32-bit Models?

[KF90]

Sweetwater, do you still offer 32-bit systems of your Creation Stations?

[Justin]

We don't have the machines pre-configured with 32-bit right now. We've found that most all of the current audio applications that are still 32-bit run well in 32-bit compatibility mode on the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

We might be able to custom install a 32-bit OS for you, but it would take a while and we would have to charge for the labor. But first let's figure out if you programs will work in Win7 64-bit.

[KF90]

We don't have the machines pre-configured with 32-bit right now. We've found that most all of the current audio applications that are still 32-bit run well in 32-bit compatibility mode on the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

We might be able to custom install a 32-bit OS for you, but it would take a while and we would have to charge for the labor. But first let's figure out if you programs will work in Win7 64-bit.

So many programs to name but I'll do my best.

NI Absynth 5, Kontakt 4, and Reaktor 5.5
Audio Damage Fluid
Sonic Charge Microtonic
xoxos Fauna
M-RGT Psybox, Ambitron, and Psygen
Intermorphic Noatikl
Celemony Melodyne Editor
Syncersoft Lizard Morph
Camel Audio Alchemy
u-he Zebra2
Cockos Reaper
Sugar Bytes Thesys and Turnado
Little Endian Spectrumworx
Propellerheads Reason 5 with ReWire (which I know is NOT supported in 64-bit)

I really need a 32-bit OS that is configured for audio production, but you guys are treating such OS's as yesterday's news and are preferring to produce 64-bit systems instead. That is upsetting. That is very, very upsetting.

[Justin]

If you're determined to run a 32-bit version of Windows, you would need to call in and talk to your Sales Engineer. We would have to special order you a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, and then have the install and tweaks done manually. We can do it, it'll just take time and there will be additional cost.

We seem to have reached the tipping point where most new computers are defaulting to 64-bit out of the box.
People want to use more than 4GB of RAM. Software developers are going to have to release 64-bit versions of their products, or make sure that their 32-bit versions run correctly on Win7/Win8 64-bit.
So far we're finding that most audio applications that are certified for Win7 work ok in 32-bit WoW compatibility mode on Win 64-bit. The place we normally see 64-bit / 32-bit compatibility issues is attempting to mix 32-bit and 64-bit plugins and host DAW's or when people try to use older XP/Vista era software on a new 64-bit OS.

We have lots of customers who are running a 32-bit DAW and 32-bit plugins under Win 7 64-bit with no problems.

[jpleong]

For what it's worth, I have had zero problems using any of my legacy 32-bit software or plugins in Windows 7 64-bit.

Having said that, most of my production software is actually 64-bit only these days. I imagine that's going to be closer to "all" in the next year. It doesn't make sense, to me, to recommend a 32-bit OS as it's already near-obsolescence. The ability of a 64-bit OS to use more than 4GB of RAM, alone, is worth it.

JP