Computer specs

[chapperz66]

As more and more people on the site are using DAWs, I'm interested to hear what hardware specifications DAW users here are using.  There  has been a lot of interesting posts about techniques but less about the hardware side of things.

Before I go any further, I must say that I'm keen to avoid what inevitably becomes a Windows/Mac bun fight - which rapidly degenerates into acrimony and near conflict when I have read such posts on other sites.  People here are much more balanced so I have faith that it will stay calm. 

I have been a windows user forever and know enough to get by and achieve what I want to achieve - to the extent that I am extremely unlikely to change platform at this stage in my life.

My current  machine is:
2016 ish intel I7 4790 quad core processor
32gb RAM
1 x 500gb internal SSD for op system and programs
1 x 250gb internal SSD which I use for some samples
1 x 4tb internal HDD for songs/projects
2 x external 1tb SSDs for big sample libraries.
Windows 10 home
2 x 24" monitors
Presonus 1818vsl interface
Studio One v4.6 pro.
Some gaming style graphics card that was apparently exciting at the time but I'm not a gamer.

I use a lot of midi software instruments and samplers together with hardware keyboards/guitars.

[AndyR]

I'll be interested in the replies to this.

Here's mine ... feels like I'm in the cheap seats reading yours!

Dell Inspiron 5377 17" Laptop
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4500U CPU @ 1.80GHz   2.40 GHz
16GB RAM
1TB Internal HDD
Whatever graphics card came in it
Windows 10 Home (had to upgrade from 8.1 to instal PreSonus interface!)

PreSonus 68c interface
PreSonus Studio One Professional v5.3.0
ToonTracks EZDrummer 2
A bunch of other PreSonus software, soundsets and addons I haven't figured out yet (or even downloaded some of it) including Notion 6.0
Some other plugins and stuff that came with but, apart from Celemony's Melodyne Essentials which I've only just downloaded and installed, I've discovered I prefer the PreSonus instruments and effects.

I'm using a bunch of outboard gear:

An older Yamaha MG 12/4 desk
Korg D1 Piano
Roland VK8M Organ Module
Yamaha THR 100HD Guitar Amp (DI through desk, has its own IRs and IR installer, rarely use the cab now)
Yamaha THR 10C (old version)
Laney Cub Super12 15W Combo
Line6 POD XTlive (only used for bass now)

I'm probably about to start using more software instruments. No idea what I'm doing at the moment, it just seems to work. If I've got some MIDI to play I just grab some instrument that came installed and see what it does! The Studio One way of doing it seems a LOT easier than Cakewalk/BandLab.

Also, I'm just getting into loops, never understood what they are before. Seeing as I'm entitled to all the PreSonus sound libraries, I'm probably start downloading some of those.

I've been looking at new PCs... aiming for at least 32GB RAM, SSD, and 2 monitors (~24", but it will involve me taking my IKEA "gaming desk" apart because I put the shelves closer together... to use them for actual books!).
However, this ole laptop seems to be coping EASILY with what I'm doing so far. Screen's a bit small for it though... it's doable, but...

[Bishmanrock]

My machine is built around my DAW and a bit of gaming, plus I also do game dev as another hobby, so I built to accommodate that. Although I used to work in IT support, I was never really much of a hardware geek, so beyond what's listed on the boxes they came in, I don't really know my hardware inside out. I've always been a desktop fiend, never could get away with laptops. Grew up with an Amiga (which I still have!), so maybe that's to blame.

My actual PC itself looks terrible. I've been running the same case since maybe 2007ish, it's a proper Triggers broom of a beast!

AMD Ryzen 3600 6-Core Processor
32GB RAM
Windows 10 (briefly looked at maybe crossing over to Linux in future - not a lot of what I used is supported, so that ended that!)
2x monitors (got a third but it's hooked up to my works equipment, but all anchored on the same monitor stand somehow!)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti

Samsung SSD 850 PRO 256GB (OS)
Samsung SSD 850 PRO 1TB (Music)
Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB (Gaming)
Some 500GB non-SSD (Dumping ground)

Cubase 11 Professional
Steinberg UR22
Joemeek threeQ

[Mach]

Well it looks like you have a really nice system for recording/mixing/and hours of painstakingly choosing the best vst plug-in
Since you already have talented musicianship the only advice I can give you is try and find the best way to decrease latency. Although with 32 GB of RAM you shouldn't have a problem. Get good preamps, microphones and a fridge full of beer and you're on your way 

Seriously though man, you have a great system from what you're describing. So you have big sample libraries, if you have an NI Kontakt 6 sampler let me know if you are looking for a certain type of instrument. I have about 6 TB of just about anything conventional to the inappropriate. 

Oops! Posted before giving specs:

I have a very basic system I built. Nothing like what you guys are listing. I kept it very simple an efficient.

2 internal drives. both dual core 2.40 GhZ -- A dual-boot setup enables me to run software on multiple operating systems without the need for a separate set of hardware. This makes it a convenient and efficient method to use two or more operating systems. Just
set up a dual boot with enough hard drive space for a 2nd partition. This way I can have programs on one and session info on another one. One 64 bit One 32 bit Only 8 GB of RAM...very low latency.

1TB ext drive
2TB ext drive
4TB ext drive
These house all the vst's, Kontakt Instruments and various programs to use in my ProTools software.

M-Audio C-600 interface with awesome sounding preamps 4 outs/4 ins, Spdif use for Johnson J-Station, MIDI/USB for Novation controller and Behringer FCB1010. dual headphones amps built in (independent part of the out section).

Powered Monitors: M-Audio BX5A's, Off Fostex 5's. Passive: KLH duals
Various head phones semi-open and closed-tracking
Various mics condenser and dynamic Shures AKG etc...

That's pretty much it. Not a lot involved. I just try and set my ProTools sessions to have the least amount of latency with the interface. Press the red button and hope for the best.

Mach

[Ferryman]

I'm on an i5 generation PC with 16 gig of RAM but will be upgrading this year (this PC is quite old). Would be interesting to hear folks thoughts on what chipset to go for. I only use the PC for music, no gaming or heavy duty work use (retired!!!).

[StephenM]

my brain is fried just thinking about this... I have this old (2012) HP that at one time was pretty good.... I will have to get the specs...  it has a touch screen.  It's like a giant tablet but a computer all in one stand up...and its bogged down so bad that sometimes when I use Bandlab you can see the line that moves to show you where in the song you are jerks, like it has a disease...and sometimes the music sounds garbled...
I am going to be forced to take this in and see if it's worth fixing, upgrading or what...
I don't use it for much...even alot of my mixing I do at work...but now I will need to do more at home so I have to solve this problem soon... I don't think Bandlab, which is the DAW I use for now takes up enormous resources...

there used to be a time when I cared more about stuff like this...as I am getting older it's getting harder... I just want to play my guitar and eat my toast and drink coffee and the once in awhile beer...
lol...but I do love using the mixing on the DAW so I will have to solve this...even if I never know "what's under the hood" so to speak...

[AndyR]

OK, I'm finding 16GB RAM is not quite enough for the task in hand...

Maybe it's the processor as well? (Task Manager revealed big loads on both processor and ram when it started going)

But it did take an awful LOT before it started failing.

They are ways round, so it's not stopping me, but I'd just got used to slapping addins on in all directions with impunity!

I had channel strip inserts on "several" channels to provide hi-pass filtering that I had not applied during tracking, plus I was using the PreSonus Studio One "Mix Engine" stuff on the master bus to imitate a 70s/80s British Console (which actually works on ALL the channels for drive, noise, crosstalk and wotnot).

Oh, alright, it was 10 channels of acoustic guitar, 6 of electric piano, 5 of organ, er... 20 of electric guitar, 1 of bass, 10 of drums and percussion (and 1 guide vocal).
I was listening at a good volume when I decided to have a quick look on BBC in the other window, to check the Hungarian Grand Prix. The moment I opened chrome, all hell broke loose with droput and crunching noises

I managed to learn enough to decide I did want the hi-pass filtering (I'll go back to applying it during tracking now, I always used to on the BR). So I've now printed it onto all the audio tracks, and everything is running fine again.

[chapperz66]

Have you optimised your computer for audio? There  are a number of different steps to take which help,  but the biggy is to turn up the power saving settings on the processor to full on so that it is sitting there on full revs waiting for you. A bit like Hamilton on the grid. There are loads of vids on YouTube but I think I found the one by Keith Baker (I think that was his name).
This makes a huge difference so worth a try.