[linux-audio-user] New hardware choice

[Brad Fuller]

aljordan at maine.rr.com wrote:

>----- Original Message -----
>From: lanas <lanas at securenet.net>
>Date: Thursday, May 12, 2005 6:44 am
>Subject: [linux-audio-user] New hardware choice
>
>  
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>> I'm plaaning to get a new home PC that could also be used (along 
>>withsoftware development) for creating and recording music.
>>
>> What I'd like to do: sequence MIDI external sounds (synth 
>>module(s)),add accoustic guitar and flute, record everything to wav 
>>and/or Ogg
>>Vorbis formats (using original external synths sounds).  
>>Optionally, to
>>be also able to choose from a palette of SoundFonts (as I did with
>>my current PC, using a SB Live! card and MusE).
>>
>> What I'd like to get as PC: an Athlon 64bit based mobo, 2 GB RAM, 
>>some250 GB disk storage. graphics card not that important as it's 
>>not used
>>to play games (why not on-board graphic ?).  Operating system: in the
>>end most likely handmade Linux based on LFS (Linux From Scratch) 
>>but for
>>starters SuSE 9.3 64-bit, or any other that's good enough.
>>
>> Now, is there some strong allergic reaction between a Linux Audio
>>setup and 64-bit CPUs ?  Are 64-bits platforms recommended for audio
>>purposes or is it better to wait a few more years ?  If it's OK, which
>>mobo would you recommend ?
>>    
>>
>
>I have been using an AMD 64 3500+ on an ABIT AV8 motherboard.  The
>system is extremely stable and very fast, and everything is supported in
>the distribution I am running.  I am not running a 64 bit distro though,
>as I have not had any good luck with audio apps under a 64 bit distro. 
>I've had very good luck with the Planet CCRMA 32 bit distribution of
>Fedora Core 3, using the Planet CCRMA edge kernel, and the CCRMA audio
>packages.
>
>  
>
>> Which audio/MIDI card would you recommend for such a setup ?
>>    
>>
>
>I am using the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 with good results.  You might
>consider one of the M_Audio Delta series if you will be recording the
>guitar and flute as they have a greater variety of inputs and are not
>insanely expensive.  None of these cards will offer zero latency, but
>they will offer much lower latency than your SB-Live card.  With an AMD
>64 chip and 2 gig of RAM, you can plenty of software synths to sequence
>your midi through soundfonts so you won't need the hardware player on
>the SB-live card.  I should mention that certain soundfonts sound
>screwed up through one of the soundfont soft-synths I've used in Linux
>  
>
I agree that the most economical course is to buy as fast a AMD64 as you 
can afford and run 32bit distro until you can reasonably convert to 
64bit (that is the vast majority of your apps are in 64bit packages.) 
But, be prepared to gather as many notes about updating your box to 
64bit while you wait -- let the others blaze before you so you can 
benefit from their mistakes.
Or, blaze ahead yourself and send me notes ;-)

-- 
Brad Fuller
(408) 799-6124
** Sonaural Audio Studios **
(408) 799-6123  West San Jose
(408) 799-6124  Cambrian
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