Minimum CPU for Large Ram Loads?

[dpcon]

I want to get into the 64 bit world so I can have all my strings on a single computer (Appassionata 1, Orch 1+2.) I plan to add Solo strings and even Chamber at some point. The main idea is that I have them loaded (making use of 8 gigs of ram.) Not that I would be layering them a lot but that I can switch to chamber for divisi and use solo for some layering or featured playing. The essence of my question is: do I need a blazing server with a quad core or can I just get a healthy PC like my Core2 Duo 2.66 running XP 64? I currently can load 2.6 gigs of ram in it running Apassionata and Orch 1+2 and it handles the load fine. The problem is that I can't load a similar palette of muted strings cause I don't have the ram. So if I had a lot of muted strings loaded (in a 64 bit machine) I wouldn't be taxing the cpu more - they would just be featured while the regular strings weren't playing. Does loading more instruments into ram require more power even if you won't be taxing it much more than 32 bit machines? (another way of putting my question.) Thanks! DC

[cm]

neither loading a huge amount of samples nor playing them would stress a CPU too much, so a core2duo 2.66 would be sufficient for a *VI slave*.

you should consider though that file access does need CPU and a fast route from the harddisk platters to your CPU and further to a soundcard or network interface affects CPU too, so carefully choose the motherboard and chipset.

eg. intel 3000 or 5000 series would be a save choice and i know such a system *beeing bored* CPU-wise all day long. IIRC the overall costs have been ~ 1.500 EUR without soundcard.

christian