For audio processing purposes - AMD or Intel

GigaWatt · Sep 21, 2009, 05:53 PM

was just curious, i currently have an Intel CPU, but i wanted to build an AMD one in the future (since they are a lot cheaper than Intel's CPUs)...

is building an AMD based rig good for audio processing purposes...?

i have never used an AMD CPU (not counting the ancient K-5 one) and i heard that not all programs run on AMD base architectures... popular softwares do, but not all of them... some specifacally require intel based architecture... if this is true, can this be bypassed...?

Judas · Sep 22, 2009, 11:59 AM

alot of the software out there doesn't even use the latest i7 technology or amd's own solutions..

but i've never seen a case where intel's will only work aside from in the early years of the P2/P3 vs K6 where some programs SPECIFICALLY required something... for not REAL good reason

GigaWatt · Sep 22, 2009, 12:45 PM

well, i read (somewhere) that the ASM language that AMD processors use is exactly the same as the Intel ones (they also have an ASM language of their own, but have equivalent instructions to the Intel based ones, so there is no translating done and CPU cycles are spent for nothing)... so there should be no barrier... but in some cases, some VST plugins strictly required an Intel CPU (also, don't know where i read this)... if this is true, i don't want to move to an AMD based PC... some of the plugins i currently use might not be AMD compatible (and, of course, i have no idea if they are or not)... all my friends, that are in some way or another related to music production have an Intel based CPU, so none of them have really tried working under an AMD based one and see how everything goes...

so my dilemma is... do i assemble a cheap PC with an AMD CPU, test everything out, see how things go, if everything is fine, i sell the rig and buy myself a better one; or do i go googling for some sort of an emulator for AMD CPUs and test the whole thing under a virtual machine...?

DJ BIG T · Sep 22, 2009, 12:55 PM

they are both good just make sure you have the ram..i use amd now and im using acid pro 7 and cubase with audacity and goldwave...

GigaWatt · Sep 22, 2009, 09:30 PM

so... it's confirmed that cubase can run smoothly under an AMD CPU...?

Tyrsonswood · Sep 22, 2009, 09:48 PM

It shouldn't matter, but I run Reaper so can't affirm 100%. I have older stuff, as you know, 2 P4's and 2 AMD Athlon/Sempron and all 4 are fine stability wise. By design my P4's are the stronger machines but no issues yet with the AMD setups.

GigaWatt · Sep 23, 2009, 09:19 AM

well, this seems to clarify things up a little bit... thanks fro the input guys...

just to be on the safe side, will install some sort of a VM that can emulate an AMD CPU, install Cubase on it and all the VSTs i use, just to see if any of them make a conflict with the AMD architecture...

Sep 21, 2009, 05:53 PM	#1
GigaWatt Now In Color :D Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Macedonia, Skopje Posts: 2,073 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	For audio processing purposes - AMD or Intel was just curious, i currently have an Intel CPU, but i wanted to build an AMD one in the future (since they are a lot cheaper than Intel's CPUs)... is building an AMD based rig good for audio processing purposes...? i have never used an AMD CPU (not counting the ancient K-5 one) and i heard that not all programs run on AMD base architectures... popular softwares do, but not all of them... some specifacally require intel based architecture... if this is true, can this be bypassed...? __________________ It's not schisophrenia... it's just a voice in my head...

Sep 22, 2009, 12:45 PM	#3
GigaWatt Now In Color :D Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Macedonia, Skopje Posts: 2,073 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	Re: For audio processing purposes - AMD or Intel well, i read (somewhere) that the ASM language that AMD processors use is exactly the same as the Intel ones (they also have an ASM language of their own, but have equivalent instructions to the Intel based ones, so there is no translating done and CPU cycles are spent for nothing)... so there should be no barrier... but in some cases, some VST plugins strictly required an Intel CPU (also, don't know where i read this)... if this is true, i don't want to move to an AMD based PC... some of the plugins i currently use might not be AMD compatible (and, of course, i have no idea if they are or not)... all my friends, that are in some way or another related to music production have an Intel based CPU, so none of them have really tried working under an AMD based one and see how everything goes... so my dilemma is... do i assemble a cheap PC with an AMD CPU, test everything out, see how things go, if everything is fine, i sell the rig and buy myself a better one; or do i go googling for some sort of an emulator for AMD CPUs and test the whole thing under a virtual machine...? __________________ It's not schisophrenia... it's just a voice in my head...

Sep 22, 2009, 12:55 PM	#4
DJ BIG T DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ORLANDO,FL Posts: 695 Rep Power: 36 System Specs	Re: For audio processing purposes - AMD or Intel they are both good just make sure you have the ram..i use amd now and im using acid pro 7 and cubase with audacity and goldwave... __________________

Sep 22, 2009, 09:30 PM	#5
GigaWatt Now In Color :D Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Macedonia, Skopje Posts: 2,073 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	Re: For audio processing purposes - AMD or Intel so... it's confirmed that cubase can run smoothly under an AMD CPU...? __________________ It's not schisophrenia... it's just a voice in my head...

Sep 23, 2009, 09:19 AM	#7
GigaWatt Now In Color :D Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Macedonia, Skopje Posts: 2,073 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	Re: For audio processing purposes - AMD or Intel well, this seems to clarify things up a little bit... thanks fro the input guys... just to be on the safe side, will install some sort of a VM that can emulate an AMD CPU, install Cubase on it and all the VSTs i use, just to see if any of them make a conflict with the AMD architecture... __________________ It's not schisophrenia... it's just a voice in my head...