Someone came to me asking if I could build a computer specifically for running Cakewalk Sonar X2. She has a budget of around $500 for the entire build.
 
I build a lot of pc’s, mostly gaming and general use, so I’m comfortable with the build, picking quality components, compatibility, etc. What I don’t know is anything about audio recording hardware requirements or the Cakewalk products (other than the min. hardware requirements).
 
First off, is it even a good idea to attempt a build like this?
 
She would love to have an i7, and apparently everyone is telling her she has to have one to run the software. I’d like to hear what others have successfully used. I would like to be able to propose an Intel and AMD solution to her, AMD mainly for the cost savings. I’m thinking i5 and AMD hex core maybe (FX series?).
 
Also, is it sufficient to use the motherboard’s onboard audio, or is a dedicated sound card required?
 
Would a SSD make a significant improvement as to justify spending more?
 
Would she be better off buying a generic prebuilt from Dell, HP or the like? Or saving her money up to buy a professional audio setup?
 
Any other suggestions? Are there other forums or websites that I should be visiting? Thanks in advance for any help.

There a some recent posts on this very subject, just look back a few threads...Many postersbuild there own, just , google Rain audio, Scan computers, ADK, amongst others, this will give you an idea of the standard for Pro audio Pc.

First off, is it even a good idea to attempt a build like this?

Yep - loads of users have done this with great success

Also, is it sufficient to use the motherboard’s onboard audio, or is a dedicated sound card required?

Nope - dedicated interface required

Would a SSD make a significant improvement as to justify spending more?

It might make the Operating System a bit snappier, but it won't do much for your audio performance, unless you plan on running massive sample libraries, so I'd stick with traditional Hard drives - NO GREENS!!!

Would she be better off buying a generic prebuilt from Dell, HP or the like?

Nope - they come loaded with bloatware and it'll be cheaper to build your own anyway

There are at least 2 guys who post on here who build DAWs for a living. You might want to contact them and get some (paid) advice about setting up the system.

They are Scott from ADK (jcschild) and Jim from Studiocat (Jim Roseberry)

Thank you for your suggestions.

I was surprised to see such a range in processors. Everything from AMD Llano dual cores and i3's to full blown i7 machines. 

If the software runs well enough on a low end machine (I assume it does, since there are professional companies selling them as such), what do you gain with more power? This is where my lack of audio recording knowledge limits my understanding.

Greenrambler, what is needed really depends on what she wants to do.  If all she wants to do is record a few tracks of her own singing/guitar/piano playing, etc., a lower end processor will be fine.

If she wants to run high end sample libraries, doing virtual MIDI orchestration, using for example VSL, or EW Hollywood libraries, or software like MIR Pro, a high end i7 is absolutely necessary along with lots of RAM.  Given her budget, it is highly unlikely that is what she intends to do, as all of the above can get very expensive.

It might not be a bad idea to get a bit more information from her, about what she intends.  A good audio interface is very necessary, the onboard sound chip simply isn't designed for serious recording.  Again, if all she intends to do is record herself, and do stereo mixes, a lower end two channel USB interface of some sort will be enough to start out.

If she wants to record an entire band at once, then she will need an interface with lots of ins and outs, and that sort of interface is likely beyond her budget.

As others have suggested paying Jim Roseberry for a consulation would not be a bad idea.

For a few simple things, she could probably get away with using a stock computer, but, as others have said, doing so is not really recommended, as generic computers really are not designed for audio recording.

As has been said, she will need at least two hard drives: one for o/s and programs, and one for recording audio.  If she does intend to use a lot of sound samples, a third drive would be needed for those sample libraries.

Thank you.

I've asked for more clarification as what exactly she plans to do.

In the meantime, one thing she stated originally was "to be able to record multiple tracks and add vst plug-ins without dropping out".

That means nothing to me...maybe someone can explain that to me.

Honestly, I would suggest spending some time researching either Scott's (ADK) or Jim Roseberry's (Studiocat) websites.  Also perhaps check out Sweetwater to get an idea of what sort of gear is out there and how much it costs.

What she probably is asking for is to have a computer that will smoothly record several instrumental/vocal/drum parts at once without issue - how many exactly she did not make clear.  That means she wants more than a two channel interface.  I am guessing - and it is a guess - that by "VST plugin" she means things like software reverbs, limiters, and other sound sculpting tools.  As for mentioning dropouts, most likely that means wanting to be able to smoothly play back all the recorded tracks at once without glitches, and without having to freeze any of the tracks.  Less common, the term also can refer to problems with needing to stream more sound samples at once than the computer can handle.

Another key question, what equipment does she already have?  If she wants to have both a good computer and a solid audio interface that can handle multiple tracks well for $500 total, that will be very tough, if not impossible.  Buying an older used interface might then be the best option.

Seriously, I would suggest both of you spend time figuring out what it is she actually needs, and what things actually cost.  It is very easy to spend lots of money - and I mean way, way more than $500 and end up with something other than what is needed, and in essence wasting lots of money.  It is a very good idea to figure out as best as possible what the specific goals are before spending any money at all.

If she has absolutely nothing, no recording equipment, I mean literally nothing, she is going to have to start far more modestly than she may wish, especially if $500 is for everything.

Again, if you are going to accept the project, I would strongly urge you to do some serious research.  Both Jim and Scott earn their livings building computers for music content creation.  Their budget systems start slightly north of $1,000, and that does NOT include an audio interface.  Admittedly, one does pay a premium for their expertise (for me that premium has been well worth it).  One can build your own computer for less.  As for audio interfaces, a cheap two track USB interface can be had for $100 +/-, but a good interface for tracking multiple parts, with better converters quickly gets in the $500 and up range (MOTU, among others), and high end interfaces from RME can easily get into the +$1,500 range (along with some MOTU and others).  Even a "cheap" two track would still be better than the onboard sound chip.

Side point: a couple things about audio interfaces, USB (except for RME) generally has higher latency than either Firewire or dedicated PCI/PCIe cards.  Firewire is common among interfaces, but no longer common on computers.  Those that have it now use cheap Firewire chips, and those often don't work well - a Texas Instrument Firewire chip is/was the known good thing.  Also, the older PCI sound cards do not always perform well under PCIe emulation, as required on the newer MOBO's. 

Note that for lower end use - the level she is certainly financially looking at, it is reported that MOBO's for AMD chips still have real PCI slots, and not just emulation (I have no direct experience).  An AMD chip may be well worth considering, given budget limits.

That you are not familiar with what she means by recording multiple tracks, dropouts, and the like will make it very difficult to provide her what she needs, and what she wants and what she can afford may well not be the same thing.

Positively, you are at a place where everyone starts, and you are not facing anything that any person on the forum hasn't faced - there is a lot to learn.

$500 is wicked cheap for a custom computer build, double or triple that budget is more typical for an audio workstation.

That being said, a $500 computer can absolutely record multiple tracks, add effects, and play them back without dropouts.  I've been doing just that for 10+ years starting on computers that would be slower than my smartphone is today.

Here's an excellent guide for a super budget machine.  These aren't specific to audio, and I'd lean toward the Intel choice on this page since the AMD A4 / A6 / A8 series are considerably slower on the CPU front than the Intel price matches.  AMD is a good choice only if you care about 3D graphics performace at that price, which a dedicated audio machine will not care about.

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/02/ars-technica-system-guide-bargain-box-february-2013/

I appreciate everyone's responses. 

My request to the client for more information was ignored. All I got was a text saying she found someone that knows about audio recording and will build her a PC.

Guess my time and research was in vain. 

Thanks anyway!!

  Your time and research was not at all in vain, as I too, am interested in this journey and you brought out some very good information in this thread by reaching out to a very good audience. Thanks to all for the great information.