good pc to accompany mpc and ak.sys?

damixx wrote: what they did with osx version 10.1 and jaguar staggered the entire multimedia industry. Except for the video professionals. They forced an os down your throat and forced developers to create new appz/plugins/software and hardware for this os. They left audio all but for dead.

Listen that shit is hella **** up. You see I bought my $3k+ ti book right when OS X dropped. Jaguar wasn't out quite yet. And I got caught in the middle. That was fine till I wanted to run anything other than PT. Then I got **** over and it has litterally set me back months, depending on how you look at it. I am happy to leave Apple actually. There is not enough competition in the organisation to make them give a **** about the little guy. Everybody in the world is rocking PCs and everybody is developing for them. cept Logic. Logic takes an hour to change a set up. **** it....
Apple and Akai have been having a bad year this year. They need to listen up and give a shit about us. till then **** em. Still love my mpc but im frustrated with Akai just cos they have been dishonest and or unorganized. There's no excuse for that shit. But Im making due by gettin my new PC. I will **** everybodies head up

I agree with Gigaton and Damixx about Apple. I'm over it. I bought ProTools Digi 001 when it first came out. Then it would only run on a MAC. PC was not an option. My G4 450 mhz had a hard time running the 24 tracks LE would allow with some plug-ins going. That G4 cost over 3 grand. I sold my G4 and digi 001, built a smokin' PC to run Nuendo, and am much happier. The two years with MAC G4 450 and ProTools LE were cool, but the PC platform has come so far so fast since then that I would never use a MAC again by choice. WAY too expensive. My PC smokes any MAC and costs 1/3 of the $$. After all, computers are only tools. Just use the best tools for the job and for the money.

Gigaton - that computer you are getting sounds awesome. You will have some serious power and speed. My concern with a factory unit is mainly with the Motherboard and most importantly the Sound Card. If you can make all that work and you are happy, that's all that matters. I read so often about different compatability issues with software and computers that I like to build a computer I have seen others test and make work. On many forums people spec out exactly how they put the whole machine together. All I do is read and read, see what works and copy that effort.

And Damixx, you are exactly right - If I choose to go back to ProTools for whatever reason, I will definitely run it on a PC and Windows XP - Not a MAC. The 32 tracks that LE now allows could usually be enough, and if not, well, there are always ways around that. And,With the new ASIO drivers you can run Nuendo or something else using Digi hardware, but you still can't run ProTools without Digi hardware = I can run Nuendo on a Digi 001 but I can't run ProTools using an RME Multiface.

Best of luck to both of you. Have fun.

Digibird, my computer has not been put together as of yet and I am having some second thoughts about the system because of the sound card(I can trade that out right?), the present lack of firewire, I'm not sure about the type of memory it uses, it's DDR SDRAM, but I don't know what the industry standard is these days. Also the processor maxes out at 512Kb cache. I still have a couple of spots on the expansion bay:One low-profile 8XAGP slot (2.5" h x 6.6" l)One low-profile PCI slot (2.5" h x 6.6" l). Can you let me know if these limitations can be a problem. Also can you point me in the direction of sites that could help me research the details of building a PC for pro audio from scratch or kits ect...
I want to make sure I get the right machine for the job. I think this box will do it but I would like to know more.
Currently I have a MOTU 896 which I figure would make a great I/O for the pc using firewire, but I know the sound card that the PC comes with can be exchanged for a Soundblaster Live card, is it wrong to assume I could just as easily put something more professional in the box if I need it?

Damixx could you give me a run down of how your studio is configured to run your MPC along with Cubase, ect...? Do you sequence between the two machines, back and forth? Audio recording? Holla

Helpful links to computer-building discussions: www.digidesign.com (Support>user conference>more>PTLE for Windows>Best system for PTLE under $1000)
http://forum.nuendo.com/cgi-bin/nuendo.com/Ultimate.cgi and choose hardware forum.
MOTU's website requires you to be a registered user to access their support/forums - I would ask MOTU 896 users what is the best computer configuration, though that is most likely software dependent.

The best way to build a computer for music is to build it specifically for one software program. I knew I wanted to use Nuendo. Nuendo hardware is re-badged RME hardware, so I bought RME. I read all of the user discussions/recommendations and bought the case, fan, motherboard, hard drives, memory, OS, etc. that was the most recommended by Nuendo users I could find the week I chose to build. That turned out to be a P4 2.4 ghz, 512 RAM, ASUS P4TE motherboard, 2 - 80 GB Western Digital 8 mb cache Hard Drives, Windows XP, with Waves plug-ins and the UAD-1 card.

I would want more PCI expansion slots than you are looking at. The MOTU 896 rocks - so you don't care too much what soundcard the 'puter ships with (Yea Firewire) and yes, you can always upgrade it later. If you are thinking of the $99 Soundblaster card get the $149Audiophile 2496 instead:http://www.midiman.net/products/m-audio/audiophile.php
It is an excellent card for the money that I use in a 2nd computer to run Gigastudio, Acid, Reason and Fruity Loops.

Computers can be very frustrating tools at times. They also afford me so much fun and creativity that really most days I don't want to leave the house. May your new toys bring you more smiles than headaches.

Well; when I ordered My Micron Pc in 98; I didn't ask for a sound card; instead I got the motherboard that had the sound built in (crystal sound fusion) I use the wavecenter pci card. 24 bit 48khz; I'll be upgrading to the 24 bit 96khz card very soon. I get 10 - 12 milliseconds latency with the card and have never had a problem with it. I have the mpc 4000 digital out (litepipe) routed to the digital in on the 01v. The 01v digital out is connected to the wavecenter pci digital in (again all litepipe) then I have the wavecenter digital out (spdif two channel) connected to the digital spdif in on the 01v. Having things routed this way allows me to track everything digitally into the pc. The 01v has 4 busses; so anything connected analogue can go out through the digital litepipe from the 01v.

I have 7200 rpm and 10000 rpm hard drives and one ultra ata 60 gig. All of them are partitioned 10 gigs per.

Sometimes I use the mpc as master sequencer (after all it has four midi outputs) I rarely use cubase to sequence; computer sequencing is to robotic and cheesy for me. I could care less about all the editing and what not available and the only plugin that fascinates me is magneto. So all the virtual instrument and efx really don't warrant me using cubase as a master sequencer; it's definitley used to sub mix and final mix; when I want to filter or automate the cubase faders/efx. I use the pc more as a multi track and editor. I use it to make my loops; recycle; rex etc.....
Reason looks promising (but only for dance music)
Anyhow my typical setup is the triton, carnaval and xl-1 connected to the mpc (the xl-1 has two midi ins so I use both on that sound module because I have the turbo unit expanded with many sounds) All outputs are connected to the 01v via analog and litepipe (mpc 4000) From the 01v. Then I'll go in eight tracks at a time or if I nailed ish down; I'll go in two track spdif. Magneto is used all the time. That's the first plugin I use. Then I'll use that waldorf filter to do ridiculous things (the 4000 and the q-link are changing all that little by little) That's pretty much it.

export to wave or mp3 and I'll call it a day.

Awesome man thanx. My studio setup is pretty wicked. I won't go into all the details right now, however I just added a Studio 440 to the arsenal and it is amazing. I really dig sequencing on my MPC4k but I also have a few synths that are tied into a unitor 8, so my goal is to find of soft sequencer that I feel comfortable with that can run those synths in conjunction with my samplers. I want the machines talking to each other for every track I build so I can use what ever tool I deem necessary without skipping a beat or ruining my work flow. This include recording and printing the audio from my midi setup at any given time so that I can introduce plugins if need be. The only soft sequencer that I have felt comfortable with at all has been DP3, but I can't stand the audio editing. And I like the protools midi because it's familiar but limited in 5.2. I'm not sure how well it works in 6 but I would love to try it. That and beat detective ect... Cubase SX is another sequencer I would love to audition, just to see how it cutz, chops, and mangles midi. I've learned sequencing on MPC but at the same time I would love the full screen interaction of a computer interface if I can find the right program. Working with mac has been a nightmare for my midi setup however and I'm sick of it. I don't even use all of my syths right now because it is so much work to get it working right. I'm going to get there though, I know the technology must be there to do this all correctly. ahh searching for the holy grail.... beats come first, technology second, it would just be nice if they could jell at some point.

dp3 is actually an awesome editor; get to know it; in fact as far as the mac is concerned dp3 can do it all man. Trust me.
On the editing tip I mean audio; I don't need the pc or mac to edit my midi. I strictly edit audio.
Hardware isn't obsolete; I like the fact that the triton the xl-turbo, carnaval and mpc all have their own processors and efx. creating original patches on them with each ones unique synthesis engine makes for even more madness.
The vz8 sampler and the mach 5 are going to be the top two soft samplers as far as i'm concerned. Definitley changing the game.
Cubase is a cool ass program. I only like it for multi track audio though and magneto vst plugin. pretty damn good mixer too. If motu made dp for the pc i'd hang cubase up in a second. That's how good it is. Theres a free demo of cubase 5; try it sx isn't that far off.
good luck
Peep the new damixx multi-edit Philosophy (krs-1) Another example of audio editing (it's chopped up audio pieces breathing new life into an old but still highly listened to track)
www.4ament.com/DamixxCd/Scott2a.mp3
or go to www.4ament.com
hit the tracks link and go to the middle box; it's track 8
Peace
Damixx is King of the edits!!

Thanks for all of the info you guys are great and I am so new to pc world that i need all the help i can get. I scrapped the Dell idea and cancelled my orders to them a couple of times already. I finally decided to build my own and pimp it out proper. So here is where I am thinking of starting:
http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/ ... efault.asp
I want to put a fast P4 in it. But I also want it to be pretty quiet so I hope that I can achieve both. This foundation offers enough flexibility to get me started. I do have a question though, I have been hearing about Asus motherboards a lot but this case doesn't use them at this point. Does it matter? Let me know what you think. I am probably going to build the computer this week so hit me back an let me know what you might do if you were in my shoes. Also it looks like sometime next month I will be getting a new PowerMac running OSX and PT-HD so thats huge. I have a friend who is going to work at Apple and he's supposed to be able to get me 20-25% off a new box so I will probably jump on it. Lots of changes taking place in the studio but one things for certain the music does not stop while the geeky tech work is getting done. Just got to put in a little OT. Holla!