PC Specifications for Optimal Reaper Performance?

[dasein64]

I searched the forum for a thread on this and couldn't find one. I also searched the manual. I'm in the market for a new desktop PC dedicated solely (well, largely) to Reaper in my new music room. I'm looking for specs that aren't overkill and expensive, but also not minimal/basic. For example, I'm plug-in and VST crazy and think that 32 M RAM is a nice safeguard in that department.

Can someone direct me to a thread, a page in the manual, a Kenny Gioia video, or respond here? It would be great if there was a sticky thread somewhere that gets updated occassionally as hardware evolves.

[Coachz]

If you get a mother board with four slots and fill two of them to make 32 gigs you can always upgrade to 64 if you need to. I'm running a 7950X with 64 gigs and 4TB SSDs. It's probably overkill but should last 10 years. It's important to have a good low latency audio interface. I use an old RME 9652 with an adapter board for the PCI slot but they probably have some USB-C that are a low latencies out now that will make it much easier.

I'll also add I freeze all tracks always for speed.

[calsax]

Up until I set up my current system in between Christmas and New Years, I ran on a Win7 Toshiba laptop with a dual-core i5, 8GB RAM, 750GB spinning drive and an old M-Audio interface. It worked great, but my antique eyes were having a real problem with the screen size, so I put together an overkill system of my own. I spent about a grand all-in, and feel like I'm good for the next 5-10 years. I highly recommend checking out all options. I really like my Chinese mini-box. It's tiny, quiet, and works great.

[Dr Bob]

The main takeways these days are ...

1. Use the fastest cpu core speed.

2. Lots of cores, but not at the expense of 1 above.

3. SSD's for everything. Ideally one for the O/S and programs, another for data (e.g. projects, audio and samples).

4. Decent amount of memory (make sure you can add more if you need it)

5. Spinning disks for backups.

6. Reasonable graphics card (but you don't need a stupid expensive one if you are not a "gamer")

Everything works much better if you buy a quality audio interface with low latency. Depends how much audio I/O you need.

A decent case if it's a tower box, might benefit from good cooling as well.

Make sure it actually has the connectivity for your external devices as well. e.g. Some laptops only have 1 USB slot!

Not an exhaustive list, but you can't go wrong with the more modern cpu's and correct memory and SSD's.

Was harder 10-15 years ago - then the Mac was the choice of something that worked well for audio. A good PC setup needed more careful selection of items and configuration.

HTH

dB

[vsthem]

Yeah, if you generally follow the advice here, I don't think you'll run into problems. Reaper runs really efficiently on any hardware.

The biggest upgrade to my studio was not when I built a new computer, but when I got an RME UFX interface. I'm able to run at everything at a lower latency now.

[Coachz]

Also I'm using the GPU that's built into the 7950X and it works great for me so I didn't have to buy a graphics card

[ScuzzyEye]

Originally Posted by Dr Bob

4. Decent amount of memory (make sure you can add more if you need it)

I agree with everything said here, but there is one caveat to leaving memory slots open. You should check to see how many channels the CPU will address. Most current CPUs are quad-channel. Meaning they will address 4 memory modules at once. If you have lower than a multiple of 4 modules installed, you're not hitting the maximum memory bandwidth available.

Since many motherboards only have 4 memory slots that means fully populating the board for max performance. Also even if you do have 8 (or 16) slots, having more than 4 installed sometimes will decrease the maximum access speed. So again, you're best off with exactly 4 installed.

If you have a reasonably designed system (i.e. not something silly like RAM soldered to the board), the memory is removable. So you might have to remove what you have to upgrade, but you can still upgrade pretty easily.

[serr]

Unless you have some special extra processing heavy VST instrument or synth plugin - and there are a few out there - and building a full orchestra of them, just about any machine from 2010 forward.

Try to avoid the planned obsolescence and software spoofing gone wild!
Soldered in hard drives. Hidden whitelists for "approved devices". Subscription scams (redundant) that leave you owning nothing. (All post-Jobs Apple examples.) Buying a computer with a pre installed OS but not giving you the license key. (This one's a Windows based scam.)

I started running live sound with Reaper with simultaneous recording all 36 inputs to multitrack with a early 2008 4th gen Macbook Pro. My 2009 Mac Pro is still overpowered for everything I do.

[dasein64]

Holy crap people. Thanks! It will take me a while to digest this against available specs but this has been very helpful.

[Coachz]

This is why I have 2 32gb sticks of ram instead of 4

https://forums.tomshardware.com/thre...board.3829767/


You get more ram capacity.
You don't get more bandwidth with 4 modules on dual channel board.

On quad channel system like Threadripper you'd get additional bandwidth with 4 ram modules.

The 2 v 4 thing is about how many ranks of memory the CPU can address. Within a given channel, the CPU can start addressing a second rank of memory while its waiting for the first rank to finish what its doing. Think of it like starting a conversation with a second person while the first person you were talking to is still saying goodbye. You can have single or dual ranks on a single stick of RAM, 8GB can be single or dual, 16GB is almost always dual.

Since 16GB sticks are almost all dual rank, so there won't be much of a performance difference in terms of that, so I'd go with the 2x16 kit for the faster access.

[ScuzzyEye]

Originally Posted by Coachz

Since 16GB sticks are almost all dual rank, so there won't be much of a performance difference in terms of that, so I'd go with the 2x16 kit for the faster access.

You should be able to find 1Rx8 (1 rank of 8 chips) in 16GB sizes. I had to go with 2Rx8 to get 32GB modules though. (I do indeed have a Threadripper, with quad-channel, for a total of 128 GB ECC RAM, but I never really see more than about 48 GB used in the entire system.)

Samsung's memory selector really lets you dig down into the minutia of the module configuration. https://semiconductor.samsung.com/dram/module/udimm/

[serr]

Everyone talks about ram like it's the main thing. And also buy multiple SSDs (sometimes even NVME pci connecting M.2) but treat them like they only perform like 5400rpm HDDs from 1998.

Even a 1st gen SSD on SATA2 is a magnitude faster than you would need for the most demanding audio work. Hundreds of tracks, HD audio, full 7.1.4 surround sound mixes, etc.

Ram use for audio in Reaper will usually be 4 to 6GB. 64 bit OS will cache files in ram. That's pretty much what you see going on there. My Mac Pro has 3 channel ram access per CPU. The 3rd and 4th slots are on the same channel. They say if you need the ram to go for the 4th slot but fastest is only using 3 per CPU. I put 96GB in the main machine in 3 slots per CPU. The backup machine has 64GB in 4 slots per CPU. I don't see anything of interest. I could load up each machine with 256GB ram if I wanted to see that number on the screen when I click on system information.

A SSD was the secret that unlocked the performance to run live sound plus record multitrack with that old 4th gen Macbook Pro. The HDD was the last bottleneck for audio. (That's why we used to separate system drive from data drive back then.)

I think it's only going to be orchestral work with literally hundreds of virtual instrument instances that might require one of the newer multicore CPUs. Editing raw 4k video (truly raw uncompressed from a pro camera like no consumer model would even offer) is about the only thing that would need the performance of a M.2 NVME SSD.

Go as nuts as you want of course! "But... ours go to 11."
Just don't expect that upgraded trailer hitch you spent 4x on to improve anything if you aren't hauling a trailer.

[TLSLayer]

Originally Posted by calsax

Up until I set up my current system in between Christmas and New Years, I ran on a Win7 Toshiba laptop with a dual-core i5, 8GB RAM, 750GB spinning drive and an old M-Audio interface. It worked great, but my antique eyes were having a real problem with the screen size, so I put together an overkill system of my own. I spent about a grand all-in, and feel like I'm good for the next 5-10 years. I highly recommend checking out all options. I really like my Chinese mini-box. It's tiny, quiet, and works great.

"Ryzen 7 7735HS, 32GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe, 2TB SATA SSD, Presonus Audiobox USB 96, Nektar Impact GXP61, Akai MPK mini MKII, BGW 150, JBL Control 5 "
-I'll try this again: Are these what you have in your computer, and do impulse responses work right on your Reaper?

[jazznfunk]

Originally Posted by Coachz

I use an old RME 9652 with an adapter board for the PCI

Coachz, can i ask for what riser/adapter board You are using for RME 9652?

Back to topic. I'm quite happy with 16GB RAM, 12/24 core Ryzen 9 CPU and M2/SSD's for Reaper. 200+ 5.1 tracks with lots (900+ in project toal) of Repaer FX's (mostly) and automations is playing quite good. Render is slow, but reasonable. I'm not a gamer, but have bold graphics card, who feed one 4k and one FullHD screens easy.

[calsax]

Originally Posted by TLSLayer

"Ryzen 7 7735HS, 32GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe, 2TB SATA SSD, Presonus Audiobox USB 96, Nektar Impact GXP61, Akai MPK mini MKII, BGW 150, JBL Control 5 "
-I'll try this again: Are these what you have in your computer, and do impulse responses work right on your Reaper?

That is the description of my system. The computer is a PELADN HA-4, with the listed cpu, ram, and internal storage. The PreSonus Audiobox is an external audio/midi interface. The Nektar and Akai are midi controllers. The BGW and JBL are my power amp and speakers. I use impulse response files with ReaVerb on most projects, and they work without issue for me and this system.

[AudioBabble]

Originally Posted by calsax

That is the description of my system. The computer is a PELADN HA-4, with the listed cpu, ram, and internal storage. The PreSonus Audiobox is an external audio/midi interface. The Nektar and Akai are midi controllers. The BGW and JBL are my power amp and speakers. I use impulse response files with ReaVerb on most projects, and they work without issue for me and this system.

Just to be Rodger Irrelevant for a moment... JBL Control 5 are great speakers I have the SB5 sub as well. Nice.

[calsax]

Originally Posted by AudioBabble

Just to be Rodger Irrelevant for a moment... JBL Control 5 are great speakers I have the SB5 sub as well. Nice.

I've had these monitors since the early '90s. Had them re-coned once, and won't let them go.

[Dr Bob]

My friend has the Spendor BC1 speakers and won't let them go either ... powered by a Sugden Class-A. The BBC were obsessed with them in their studios.

I digress ... sigh ... but they do sound great with vinyl on the Thorens!

dB

[TLSLayer]

Originally Posted by calsax

That is the description of my system. The computer is a PELADN HA-4, with the listed cpu, ram, and internal storage. The PreSonus Audiobox is an external audio/midi interface. The Nektar and Akai are midi controllers. The BGW and JBL are my power amp and speakers. I use impulse response files with ReaVerb on most projects, and they work without issue for me and this system.

What specifically do I need for Reaper plugins and the impulse responses? Do I need a particular CPU or sound card?

[calsax]

Originally Posted by TLSLayer

What specifically do I need for Reaper plugins and the impulse responses? Do I need a particular CPU or sound card?

Nothing specific, you just need enough cpu power to handle the load, and enough RAM to allow it to process in a timely manner. I was able to run everything I do now on an old Toshiba laptop with a dual-core i5 and 8 GB RAM. It just wasn't a big enough display for my 70 year-old eyes to see. Personally, I like AMD processors, finding them somewhat less expensive that a similar Intel chip. I shopped and found the best price for what I wanted in a pc, added additional RAM and internal storage, and am quite satisfied. My only slight regret is, I wish I had more USB ports. My box has 2xUSB 2, 2xUSB 3.1, and 1xUSB C, and I filled all of the USB A with my interface, keyboard/mouse dongle, and two MIDI controllers. It is enough, but I am a fan of "too much is never enough", so...

[Dr Bob]

Most new machines with enough memory are going to be good enough. You don't say exactly what you might be doing ... studio or live?

The word of warning about USB slots is important, so many laptops these days come with just 1. Do check that element out.

Audio device again depends on what you are doing. Number of inputs, outputs (eg are you doing surround sound?). Do you need MIDI?

In the end the quality you get (especially the drivers) will be mainly price related.

Without knowing your usage, and rough budget, it's hard to recommend.
People here have the basic cheap interfaces and others have the expensive high performance interfaces often linked to ADAT (via digital connection) to bring in many more inputs, or other such devices to extend their systems. Home and professional studios.

dB

[StefanMax]

Originally Posted by dasein64

I'm looking for specs that aren't overkill and expensive, but also not minimal/basic.

It doesn't get more precise and comprehensive than what you'll find in these three articles:

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/windo...-guide-part-1/

Good luck!

[TLSLayer]

Originally Posted by calsax

Nothing specific, you just need enough cpu power to handle the load, and enough RAM to allow it to process in a timely manner. I was able to run everything I do now on an old Toshiba laptop with a dual-core i5 and 8 GB RAM. It just wasn't a big enough display for my 70 year-old eyes to see. Personally, I like AMD processors, finding them somewhat less expensive that a similar Intel chip. I shopped and found the best price for what I wanted in a pc, added additional RAM and internal storage, and am quite satisfied. My only slight regret is, I wish I had more USB ports. My box has 2xUSB 2, 2xUSB 3.1, and 1xUSB C, and I filled all of the USB A with my interface, keyboard/mouse dongle, and two MIDI controllers. It is enough, but I am a fan of "too much is never enough", so...

Well, none of the impulse responses and some plugins either don't sound right or just terrible.

[Dr Bob]

Originally Posted by TLSLayer

Well, none of the impulse responses and some plugins either don't sound right or just terrible.

Not sure what this means at all ...

Which plugins? What is "don't sound right" and what is "terrible"?

What system and specs is the problem exhibited on? How big is your track count and FX use? Do you have complex routing? Are you using scripts?

More info, and maybe we all can pitch in with help ...

dB

[Lunar Ladder]

Originally Posted by vsthem

The biggest upgrade to my studio was not when I built a new computer, but when I got an RME UFX interface. I'm able to run at everything at a lower latency now.

The effect the audio interface makes is often downplayed or even forgotten, yes. This makes a really big difference.

[Dr Bob]

Absolutely agree ... audio interface and it's quality of drivers makes a huge difference. A wise investment.

If you rely on an inbuilt sound card you will not get the quality of output or performance latency-wise.

Still don't know the real user requirements: live work? mix/master work? recording with low latency round trip required etc ... can't advise without some idea.

Big sample database? Therefore need good SSD's, in fact, SSD all the way these days.

dB

[serr]

Originally Posted by TLSLayer

Well, none of the impulse responses and some plugins either don't sound right or just terrible.

In the spirit of finding solutions...


What product sounded terrible? Why do you think this had something to do with a performance issue? "Don't sound right or just terrible" sounds more like a critique than describing a crash from an under powered system. Is this a non sequitur comment on a stock Reaper plugin? Or a 3rd party plugin? Some IR found online somewhere? (Reaper doesn't supply any stock IRs.)

Digital systems go from zero to 100 with error related sound issues. The sound doesn't deteriorate with loss of high end and dynamics like in analog systems. You go straight to dropouts and garbled sound and it's pretty matter of fact. An under powered computer doesn't degrade the sound... it stops it entirely or leaves you with blunt dropouts that sound like clicks and pops or grinding and chattering sounds.

Yeah, that would sound terrible all right! That's not wrong! But this isn't a fidelity critique. The system is crashing when that kind of thing is going on. It would be more appropriate to call it "crashing" than trying to describe the sound as though critiquing fidelity.

[Dr Bob]

^^^^^^^ Exactly ....
dB

[dasein64]

Originally Posted by Dr Bob

Most new machines with enough memory are going to be good enough. You don't say exactly what you might be doing ... studio or live?

The word of warning about USB slots is important, so many laptops these days come with just 1. Do check that element out.

Audio device again depends on what you are doing. Number of inputs, outputs (eg are you doing surround sound?). Do you need MIDI?

In the end the quality you get (especially the drivers) will be mainly price related.

Without knowing your usage, and rough budget, it's hard to recommend.
People here have the basic cheap interfaces and others have the expensive high performance interfaces often linked to ADAT (via digital connection) to bring in many more inputs, or other such devices to extend their systems. Home and professional studios.

dB

100% studio at this point. Perhaps live in the future. And yes to MIDI. I use a lot of it. Thanks! I'll post here about what I bought.

[dasein64]

Here's what I ended up getting from Dell. I had to be cognizant of perhaps using this some day to replace my aging PC upstairs in my office for day job stuff. I went with higher RAM because of some comments here and elsewhere about VSTs, MIDI, and RAM. I paid some attention to the speed of indiviual cores. And, the combined SSD and SATA drives. Ultimately, I was limited by what 'packages' Dell offered (I'm a Dell guy on my corporate side).

338-CHEB 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-13700K processor (16-Core, 24MB Cache, 3.4 GHz to 5.3GHz) 1
490-BJRV NVIDIA(R) GeForce RTX(TM) 4060 Ti 8GB GDDR6 1
400-BOSN 1TB M.2 PCIe NVME SSD (Boot) + 2TB SATA 7200RPM HDD (Storage) 1
370-AHLY 32GB DDR5, 1x32GB, at 4800MHz; up to 64GB

The one thing that bothers me is that everything out of the box puts everything on the SSD, including OneDrive (with all my Documents, Music, and Photos). That includes my Reaper folder of projects. I could just copy the folder to the SATA. Project files will just open from there automatically once run. but projects won't automatically backup to OneDrive. I've never been comfortable with just physical, local backup. It would be great to have OneDrive on the SATA, or mirrored in some way. Any suggestions? If the solution is suitably simple, and I'm embarrassed by it, I'll punish myself with Air Supply's Greatest Hits.