When I first decided to try computer recording I only had a Compaq machine at the time. A single core at that. Never had a problem recording with it. Sonar ran like a dream on that machine. Yeah. It was limited in some areas due to not having a lot of power under the hood but I made some nice recordings with it. I now have a custom build but the Compaq is still running strong. It's gotta be at least 8+ years old and is our dedicated internet PC. I agree that a custom build is best for audio recording but the new computers today will certainly get the job done too. 

The fact that my $350 Dell Dimension 2400 is getting about 8-9 yrs old nowadays, running XP, SonarPE7.02, Superior Drummer, works great with my Layla 3G and a Matrox dual head for my twin 27" Viewsonics, and has yet to crash with Adobe Audition or CD architect, makes me read these threads with HUGE interest.  I look at pricing for custom builds that would be current and go, "Holy ___!" 
 
Yes I paid $3k back in the 90's for a killer SCSI, Plextor, etc...setup... which is why I decided to try a bottom feeder computer.
 
If Sonar X won't run on a mid priced Dell nowadays, isn't that more a Cakewalk issue than the computer?  I can't think Cakewalk is expecting everyone to go get a killer tweaked computer.  YES, if you're maxing out a session... but it ought to run X3 and all of Cake's plugs just fine (and my Toontrack too!). 

http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-660/pd?oc=fddnrx508cm&model_id=inspiron-660
 
wouldn't this run X3 just fine and for $500.  12 gig memory, Win8 and 1 tb hard drive ?
 
It's certainly not a "screamer" machine, but $1500 less than one that is and should handle the "average joe"...if that makes sense.
To be clear, heavy users I can see would certainly benefit from a nice machine, but if you're just running Sonar....?

 




 
Looking on studiocat.com site - I see much more reasonable prices than the $3k you referenced. However, with that said the dell would do in a pinch. 




Yes, I look at that site quite a bit and there's some good stuff.  The $3k I referenced was back in the early 90's, which I imagine would be an amount more in today's dollars.  It was right around the time when burning CDs was coming out for the home person and I wanted a great computer back then as well.  

dunno what the fuss is all about, I've never changed for years.. and zero fan noise.. the PSU also doubles as a foot warmer in the cold winters
 

 
my problem with using laptops is drive space.. lack of.. so I can't see myself solely using a laptop for years. I do use a laptop for music, but it doesn't have everything on it without the dvd tray being replaced with a drive caddy
 
 

Lucy used her C-64 for knitting
 

mixmkr
http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-660/pd?oc=fddnrx508cm&model_id=inspiron-660 
wouldn't this run X3 just fine and for $500.  12 gig memory, Win8 and 1 tb hard drive ?

No matter what computer you buy, you can break it with Sonar...load up 30 or 40 softsynths, have a prochannel with a few effects on each one, and then try tracking four live tracks at 32/96 over the top. While this is a silly suggestion, it exhibits a point. If you are a 'lone musician', laying down a half dozen softsynth tracks with some automation and 'humanization' and then recording 3-4 live tracks with a half dozen takes before mixing and mastering, then most modern mid-level or above computers will work for you. But if you are doing a movie score with orchestra (i.e. 50 voices), sound effects, 5.1 output, and lots of resampling and tempo management, then you might be well-apprised to get something a little more robust, because it will break. 
 
The real key that I've found is that Sonar (and other programs like CAD, FEM, etc...) don't just let you know when they 'break'. They just get continually a little more flaky and less robust with more occasional crashes, a pop or click here and there, occasional "audio engine has stopped" messages, etc... Depending on how much you are willing to put up with this as your projects get more sophisticated vs. how much money you invest is a personal decision. You can also be completely anal about bouncing tracks to audio early in the creative process...this is a productivity choice. 
 

denverdrummer
I've recently gone to using laptops over desktops.  The power in most high end laptops is good enough for most everything I do, and add the portability, I need for working on other people's projects..........................
......................I'm a little unimpressed with some of the cases that are available.  I feel many of them are way too big and clunky, even some of the mid tower stuff.

I'm addicted to having two large screens, and haven't found a particularly affordable laptop that supports it. For me the best deal is a solid desktop, and a modest laptop that I only use for live tracking and mixing. 
 
Regarding the cases...it is worth spending a little extra money to get a good case with optimized cooling, speed-variable ultra-quiet fans, etc. There are some good choices out there in both rackmount (e.g. Athena Power) and compact desktop (Shuttle e.g.) configurations. 
 

sharke
Lucy used her C-64 for knitting
 

Now I understand the results I get.
 
Here I thought I was making music.

Anderton
I've often attributed my generally trouble-free history with software (not just Sonar, all my other programs as well) to using a PC Audio Labs computer that's integrated specifically for music. Of course PCAL isn't the only game in town - Jim Rosenberry and Scott over at ADK also have the recipe down - but PCAL went outside of their comfort zone several years ago to make me a laptop that was optimized for video production, and I've been using their gear ever since.
 
However, after a couple years of pretty continuous operation my desktop machine had developed a noise that had me concerned (CPU fan?) so I figured I better get it looked at, just in case.
 
Fortunately there's a PC Audio Labs office in Albuquerque, so I drove down and saw the tech (Brain Lorelle) do all the secret optimization stuff they do for hardware to keep noise down, run cool, etc. as well as some software tweaks he did. He also did in fact replace the CPU fan. I promised I wouldn't tell exactly what he did, trade secrets and all that, but I was kind of surprised at just how much stuff they do to optimize a system...when I first got it, as far as I knew it was Just a Box that Worked. Now I have a better idea of what goes into making a computer that's designed specifically for music production.
 
I solemnly swear I will never buy a $399 computer from Office Depot for doing music

I understand what you are trying to teach here but seriously, the author of the super-fuzz didn't know it was the cpu fan? c'mon man :-)

bitman
 
I understand what you are trying to teach here but seriously, the author of the super-fuzz didn't know it was the cpu fan? c'mon man :-)

When it's sitting next to hard drives and other fans, believe me, I wasn't going to disconnect it to find out for certain!

Anderton

brianobedia
For those that might question what we do here at PCAL to make a pro audio computer -- you can feel free to call me sometime to talk about what we do.  I have 20 years tech experience, my team has a combined over 100 years experience.  We do more, and go further, than anyone else in the business, and that's why we're really, really good at it ;) 
 
Feel free to call sometime.  818-986-2673, thanks! 

 
What Brian didn't mention (so I will) is that he's a musician, so he better know how to make computers work well or his act is hosed.
 

 :) You're just always very kind to me, Craig, and I hope that you know that that really means a lot to me. 
 
 

When we have a computer problem,and it gets resolved fairly quickly, we have a tendency to forget about it or at least marginalize the whatever frustration we experience. I suspect when Craig has a problem, all the best people fall all over themselves to help him resolve it. That is not what most of us experience. I think his advice is very good, but I suspect his good luck with computers has at least as much to do with who he is as to what he buys.

Don't know about Windows 8.1, but Windows 10 Experience is under Settings...
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-is-windows-experience-index#What-is-windows-experience-index=windows-7
 
 

Anderton
 
 
I solemnly swear I will never buy a $399 computer from Office Depot for doing music

I know people that have and they too run trouble free!