The Correct Computer Setup for Home Recording

Regardless of the computer platform you choose, the things you find inside your computer play a major role in determining how smoothly (or less than) how smoothly your DAW will run.
You should buy a computer that can only be dedicated to audio recording, because running other types of applications (home finance software, word processors, or video games) can cause problems with your audio applications and reduce the stability of your system.
The following list refers to the different parts of the hardware that you find in your computer:
CPU: The central processing unit (processor) is the heart of your computer studio. The speed of your CPU ultimately determines how well the program will run on it. As a general rule, for audio, get the fastest processor you can afford. For most audio software, you need at least a dual core CPU.
If you want a system that can handle the recording requirements or mix many tracks (24 or more), you’ll need to step it up a notch or two and get a PC with quad, dual or quad core processors (Mac or PC – it doesn’t matter).
Memory: Computer based audio software and all associated plug-ins are RAM (Random Access Memory), so buy plenty of RAM. Well, that’s not very specific, but how much you need depends on your recording style.
If you record a lot of audio tracks and want a reverb or other effect on each track, you need more RAM (and a faster processor). If you primarily record MIDI tracks with instruments that already have the effects you want, you can get them with less RAM (and a slower processor).
For most programs, the recommended minimum RAM is 2GB (2GB), 4GB is recommended for typical use, and 8GB or more to enable the program to run more smoothly. RAM is relatively inexpensive, so get as much as possible.
No matter what platform you choose (PC or Mac), keep in mind that you can never have a processor that is too fast or has too much memory.
Hard Drives: To record audio, make sure you have the correct type of hard drive. Yes, you should get more than one if you want to record more than a few audio tracks.
You need one hard drive for all your software and operating system and another for audio data. Having this setting greatly increases the likelihood that your system will remain stable and not crash, especially if you try to play 16 or more tracks.
As for the size of a hard drive, larger is better, at least for the drive where you store your music. For a platform drive, you can get an 80GB (80GB) drive; For an audio drive, getting 120GB is very conservative because audio data can take up a lot of space.
Choose your hard drives wisely. For the program’s hard drive, you can get a hard drive (it usually comes with your computer). But for the audio aspect, you need a driver that can handle the audio data transmission requirements. Here are the main things to look for in an audio engine:
Spindle speed: Also called spindle speed, it is the rotational rate of the hard disk drive. For the most part, the 7200 rpm motor works well for audio recording and playback.
Search time: The amount of time it takes the drive to find the data stored on it. You want an average search time of less than 10ms.
Buffer size: Often called a cache buffer, buffers are memory units that store data during data transmission. According to the audio recording software manufacturers, you need a buffer size of at least 2MB (2MB), but an 8MB cache is recommended.
Interface type: Some audio recording software, such as Pro Tools, do not interact well with USB 2.0 hard drives. It is therefore recommended to use FireWire (400 or 800) hard drives – or eSATA hard drives for best performance.