Hardware speed with new processor

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Member Since: Jul 20, 2009

Hello everyone!

I've been wondering how much faster a new processor (and motherboard, almost certainly) would be than my current setup. I've got a Pentium 4 3GHz on a midrange Asus (I think!) motherboard, and I run Cool Edit Pro 2 and Izotope RX. Speed's not too painful but I could justify a hardware upgrade if I thought it would save me a few minutes each day. Trouble is, it's very hard to compare newer hardware with old. Anyone got any experience they could share?

Many thanks, Richard

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jul 20, 2009 05:55 am

If you get a new quadcore, it'd have FAR FAR more processing power, it'd be like four of what you have now...a quadcore is, essentially, four processors in one.

Not saying it'd be four time as fast, but it would have the processing power when it was needed.

Member
Since: Jul 20, 2009


Jul 20, 2009 06:48 am

Thanks, db, but that's why I'm asking - yes, it's got four processors but Cool Edit probably can't use them (though the much more recent Izotope I imagine can): but those processors are different in design, run at different clock speeds.... so making sensible comparisons is tricky, bordering on impossible, it seems to me, without actual experience of trying this stuff.

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jul 20, 2009 12:05 pm

Well, over on the reaper board, I tried a test project, with 12 tracks, most with convo reverb, comp, EQ, and chorus on 6, i think.

My AMD 3500+ would run it at 98 - 100% and glitch on and off. So I think it was just out of my reach. If I dropped one chorus or one convo reverb, I could run it.

Conversely, guys with Quad Cores were running it at 20 - 30%.

Now CEP may not utilize the multi-proc, so you may not see that type of perf boost (reaper does). So you may only get Speed and L1,L2 cache performance increase, not the multi proc increase. Just those two alone should double your workflow throughput, I'd think.


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jul 20, 2009 02:48 pm

Yep, Cool Edit Pro 2 is not really going to see a huge jump with the use of a Qaud, slightly increased track counts maybe and a bit less intensive drain on CPU. But not huge. Izotope on the other hand will possibly take advantage of it when running on its own. But running as a plug in CEP 2 it won't utilized the extra core's as it depends on CEP 2 as its host.

Upgrading both the software with a cheaper app such as Reaper will allow you to take advantage of the mulit-core set up for sure with a bit of improvement in speed.

The thing is the newer MoBo will have faster RAM, a faster pipeline between the RAM and CPU and North Bridge as well which equates to more stable and dependable speed.

And as pjk stated, it will allow a much largeer track count and better use of CPU intensive processing.

Czar of Turd Polish
Member
Since: Jun 20, 2006


Jul 21, 2009 11:54 am

I remember an old P4 desktop I had, 3.2 Ghz with dual 7800GTX video cards, I thought it tore up the games. Then I bought my wife a 1.86Ghz Core 2 Duo with a single 7950GT. At almost half the clock speed that C2D dominated my gaming rig. The other had superior graphics but not enough CPU power to fully utilize them. The CPU intensive games (RTS-Company of heroes) were a night and day difference. The reason I mention this, those games are not programmed for multicore.

I did record on both boxes and the 50% slower clocked C2D definitely increased my track/plugin count quite a bit. Now I am on to a quad core with supported software and it makes the C2D look silly :)

I will agree with the others and say, even if you have zero apps that support multicore, the improvements in tech will make a substantial improvement to your workflow. Pentium 4 has been outperformed by half speed processors of a newer flavor for years now.


I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Jul 21, 2009 01:43 pm

Plus, while one particular application may not be programmed to use multiple processors, the computer's entire workload is distributed amongst the multiple cores on today's multi-core processors. So all of the background tasks get more evenly distributed, allowing CEP to do its thing with less interrupts from other processes.

I was definitely skeptical when I got my dual-core AMD system. The clock speed was lower than what I had expected a brand-new cutting edge system to have, but the performance speaks for itself. You can accomplish more with a few less-powerful processors just because of the multi-tasking nature of today's operating systems.

http://www.unitedmusicians.info
Contributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007


Jul 21, 2009 02:30 pm

All good points...and Noize specifically said everything on my mind.

Good luck! Newegg.com to get your pieces and parts cheapcheap

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jul 21, 2009 10:25 pm

I'll add one thing I have found in searching for the MoBo's that have workable solution's and some of the faster data pipelines out there.

While many have followed suite and are now doing this. MSI (Micro Star International) have been doing the open system bios which is their bit of software that allows you to make adjustments to everything that were normally done in the system bios only. They have been doing it live in windows for a long time now. And not that everyone is keen on overclocking but they give you a lot of working parameters that are easily adjustable directly from windows. And their little app called Dual Core Center gives you the ability to make adjustments while never leaving the windows environment. They also have a portion of that control called D.O.T (Dynamic Overclocking Technolgy) that manages all the parameters for you and makes adjustments according to system requirements. Its very stable and I now run that frequently when running Sonar and it can make a noticeable bit of difference in system performance at times when the system usually would get stretched.

The other thing is their pipeline management seems to be a bit superior to some of the other mid to high end MoBo's out there.

Czar of Turd Polish
Member
Since: Jun 20, 2006


Jul 22, 2009 12:31 pm

I do love me some MSI, hooray for me and Noize agreeing on something computer related!!!! :)

Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007


Jul 23, 2009 11:58 am

Yep, I'll be a third on the opinion for MSI. Good stable quality MoBo's. Also, I'm planning on saving up to get one of their laptops. Er, if I manage to land one of these jobs at the university. (Should be hearing back from the first interview later this week or early next I think)

The folks above have pretty much mentioned everything concerning multi-core vs. single-core, so I don't have any input to add heh. ;)

Pinnipedal Czar (: 3=
Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004


Jul 23, 2009 12:29 pm

The FSB is a key trait to consider when picking out your board... obviously, the faster the better.

And yeah, MSIs Athalons rock! = p

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jul 24, 2009 11:27 pm

So there ya have it.

Tripps, I think we agreed on something one other time didn't we?

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