Tell us about your DAW

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:52 pm

OK everybody, here's your chance to brag or complain about your DAW. We get alot of questions on this forum pertaining to DAW hardware as to what works and what doesn't so I thought this might be a good starting point for anyone building a DAW.

Please list as much info as you have on your PC or MAC, Soundcard, Software (Cubase, PT, etc.), type of recording (Audio, MIDI etc) and track limits with plugs.

This should give those looking to buy or build a DAW a reference as to what type of performance to expect from a similar machine. So if you love your DAW or hate it and can't wait to upgrade tell us about it.

Here's mine

Main DAW (Audio and Video editing)

AMD 3200+ Socket 939
Gigabyte K8NS Ultra - 939
1 GB Corsair Twin X PC3200 RAM CAS 2
ATI 9600 XT
Maxtor 80 GB PATA HDD (OS and Apps)
Maxtor 120 GB SATA HDD (Audio)
Maxtor 250 GB SATA HDD (Video)
Maxtor 400 GB SATA HDD (Audio and Video Backup)
Plextor 708A DVD/RW
Antec True Power 430 watt PS
Full Tower ATX w/ 5 fans
NEC 19 inch Multisync
Layla 24/96 Audio Card
Adaptec AVC 2010 Video Capture Card
Cubase

Layla 24/96
Alesis AI3

Mobile DAW (Location recording only)

Intel P4 2.4GHz
Asus P4P800S Mobo
1 GB Corsair PC3200 RAM
N'vidia MX440 dual head Video Card
Maxtor 40 GB PATA HDD (OS and Apps)
WD 80 GB SATA HDD (Audio - Removable for copy to main DAW)
Plextor Premium CD/RW
4U ATX Rackmount case

Adding LCD and 1394 to mobile DAW to use with Mackie 1620 for location recording.

I record all audio (rock and blues) and once in a great while a key or horn sample. I will be benching both units soon and will post the results.

OK, Who's Next Very Happy

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 12:17 am

Here's mine

ASUS P4C800-E
P4 3.2 (HT OFF)
1.5GB PC3200 DUAL DDR
80GB 7200 RPM IDE HD (OS)
120GB 7200 RPM SATA (AUDIO)
ATI RADEON 8500
8X DVD-RW
DIGI 002R
NUENDO 2.2 + REASON 2 + FL 5 + GIGASTUDIO 3 + TONS OF VST-I'S

Main work is Hip Hop and R&B.

This computer has only audio software apps. Not even connected to internet. wont even install I-Tunes for all of those artists who want it to put the music on their ipod. I tell em ill put it on the HD of the pod and they can bring it home and make the switch.

I've found that a PC with only and i repeat ONLY audio apps on it performs sooooooooooooooo much more reliable and faster.

My old DAW setup was riddled with crashes bugs and non responding programs. NO PROBLEMS with this set up ever. and its very easy to debug because i always know what is causing the problems.

Thanks

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 1:45 am

Copied from my gear list - Hope it reads okay...

This is the "A" system - Just audio. The "B" unit is slightly less impressive...

* Sonica-X G-340 Rack (4-space)

* Intel Pentium 4 3.4Ghz Prescott processor
* Intel 875P Chipset
* 1 GB DDR400 RAM
* 800Mhz FSB
* Hyperthreading, SATA RAID
* 20dB quiet THERMAxFlow cooling
* 1/2 terrabyte drive space

* Samplitude Professional (Magix)
* Universal Audio Digital (UAD-1) collection
* Plextor PlexWriter Premium CD-R/RW Drives
* Plextor PX-712-A CD/DVD+/-R/RW Drives
* Lynx 16-channel AES interface

No (ITB) converters or soundcards.

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 4:24 am

Intel Pentium 4 3.4GHz/512Kb L2/800FSB
Abit IS-7 (DRAM/GAT= F1 Mode)
1GB Corsair TwinX 3200XL 2-2-2-5 @ 1:1 (2x512) Dual Channel(swapped the XMS LL stuff with a mate who insisted on having Winbond BH5....?)
NVidia FX5200 TV/DVI
Pioneer 106D DVD-RW
Lite-On DVD-ROM
Panasonic 3.5" FDD
Vantec HD Caddies (x 2)
Zalman 7000Cu HSF
Lian Li PC-61 Case w/ Antec 400W PSU
WD 120G 8M Cache PATA (Internet/Everyday thrash HDD)
WD 80G 8M Cache PATA (Audio Programs/Samples)(soon to be replaced by another Raptor and Vantec EZ Swap SATA)
WD 36G 10K Raptor SATA (Audio)
Digidesign 001

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:58 am

AMD Athlon XP 3200+ Barton
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe MOBO
512 MB Corsair XMS PC3200 RAM
80 GB Seagate Barracuda SATA HDs (2)
LG CDRW drive
Matrox G450 video card
Nexus Breeze case
Zalman ZM-2HC2 HD Heatpipes (2)
Nexus AXP3200 CPU Cooler with 47 Ohm resistor

This is what I consider to be the premier budget DAW. Also, this machine is built to be extremely quiet, which it is.

Also see this thread for listings of peoples' DAW components.

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:08 am

Current system:

Old compaq presario, 1.7GHz with 256Mb
E-mu 1212
Cakewalk Homestudio

What I'm working on for the near future:

Asus p4p800 SE
P4 3GHz
1 Gb PC3200
Matrox G450 dual monitor
CDRW/DVD-R
200Gb and 80Gb hd
EMU 1212

Sonar
BSD drum v-synth
Trilogy Total Bass v-synth
Native B4 organ v-synth

RR

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 4:40 pm

1GHz 12-inch Powerbook 768MB RAM
MOTU 828
Pacific Pro Audio 80GB firewire drive

Logic7, DP4, Garage Band2, ReCycle, Final Cut Express HD, DVD Studio Pro. Because plugins are at system level all plugs are available to the above apps except virtual instruments.

Been using this setup for about a year, I'm inside the box use virtual instruments exclusively.

I use this machine for everything, hookup a second monitor for graphic design, web design, video editing and animation no problem.

Cool

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:55 pm

This is what I've put together in the last year and a half.

Intel P4 3.01 Ghz
Intel 875P chipset
1GB dual channel DDR RAM
800 Mhz FSB
Digi 002R 32 tracks- no problem!
Reason
Waves Renesaince bundle
Plextor CD-R/RW drive
I/O magic DVD+/-R/RW drive

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:27 pm

Here's my two I built the past 18 Months or so...

Home PC:

Dual Boot Windows XP Pro (1 Install for Internet/General Use + 1 Install for DAW)
Asus P4C800E-Dlx 875P/ICH5R/Promise RAID MoBo Socket 478
P4 2.8E Prescott @ 3.01GHz (860FSB) 1MB L2 Cache + HT
1Gig Dual Channel Geil Ultra RAM CAS 2-3-3-6 (@ 430MHz)
Radeon 9200 Pro 8X AGP 128MB DDR RAM Video
19" ViewSonic Flat Screen CRT
WD Raptor 36Gig 10,000RPM Primary OS HD
IBM 30Gig 5400RPM Second OS drive
WD 200Gig SATA Storage Drive
Maxtor 160Gig ATA133 Storage Drive
Maxtor 40Gig + 60Gig + 80 Gig b/u drives in 5.25" pull-out caddies - interfaced via USB 2.0 for "Hot Swap-ability"
Sony 52X CD-RW drive
Lite-On Dual Layer 8X DVD-RW burner
Nuendo 2.0
Some Waves Plugs + PSP Plugs
Wavelab 4.0
M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 (I don't track on this machine - only mix)
Enermax 460 Watt Power Supply
Custom modded case and quiet cooling w/7 fans on speed controllers (full size ATX enclosure) (SLK-910U Heat Sink for the Processor)

My "portable" PC for tracking:

Shuttle XPC SB83G5 w/ 915 Chipset + ICH6R + Socket 775 Procesor
P3.0E Prescott 3.0GHz 800FSB 775 Processor 1MB L2 Cache + HT
1 Gig Geil Ultra Dual Channel RAM CAS 2-3-3-6 @ 400MHz
Windows XP Home OEM DAW Optimized
On-board Graphics ( Sad

) (It has PCI Express 16x support - I'll buy a card soon, Grasshopper)
17" Dell Flat Screen CRT
60Gig Maxtor ATA100 OS drive
External FireWire 5.25" HD enclosure w/ Maxtor 160Gig ATA133 HD (Oxford 911) for Audio Data + Heavy Duty 5Amp 12V Power Supply for FW HD (HD Comes home for mixdown)
Lite-On Combo 8X Dual Layer DVD-RW + 40X CD-RW drive
RME Hammerfall LITE 96/36 (upgrading to HDSP 96/52 at some point)
RME AID-8 Pro AD/DA converter
Nuendo 2.0
Waves + PSP Plugs
Wavelab 4.0
Mounted in 1/2 width 5U Rack Shelf with the UPS unit beside it (PC and UPS in 5 Rack Spaces!)
VERY quiet, and TINY (not as tiny as the new Mac Mini)

I also use my Roland VS-2480 as a realtime Headphone Monitoring Facility (allows realtime latency free effects and mixing on up to 4 stereo/8Mono HP mixes) AND as a flying fader control surface for Nuendo. I can also use it's mic pre's and A/D converters if the AID-8's 8 Inputs are not enough.

I take my FireWire HD back and forth, and I can open the Nuendo Project exactly as it was on either PC system. Pretty cool IMO. The VS-2480 makes a killer addition with the HP monitoring+EQ+Effects AND Flying Faders for Nuendo (I have an ADAT to Roland RBUS converter to allow the 2480 to hook upto the RME Soundcard's ADAT I/O - 8 channels I/O) . You can dog Roland all you want - but I'm digging it.

That's it. Cool

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 1:28 am

Hey There, I just signed up so i figured this was a good thread to start with. Here's my list of junk:

Acer Aspire 2010 laptop
1.5g Centrino Processor (trust me, this new chip is FAST)
External maxtor 160g hard drive
Digi 002 with Pro Tools LE 6.4
Tannoy Reveal powered monitors
Focusrite Trackmaster 2 channel preamp with EQ and Comp.
Studio Projects C1
Cheap behringer mixer that i use for a headphone amp
AKG K171 headphones
blah
blah
blah

I've been using Pro Tools for about 6-7 years. I WILL NOT use anything else. The interface and hardware is amazing and so powerful. I've spent the last couple of months doing some work for a band called Lions, Tigers, and Bears. Check out www.myspace.com/lionsandtigersandbears for some samples of tracks I've recorded (and partially mixed) with them. Let me know what you think!

Chuck

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:14 am

my DAW

--ASUS P4P800-DELUXE MAINBOARD.....
--INTEL P4 3.0c GHZ CPU W/800FSB.......
--2X512M DDR 400 PC3200 RAM OCZ RAM ....
--2X80GB WD HD W/8MB..................
--ATI RADEON 9200 VGA 128 meg W/DUAL DISPLAY.
--Plextor 708A DVD burner
--FLOPPY DRIVE A............
--ATX CASE WITH 450W Enermax POWER....
--WINXP-PRO
--XP Ghost.
--ONBOARD LAN ,SC,1394,

-- RME HDSP 9652 card with ADI-8 DS pro 8 in/8 out ad/da
-- UAD-1 getting 2nd card
-- SAM 7.** upgrading to V8

SI

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:39 am

Mac Dual 2GHZ G5
1Gb RAM
Waves Diamond, Masters, Restoration, Transform
Altiverb
Cubase SL
Groove Agent
Stylus RMX
Amplitube Live

All simple, runs like a dream, except occasional Firewire issues with the Edirol FA301 which appears to disappear and reappear only after reboot, for no good reason.

I am well aware that it is a piece of crap and am gonna buy a Fireface in the next few days. In fact I am gonna go and post elsewhere about this before I do so,

J

Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:11 am

A7N8X Deluxe r2
AMD 2500 oc to 3200
RME HDSP 9624 (26 I/O)
Apogee AD16
Lucid DA 2496 for 2 trak
Behringer ADA8000for CUE (8 mixes)
ASUS and SONY DVD burners
Koolance case
Enermax 550 watt PSU
No extra fans..............runs cool and quiet.
happy project guy.
cheers
1024 samsung ram.........oops.......forgot
Samp 7.2???
Maxtor G550 dual head
2x wd raptor raid 0
1x 120 gig ide 8 meg cache
1x samsung 40 gig

Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:17 am

Asus P4B266
P4 2.4G (northwood, I think)
Zalman heatsink
768MB PC2100 DDR RAM
Promise ATA/100 PCI controller card
(2) Maxtor 60GB disks
(1) WD 200GB disk
(1) WD 80GB disk
all HDDs are master devices on their own IDE channel
Sony CDR drive (my burning happens on a different computer)
Matrox G450
MOTU 24i
100 Mbit ethernet card
Antec Sonota case

(2) Samsung 912N 19" LCD displays

Software:
Adobe Audition 1.5
Sony Vegas 4.0e (used for tracking only)
Ozone 3

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 9:47 am

PC:
ASUS A8V Delux motherboard (Via chipset)
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ CPU
2 x Seagate Barracuda 7200 120GB HDD (SATA)
QuietPC Case
Zalman PSU, fans, heatsinks, fan controller.
Matrox G550 graphics
Cubase SL 2.0 build 39

Soundcard:
RME Multiface

Mics:
2 x Neumann KM184 (I like 'em!!)
Audio Technica AT 4033

Desk:
Allen & Heath GS3 (16:8:2)

Montoring:
Rodgers Studio One

This topic sponsored by: