To compiment our new range of Apple Mac computers we have designed five PC based systems to suit all budgets.

What features are important when choosing a computer system?

1. Processing Power
Todays virtual instruments are putting a great deal of strain on computer processors and to ensure you can run a number of instruments simultaneously you will need a fast processor.  We recommend Pentium 4 processors running at 2.8GHz or faster to ensure smooth operation.

2. Computer Memory (RAM)
The amount of RAM a computer has dictates how many simultaneous tasks it can perform before the performance of the computer becomes noticably slower.  Audio and MIDI sequencers put a lot of demand on system RAM and we recommend at least 512Mb RAM but strongly suggest that you opt for 1Gb RAM.  The more memory you have the better the performance of your computer.

3. Buss Speed
A computers front buss speed is the speed that information can pass through the computer.  It would be no good having a very fast processor with loads of RAM if your computers buss speed is only 100MHz becuase the computer would not be able to get the information to the processor or RAM quick enough to take advantage of them.  The front buss speed can be a bottle neck for the information in your computer which is why we recommend at least 533MHz front side buss to ensure good system performance.

4. Hard Drive Space
Whether you are record multiple channels of audio or if you use many of todays huge sample based instruments, hard drive space should be a primary concern.  We recommend that you purchase a system with two hard drives, one to act as the system disk containing the operating system and any coresponding user data and one specifically for audio data.  By having a dedicated drive for audio you ensure that the read and write speed to the hard drive will not effect the quality of the audio being recorded or played back.

5. Video Output
Audio and MIDI sequencers are offering more features than ever.  To take advantage of these features we recommend getting a dual monitor output video card.  This will allow you to run two monitors from the one computer and share the output to each monitor.  Imagine the improvement to your workflow if you could have one screen dedicated to your arrangement and another screen dedicated to your software mixer.

6. System Acoustics
Background noise can heavily impact your ability to mix effectively.  There is little point spending money on studio reference monitor speakers if the audio output is muffled by the computers noisy fans and hard drives.  Our higher end systems come with low noise power supply units but why not take the extra step and fit a CPU and HD Silencer Pack to further reduce the acoustic noise produced by your system.

	2.6GHz Celeron System	P4 2.8GHz Basic Tower	P4 2.8GHz Advanced Tower	P4 2.8MHz Standard Rack	P4 3.4GHz Advanced Rack
Case	4 bay	4 bay	Transmeatlic Tower	19\" 4 Unit rack case	19\" 4 Unit rack case
PSU	300w power supply	300w power supply	350w low noise psu	350w quiet psu	350w quiet psu
CPU	Intel Celeron 2.6GHz	Intel P4 2.8Mhz	Intel P4 2.8 Mhz	Intel P4 2.8 Mhz	Intel P4 3.4 Mhz
Buss Speed	400Mhz	533Mhz	533Mhz	533Mhz	800Mhz
Memory	256MB DDR	512MB DDR 333Mhz	1 GB DDR 333Mhz	1 GB DDR 333Mhz	1.5 GB DDR 400Mhz
CDRW	52 x 24 x 52 CDRW	DVDROM + CDRW	DVDROM + CDRW	DVDROM + CDRW	DVD - + RW
DVD - + RW	Option	Option	Option	Option	Option
Video Output	64Mb Single monitor	64Mb Single monitor	64Mb Single monitor	32Mb Dual monitor	128Mb Dual monitor
Hard Drive 1	40Gb 7200rpm	80Gb 7200rpm	120Gb 7200rpm	120Gb 7200rpm	80Gb 7200rpm
Hard Drive 2	Option	Option	Option	Option	250Gb Serial ATA
Warranty	3 Years Return to base	3 Years Return to base	3 Years Return to base	3 Years Return to base	3 Years Return to base
Operating System	XP Home	XP Pro	XP Home	XP Home	XP Pro
FireWire	Option	Option	3 into 1 PCI card	3 into 1 PCI card	3 into 1 PCI card
Modem	56K Modem	Option	Option	Option	Option
Network Connection	10/100	10/100	10/100	10/100	10/100
Floppy	3.5\" Floppy	3.5\" Floppy	3.5\" Floppy	3.5\" Floppy	3.5\" Floppy
Mouse	3 Button ball	Net Scroll	5 Button optical	5 Button optical	Wireless 5 Button optical
Keyboard	Standard PS2	Standard PS2	PS2 Colour coordinated	PS2 Colour coordinated	Wireless PS2 black
Optimized for audio	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Low noise rack fans	N/A	N/A	N/A	Yes	Yes
USB Connections	6 x USB 2.0	6 x USB 2.0	6 x USB 2.0	6 x USB 2.0	6 x USB 2.0
Hyperthreading	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hard Drive Partitioned	20 / 20	20 / 60	40 / 80	40 / 80	N / A
Basic Price	£499.00	£679.00	£829.00	£999.00	£1899.00