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About to get a new PC - need help with the specs!

OK so here's how far I've got so far.

I can get a system that is a 4200+ AMD dual core with 2 GB of RAM, for exactly the same price as a 4600+ AMD dual core with 1GB of RAM.
I'm going to be using it mainly for producing , but games too (256mb 7600 GT card).
Anyway I'm not sure what to go for...would the extra RAM make much difference? Or would the extra processing power mean it could handle more CPU load when I add a lot of VST's. I'm using FL5 / 6 if that makes any difference.
Was also considering getting the better processor, and then upgrading the RAM when I buy my first set of monitors & soundcard in about a month when I get more money.
I thought I would get some advice here first.

Cheers,
Ricky

yep - the ram would make a massive difference - 1gig really won't cut it if you intend to use anything like sampled grands.

I'd get a 3800+ dual core, mine overclocks just fine to 4600+

got 3 gigs of ram too, and it is a great little production workstation.

zalman make really quiet fans too, and I got an ati X1600 ultra with a great big heatsink and no fan, so the PC is pretty much silent.

quote:

Originally posted by optik yep - the ram would make a massive difference - 1gig really won't cut it if you intend to use anything like sampled grands. I'd get a 3800+ dual core, mine overclocks just fine to 4600+ got 3 gigs of ram too, and it is a great little production workstation. zalman make really quiet fans too, and I got an ati X1600 ultra with a great big heatsink and no fan, so the PC is pretty much silent.

What is a sampled Grand?

And why would I get a 3800+ dual core when I can get a 4200+??

To spend the money on Ram and not on the processor

I will get the single core, I tried dual core and is useless for single core coded apps.
Only a few soft take real advetage of the dual.
And afaik FL don't support dual core.
Sorry for my english sucks, maybe someone can explain better.
Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by RickyM What is a sampled Grand? And why would I get a 3800+ dual core when I can get a 4200+??

only you know why you'd get a 4200+ I was just suggesting that if you save money on a cheaper cpu, you could afford more ram. if you are having to make a decision between a 4200+ with two gigs or a 4600+ with just one, I would suggest that money is pretty tight - as 1 gig extra of ram is currently about $100. the price difference between a 3800+ and a $4200+ is currently $50 - $50 you save and still get the performance of a 4600+ (which is about $250 dollars more than a 3800+) so I'll be making you a saving of an actual $50 or a comparative (to a 4600+) $250.

a sampled grand is a grand that has been sampled; a grand piano - there are several out there that are three gigs in size (and enjoy as much memory as you can give them)

I get the impression I didn't give you the answer you wanted to hear.

given the two choices I'd get the 4200+ with two gigs.

quote:

Originally posted by FrancoR I will get the single core, I tried dual core and is useless for single core coded apps. Only a few soft take real advetage of the dual. And afaik FL don't support dual core. Sorry for my english sucks, maybe someone can explain better. Good luck

honest - they are not useless for single cored apps; the X2 4200+ is about as fast as a 64 3500+ - not as fast, but still handy - the fact that the other cpu can run the os and any other apps you might have open makes them pretty efficient for normal tasks.

+ more and more apps are dual core capable; I am sure the next flps will be.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipset...aspx?i=2410&p=7

Conroe is comming out soon Why not wait another 2 weeks and take advantage of the amd cpu price drop? Up to 50% off on some models. This is what amd is saying. You can find it all over the net....

quote:

Originally posted by DJDIRTY Conroe is comming out soon Why not wait another 2 weeks and take advantage of the amd cpu price drop? Up to 50% off on some models. This is what amd is saying. You can find it all over the net....

the prices are out:

http://www.tankguys.biz/products_ne...99630b6bbde38d7
hasn't the amd price drop just happened?

quote:

Originally posted by optik honest - they are not useless for single cored apps; the X2 4200+ is about as fast as a 64 3500+ - not as fast, but still handy - the fact that the other cpu can run the os and any other apps you might have open makes them pretty efficient for normal tasks. + more and more apps are dual core capable; I am sure the next flps will be. http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipset...aspx?i=2410&p=7

My thinking was that VST's run from the CPU (processor), and RAM is used in sampling more. I would use VST's more than samples, so was thinking the extra processing power would be better.
Also I was reading that FL doesn't support dual core processing, but this doesn't mean that for example a 4600+ dual core AMD would run any worse in FL than a single core 3700+?
I don't want to buy a dual core system that will actually perform worse than a single core system in FL...as long as it is similar, as I can get the benefits of dual core in other stuff like video encoding.

quote:

hasn't the amd price drop just happened?

Not yet. July 24th. Do NOT buy any CPU/Motherboard from AMD until after July 24th.

quote:

My thinking was that VST's run from the CPU (processor), and RAM is used in sampling more. I would use VST's more than samples, so was thinking the extra processing power would be better. Also I was reading that FL doesn't support dual core processing, but this doesn't mean that for example a 4600+ dual core AMD would run any worse in FL than a single core 3700+? I don't want to buy a dual core system that will actually perform worse than a single core system in FL...as long as it is similar, as I can get the benefits of dual core in other stuff like video encoding.

Sort of, but it doesnt matter either way. You will always be CPU limited. So what if it takes one more instance of Vanguard to crash your PC with 100% CPU load? If you have CPU cycles to burn, you will just burn them and a faster CPU is no substitute for more efficient working habits and regular bouncing.

X2 3800+ overclocks like crazy provided you get a good chip. I've seen people overclock it to 4400+ speeds with only a slight voltage bump on stock cooling. Also, after July 24th, 3800+ is going to be really cheap (40% price cut). Which is an awesome bonus.

Finally, the money you save can go into a better soundcard. Really, this is where you want to be sinknig your money into. That and a pair of monitors and acoustic treatment for your room.

For the soundcard, even something as expensive as a presonus firepod, still has crummy converters. You can spend thousands on an interface with good converters and they dont start getting good until you get to RME Fireface kind of level. For monitors again, you can spend thousands. Monitor wise I still regard everything under �500 sterling as being a compromise.

Dont skimp on your monitors or your soundcard - they will become the heart of your production rig.

I'm a cubase user, so dual core makes a massive difference for me; I'd say 80% clock for clock.

FL is bound, at some point in the near future to support dual core, so I would future proof myself.

for a lot less than $500 you can buy an emu sampler with pro-tools converters; and it sounds very nice indeed.

I still think the EMU1616M is the best card you can get for less than �250. Its still a compromise at this level but bang for buck nothing beats it.

quote:

Originally posted by Derivative I still think the EMU1616M is the best card you can get for less than �250. Its still a compromise at this level but bang for buck nothing beats it.

Allot of people talk about the "Juli" range of cards (the white one that offers you a choice of using phono or pro sound connectors) - worth a look in ?

I thought EMU was a company to stay away from because of the Creative influence now?

And if you say that for that price range why do rme, m-audio, and moreover, the new focusrite saffire get such great reviews-especially the latter?


m.. .

Creative bought E-MU but thats no excuse to avoid E-MU products. Creative have always bought E-MU technology and used cut down versions of it in their soundblaster cards. It was inevitable for them them out eventually.

Stay away from Creative cards for production. E-MU cards are just fine. Creative just makes money off them now and can use E-MU tech in their cards for nothing. If anything Creative's financial muscle was probably instrumental in getting the 1616M out there at the price tag that its got.

Have you seen anything else for �250 that has pro tools 192 converters, ADAT/Lightpipe, AES/EBU in/out, SP/DIF in/out, -120 dB SNR on the output and 2 preamps that can suck up 60 dB of gain without distortion?

Without beating around the bush - it doesnt exist. There are better cards out there with better converters and better pres and better everything but you wont find it for 250 squid.

I have a 1212m - and I can vouch for the converters (they are fucking amazing sounding)

I don't need the extra inputs and outputs of the 1616 - although if you have a laptop it's a msut as all you need to run it on your laptoip and PC is a pcmcia converter for your pc.

the emu drivers were shoddy - but have matured well, with a well specced machine I now run at 4ms with no glitches till I get to about 80% cpu - then go to about 10.

you'll read a lot of shit about emu, but it comes from the past - their drivers for this family were truely useless to start off with - and the powereFX - the obnboard dsp based fx are only useful for compression when recording vocals, the rest are shite - especially the reverb.

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