Like a HTPC system, one can possibly make any PC with a decent audio card (not that hard to find nowadays) into a rudimentary Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with the correct set of software. A general rule of thumb when building a PC is always speed. The faster, the more powerful, the better. While this is also true in a DAW setup, the speed demon here isn't the processor nor is it the graphics card. Sure we need good CPU performance and memory to handle large amounts of audio traffic, but speed is truly needed in the audio interface and we think our choice is one of the best in terms of bang-for-buck today. Another consideration in a DAW is component stability - important in every PC setup, but quite paramount in a DAW. You want it to work when you need to work without hiccups with audio recording or editing.
If you've noticed, we've left out studio monitors and other peripherals like a MIDI tone generator and a mixing board, but not because we forgot. This guide is aimed to cater to the PC system and its various configurations, thus we did not fully examine the entire home studio setup outside of the core DAW PC. However, if you're interested in a decent pair of studio monitors to begin with, do check out M-Audio's BX8a, Event's TR8 or find good value in the Fostex PM-1.
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Sapphire RADEON X1300 256MB SRP: US$120
Graphics performance is on a low priority in a DAW system as the main focus is on audio fidelity. Since we only require basic display functionality, an entry level card would suffice, but that doesn't mean we totally compromise on graphics capabilities. ATI's Radeon X1300 delivers next generation technology on a budget and what better card to chose from than Sapphire's Radeon X1300. |
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