Best Desktops for Pro Tools LE

[auxsend1]

I would visit the Core 2 Duo thread and find out what the popular build is right now. Then you can pick your CPU and RAM according to budget. Ask what you should build, and definitely mention you are wanting to use the 001.

[6969]

If you are buying the AM2 platform now, you shouldn't worry about obsolescence. If you are, you are suffering from severe brainwashing by the well equipped Computer Industry Marketing Army (CIMA) and you need to put down the "Maximum PC" magazine. Take a deep breath and repeat after me "There will ALWAYS be something newer and faster". It never goes away.

If maintained your computers will start the same 2 years from now as they did yesterday. It's only obsolete if your needs change and/or if you can't do what you need to do anymore. My buddy has an old Athlon XP equipped machine. Protools LE runs fine on it. The only difference is he doesn't have as much headroom for more tracks and plug-ins.

My "bang for buck" rule: Processor speed gets you the most performance on any given platform. If you have to buy a slower chip to afford a snazzy motherboard, you are sacrficing where it really counts.

re: power supply
Thermaltake power supplies are not too well respected in the gaming/enthusiast community (unless it's a "Toughpower").
PSUs to avoid

480 watts is way overkill unless you are running a huge video card. Look at this thread. It's not about watts, it's about quality. Notice the first post. He went from an old Athlon to a Core Duo and his power usage went down. For non gamers the wattage requirement has gone down as the CPUs get faster. He has a Core Duo, 7 hard drives, 5 case fans, Nvidia 7600GS, pci cards, etc etc and he's not even pulling more than 150 watts out of the wall.

Check this review by a guy that takes power supplies seriously. Look at reviews like this when selecting a power supply, these guys push power supplies well beyond what a typical Protools machine would use. That power supply is $58 at Ewiz.

Note that Enhance probably makes some lesser power supplies, made at a different factory with worse components, just like Thermaltake's "Toughpower" vs. their other power supplies. The key is to know what's inside and don't assume anything based on what's on the box, label, etc. Don't buy an abundance of wattage thinking you are getting headroom. You are most likely sacrificing quality for advertising claims if it's a cheap, high wattage power supply. Power supplies are tricky.

//power supply speech over

I read back and found this posting and it really clicks for me. I need to build a new computer that is gonna put my 5 year old DELL Pentium 4 1.7 Ghz to shame by allowing me to have,for instance, 5 reverbs and 5 stereo delays and numerous other effects(compressors,EQs) and a big rewired REASON session with the ability to bounce down a 7 minute tune without hardly touching the CPU meter with the latest version of PTs with the Mbox even though I am still workin with the 001. It seems with what little research I have done here so far is that a dual core MoBo will get the job done and will provide enough power for me to be happy for the next few years at the very least. I am looking for current specs on the "alternative under $600.00" machine. If its a bit more than $600, no biggie. Has anyone put oner of these machines together in the last month or so? AMD or Pentium?

Will Allen update the alternative under $600 machine soon? Hi Allen!!!

Ok. I'll now check out the dual2core thread to see whats up there. Thanks for bearing with the new computer builder newbie.

[6969]

Ok. It seems like the duo2core thread is more current at this time. It looks like a non CPU expandable quad core MoBo price is comin way down in mid July so maybe thats the best deal for a "most bang for the buck" computer. Thanks again for the help.

[auxsend1]

Also, keep in mind that with your 001 you'll be stuck at 6.4, which is not dual-core aware. So let's say you build an AMD system. You could start with a cheap high-clock single core and when you upgrade to mbox/002/003 and can use the current version of PT, then you drop in a dual-core (or possibly quad core by that time).

Hope this isn't too confusing. Yes, many of the specs need updating. But such is the way of computers.

[ezekiel]

Hello Allen and all DUC people! its been a quite some time since i last posted anything on the site(proof that i was extremely happy with my first allenstein machine!) but i guess now is the time for me to upgrade my PC so here i go again.
i was wondering, could i replace the existing cpu(of my original allenstein)with a dual core and get that to work? would the dual core cpu be compatible with my old motherboard? if so, would my system actually benefit from the dual core? here are the specs of the machine i built a few years back:

k8v se deluxe
athlon 64 3400 2.2ghz
radeon 9200 64mb video card
2X 80gig maxtor 7200 2mb cache
2X kingston 512 ram
enermax 350 watt ps
pt 7.3
music prod toolkit
digi 002r


if its not possible to replace my existing cpu, which parts could i use again for a new system with the dual core cpu? would the video card, kingston memory and power supply still be usable?

BOOGIE

[JaeStoopz]

Hello everyone im new to this forum but im interested in putting together a new PC for my Pro Tools Studio. I Have Pro Tools LE 7.3 and a M Box 2 thats plugs in USB...im trying to put together a machine that will run smooth with no flaws. If someone could lay down some specs that would work smoothly with no flaws, seeing as i will also be using effects like different "Waves" packs and be using it for other peoples studio time as well an i dont want any random problems in the session. Thank You to anyone that could help me with this. My Price range is 1,000$ but i can go a little over that.

[Allen Hallada]

Hey guys,
I've been away for awhile now and just catching up. I'll get a new powerhouse system posted ASAP.
Thanks for your patience.
Allen

[powerjoe]

Hey guys,
I've been away for awhile now and just catching up. I'll get a new powerhouse system posted ASAP.
Thanks for your patience.
Allen

Great idea Allen.

I went to buy parts for 3 new Quad Computers (as listed) and only the RAM was available. It was REALLY hard to find them elsewhere as well.

New list would help folks a lot.



Cheers,

[brendan2b]

I have an Abit NF7-S Motherboard with an AMD 3200+ with 2GB Ram. Would reinstalling windows XP and keeping it on service pack 1 be the best way to run Pro Tools LE with Mbox 2? This machine will only be running pro tools LE with the Mbox2.

[msg6794]

i just saw this on circuitcity.com - HP Pavilion Desktop PC (A6152N) - does anyone have any experience w/this running PT yet? i'm not ready to upgrade yet, having just upgraded my PC this winter, but i almost wish i'd waited now! you'd need to throw XP on it, but otherwise, is there anything obviously wrong w/that machine for PT? seems too good to be true... quadcore q6600 w/3gb ram for $850?