Up until a couple of months ago (and I still have this machine.)
SPECIFICATIONS: · Athlon 64 X2 4000
· nVidia nForce 430 motherboard
· USB-2
·
2.5 GB DDR2
· 2 X 1Tb HDs
· nVidia 6150SE onboard video
· 22x DVD/RW
· Windows XP Pro x86
This machine was able to cope (albeit barely on occassion) with a full mix of any CHB project to date and some of those have gotten pretty big!
Currently
SPECIFICATIONS: · Intel i7 2600K @ 3.9GHz
· H67 motherboard
· SATA-III, USB-3
· 4GB DDR3
· 2 X 1Tb & 1 X 500 GB HDs
· Intel HD 3000 on-chip video
· 22x DVD/RW
· Windows 7 x64 Pro
This cost me £620 ($1025) inc. OS and UK VAT, pre-built with a years RTB. (which was pretty cheap for this side of the pond, at the time of purchase)
It runs like a charm I don't think I've seen the CPU meters go much past 10% at all yet.
FWIW I reckon it is bad form to diss any manufacturer for price on an open forum (Mystic38). If you are happy with what you got for what you paid then just rejoice.
I know Studiocat and ADK are very well respected DAW manufacturers and what they provide is good value for money and more importantly to many, complete satisfaction and after sales support. I know they work tirelessly, often beyond any call of duty to ensure it have no doubt. I've yet to hear a valid bad word said about them and I know many that use their products who are delighted with them.
We could all source our parts and bolt the bits together if we wanted to and come in around the same amount of $, big manufacturers often drive down prices further by scrubbing features out of motherboards and other components also by buying out over-produced stock from suppliers at knock off rates, the only real value differential you can apply is service and for many that is well worth the $ difference.