My studio PC is an about 6-year-old Pentium 2 / 450. I've played a little with the Tracktion demo on a more powerful computer and I'm impressed, but I'm wondering if there's any point in even trying it on my actual studio PC. Can you experienced Tracktion folks guide me? Thanks.
DaveL
PS - I know I should get out of the computing middle ages, but the new computer went to the family, not my hobby.
Is a Pentium 2 / 450 enough for Traction?
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- KVRian
- 951 posts since 14 Apr, 2004 from Maryland, USA
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- KVRAF
- 2582 posts since 24 Apr, 2003 from Canada
well it depends what you want to do. that speed is certainly enough to run a modest amount of audio tracks, some through effects. you won't get very far with software synths, though it wouldn't be any different if you used cubase instead.
If I was running an old, slow computer I'd buy a soundblaster live or similar, so you can at least use soundfonts for 0% cpu.
If I was running an old, slow computer I'd buy a soundblaster live or similar, so you can at least use soundfonts for 0% cpu.
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original flipper original flipper https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=8999
- KVRAF
- 2544 posts since 14 Sep, 2003 from Essex
Hi
Although I dont use tracktion I do have the same PC as you P3/450mhz/256meg Ram - this is my internet PC although I also use it to TEST out music programs on - I use the Orion Platinum Demo for this - to be honest running any more than a couple of synths and Fx in ANY host will bring your PC to a standstill - it certainly does on this one!
If you want to make tunes in it you might need to consider something like Reason - which does not eat up too much CPU!
Using a soft sampler might also be less of a strain on the CPU - although it will require adequate RAM.
I have recently played around with Arturia Storm3 Demo which is quite kind to the CPU.
Flipper.
Although I dont use tracktion I do have the same PC as you P3/450mhz/256meg Ram - this is my internet PC although I also use it to TEST out music programs on - I use the Orion Platinum Demo for this - to be honest running any more than a couple of synths and Fx in ANY host will bring your PC to a standstill - it certainly does on this one!
If you want to make tunes in it you might need to consider something like Reason - which does not eat up too much CPU!
Using a soft sampler might also be less of a strain on the CPU - although it will require adequate RAM.
I have recently played around with Arturia Storm3 Demo which is quite kind to the CPU.
Flipper.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 951 posts since 14 Apr, 2004 from Maryland, USA
Mostly I'm interested in multitracking audio, with external keyboard, guitar, etc. sound sources. Probably 5-8 tracks typical for the kind of songs I'm looking. Some use of effects, probably minimal use of VSTis, although it'd be nice to throw one or two in from time to time, particular something like the CM SR-202 for drum tracks.floyd wrote:well it depends what you want to do. that speed is certainly enough to run a modest amount of audio tracks, some through effects.
How much CPU does one of the soundfont player VSTis use up?If I was running an old, slow computer I'd buy a soundblaster live or similar, so you can at least use soundfonts for 0% cpu.
DaveL
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- KVRAF
- 2582 posts since 24 Apr, 2003 from Canada
Well, you can download and try the free sfz. For a few voices in low-quality mode it will probably be ok, but for anything requiring much polyphony it will chew threw a 450mhz cpu.How much CPU does one of the soundfont player VSTis use up?
DaveL
It sounds like for your purposes you should be able to get by with a 450mhz cpu. If you run out of cpu, you can always use freeze or render to bounce effected or vsti tracks down to audio.
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- KVRAF
- 8103 posts since 13 Jan, 2003 from Darkest Kent, UK
I can't say much about Tracktion on a low-spec machine but I used to use N-track on a 200mhz mmx PC a few years back and easily recorded 8 tracks of audio...
maybe this is a gap in the market: a need for a simple app like Tracktion that can do all the basics really well but that also runs on older machines (there must be loads of them available for next to nothing) Bundle it with some efficient low-cpu fx and you'd make a million (probably...
)
.g
maybe this is a gap in the market: a need for a simple app like Tracktion that can do all the basics really well but that also runs on older machines (there must be loads of them available for next to nothing) Bundle it with some efficient low-cpu fx and you'd make a million (probably...
).g
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- KVRist
- 268 posts since 11 Nov, 2003 from kentucky
On the mac side here with similar needs. I can't imagine you not getting at least 8-10 tracks on the pentium 450.
I'm using a wallstreet powerbook G3 266 with 384mb of ram and a 5400 rpm 20 gb travelstar hd. OS is 10.2. No problem running 16 tracks of audio with a modest compliment of plugs. Freeze and rendering allow me to simulate 24 track sessions.
The built in audio card is actually very good although limited to 16 bit. I keep the system input gain at zero and use a mackie board for mic pre's, phantom power, monitoring etc. I submix drums through an aux send to a rnc compressor in limiting mode with no more than 4 db gain reduction. I deselect "treat as stereo pair" on the input and route kick and snare to the left side/track one and a rode nt1000 as mono overhead to the right/2.
If you're unsatisfied with the old pc, the 266 wallstreet can be bought on ebay for about 200 bucks or refurbed with warrantee from www.macofalltrades.com for about 100.00 more. It's a good portable solution.
I'm using a wallstreet powerbook G3 266 with 384mb of ram and a 5400 rpm 20 gb travelstar hd. OS is 10.2. No problem running 16 tracks of audio with a modest compliment of plugs. Freeze and rendering allow me to simulate 24 track sessions.
The built in audio card is actually very good although limited to 16 bit. I keep the system input gain at zero and use a mackie board for mic pre's, phantom power, monitoring etc. I submix drums through an aux send to a rnc compressor in limiting mode with no more than 4 db gain reduction. I deselect "treat as stereo pair" on the input and route kick and snare to the left side/track one and a rode nt1000 as mono overhead to the right/2.
If you're unsatisfied with the old pc, the 266 wallstreet can be bought on ebay for about 200 bucks or refurbed with warrantee from www.macofalltrades.com for about 100.00 more. It's a good portable solution.
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- KVRAF
- 2582 posts since 24 Apr, 2003 from Canada
on the other hand, 400 bucks cdn (about 320 or so US) can get you a 2ghz+ PC...
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- KVRist
- 268 posts since 11 Nov, 2003 from kentucky
I'll have to take your word for it but the powerbook is a complete portable solution - including a built in monitor, drives etc.
I'm pretty skeptical of those entry level pc prices as they seem to not include much functionality. Likewise, the cpu rating doesn't mean much - look at the pentium 4 vs. pentium 3 or centrino.
After 14 years of pc use (including linux) as a broadcast engineer, I'll gladly opt for a used powerbook over a new pc. When it's time for a new machine, I'll spring the extra cash and get a portable. That means either a used/refurb ibook or powerbook for 500-800.
I'm pretty skeptical of those entry level pc prices as they seem to not include much functionality. Likewise, the cpu rating doesn't mean much - look at the pentium 4 vs. pentium 3 or centrino.
After 14 years of pc use (including linux) as a broadcast engineer, I'll gladly opt for a used powerbook over a new pc. When it's time for a new machine, I'll spring the extra cash and get a portable. That means either a used/refurb ibook or powerbook for 500-800.
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- KVRAF
- 2582 posts since 24 Apr, 2003 from Canada
centrino is a p4... notebooks obviously have a higher resale value but if you don't need the portability it is a bit of a rip-off.
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- KVRist
- 268 posts since 11 Nov, 2003 from kentucky
Thanks for the distinction floyd. I'd only heard and read of the centrino and assumed it was somehow tuned differently.
Back to the thread point -
The 450 will be fine for light sessions. Make sure you have enough ram and consider an external hd when you can for dedicated audio.
There's lot's of good information on the web for optimizing a computer for audio. A good disc utility will help too.
Back to the thread point -
The 450 will be fine for light sessions. Make sure you have enough ram and consider an external hd when you can for dedicated audio.
There's lot's of good information on the web for optimizing a computer for audio. A good disc utility will help too.
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- KVRist
- 38 posts since 10 Jul, 2002 from Netherlands
that's not true. first, centrino is not the name of the processor. the name of the processor is pentium m. second, the pentium m is a beefed up version of the pentium 3. the 1.6 ghz pentium m in my laptop is almost 30% faster with VST(i)'s than my p4 2 ghz desktop. because it's more like a pentium 3, it has also less trouble with denormalisation (some kind of bug that mostly p4's suffer from).in short, centrino based laptops with the pentium m are the best laptops for music production. at least performance wise.floyd wrote:centrino is a p4...
cheers,
vincent
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- KVRAF
- 1907 posts since 29 Oct, 2003
I ran up to 20 audio tracks in samplitude6 on 450mhz pentium with 192m ram. Had occasional 120% cpu, but had high buffer settings. Wouldn't know about Traction. Why don't you demo it on your particular box and tweak to your needs?