The array of choices which confronts anyone trying to buy a new PC can be bewildering. Fortunately, as Martin Walker explains, there are retailers out there who can eliminate the hassle and uncertainty.
Wouldn't it be nice if new PC systems worked perfectly the first time you switched them on, came complete with your choice of soundcard and music software already installed, had all the appropriate operating system tweaks already applied, and allowed you to start making music straight away? You might think this is a pipe dream, but it's perfectly possible. All you have to do is buy your system from a music retailer who specialises in building PC systems for musicians. Unlike mainstream PC box‑shifters, music specialists know the special needs of the musician, what sort of system components need to be chosen, and how to set them up to achieve the best performance from modern digital audio recording software, software synths and samplers. By comparison, if you try asking a typical high‑street outlet whether their systems are suitable for making music, you might well have to explain what a sequencer is.
The problem is that there is simply no such thing as an 'average' PC. Every manufacturer, including the specialist music ones, puts together a different combination of PC components, including different makes and models of motherboard, processor, graphics card, hard drive, and so on. As a result, there are literally thousands of different PCs available, each built from a different mix of parts. This makes it impossible for any software or hardware developer to know whether a particular product will work well with every possible PC. Occasionally, therefore, there will be conflicts between certain combinations of hardware components, and in the case of the special demands of digital audio software, certain components that are far more suitable than others.
The great advantage of buying from a specialist music supplier is that they will know what components work together, and what combination of them is necessary to achieve a specified level of performance. As a result, they will be able to put together a system that meets your performance requirements and avoids hardware conflicts, as well as setting up your choice of software in the most efficient way to work with this system.
Hardware Choices
When it comes to choosing any hardware element of a PC, there are special considerations which are relevant to music use. One of the main reasons for buying from a specialist retailer is that, unlike the majority of high‑street shops, they will take these factors into account and design the system accordingly. To see just how much of a difference this can make, let's consider a few of the most important examples.
- Motherboards
The motherboard determines the choice of processor range, the number of expansion slots for cards and RAM, and the type and mix of sockets found on the back panel, such as serial, parallel and USB ports. Few mainstream outlets declare their choice of motherboard, since this may change depending on price and availability, but in the particular case of a PC system bought primarily for musical purposes the choice of motherboard can be crucial.
The most significant motherboard choice is the chipset used. Each type of processor (Pentium II and III, Athlon, and so on) needs to be supported by one of a small choice of chipsets. This, in turn, determines various features, such as whether the new UDMA66 hard drives are supported, and whether you can run the latest processors with PC133 memory. I covered all these new technologies in far more detail in January's SOS.
The biggest obstacle to long‑term expansion is the number of empty expansion slots available, and since most musicians will want to have one or more soundcards fitted, along with perhaps a SCSI host adapter, it is important that there are as many slots on the motherboard as possible.
Some motherboards may give problems only when a certain combination of expansion cards is fitted. For example, I noticed that some Dell PC owners have had problems booting their machines when both an Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96 soundcard and US Robotics 56K V90 modem card were installed. Removing the modem apparently cures the problem, as would using an external modem, but if you buy from a specialist music retailer you are guaranteed compatibility with the soundcard you choose from the outset.
- Processors
For those buying a new system for music, the main choices of processor are the Intel Celeron or Pentium III, and the AMD Athlon. However, if you look through the pages of SOS you won't find many music retailers advertising systems based around the AMD Athlon. This is simply because all music software and hardware is tested with Intel processors, and although the vast majority of products will also work with Athlon chips, conflicts do arise. A specialist retailer will only sell you a processor they know to work with your choice of software and soundcard, whereas a high‑street shop may recommend an Athlon just to keep the cost down.
- USB
USB Audio and MIDI peripherals are becoming increasingly popular, since you can add them later on without needing a spare expansion slot or even opening the PC case. However, although many people have experienced no problems running USB devices, many others have reported audio glitches. Edirol, who market a large range of USB products for the musician, such as the Roland UA100 reviewed in SOS February 2000, have obviously encountered such problems, since they go so far as to print a list of compatible and non‑compatible USB Host Controller chips in their literature.
So, if you anticipate adding any USB audio peripherals to your new PC, you may need to check that its motherboard has a compatible chip. Do you know what USB chipset is fitted on your motherboard? No, neither did I until I checked in the handbook. However, given that music retailers are selling so many USB peripherals, it is in their interest to make sure that the PC systems they sell cause no problems in this area — if you buy from a high street or mainstream mail order outlet you may not find out until too late, and there will be no comeback.
- Hard Drives
The choice of hard drives is fundamental to hard disk audio performance. Those selling anonymous PC systems with an '8.4Gb hard drive' will rarely tell you which model has been fitted, and even if the salesman knows what is currently fitted, this may have changed by the time they ship a system to you. Specialist music retailers try out loads of hard drives to find the ones that give solid performance with hard disk audio applications. If you want a PC system that will meet any particular specification — such as the ability to run 24 tracks at 24‑bit, 96kHz — the specialist music retailer can sell you a system with a hard drive and processor that will do just that.
At the same time they will take into account how quiet the drives are acoustically. Few if any mainstream PC suppliers are interested in how quiet their PCs are, but music retailers know the special environment in which their PCs will be used, and tend to take it more seriously. A few even routinely modify the cooling arrangements of their PC systems to minimise noise, and source special cases that help to keep overall noise levels down.
Dealing With Dealers
If you decide that a purpose‑built PC system delivered with soundcard and music software already installed and guaranteed to perform well together appeals to you, then you need to decide where to buy it. Various specialist dealers advertise in the pages of SOS, and when you phone them, you don't necessarily need to have a hard and fast listing of your ideal system prepared in advance. It's more important to know what you want to achieve from your PC, including the likely maximum number of simultaneous audio tracks, whether you want 24‑bit/96kHz support, how many plug‑in effects you anticipate using, and whether you also want to use the same PC for your office work as well. Some dealers offer dual‑boot systems with one setup tailor‑made for music, and the other for Internet surfing, playing games, and running office applications. You simply choose which setup you want to run each time you switch your PC on, without having to worry that your lean and clean music machine is being compromised by other software.
Many mainstream PC outlets only have standard systems on offer, whereas most music retailers are likely to put together a system to your requirements from a list of possible options, even if they advertise a few standard systems in magazine ads as examples. Given that most dealers won't be offering off‑the‑shelf solutions, most won't be able to give you a firm price on the spot, but should be able to phone you back within a short time with a firm figure. Personally, I'd avoid anyone who tells you to phone everyone else first and then ring them back for a better deal. What you want is a system designed to achieve a certain level of performance, not one designed to a particular price point.
If the proposed specification and price sounds suitable, ask the dealer to put a breakdown of this system in writing, along with the price, so that there is no possibility of confusion later on. If you are debating whether or not to have certain features added like a CD writer or DVD drive, ask for them to be clearly marked on your quotation as extra options, so that you can make your final choice later on. Bear in mind when comparing the price with deals from high street dealers that your system will include the cost of the soundcard and music software.
Once you are happy that you have found the right dealer, have specified the ideal PC system for your requirements, and have it all confirmed in writing, the safest way to pay is by credit card, since this gives you extra protection in the unlikely event of anything happening to the company before your PC is delivered. Once your PC has been built to your requirements, most retailers will soak‑test it, sometimes for several days, to make sure that it is totally reliable before dispatch. While some of you may be itching to get your new system up and running, this approach ensures that it arrives in full working order.
Whether you are buying by mail order or collecting the system in person, check it as soon as possible to make sure that it matches the agreed specification, and that there are no omissions or changes. Hardware details like processor speed and the amount of RAM fitted are normally displayed by the BIOS during boot‑up, and if you press the Pause key (above the cursor cluster on the keyboard) at the right moment you can hold this display to give you more time to read it. You will soon be able to check out what software and soundcard drivers have been installed once you reach the desktop. After that, you should be able to start making music!
You Pays Peanuts, You Gets Monkeys
Late last year I decided I needed a new computer music system. I spec'd up a perfect machine complete with a double‑headed graphics card for running two monitors, DVD drive, CD‑RW, lots of RAM and (of course) a hard drive the size of Ipswich and a processor quick enough to record and work sensibly with as many as 16 to 24 tracks.
Gleefully ignoring everything that I had been told about the hazards of recording music on a domestically configured PC, I set off to my local high‑street dealer and got a great quote on the system of my dreams. It had everything I needed and worked out at about £1400, the salesman was at least well out of puberty, and he talked as if he knew more about computers than they taught on the standard two‑day training course required by most shops to make you an 'expert'. Everything was going swimmingly until I asked him if they'd had any problems running a system, say, like Logic Audio. His face went blank. He asked what Logic Audio was. I told him. He then asked who Emagic were. I (nervously) told him. He then asked what a sequencer was. I smiled, made my excuses and left.
Time to phone an expert. Martin Walker recommended a music‑oriented PC dealer who spec'd up the perfect system (which turned out to be slightly different from the one I initially thought I wanted), told me about the problems they had personally had with various platforms, recommended a soundcard and built the whole thing to specification, loading only the minimum bits of Windows that I'd need for audio, but nothing that would slow the system up. In short, I got a lean, mean recording machine in a cool transparent blue iMac‑type box, perfectly configured for working with Logic — and I was actually editing audio on the thing 30 minutes after I got it out of the box. Not bad at all. And the price for such good service, and a helpline staffed by people who know that S/PDIF isn't part of a Mini Metro gearbox? £1650. So for £250 more than I expected to pay I got something that I would happily pay 10 times the amount for, something that really matters (unlike scanners, a free Gary Lineker's Football Skills CD‑ROM, and free vouchers for primary schools), something that anyone who sells their studio time or musical skills should never be without: peace of mind. Paul Farrer
What Happens If It Goes Wrong?
Sadly, if you buy your system from the high street you'll have little chance of finding anyone there knowledgeable about music software, or able to suggest why it should be exhibiting problems with your soundcard, or be conflicting with your new printer, scanner, or modem. However, all good music retailers will have experts on hand to help sort out technical queries from their PC users.
However, it's a good idea to find out how good your prospective retailer's support facilities are before you part with your cash. Watch out for any busy music retailer that has a 'telephone help line' with the same number as the shop — even when you finally get through you may find your 'expert' on a coffee or lunch break, or even worse that your problem has coincided with their day off. Far better is a number dedicated to telephone support, so that you get through to the right person straight away.
If your PC ever develops a problem that cannot be sorted out by phone, the SOS advertisers I spoke to also understood how vital the computer is to most musicians' studios. One told me that they would arrange courier collection at their expense, mend the machine the next day when it arrived at their premises, and then have it back by the next day — a turnaround of just 48 hours. Personal service like this is well worth having. If you live close by, some music retailers may even agree to drive to your studio to sort out a PC problem, though this is not the norm.
The Advantages Of Buying From A Specialist PC Music Retailer
- You get a stable PC that is custom‑built to suit your music requirements.
- Soundcard and music software arrive installed, configured, and fully working from day one.
- The operating system is already optimised for music software.
- You get telephone and email support from dedicated music specialists if anything goes wrong in the future.