Dual Core Processors

[tonyc2002]

I have a dilema. My setup at the moment is a :- P4 @ 3GHZ, 2 x 130GB HDD, 1.5GB RAM, EMU 1820 Soundcard, and a decent graphics card. I use Ableton Live for my sequencer.

The thing is when ime working on a track in Live and ive got lots of FX and VSTs on the go the CPU meter regularly goes over a 100% and causes audio glitches. So anyway.....my question is do i go for a Dual Core machine, or do i go for a dedicated Hardware DSP card like the Powercore or something.

Any help would be appreciated as i know bugger all about either system.

[Barely Human]

Ableton does not currently run in duel core mode, so i doubt you would see much of an improovement to be honest.

[bblaze]

in building a high end DAW for a friend recently, I used a dual core 3.0ghz.. and let me tell you.. it smokes.. we put a 10k WD raptor for the system disk and then 2 x 400gb WD's in raid 0 for audio and storage.. I should say that he uses mostly cubase, as do I.. I also have a P4-2.4 that I use, which has a powercore element in it.. I love that thing to pieces..
I would DEFINATELY go w/ dual core.. even if ableton doesn't support it, it will.. cubase does.. the OS does.. and the os being able to multi thread things = MORE PLUGINS.. just my $1.50

[dan the acid man]

i'd personally go with an amd 64bit, not dual core, and then use the savings to go towards a dsp card, using those will save alot of resources on your system

[tonyc2002]

ime a bit confused about these DSP cards, do u know if they only run there specific plug-ins or will they run any VST Plugin.

[dan the acid man]

i was always lead to believe they run their plugins, but im not sure, i can find out tomorrow for you, as i work with somebody who runs them in his pc's

[TechMouse]

The UAD-1 will only run plugins for UAD-1, and the Powercore will only run plugins for Powercore.

The difference is that TC have made their SDK available, so there are lots of free and third party plugins available for Powercore - whereas there are only "approved" plugs available for UAD-1.

There are good arguments for both ways of working.

I think Creamware brought out a standalone DSP thing which would natively run VST synths and plugs, but I haven't heard anything of it in ages.

[tekara]

just think of DSP cards as the new industry "dongle"

[tonyc2002]

nice one guys