Comments on: Building a DAW http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/ Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:46:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: louzucaro http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-197 louzucaro Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:46:05 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-197 @Jonathan - To be honest, I'm not sure about most of that stuff, although the scrolling will be affected most by the RAM and video card horsepower; RAM will also be good for adding more VSTs. Really RAM quantity and speed are never bad. I would spend mony on that, as well as faster drives (or an SSD) before the processor if the processors you're considering are less than 10% difference in terms of speed (all else being equal) @Dave - The RAID in my particular system is hardware-based...is what you're saying still an issue in that case? I don't think I had to install any drivers for it or anything like that...I think the OS just sees it as another drive. And I think in my case in particular, I don't think I have any additional SATA connectors to add another drive. @Jonathan – To be honest, I’m not sure about most of that stuff, although the scrolling will be affected most by the RAM and video card horsepower; RAM will also be good for adding more VSTs. Really RAM quantity and speed are never bad. I would spend mony on that, as well as faster drives (or an SSD) before the processor if the processors you’re considering are less than 10% difference in terms of speed (all else being equal)

@Dave – The RAID in my particular system is hardware-based…is what you’re saying still an issue in that case? I don’t think I had to install any drivers for it or anything like that…I think the OS just sees it as another drive. And I think in my case in particular, I don’t think I have any additional SATA connectors to add another drive.

]]> By: Davep http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-196 Davep Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:16:10 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-196 Lou you should throw in one more drive and go for a Raid 10 configuration way better than Raid 5 which will be a prob if you start needing more tracks plugins etc Raid 5 is way to processor intense due to the way it works in the array. Lou you should throw in one more drive and go for a Raid 10 configuration way better than Raid 5 which will be a prob if you start needing more tracks plugins etc Raid 5 is way to processor intense due to the way it works in the array.

]]> By: Jonathan B. http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-177 Jonathan B. Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:52:32 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-177 Hi I'm a novice PC builder. Thanks for taking the time to make this guide. I've been searching for some answers concerning specific computer specs and how they relate to the DAW world. Which specs (FSB clock, RAM capacity, RAM bandwidth, HDD access/read/write speeds, CPU clock, etc etc etc) most affect: ... the latency of a single monitored input, in a 24 channel mix? ... the latency of many inputs (i.e. 16 ch. drums) in a big mix? ... delay compensation for tracks with lots of RTAS plugins? ... how fast one can scroll through the edit window? ... how many simultaneous VST voices one can have before jitters? ... for Digidesign, Steinberg, DP? ... this list could go on forever! Based on this info, I'm hoping for a better understanding of what specs are priority, and what to expect if specific specs are insufficient. For now, lets ignore Pro Tools HD and other software that uses extra hardware for audio processing. Also is there a spec emphasis on playback vs. record? Maybe I'm looking for benchmarks under different DAW-specific loads. Still looking. I've worked as a Pro Tools operator for years on 8 core macpros... and now on my dime, I'm building a (cheap) PC! I'm thinking that, armed with the right info, I can build one for less than $1000 that could spank a 5 year old $5000 mac. Hi I’m a novice PC builder. Thanks for taking the time to make this guide. I’ve been searching for some answers concerning specific computer specs and how they relate to the DAW world.

Which specs (FSB clock, RAM capacity, RAM bandwidth, HDD access/read/write speeds, CPU clock, etc etc etc) most affect:

… the latency of a single monitored input, in a 24 channel mix?
… the latency of many inputs (i.e. 16 ch. drums) in a big mix?
… delay compensation for tracks with lots of RTAS plugins?
… how fast one can scroll through the edit window?
… how many simultaneous VST voices one can have before jitters?
… for Digidesign, Steinberg, DP?
… this list could go on forever!

Based on this info, I’m hoping for a better understanding of what specs are priority, and what to expect if specific specs are insufficient. For now, lets ignore Pro Tools HD and other software that uses extra hardware for audio processing.

Also is there a spec emphasis on playback vs. record?

Maybe I’m looking for benchmarks under different DAW-specific loads. Still looking.

I’ve worked as a Pro Tools operator for years on 8 core macpros… and now on my dime, I’m building a (cheap) PC! I’m thinking that, armed with the right info, I can build one for less than $1000 that could spank a 5 year old $5000 mac.

]]> By: ashley white http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-76 ashley white Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:12:48 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-76 cheers i was looking for an easy worded way of putting together a daw and ive found this post simple to understand and really helpful cheers i was looking for an easy worded way of putting together a daw
and ive found this post simple to understand and really helpful

]]> By: louzucaro http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-55 louzucaro Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:14:17 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-55 Thanks Joe...that's not a bad idea...maybe I'll do that! Thanks Joe…that’s not a bad idea…maybe I’ll do that!

]]> By: Joe http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-54 Joe Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:49:10 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-54 Hey Lou! What a fantastic post! You should record this as an audio piece and send it to Voices.com so they can publish it on one of their podcasts. Great work and thanks. This has re-awakened my desire to build my own DAW. Hey Lou!

What a fantastic post! You should record this as an audio piece and send it to Voices.com so they can publish it on one of their podcasts. Great work and thanks. This has re-awakened my desire to build my own DAW.

]]> By: SomeAudioGuy http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-45 SomeAudioGuy Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:49:27 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-45 Hey, Excellent write up. For those wanting to see more of what this stuff looks like, Tekzilla did a primer on building a PC from scratch. Obviously they weren't building a DAW, but all the other pieces (sound card aside) are the same: http://revision3.com/tekzilla/loadmobo/ It's not that hard to put together these days (long gone are the days of soldering and writing your ow drivers), and is an excellent "class" for learning about what goes on inside your "magic box". It also should help stave off trips to places like BestBuy (hissboohiss) for support. I personally just like knowing exactly what's inside my computer... Hey,
Excellent write up.
For those wanting to see more of what this stuff looks like, Tekzilla did a primer on building a PC from scratch. Obviously they weren’t building a DAW, but all the other pieces (sound card aside) are the same:
http://revision3.com/tekzilla/loadmobo/

It’s not that hard to put together these days (long gone are the days of soldering and writing your ow drivers), and is an excellent “class” for learning about what goes on inside your “magic box”. It also should help stave off trips to places like BestBuy (hissboohiss) for support.

I personally just like knowing exactly what’s inside my computer…

]]> By: The Voiceover Boblog http://blog.voicehero.com/2008/03/09/building-a-daw/#comment-40 The Voiceover Boblog Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:56:22 +0000 http://louzucaro.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-40 <strong>Build-it-yourself DAW</strong> My friend Lou Zucaro has written a long, very detailed, and extremely helpful post on his voiceover blog about how he built his own digital audio workstation. As he says, the choices he describes are his own and might not be the same choices you would ... Build-it-yourself DAW

My friend Lou Zucaro has written a long, very detailed, and extremely helpful post on his voiceover blog about how he built his own digital audio workstation. As he says, the choices he describes are his own and might not be the same choices you would …

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