows 7 64-bit and SONAR X1. After applying all the little performance tweaks the system is running without a glitch.
Thaks: This time, it will be a dedicated DAW. Moving the audio card slot did not work, maybe an USB sound card is a better choice. I am considering this one: NI card But it may be excessive. But I am a little confused here: since it it USB, does a better CPU or more memory really needed? Is the USB speed a fact? Right now i have an Audigy 2 (creative labs)
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mudgel
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 14:48:29
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If you contact Jim Roseberry and tell him your needs and budget he'll provide a list of known components that he has used and tested and work well together. He's also a SONAR user so can tell you exactly what to do from assembly to burn in testing.
He charges $40/30 minute email consultation. It's well worth it if you want to build your own or he will build for you.
he's a regular on the forum and makes a very useful contribution because of his DAW building business.
Mike V. (MUDGEL) STUDIO: Win 10 Pro x64, SPlat & CbB x64, PC: ASUS Z370-A, INTEL i7 8700k, 32GIG DDR4 2400, OC 4.7Ghz. Storage: 7 TB SATA III, 750GiG SSD & Samsung 500 Gig 960 EVO NVMe M.2. Monitors: Adam A7X, JBL 10” Sub. Audio I/O & DSP Server: DIGIGRID IOS & IOX. Screen: Raven MTi + 43" HD 4K TV Monitor. Keyboard Controller: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88.
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...wicked
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 15:18:51
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If you're really unsure and have the cash I second the above recommendations to have one of the trusted DAW-builders take care of it. Both their reps are solid and people who have machines they built rave about them.
I build my own and really have not regretted it. With even just a modicum of smarts and a good internet connection you can spec out and buy DAW parts for incredibly cheap, and choosing and assembling a DAW is child's play compared to what it was years ago.
=========== The Fog People =========== Intel i7-4790 16GB RAM ASUS Z97 Roland OctaCapture Win10/64 SONAR Platinum 64-bit billions VSTs, some of which work
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amiller
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 15:30:07
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RAWK!!! . SONAR Platinum: 2017.10
System specs: Purrrfect Audio: http://www.studiocat.com/open_cart/ • Case Silent Mid Tower • Power-Supply 600w quiet • Haswell CPU 4790k @ 4.4GHz • RAM 32GB DDR3/1600 • OS drive 1TB HD • Audio drive 2TB HD • Samples drive 1 3TB HD • Burner 24x DVD/RW • Video HD4600 • Add TI chipset Firewire For all others • Operating System Windows 10 x64 Home Edition . MOTU 828 mkII . Lucid 9624 A/D . Millennia HV-3b pre . Dual 24" Widescreen Monitors
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n0rd
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 15:40:40
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agundrum
What is your budget?
+1. Without a budget people can quote you *anything* and it'll end up costing you a arm and a leg. Drives, as an (extreme) example: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500 GB ~ 50 bucks OCZ Vertex 3 480GB ~ 2000 bucks ..and that's just *one* component of the system.
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djjhart@aol.com
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 16:33:52
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I only read good things about Jim, My first stop would be Jim send him a PM and give him a budget you wanna work with, Im sure he can help you out..
Computer - Intel Q9550, Intel BX48bt2 MB, W8 64 bit. 8 gb Ram, SSD Hardware - Tascam Fw1884 Control surface only, Ni S49 Komplete Kontroll,Roland Quad Capture, Ni Machine,Kore, Focusrite A/D converter, Blue Mic, Roland Gaia, Akai Mpk49, Yamaha HS80 Monitors.Software - Sonar Platinum , Vengeance VPS bundle,Sugar Bytes Effectrix, Turnado, NI Komplete 10 Ultimate, Dune, Rob Papen Blade , Delay, Punch Evolved. http://soundcloud.com/johnhartson/tracks http://www.youtube.com/user/jhart1313
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StarTekh
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Re:Any DAW HW suggestions recommendations?
2011/04/18 17:45:36
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rePGC: building HDR is a no brainer ..simplay ask and someone here will make you a shopping list that you have a local shop build
and its free..jon
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