Advice wanted re: building an audio-focused Linux box

[Joev]

I have a six-year-old Macbook that I'm looking to replace with a homemade Linux desktop because I don't want to pay Apple-tax and I don't want to spend all my time fighting malware. Linux and computer hardware are foreign to me, but I can read so I don't expect that to be a problem. I don't plan to do anything out of the ordinary on this computer apart from making music.

My price point is about $1500 USD. The computer will need to have a Firewire 800 port, at least four USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. I'd like to get latency to a minimum wherever possible, as I hope to use this machine for live performances.

Please tell me about the computer you think I ought to build, even if you see it as a matter of opinion. Feel free to include anything glaring that I've omitted; if you have favorite bits of hardware, I'd love to hear about them.

I apologize if this message is aggravating for any reason. I can think of several. Please, please ask questions if I need to be more specific; I feel I'm being very vague, but I don't want to hit TL;DR territory.

[slowpick]

use an maudio pci soundcard, and an nvidia graphics card, not a motherboard hdmi setup.
All the other stuff you mention will get in the way of audio production,
and can be done on the Mac. The idea on linux, is to keep things simple and stable,
not updating like kids buying candy. You'll want to study the jackd and qjackctl
links here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qjackctl

qjackctl is a multi tabbed gui to connect both software and hardware inputs and outputs.
It mimics real gear, a cable has two ends, one goes from an out to an in, or the other way around,
but you select each with the mouse, and press the Connect button, rather than using your hands.
Search it on youtube, qjackctl, hydrogen, zynnadsubfx, guitarix, rakarrack, and ardour,
to see the real workings.

Expect to invest 30 hours over the next month, on jargon, and save all the info you come across
for future reference. If you are a guitarist, a Fender Mustang1 amp is $110 max, and simple usb,
it shows up in qjackctl, ready to jam and record.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Given the requirement for a Firewire port, I'm guessing you already have Firewire equipment. Before investing in your Linux box, do some research here and with google to make sure that your equipment will work with your chosen Linux distro. This is important: do not expect Firewire "plug'n'play."

This is going to sound like a vodka advert, but I had a horrible time with my Audiofire2 ...until I discovered KXStudio

[slowpick]

how to pick from many linux versions? They all can do audio, but some have
preconfigured system to download, and burn to a dvd, cd, or usbstick.

google unetbootin to see easy bootable usb stick info. Your media burner app
can burn the .iso files you download to dvd or cd, be sure to get the md5 checksum of the
.iso file, the burn can look good, and still fail to load correctly.

use this one to get AVLinux .iso to make a bootable Debian linux based OS on dvd or usbstick,
software ready to roll, and lots of it:

its download page and forum
http://www.bandshed.net/DownloadInstall.html
http://www.remastersys.com/forums/index ... board=20.0
http://www.bandshed.net/AVLinux.html

http://www.getstudio1337.com/ This is a $30 bootable linux studio on a usbstick, ready to go,
based on Puppy and Slackware linux, and ready for the record buttom, a Reaper folder,
non-dongled vst plugins.

Use both, to good advantage.

[StudioDave]

I build my own machines for use with Linux audio software. I've written about some of my hardware in these articles :

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/stu ... ubuntu-810

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/lit ... tudio-dave

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/con ... nd-fcb1010

This article might be helpful when troubleshooting Linux audio problems :

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000244

A few particulars:
Case - I buy Sonata II cases from the "refurbished" stuff at Antec. The drive mounts include rubber grommets for attaching the drive itself, reducing vibration noise. The Sonata's fans are also built for quiet running.
Power supply - Lots of watts, quiet as possible. I'm currently using PSUs from Antec but there are others to look at.
Video card - nVidia PCI/PCIe, fanless.
CPU fan - I use the big Zalman coolers, very quiet when running. Many other choices here too.
Audio interface - M-Audio 66 (PCI) on two machines. Good for my purposes, excellent Linux support, fully operational. But if you're using Firewire check the latest updates from the FFADO project (http://www.ffado.org).
Motherboard - I ask around when I'm ready to buy. Some of the lurkers on the Linux Audio Users list have great technical knowledge, and they keep up on the new hardware. And of course, be sure to check for IEEE1394 support. Firewire is/was being dropped from laptops when last I shopped for one, and only one of my desktop mobos included a built-in Firewire port (both boards are fast but quite ancient now, with single-core AMD64 CPUs).

My machines aren't silent, but they are quiet enough to keep in my teaching studio.

And re: slowpick's advice re: the Fender Mustang amp :

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/plu ... er-mustang

Regarding a first-timer's audio-optimized distribution of choice : I recommend AVLinux these days, especially on a USB stick (it's since been installed on the laptop). The live DVD was not fun for me, but the USB experience sold me. However, you do have other choices, and other users here will make their own recommendations.

HTH,

dp