I need some expert advice and your opinions

[TB4C]

Hi Fellow KVR musos and producers

I need your advice and opinions on a few things.

I have been fortunate that i had received a financial blessing that i can invest into my studio.

Here is the current scenario

I have a dualcore 3ghz 8gb intel computer that runs win xp with my plugins and sonar 8.5 as my DAW. Most of the time the pc runs ok but i have occasional crashes in the middle of my projects. The soundcard i use is a phase 88 terratec soundcard and the mixer i have is a behringer sl2442fx.

My main Synth is a Yamaha es7 that is running well but i keep it in the studio and use a differant Yamaha (psr e413) that i use for live playing in two bands. With the live playing i do in the one band piano stuff and in the other band i do synth and bass stuff.

the plugin Synths I use and own is;

Sylenth
Dune2 that i bought from selling Diva
Dune1
Z3ta2
Native Komplete 10 (recently updated from Komplete
Uhe Ace
Blue2
Blue1
Predator
Subboom bass
iMAGE-LINE Harmor
AAS- Chromophone.
Stienberg Retrologue

These are all currently registerd on my main studio computer. ( I have already bought Win7 which i still need to install but i cant now cause i am in the middle of a recording project)

I also have a HP laptop i5 envy m6 @2.5ghz that i want to use as a sound module for live playing. for this i bought a Stienberg ur22usb as an audio midi interface. One studio tool i need though a autotune corrector plugin and hormonization plugin

Situation is that my money is still limited and need your input.....

This what i think i should do....

upgrade computer to a i5 @3.4ghz with 16 gb ram and get Spire or Serum to do live gigs with on the laptop or blow the whole remaining budget to upgrade to an i7 4ghz 16gb computer.

the other worry i have is that i am unshure if my phase 88 terratec will work with win 7 as the only drivers i could find is for win xp....

In terms of live playing the psr 413 is limited in functionality and the sounds that i would like to use live... but i see the Yamaha psr443 has got the dx100 bass (Solid or Lately Bass and the supersaw preset i am after for for live playing. I am wondering if i should rather sell my Yamaha psr 413 and buy the Yamaha psr 443 instead or if i should use the laptop with the current synths i own or buy in spire or serum to use on the laptop....

please help me to decide..

Regards
TB4C

[bronxsound]

***NOTE: It is not an expert advice. Actually it is not a n advice ***

There are two things in your post I would like to refer to:
1. "and get Spire or Serum to do live gigs" - not sure what you are hoping by getting one of those for gigging. With listed software arsenal you have I dare to state that you are covered sonic wise in all possible areas. So why bother with spending cash on another softsynth?

The above leads me to this

2.
"upgrade to an i7 4ghz 16gb computer"
I personally believe that spending reasonable amount of money for the newest and best CPU is a way to go. Essentially what I mean is that I would not spend 3k on Intel Xeon E5-2699 V3 CPU only because it is top of the range, however buying something what is performance wise future proof is worth spending and in my view i7 4790 is a good example. So considering your software assets and bearing in mind that you also have some hardware I would lean towards investing in PC rather than software...

[Zexila]

Do you really need 16gb's of RAM for your work, real need to switch from XP to 7?

[TB4C]

Hi Bronxsound and Zexila

Thanks for the reply

I hear your thoughts Bronxsound and thank you for your input. Zexila i am not sure if 8 gb ram is gonna be sufficient for the studio pc if i start working with sample libraries if i want to do sound tracking work for film. The reason that need to move up to win7 is because Native Instruments require win 7 to work and the memory handling in Win 7 is better. The old pc i can still keep going on the current system even if i upgrade to a newer and more powerful system.

Have a nice day further and thanks for your time

Regards
TB4C

[Lejurai]

IMO you have enough pc and more than enough software. I'd put my money on hardware synth like Analog keys or mopho x4 (or prophet if I had money). Or just upgrade other hardware like that soundcard and mixer and install win8.

Not a pro opinion though

[Zexila]

PC update is unavoidable than, upgrading incompatible devices on the run.

About your live setup, you started investing towards laptop, but it seems that keyboard upgrade will do the job also or what you got even now, so yeah, it's really your call, any way, you can always sell some soft synths to get others or cover any live expense, that should be out of your main budget in this case.

So I would put my money here in studio PC and getting it fully up to task.

[Lejurai]

Of course roland jd-xi may be worth considering.. And if VA is ok, definitely Waldorf blofeld keyboard.

[bronxsound]

I completely agree the post above regarding 16GB RAM. Based on real life set ups, 8GB coupled with SSD (120/256GB) would be better investment IMO. You can always upgrade RAM if needed.

I would also second the idea of investing in a decently performing audio interface. We are lucky that a usable units do not cost leg and arm nowadays.

From your words describing the way you work instead of a hardware synth (as suggested above) I might give a thought about acquiring a modern control keyboard. It may result in better interaction with the software during live performances.

[TB4C]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for your advice it is much appreciated.

Regards

TB4C

[Lejurai]

I might give a thought about acquiring a modern control keyboard. It may result in better interaction with the software during live performances.

Or both. Synth and midi keyboard