DAW PC Config for Cubase SX2/Emulator X Studio

[pasada]

Hi All,

I'm putting together a new PC DAW and would love to hear feedback on this configuration:

Chassis: Antec Overture Piano Black Quiet Media Case
Processor: Intel P4 3E Ghz, 800 MHz FSB, 1Mb Cache
Motherboard: ASUS P4C800E-DLX Intel 875P, 800MHz FSB, Dual DDR400
RAM: PC3200 DDR400 512MBx2 CAS2.5 (OCZ4001024PDC-K)
Hard Drives: (x2) Hitachi Deskstar 7K250 SATA 80GB 8MB Cache 7200RPM
Video Card: Matrox Millenium G550 Dual-head 4x AGP 32Mb DDR SDRAM
CD/DVD Reader: LG 16X DVD-ROM Black
CD/DVD Writer: Plextor PX-712A 12X DVD+R/W, 8X DVD-W, 48X CDRW Black
Sound Card/Sampler: Emu Emulator X Studio
Sequencer: Cubase SX 2.2

What do you think? Any gotchas in there?

Cheers,
pasada

[Mike Quayle]

Hi, I have a very similar configuration to the one you mention. Check out my signature for full details. Runs SX2 like a DREAM... the Matrox card is a real asset to screen redraws when there's a lot of waveform action on those complex mixes.

From experience, I'd recommend the Seagate drives over the Hitachi's but that's only cos I know the Seagates, and I know how quiet they are. I don't know the Hitachi's. They may be just as good for all I know.

If you can afford the extra, look at the Matrox P650 over the G550, but bear in mind it has dual DVI's, so is better suited for connecting to a suitably equipped flat panel display.

The overture would appear to be the desktop version of my Sonata tower. I have kitted this out with the Acoustipak pre-cut dampening material, and on boot up this thing is as silent as it gets. After maybe a while of intensive work, the psu fan will kick in a little bit, and there's a vague noise in the background, but it still remains the quitest PC I have ever worked with.

The only other thing I would mention is that I hear the most media friendly drive you can get your hands on at the moment is the Liteon. Used with media that uses a Ritek dye, and you'll get consistently great burns.

Buy decent RAM, and with the system you have specced, I strongly doubt you will go far wrong.



Good luck!!!


:)