New home studio notebook: some advice needed

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jimknopf
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2011/04/18 06:28:49 (permalink)

New home studio notebook: some advice needed

I just move my home studio setup from a PC to a new notebook, to be able to record directly next to various keyboards there, and even at other places.
My Asus Notebook is a Core i5 (2nd generation) with Win7/64, and a device bought just for recording and nothing else.

Since this is my first 64bit system, I don't want to run into all the available traps directly and ask for your advice:

- Do those of you with Win7/64bit install Sonar as 64-bit application or as 32bit? I ask because I know that many of my VSTis won't run in Sonar 64bit. I can use Jbridge, but after what I heard so far, I would just get one additional possible source of trouble.

- Kontakt 4 is my main sampler: I remember some people had trouble running Kontakt4 in some environments. Any issues/advice from your experience?

- latency/crackle issues: At the moment, I have to get by with a lower class USBII soundcard (Tascam US 144-MkII). It will be replaced by a Focusrite Scarlett 18I6 somewhen in May, as soon as it is available, but I have to get by with the Tascam until so far. If I would run into latency/crackle issues, which X1 buffer settings could help me for the moment according to your experience?

- at the moment the notebook runs with 4 Gb. I run only typical home-studio keyboarder projects (no 90 track projects), but with some big sample libraries (Scarbee etc.). Most times 4 Gb should still be enough, but 6 or 8 could run more smooth. How important is big RAM according to your experience (I don't mean as ideal thing, knowing it can't be wrong, but as really required)

- energy management: I have set the energy management not to interfere by slowing down or terminating things like CPU and harddisk. As far as I heard, the only multicore parking problems arise from 4 cores up. I'm using an up to date dual core with hyperthreading in both cores (some modern i5 designs are faster than older 4-core i7s), and I have not idea if I could run into CPU managment problems running X1. I also configured the notebook not to do energy managent on USB ports, but I am not sure if I covered all possible sources of notebook trouble.


All I want is a glitch free, smooth recording notebook. Some answers from your experience would be welcome.
post edited by jimknopf - 2011/04/18 06:35:09
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    jimknopf
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    Re:New home studio notebook: some advice needed 2011/04/18 10:37:21 (permalink)
    OK, here's the first problem I ran into:

    Despite running the installer for Cakewalk 32bit in administrator mode, I got the following message.

    "C :\Windows\system32\msvcr71.dll
    An error occurred while trying to replace the existing file: DeleteFile failed; code 5."

    Question to cakewalk staff:
    I ignored the file problem and continued to install.
    Will this have any negative consequences?

    See above for my other questions.
    I have decided to install both 32- and 64-bit versons (with different VST folders) and thus answerd a part of one question myself.
     
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    SONARtist
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    Re:New home studio notebook: some advice needed 2011/04/18 10:40:38 (permalink)
    Try this ... after Googling this is what came up ...

    http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/reader.aspx/2007012916
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    jimknopf
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    Re:New home studio notebook: some advice needed 2011/04/18 10:54:29 (permalink)
    I DID already install as administrator: Didn't change the problem.
    And the above article doesn't refer to X1.

    I'll wait for Cakewalk staff feedback.
    I'm not willing to fiddle around with user accounts or registry, just to install a program.
    I definitely expect another way or a Cakewalk fix.

    I don't even know if the skipped file is good for anything, or if I have a newer file of the same kind already on my computer.
    This (running into a problem and missing the most basic information to solve it) is no acceptable way of installing software.
     
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    SONARtist
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    Re:New home studio notebook: some advice needed 2011/04/18 10:58:36 (permalink)
    Okay, you win.
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    chuckebaby
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    Re:New home studio notebook: some advice needed 2011/04/18 11:20:58 (permalink)
    if you want glitch free these are some things to do.
    first diasable your wireless.you wont need it if your just using this as a daw and it will create havoc.
    download and update your drivers for your interface.
    after installing x1 i suggest you download the latest patches as well.
    i wouldnt download the quickfixes untill you try out x1 and feel its nessessary.i didnt need them.and right now the latest fix is has a small issue thats being looked at this week with magentic strenth.
    you might even want to download the dpc latency checker.its a great tool for trouble shooting problems with interference/latency/pops/crackles.
    just do a google on dpc latency.
    as far as the msvcr71.dll that souns like a tech support issue.
    good luck.

    Windows 8.1 X64 Sonar Platinum x64
    Custom built: Asrock z97 1150 - Intel I7 4790k - 16GB corsair DDR3 1600 - PNY SSD 220GB
    Focusrite Saffire 18I8 - Mackie Control
       
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    jimknopf
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    Re:New home studio notebook: some advice needed 2011/04/18 12:43:59 (permalink)
    Thanks, chuckebaby! I will have a look at dpc latency checker!

    Got the basic setup up and running (after all Win7 and basic drivers updates). Reading a lot of forum posts I came to the conclusion to start with X1/32bit and add the 64-bit version only after I upgraded my RAM to 8 Gb.

    If anyody does the same job: I noticed that it is very easy to overlook something with correct 32bit/64bit folder installations.
    To keep good overview, I put two folders at the root directory of my installation drive: 'vstplugins' and 'vstplugins 64'.

    Some VSTs provide both 32bit and 64bit installations in the same install, and it seems essential to me to keep 32bit- and 64bit-plugins installed in separate folders.


    post edited by jimknopf - 2011/04/18 12:45:20
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