Wanna buy new PC: Show yours...!

QuantumFizz · Post by **QuantumFizz** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:33 am

jamester wrote:I can say nothing but good things about my new PC from Jim Roseberry of Purrrfect Audio! Jim's a great guy, and gave me an *unbelievable* price on my new machine. This thing's a monster, and can take a quad-core chip as a direct drop-in replacement later on if I want.

http://www.studiocat.com/index.htm

I've got:
- Core2Duo 2.4 ghz
- 2 GB RAM
- 128MB NVIDIA
- DVD burner
- 2x 160GB HD's
- XP Home fully stripped/tweaked for music (no Vista for me, thanks)
- Multi-card reader
- 8 USB, 4 FW
- sleek black case with locking cover and washable air filter!

I was expecting a system like this to cost me around $2K, judging by places like PC Audiolabs and such. Not even close. Shoot him an email, he'll give you a price.

$2k?? Shit, can I sell you a computer next time? That computer would cost well under $1,000 to build with no display, XP Home, and low-capacity hard drives. Actually, everything you listed is pretty mediocre or standard except for the processor.

esky · Post by **esky** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:36 am

Hello erverybody...!

Thank you for your friendly mails and your good advice, this is very much appreciated. Ok, here's my story: Actually i'm switching from a Mac 2x2,5 PPc to a Windows PC because the logic board of my mac is broken. Fixing costs are approximatly over 1000.-€ (803.- for the new logic board, you do the math

) which is about the price for a new PC. I'm really fed up with this apple overpriced policy and now it's time for a change.
The new machine is basically build around an Intel E6600 processor on an Asus P5D board, an extra silent case (my Mac was as load an Airbus A300), some Samsung HD's an so on. It' s price will be around 1100.-€, including Windows installation and registration. Fortunatly i'm in contact with a guy who worked at the ableton headquartes here in berlin, he will give me advice in optimizing the system for the work with Live. So...this is how it's gonna be...next week.
If you guys have further comments...they are very welcome...!

Regards, Esky

JACKAL & HYDE · Post by **JACKAL & HYDE** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:43 am

Rogue Scrunt wrote:

Yea, lets all go out and buy an 8 core Mac Pro with 8 gig of Ram for $7,000 and score a 9% on the Ableton Live bench/stress test... (So we can be "Pro")

Meanwhile high end PC users are scoring solid 4 - 5's on the same test at 1/7 the cost.

Hell, for 1/3 the price of that Mac Pro you could build 2 Monster PC's and run them in Dmexx http://www.dmexx.com/fw_link_sw.html and be untouchable. Hard to imagine what you'd have to pull up plugin wise to make it rise over 0% load. Probably near impossible during normal day to day Ableton usage.

And meanwhile, you'd still have $5,000 left in your bank account at the end of the day.

I'm so dissapointed in Mac right now its pathetic A. For their low performance vs UBER HIGH cost and B. Jobs Greed. Maybe next month it will be the "I" toaster/coffee maker combo with built in "I" TV/"I" pod + the "I" next thing I dont need.
For $7,000, a "Personal Computer" better stay at 0% CPU load with 10 instances of Reaktor up + 5 bandwidth hog Reverbs during the Live stress test.

I've been buying Macs for 10 + years and at their current price VS performance, "I" m out.

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:46 am

QuantumFizz wrote:
jamester wrote:I can say nothing but good things about my new PC from Jim Roseberry of Purrrfect Audio! Jim's a great guy, and gave me an *unbelievable* price on my new machine. This thing's a monster, and can take a quad-core chip as a direct drop-in replacement later on if I want.

http://www.studiocat.com/index.htm

I've got:
- Core2Duo 2.4 ghz
- 2 GB RAM
- 128MB NVIDIA
- DVD burner
- 2x 160GB HD's
- XP Home fully stripped/tweaked for music (no Vista for me, thanks)
- Multi-card reader
- 8 USB, 4 FW
- sleek black case with locking cover and washable air filter!

I was expecting a system like this to cost me around $2K, judging by places like PC Audiolabs and such. Not even close. Shoot him an email, he'll give you a price.
$2k?? Shit, can I sell you a computer next time? That computer would cost well under $1,000 to build with no display, XP Home, and low-capacity hard drives. Actually, everything you listed is pretty mediocre or standard except for the processor.

Um, did I say that I payed $2K? No.

I'm saying that's what PC Audiolabs, Sweetwater's Creation Statrions, Music XPC et all were in the ballpark of charging for these specs at the time. And yes, that's a major rip-off...hence them not getting my money.

If this computer is mediocre, shit I'm fine with mediocrity then.

QuantumFizz · Post by **QuantumFizz** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:59 am

jamester wrote:Um, did I say that I payed $2K? No.

I'm saying that's what PC Audiolabs, Sweetwater's Creation Statrions, Music XPC et all were in the ballpark of charging for these specs at the time. And yes, that's a major rip-off...hence them not getting my money.

You came in the thread all like "my computer is the shit! I got it an *unbelievable* deal on it!" and then post some pretty standard specs and link to a site which looks like it was made by a high schooler. I'm commenting on what you posted; this is a discussion forum. I saw the price listed at $1,400 on the site you linked to, correct me if I'm way off (why didn't you post the price in the first place if you even mention what a deal you got?). Pick the parts individually and build it yourself and you will get outstanding value.

jamester wrote:Um, did I say that I payed $2K? No.

Did I ever indicate otherwise? You said you expected to pay $2k.

jamester wrote:If this computer is mediocre, shit I'm fine with mediocrity then.

Sorry to hurt your feelings, welcome to the internet.

gavscope · Post by **gavscope** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:26 am

Easy tigers!

QuantumFizz · Post by **QuantumFizz** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:33 am

gavscope wrote:Easy tigers!

hold me back yo, hold me back!

hahahah

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:02 pm

QuantumFizz wrote: Sorry to hurt your feelings, welcome to the internet.

My feelings are not hurt, I just don't understand your negative aggression.

- Yes, I expected to pay more because of all the prices I had looked up at a number of "name" music computer builders. What's so hard to understand about that? Go to PC Audiolabs and build a computer, you'll see. I'm not making shit up.

- I'm not saying "my computer is better than everybody else's", I'm saying if someone's looking for a new PC custom-built for them at a great price, contact Jim Roseberry for a quote. The prices on his sight are not accurate reflections of what you'll pay. I payed well under $1400 actually. Who cares if he doesn't have a fancy enough site? What does that have to do with anything?

- Of course building it yourself is always the best value. But if you can't (or don't want to), then a private builder like this is the next best route. That's really my point, I guess. I probably will build my next computer myself, but that's not the point of this thread, so what's your point? The OP said he's looking to buy a new PC...

james. · Post by **james.** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:38 pm

i just got my latest laptop from a place called millenium music. great machine, resonable price and decent flexibility on what you order an how its set up. customer services were good as long as i kept in contact. but when shellin out the amout i did id always be keen to keep an eye on the build to make sure i was happy. at the end of it all i have a great lappy which im more than happy with.

QuantumFizz · Post by **QuantumFizz** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:04 pm

james. wrote:i just got my latest laptop from a place called millenium music. great machine, resonable price and decent flexibility on what you order an how its set up. customer services were good as long as i kept in contact. but when shellin out the amout i did id always be keen to keep an eye on the build to make sure i was happy. at the end of it all i have a great lappy which im more than happy with.

the laptop in your sig? definitely nice, desktop replacement even. 512mb of video ram in a laptop, that is quality. What's the chipset, I'm guessing 7600/7900?

gavscope · Post by **gavscope** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 12:07 am

nice laptop- my next one will be a lappy. by then i imagine it will be touchscreen.
one of the points i was making is that, with technology at the standard it is, for use with ableton you can get something cheaper that will more than do the job. I bought an imac g5 18mths ago for $3200 aud that would freeze up before what i would reasonably expect to be able to use in a set. i sold it (for $2200 ) 6 mths ago and got a shop to build one for $1700 (just the tower) that is at least 5 times as powerful. I just ordered a pc for a friend- with monitor and all peripherals, with better stats than mine for $1350 aud delivered. Seriously, i reckon you could get something quite adequate to do the job for under a grand aud ( for a bit of advertising, I have ordered a couple of pc's from IT ESTATE, their prices are cheaper on average than anywhere else in australia, you just pick the parts and pay $80 for them to put it together and test it. No problems as of yet.)
For anyone on some type of budget looking to get a pc, i would be hesitant to go top shelf as it will not be the case in 6 mths time and you would have forked out alot of cash. ( If you play games as well, that is a different story, where graphics are constantly pushing to the limit). Whereas Ableton, and most other music apps are actually becoming more cpu efficient. When searching the net for info, gaming pc's are often what is found, as there are much more DIY sites and forums etc, whereas the dedicated audio pc guys seem quite tight lipped about what they do.
I would look at upgradability as a major point. Also, for use with Live, more focus on the CPU speed than RAM, so get 2 gig of RAM and a faster processor, quad etc, than 4 gig RAM with a slower processor.
Touchscreen will be one of the major things to look at.
In 5 years time, we will all be able to run Live quite adequately from our mobile phones, more speed etc will be irrelevant.
Just some observations, take em or leave em. I'm no expert, just have spent too much time playing with my PC, searching the net etc, rather than playing with Live. :D

lesterdiamond · Post by **lesterdiamond** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 4:11 am

nice and portable

ekwipt · Post by **ekwipt** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:02 am

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3616

Looks nice!!

gavscope · Post by **gavscope** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:31 am

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3616

that's the one- desktop cpu! awesome! bye bye desktop....