Building a studio computer

with industry Pro, Nick Batzdorf

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nomiyah
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Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:54 pm

Nick and/or other tech experts reading this...I could really use your advice. My cousin (a teenage computer whiz) is building a computer for my studio.It will be Win XP and running Protools LE with a Digi002. I record using lots of tracks.What do you think of his specs so far?Motherboard ASUS A8N-EProcessor AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Memory 1GB PC3200/DDR400Any other suggestions? He has built many computers but none dedicated to audio. We've been to the Digidesign support site and it's very useful. I'd love any additional suggestions from my online mentors. Thanks.Nomi

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by zink » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:06 pm

HeY Noms,I'd put more ram.I have a dual AMD on Tyan Motherboard and it works great. Can't go wrong w/ AMDs though they run pretty hot (which can save you some money on your heating bills in the winter). You should make sure you have enough cooling going on, but remember...more fans = more noise.Good luck with the build!!!Zink

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by 53mph » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:23 pm

Add a minimum of two hard drives to your spec. One for the system and one dedicated for audio. Makes sure the drives run at 7200rpm or perhaps 10000RPM Raptor Drives Definately more RAM needed, especially if you use anything like Trilogy.Somethings to think about:A super fast CD/DVD writer to save you time on making back-upsSuper Quiet Power SupplyZalman 7000 AL CPU CoolerRadeon 9250 256MB Graphics CardGood luck. Building a computer always has it's perils. I hope nothing goes wrong...or bang

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by andreh » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:25 pm

Nomi-Your MoBo and processor appear to be compatible with Pro Tools LE (according to Dig's website), so that's a good start.Yes, double your memory to at least 2GB (4 is even better). Your track count won't be that hard to manage with the 32 track limit imposed by Pr Tools LE, but all the plug-ins, especially samplers, will benefit from the extra memory.The Radeon card is a good suggestion...you don't need anything crazy for video, and you defininitely don't want a card with a fan on it.Yes, separate hard drive for audio...and maybe even a third for samples if you have massive libraries (ala Gigastudio or Machfive), since these can be streamed from harddisk and you don't want that interfering with PT's access to your audio drive.The latest AMD's don't run quite as hot as they used to AFAIK, but you'll still want to think about keeping your system cool, especially if it's going to run next to another box...think about a make-shift machine room or a high-quality iso box.You can save a lot of money putting together your own Windows box, and it looks like it'll kick some butt. I'd still go for a Mac for PTLE if it were me, but that'll cost a LOT more dough for something comparable.Good luck,Andre
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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nickbatzdorf » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:50 am

You can now add the Musician's bundle to PTLE and run up to 48 stereo tracks!But Andre is right: go to the Digidesign site and see what they specify. They're always very precise about what they'll support.AMD/Intel arguments have nothing to do with this, in other words - if you want to run Pro Tools, you use a machine that meets Digidesign's supported spec or they won't support it even though it will work.

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:19 am

Thanks for the input all of you. We've spent a lot of time at the Digidesign site and forum. Keep your eye on this topic and I'll run an updated specs list soon before we buy parts. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks again.Nomi

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:50 pm

We have updated the specs and will be buying parts in a couple days. Anyone have any thoughts before we go for it?Processor AMD Athlon 64 3.6 GHzMemory PNY PC3200 2 GB Hard drive #1 160 GBHard drive #2 40 GBFirewire Encore ENL 1394Graphics ATI Rage XL 8MBCDRW Sony 52x24x52There's also a question whether it's necessary to get a high end Antec 550 watt power supply or the same size supply from a lesser known company at a fraction of the price. Opinions? Thanks.Nomi

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by zink » Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:39 pm

Hey Nomi,I sure you know this already, but you'll probably want some USB2 and Firewire ports.Where you gonna order from? Check out Newegg.comZink

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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by edteja » Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:19 pm

Some power supplies are NOISY. Some don't regulate so very good. I'd go for quality, given the budget for it.
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nomiyah
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Re: Building a studio computer

Post by nomiyah » Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:54 pm

Thanks for the responses. We have 4 USB2 ports and firewire that's compatible with the Digi002. We are getting some stuff from Newegg but not everything. Appreciate the advice. We're buying on Monday so last minute input will be great...

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