KVR Audio

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 4:05 am

Hello,

I assembled this computer made for music creation in 2010. I have not really pushed it and it runs just fine. I plan to get Sonar 3X which is designed to be operated by a touch screen. Unfortunately Sonar X3 requires Windows 8 for the touch screen to work. Doesn't make sense to me as Windows 7 has native touch screen support. Well I am not going to argue with the Gurus at the Cakewalk forum.

I need some advice. Since I will be installing Windows 8 this is a good time to review my computer specifications and see what I should do. Do I put in a new motherboard or just a faster processor? Perhaps get a new computer. Funds are limited but will like to consider all the options. Or keep what I have currently and wait 3 more years then review the situation again.
My Music Computer Specifications:

Dedicated for music. No hardware midi/audio modules, use only DAW, VST FX and VST instruments.

Motherboard: MOTHERBOARD: GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58
Processor: Intel Core i7-950
Cooler: Scythe SCMG-2100 Sleeve CPU Cooler (Mugen 2 Rev. B)

Memory: CORSAIR XMS3 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
GPU: EVGA 012-P3-1470-AR GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready
Audio: Presonus Firebox
Hard Drives: 4 SATA in AHCI mode
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1

SODDI · Post by **SODDI** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:44 am

I think you're fine. Review after using new DAW for 6 mos., 1 year, 2 years or whenever you find yourself hitting any walls - which I don't think you'll hit.

What do you mean " No hardware midi/audio modules..."? How do you get signal in and out of the computer?

beltrom · Post by **beltrom** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:55 am

a few comments

If you are under the impression that X3 requires touch screen it's not so. It works excellent without it.

To me personally touch screen would not be worth any kind of investment, not even the touch screen itself currently.

No opinion on the machine really. Personally I probably would keep it as is at least a year or two more, and I would not bother with motherboard and/or CPU change.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:23 am

SODDI wrote: What do you mean " No hardware midi/audio modules..."? How do you get signal in and out of the computer?

I have not audio modules that require midi. I do however have midi keyboard controller. Now that you mention it, it was a poor choice of wording.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:32 am

beltrom wrote:a few comments

If you are under the impression that X3 requires touch screen it's not so. It works excellent without it.

To me personally touch screen would not be worth any kind of investment, not even the touch screen itself currently.

No opinion on the machine really. Personally I probably would keep it as is at least a year or two more, and I would not bother with motherboard and/or CPU change.

Yes I realize that Sonar X3 does not require the use of a touch screen. I have read that some do like it and some that found it useless.

I am planning to get an iPad first and use it as a midi keyboard or knob/slider controller. If that goes well I will then try the touch screen with Sonar X3.

ATS · Post by **ATS** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:41 pm

you would have to pay me a lot of money to install windows 8

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:09 am

I don't know what you need, other than this touchscreen business.

To be a little more future-proof minded generally, that's half the RAM of my early 2009 machine and I don't know how many cores that build is.
In terms of that, I would price the CPU vs the whole computer if you need more cores. If you're using heavy samples, I would maybe populate it with SSDs but IME that is more about loading time than anything further.

If you're not using software that really distros to cores well and not a heavy samples-instrument user I don't know. I don't know if Windows 8 is more or less efficient. I don't take a move to Windows 8 as a big driver toward a lot more power per se.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:43 am

Thanks to all the advice I have made the decision. I will keep my current computer.

I will get an iPad and see how well that serves my needs as a midi controller. Then I will get Sonar X3 and see how well I like that. Then consider a large touch monitor to augment my dual monitor system. If I find that there is no other way to properly run Sonar X3 with Windows 7 using a touch screen than I will do the unthinkable and install Windows 8.

Disclaimer: Notice: All Plans are subject to change without notice.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:22 am

UPDATE:

Now June 16, 2015, 20 months later and still have the Windows 7 64 bit computer mentioned in the OP. Never upgraded to W8. So I took your advice.

Now have Sonar Platinum and a few other DAWs but wanting for Reaper 5 to make my DAW decision. Yes I got an iPad and glad I did.

So I am reviving this thread as Windows 10 will be released on July 29, 2015. A free upgrade. So now I am asking again the same question, whether I should get a new computer. I can spend around $1500. This time around I can to spend more time making music and will demand more of my music computer.

Now I will also be using this new computer to run Photoshop. Presently when running fx I have to wait. Very annoying.

If so build my own or buy readymade?

Please advise me. Will I gain any significant benefits by getting a new computer? Save my money and get one in three years or so?

anomandaris1 · Post by **anomandaris1** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 4:15 am

Get new computer only if you really need one.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:24 pm

anomandaris1 wrote:Get new computer only if you really need one.

I am trying to plan for the next 4 to 6 years. I am turning a new chapter in my life devoting more time to the arts.

So if I will perhaps need a new computer in one year I might as well get it now. I must get the free Windows 10 upgrade within one year.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:38 pm

Hello,

I added up all the components and the total for my current music computer was $1529. I built it 5 years ago. I did not count the hours I put into research to write the specs. Lucky for me it worked and passed all the tests.

I really need more help in deciding to get a new faster computer as I will certainly be uprating to the free Windows 10 in the next year. This will be a good time to upgrade or not-to-upgrade to a new computer. Hope it will be good for the next 6 or more years.

If I keep my current computer I will likely keep it till Windows 11? Now I am tending towards getting a new faster computer but the question is how much faster will it be? If it is only twice as fast I may not bother with the upgrade.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 7:19 pm

Time to get an 8 core

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 7:28 pm

Kalamata Kid wrote:Hello,

I added up all the components and the total for my current music computer was $1529. I built it 5 years ago. I did not count the hours I put into research to write the specs. Lucky for me it worked and passed all the tests.

I really need more help in deciding to get a new faster computer as I will certainly be uprating to the free Windows 10 in the next year. This will be a good time to upgrade or not-to-upgrade to a new computer. Hope it will be good for the next 6 or more years.

If I keep my current computer I will likely keep it till Windows 11? Now I am tending towards getting a new faster computer but the question is how much faster will it be? If it is only twice as fast I may not bother with the upgrade.

My advice: Don't plan for the future.

If you feel like you need a faster computer because you feel like your audio apps or plugins don't run fast enough, get a new one. But don't expect Windows 8 or 10 to be more or a CPU hog than Windows 7. They aren't, rather the contrary. Both Windows 8 and 10 are optimized to work well with touch devices too, and those aren't usually as powerful as your desktop comp, thus they won't take many system ressources.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:31 pm

Uncle E wrote:Time to get an 8 core

My current machine has an Intel Core i7-950 which has 4 cores.
in the performance chart it shows 8 cores. Is this hyperthreading?
Get 8 "real" cores?
How much faster will it be?

Multi-cores really matters?
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 6&t=427935
Eric, Can you be more specific. Intel or AMD and what part number.

Looking at this chart
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html
Best I can do is double the performance from my correct processor.
What happened a to Moore's Law
How overall processing power for computers will double every two years.
So during the last five years the processor should be more than 4 times faster.
Correct?
So which processor on the chart is 4 times faster?

Upgrade processor, get new computer or do nothing?