[linux-audio-user] System upgrade recommendations

[Dana Olson]

On 2/18/06, Jon Hoskins <jonhoskins at wildpenguin.net> wrote:
> Dana Olson wrote:
>
> >Hello,
> >
> >I am wondering what I should do in order to get a bit more performance
> >out of my system for using JACK and friends.
> >
> >I currently have two systems, and they are relatively similar. My main
> >system is a Dell Optiplex, can't remember the model exactly right now,
> >but it is:
> >
> >Intel P4 2.8GHz
> >512MB DDR
> >onboard video
> >Creative Audigy2 ZS
> >
> >The other system is:
> >
> >AMD AthlonXP 2800+
> >512MB DDR
> >NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti4200 128MB
> >Creative SoundBlaster Live! 5.1
> >
> >I was considering buying a 2x512MB DDR kit for the P4, and dropping
> >the old 512MB from there into the Athlon system.
> >
> >The RAM I am thinking about is:
> >http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003982&cid=RAM.178
> >
> >Would it be better to save up and invest in a CPU/mobo upgrade? Or
> >will a different sound card give me a performance boost (not sure how
> >it would be possible, but..)? Or maybe I should find a PCI video card
> >(NVIDIA or maybe there is something better?) to put into the Dell, if
> >onboard video causes issues? Or is RAM a pretty good upgrade at this
> >point?
> >
> >I ask because I am new at using software (other than Audacity) for
> >multitrack recording, and when I get more than a couple apps up and
> >running, my system gets sluggish, and I can't even load the Titanic
> >SoundFont in Qsynth because it crashes (I presume due to lack of
> >memory).
> >
> >Thanks in advance for any advice.
> >
> >Dana
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Memory and more memory would be my first upgrade on hardware like that.
> Buffering into /swap is not good for audio applications.  Your
> motherboard/cpu combo is fairly up-to-date and should get you by for
> quite some time.  Second pick would be doing away with the onboard video
> with seperate card  (preferably nvidia) especially if you are using apps
> with realtime/pseudo-realtime meters and spectrum analyzers and the like.
>
> Best,
>
> Jon
>


Thanks for the advice guys!

I'll probably get the RAM if I think I can budget for it.

I'd rather not invest in a PCI video card (freakin Dell doesn't put
AGP slots on this model!).

I am still new to the Linux software out there, but I like the thought
of softsynths. Currently I use just hardware stuff recorded into
Audacity, but I'd like to move towards software-only (well, plus MIDI
guitars and live guitars and MIDI drums).

Thanks again!
Dana