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New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:25 am
by j_fonix
Hi,

I need to but a new (budget) Desktop as my current laptop is years old and running XP. I just wondered what PC desktops people are using and buying at the moment. I could buy something like a Dell but there are a few dedicated Auido PC builders too.

These are the systems I am looking at:

XPS 8700 Desktop
http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-8700/pd?re ... redir=true

Inta Audio Barebones PC
http://www.inta-audio.com/computer-musi ... ones-pc-p1

Scan AW25
http://3xs.scan.co.uk/configurator/scan-aw25

Carillon Tower Core 1
http://www.carillonac1.com/tower-core-1.html

Chillblast Artiste Beethoven
http://www.chillblast.com/pconf.php?productid=18237

It will mean a jump from Live 5 to Live 9 also.

I want to carry on using my Edirol FA-101 Firewire Audio Device so I either need a Firewire slot or a spare PCI slot so I can fit a Firewire card. From what I can gather a ‘Texas Instrument chipset’ is a good choice for a Firewire PCI card.

http://www.inta-audio.com/music-pc-syst ... pset-p2036#

8Gb Memory seems to be the norm in the above systems - is that enough? At the moment I only have 1Gb..... :oops: .......so its definately going to be better than that...... I mainly use Ableton and freeware synths and FX.....

Cheers :)

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 4:36 pm
by j_fonix
anyone? :?: :)

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 5:45 pm
by qwerty rapper
narrow it down to a Haswell yo'
it's not fo' show, it won't be slow
i would keep it 8gigs ya know
if you need more later, go buy some mo'

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:30 pm
by sawdust
Hi

I recently bought an Inta Audio set up (Pro Music PC V2).
Really happy with purchase, Its built like a tank! almost silent and doesn't break a sweat when i run multiple instances of Lush-101 :D
Good customer service from them too.
Re; RAM I got 32Gb - not needed for 32 bit Ableton but I also do Video stuff

john

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:36 am
by Digital Junkie
Check out ebuyer.com
I picked up a basic i5 last year for under £500 and it runs Ableton like a dream no issues what so ever even when I have over a 150 VST's on the go!

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 5:16 pm
by j_fonix
Digital Junkie wrote:Check out ebuyer.com
Cheers Digital Junkie, ebuyer site seems to be down?
sawdust wrote:Inta Audio set up (Pro Music PC V2)
Cheers sawdust, Inta Audio have seem to have a good reputation. Good to hear that the customer service is good also. Getting a dedicated DAW would be the most straightforward option...might be a bit more expensive...but maybe worth it?
qwerty rapper wrote:narrow it down to a Haswell
Cheers Qwerty, to be honest I didn't eben know what a 'Haswell' was :oops: looked it up now.....4th Generation Intel Chip?

Anyone else want to say what desktop system they are using/buying? Any advice appreciated ;)

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:22 pm
by Whizzercone
j_fonix wrote:
Digital Junkie wrote:Check out ebuyer.com
Cheers Digital Junkie, ebuyer site seems to be down?
sawdust wrote:Inta Audio set up (Pro Music PC V2)
Cheers sawdust, Inta Audio have seem to have a good reputation. Good to hear that the customer service is good also. Getting a dedicated DAW would be the most straightforward option...might be a bit more expensive...but maybe worth it?
qwerty rapper wrote:narrow it down to a Haswell
Cheers Qwerty, to be honest I didn't eben know what a 'Haswell' was :oops: looked it up now.....4th Generation Intel Chip?

Anyone else want to say what desktop system they are using/buying? Any advice appreciated ;)
The difference between Ivy Bridge and Haswell isn't enough to worry about in a desktop. If you can get a good deal on an Ivy Bridge system take it.

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:21 pm
by j_fonix
Whizzercone wrote: The difference between Ivy Bridge and Haswell isn't enough to worry about in a desktop. If you can get a good deal on an Ivy Bridge system take it.
cheers...just had to look up 'Ivy bridge' too....3rd generation..:)

Re: New PC desktop buying advice request

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:37 pm
by j_fonix
Digital Junkie wrote:Check out ebuyer.com
I picked up a basic i5 last year for under £500 and it runs Ableton like a dream no issues what so ever even when I have over a 150 VST's on the go!
Just had a look on ebuyer.com and saw this:

http://www.ebuyer.com/570069-zoostorm-h ... -7873-0482

...worth considering at £349.98inc.... with as PCI slot so I can put in a Firewire card ........not sur ewhat sort of rep 'Zoostrom have though'?