Ram or Cpu?

[Rykord]

Don't know if this is the right place to ask this question as i'm new to the forum (YEY!) but...

Evening chaps!
I've been making tunes on cubase 5 recently and the problem I got 2 weeks ago is that the asio time is always overloading due to the amount of effects (eqs and all that) and vsts (15 tracks with NI Massive) im using. When it does, the sound starts to crackle and not all midi instruments play.
I dont want to feel the need to convert the midi tracks to audio because that messes with my creative process while im making tunes so i'm asking:
what should I buy? More ram or cpu?

My system specifications:
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6420 @ 2.13GHz
Ram: 2GB

[Dustwyrm]

Nowadays I'd probably just invest in a new system. I got a nice laptop off craigslist for $300.

How old is your computer? I'd say if it's more than 3 years old I'd just try and get a new one.

I could be wrong but I think RAM is probably more important than your processor. Reason being is RAM allows your computer to run more programs simultaneously without lag. CPU is important too but there's less variance in shitty and good processors to my knowledge. So the one you have is probably sufficient.

You may just want to make sure everything on your computer is closed down when producing, to save CPU for that.

[Rykord]

Thanks for the reply mate.
I don't really want to spend my money on a new pc (it has 3 years i think), so i was thinking of only buying what is necessary to make this problem go away so that I could finish my tunes.

[Dustwyrm]

For sure, I'd definitely just get more RAM man, and be sure you have all the processes and programs closed when you're producing. I know a big one for me that hogs a shitload of CPU is Winamp. Always have to make sure it's closed and not open in the background.

Good thing is RAM is pretty cheap. Just make sure you find out which type of RAM you need before you buy any. You can either open up your CPU and look or check it in your My Computer hardware. If you don't know, RAM looks like really thin rectangular shaped things. About 5 inches long or so and an inch wide.

[Depone]

Yeah I would buy both. i5 cpus are pretty nippy and ram is at an all time low. 16gb cost me £60

[VirtualMark]

Sorry Dustwyrm but that's total nonsense - firstly saying RAM is more important than a processor is like saying a heart is more important than a brain! You need both or you won't have a working computer, and depending on what software you're using, either could be the bottleneck.

Secondly, ASIO cache overloads aren't caused by lack of RAM. They're caused by the CPU not being able to process the audio fast enough. So in this case, a faster CPU would be the answer.

Rykord - there's a couple of things you can try. Firstly, make sure you're running at 44.1khz sample rate, anything higher will use more CPU. Also you could raise your buffer settings. And Cubase also has options for giving more CPU to audio - click on the devices menu, then device setup. Where it says VST audio system there are options for ASIO setup, disk preload, multi processing and audio priority. It might help. And the obvious things are to disable all other programs while making music, turn off wifi, stop downloads etc, make sure you have 100% CPU devoted to Cubase.

Are you sure it's an ASIO cache overload? Because the other meter is disk cache overload - if you have a slow hard drive and lots of audio tracks this can overload easily.

[Dustwyrm]

Sorry Dustwyrm but that's total nonsense - firstly saying RAM is more important than a processor is like saying a heart is more important than a brain! You need both or you won't have a working computer, and depending on what software you're using, either could be the bottleneck.

Secondly, ASIO cache overloads aren't caused by lack of RAM. They're caused by the CPU not being able to process the audio fast enough. So in this case, a faster CPU would be the answer.

Rykord - there's a couple of things you can try. Firstly, make sure you're running at 44.1khz sample rate, anything higher will use more CPU. Also you could raise your buffer settings. And Cubase also has options for giving more CPU to audio - click on the devices menu, then device setup. Where it says VST audio system there are options for ASIO setup, disk preload, multi processing and audio priority. It might help. And the obvious things are to disable all other programs while making music, turn off wifi, stop downloads etc, make sure you have 100% CPU devoted to Cubase.

Are you sure it's an ASIO cache overload? Because the other meter is disk cache overload - if you have a slow hard drive and lots of audio tracks this can overload easily.

Well the guy doesn't know which one to upgrade. Upgrading RAM is easy and upgrading a processor, especially on a laptop is difficult and sometimes impossible.

Are you using a laptop or PC OP?

[Rykord]

VirtualMark: I tried changing the ASIO setup and raising the buffer settings but it changes nothing and the disk meter doesnt even move so it isnt disk cache overload. It's always that ASIO meter that keeps going to the max.

Dustwyrm: I'm using a pc.

[VirtualMark]

To be honest your CPU is a bit dated - i just looked it up and it's a 2007 model. I have a newer Core 2 Duo in my laptop(2.5Ghz Penryn) and it always struggles once a project gets large. Newer chips like the i7 stomp all over the Core 2 Duos.

I'm not really a fan of upgrading - i did it a few years back to an old Pentium 4 system, upgraded the RAM, CPU, HDD, graphics card, and it was still shit. For what i spent i could have just bought a brand new system, which would have all the latest technology.

Even an entry level i3 system would be considerably faster than a 2007 Core 2 Duo, if i were you i'd just buy a new system.

[Rykord]

Alright. So if buying a new laptop with i5 and 6GB of ram does the trick, i'll buy one.