Getting a new DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), i.e. PC
My frustration with my recording setup finally bore fruit this weekend, as I am now fully committed to upgrading my DAW (home recording PC).
While recording vocals for "Avalanche", my Dell kept crapping out in the middle of a recording, despite my turning off anything and everything that consumed RAM (disabling effects, archiving non-critical tracks, "freezing" permanent tracks, etc etc). That was the final straw.
I’m opting to have a pro put together something customized. Though geeky, I’m simply not geeky enough to trust myself with the task of tweaking and tinkering a DAW into a lean, mean, audio converting machine.
My current setup includes:
Dell Dimension 8200, Pentium 4 CPU 1.99 GHz, 1.99 GHz, 1GB RAM
C: ATA Controller: WDC WD800BB-75CAA0
F: Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ST3160023A
M-Audio Delta 1010LT soundcard
M-Audio DMP3 preamp
M-Audio Studiophile BX5a monitors
Nvidea GeForce 6200 video card (with Dell 2005 FPW and Dell 1702FP monitors)
Sonar Producer 6
Reason 2.5
Everything above is solid for my needs…except the ancient Dell from 5 years ago (did MP3s even exist back then?). Two words: UP. GRADE. More soon…
Comments
dja: I sometimes forget that sarcasm is hard to communicate via a blog. :) Indeed, MP3s DID exist in 2002, I was joking…however, 5 years is a very long lifespan for a computer, especially a DAW.
My own PC is way, WAY out of date compared to what’s available now, and can only barely run the software I currently use, Sonar 7.
Good luck with the update.
There is an indie PC shop down the street from where I work that has a sign reading “Dude, we fixed another Dell” outfront.
Harry: You know, I would seriously consider it if I wasn’t a Sonar 6 user…Cakewalk Sonar doesn’t work on Macs. For now, I’ll be sticking with PCs. :)
Hey! Just came across your blog when searching for other music industry blogs like mine.
I feel your pain. I hobbled along with a 800Mhz P3 with 768MB of RAM for years. Then in 2004 I splurged and bought the machine of my dreams which was a monster at the time (even kind of is today): dual Opteron 2Ghz with 2GB RAM and a speedy 10,000 RPM SATA drive. Now I just use a 2ghz Macbook. These little laptops are getting so fast that there’s not a while lot I can’t do on them. I do occasionally bring the thing to its knees with convolution plugins and the like, but, for the most part, you can get a really sweet machine these days for a song.
It’s a gorgeous feeling not having that piece of technology inhibiting your creative proess.
By the way – if you’d like to exchange links let me know.
Take care!
Dan Connor
“5 years ago, before MP3s even came into being”? Eh?