Computer strictly for recording for under $400
 

Hi, Semi ignorant by the daunting task of choosing a computer to choose to record with. Info overload on NewEgg, Amazon, Costco, TechBargains, etc.

Any help would be appreciated... A couple details to note.

1. Budget - $300 to $400 if possible (dont need an Apple or a laptop. A PC tower would be fine). Prob only time I would connect it to the internet is to register any software.

2. What I have - Presonus Audio Box interface which came with Studio 1 software and a mxl-v250 condenser mic.

3. Style - 3 or 4 tracks prob max. Acoustic rhythm/lead, mando, ukulele. Basically... Grisman/Tone Poem type acoustic instrumentals. Very simple stuff.

Here's an example of one of my tunes (pardon the bad notes).

Can anybody recommend anything that will do the following?
- Last me a couple of years
- Have enough memory
- Have a quite fan

Thanks a lot, folks!

This would get you going I bet...
http://www.microcenter.com/product/5...sktop-computer
I just bought a tower specially for recording. Ideally, you want 8gb+ and 3.4ghz processor. For double the price, I got 16gb ram and 4.2ghz processor with 480gb ssd.

With the Acer above, I may use an external hard drive for more storage space, but the solid state drives boot so much faster.

FWIW I'm typing this on a mid-2012 MacBook Pro, top shape, got it off Craigslist six months ago for $400.

I will second the MacBook. I am typing this on an early 2011 MBP, and never any problems using it as you describe above. I recently purchased a high powered iMac because my needs have grown. I still use this when I want to lay tracks in the living room, instead of holing up in my music room, and it works great, even with only 4 gb of ram. As long as I keep the track count reasonable, and don't go crazy with plug ins it works great. No problem running EZ Drummer 2 and 4-8 tracks.

My experience is that if you don't use virtual instruments (VI=amplifier sims for electric guitars, synths or keyboards that use the computer to make and shape the sounds, or drum programs) or plugins while you are tracking you are tracking (like reverb or compression in the computer as opposed from an external box or amp) and your track counts are reasonable, then nearly any modern working computer can handle just recording.


Fancy video cards. Not needed. Faster hard drives, like the really slick solid state drives, nice to have, but not needed. Lots of RAM, not needed. Fast processor, not needed. All of these things might be good to have if you do other things with your computer or if you decide to really dive into the wonderful things that can be done relatively inexpensively with computer plugins and virtual instruments, but David Grissman style instrumentals with a handful of tracks recorded acoustically requires none of that. Even if you want to mix and master the resulting tracks using plugins, a modest computer will most likely serve just fine.

I don't currently have enough experience with current inexpensive new computers to make a specific recommendation, but I pass on this general information so that you don't get shut down by recommendations that will make you feel that you need 16 gigs of RAM and 3 Ghz four-core processor to record acoustic music.

Frank's right ^^^ Pretty much any current computer will work for you. 8G Ram and a 1TB hard drive will ensure you don't run out of computing strength or storage space for a long time.

I agree with Frank as well that you don't need a very powerful machine to just do basic multi-track recording and mixing.

I prefer an Apple machine as audio problems are much less common with them.

It only takes one or two bad drivers on a Windows machine to cause audio dropouts and can be difficult or impossible to fix.