![]() Moving on to memory, 4GB of RAM is more than adequate for most musicians (I'm still quite happy with 2GB!). Memory: By the time you read this, all mainstream PCs are likely to be shipped with Windows Vista installed as standard, since Microsoft state that they are discontinuing Windows XP on June 30th 2008, so while the latter still provides slightly better audio performance, this will become largely academic. Most cheaper motherboards also have no Firewire ports, so if you have a Firewire audio interface you'd need to add some in this case, using a £30 circuit card, which will, of course, use up an expansion slot. However, if you have a PCI soundcard you'll need to check with the PC manufacturer that this system has PCI slots (some modern motherboards only feature the PCI Express variety). It's highly likely that this PC will have at least some USB 2.0 ports (watch out for phrases in the spec such as 'Standard Features' that may tell you how many ports are on offer), so if you already have a USB audio interface, you're catered for. ![]() Motherboard: The first big imponderable is the motherboard, since although we know it features Intel's P35 chipset and PCI Express, we don't know its make or model, or the number and mix of expansion slots and ports (particularly USB and Firewire ones) on offer. A quad-core CPU is also an ideal choice for any musician who wants enough processing welly to run loads of software plug-in effects and software synths. This performs extremely well with the vast majority of audio software (although a few more elderly applications may not be able to fully take advantage of all four cores, as I discussed in SOS January 2008). So how are such excellent retail prices achieved, and which components are most important to audio performance?ĬPU: The most important component for audio processing is the CPU, and you can't go wrong in this department since you know exactly what you're getting: an Intel Q6600. 1 Best Seller') is excellent value at £699, especially as it includes a 22-inch monitor (you could also buy this particular system for £599 without any monitor screen). * 256MB Nvidia GeForce 8400GS graphics card.Ī high-street PC may have an impressive specification for the price, but it pays to check carefully on the number and type of expansion slots, USB and Firewire ports before parting with your money.This particular system (described as a 'No. * 500GB SATA 2 hard drive with 16MB buffer. * Windows Vista Home Premium with Service pack 1. * Intel Q6600 Core 2 Quad processor running at 2.4GHz. Here's a typical spec found on a mainstream PC-seller's web site: Let's jump straight in by examining the spec of a fairly powerful desktop PC that should run lots of software plug-ins and be able to manage a high software synth polyphony. Our guide should greatly increase the odds in your favour, and your credit card will thank you for it! £699 Powerful Desktop Spec While you can never be 100 percent certain that a mainstream PC will perform well with audio hardware and software, if cash is tight you may be tempted to give it a try. We'll also be suggesting some quick and easy practical tests for possible audio problems that you can carry out on a PC while standing in the shop, before handing over your money. This article will therefore examine the specifications of several typical 'high-street' PCs, point out possible pitfalls and limitations in their component choices from an audio point of view, explain how to get around as many of them as possible, and point out where you may be on dangerous ground. ![]() Moreover, it's often not easy to work out which machine will perform well and which might be an expensive mistake, particularly where laptops are concerned. Unfortunately, while many are getting away with buying cheap PCs for music making, some aren't, and it's possible to end up with a computer that suffers from incurable audio click and pop problems, or one that can't be upgraded as easily as an 'audio PC'. Many of them have chosen PC laptops rather than desktop machines, because they are far more portable (as well as taking up less space), and again have saved themselves a considerable amount of money over buying a dedicated 'built for audio' PC. Plenty of musicians have bought PCs from high-street shops or via the Internet at bargain prices, and have found they do the job well. But not all computers will work well for music and audio, so how do you avoid making a big mistake? Very low-cost PCs with apparently good spec are not hard to come by these days - you can even pick one up at the local supermarket.
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