Dual Intel CPU's?

[cadesignr]

Hello, first time here and I need some difinitive input on dual Intel CPU usage for a daw. I am a cad designer, and am ready to specify my third generation computor, and would like dual cpu for cad/graphic app's and would like to use this computer as my daw too. I have a small home
analog/digital studio and so far, I have purchased a Lexicon Core 32 with (3) interfaces(d/a's) and a Tascam TMD-1000 mixer(just dipping my big toe in the "digital pool" for now) My mobo of choice is a Supermicro P4DC6. But I don't want to commit till I know which intel cpu's are better for audio(if any?) and if duals are o.k. Any info would be appreciated. Also, anybody have a Lexicon LX3 or PC-90 daughtercard for sale? Can't seem to find these anywhere. Thanks, Rick Fitzpatrick

[dmann]

I have never really heard of anyone using Intel Xeons for audio. If you take a look at the prices for Xeons, they are not very pretty. They can cost about twice the price of an Athlon XP but are a little less pricey than the Pentium 4. Depending on what software you use, you may never see the increase in performance from a second processor. But if you are doing CAD work then you definitely will, since CAD programs are usually written to take advantage of it. I personally would not use a Xeon proc, for price and lack of knowledge about it's use for audio applications. Dual Pentuim 3's are probably not going to be a very good bet. As for an Athlon XP, I know they work well for audio and for what I've seen on graphics. As for dual Athlon MPs? No experience on that yet. I would go for dual Athlons MPs before dual Xeons. Also take note when putting together a dual Mobo system. Most manufacturers require a 400 watt power supply for system stability. Hope that helped.

[cadesignr]

Hey thanks for the info. Then let me get this correct. A single P3 is better for Audio, but not Xeon's, and not as good as athalon, as for as you know. What are protools users using. Mac I bet.
I never had much luck hearing the difference between one set of 1's & 0's from another. But I'm not an engineer. I can't afford 2 good systems so I stick with PC's as autocad was designed as a
design app for design professionals in the business envioronment.I guess the program authors didn't feel Mac's were all that previlent in that
respect. So...., what would you suggest as the next best PC-CPU thats interfaced with a Tascam TMD-1k digital mixer, and a Lexicon Core 32, 32 track interface. Any thoughts on software. I have all but protools, and the Lexicon was designed to handshake with VST. Thanks again!
Rick Fitzpatrick

[Justin]

Well, on TDM systems, most protools users are using Macs, but that's due to ease of configuration, and availibility of perhepials such as firewire cdr's backup drives, etc.
TDM systems actually do thier processing within the protools cards, and use the computer mainly for displaying or outputting the end product. It can be run successfully on a pc, but usually the Mac is the favored platform.

As for dual processors, you'll see performance gain only if you're using an opertating system that can address both processors and software that is optimized to take advantage of them as well.

[AcousticPro]

I think there are too many issues coming to the table all at once here. Running ProTools on a PC is EXTREMELY risking as it pertains to TDM technology. It is not even currently supported in any capacity by Digidesign on the current systems. Even in the past it was only supported on one or two very specific machines. In the audio world it really boils down to an issue of variables. There are a ton of different motherboards, processor configurations, power supplies, RAM types, Video Cards, etc. For someone writing code that has limited resources of time and funding it's a no brainer, use a Mac. In respect if you are an end user and you want to put a system on a PC you just need to get comfortable with the concept it's really not costing you anything less than a Mac, just differently. You are going to have to invest your time to find out about computers that could have been spent doing something music related. It's valid to do Audio on a PC, but there is a difference between doing audio on a PC and making music with a computer.

[Justin]

True what you say Jeff,
but this doesn't take into account that it sounds like this machine is going to have two uses, Cad as the primary and music as a secondary. If you have to do CAD on this box, look for an audio solution that will play nice with that system. It would likely be very difficult to accommodate both equally on one machine.

[AcousticPro]

Absolutely agreed. So you have to choose which is primary concern and deal with the fact that the other is going to be less than perfect.