{"id":656,"date":"2025-06-02T11:55:58","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T11:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/ottimizzazione-audio-1-pc-e-mac-a-prova-di-daw\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T18:11:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T18:11:12","slug":"daw-proof-audio-optimization-for-pc-and-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/ottimizzazione-audio-1-pc-e-mac-a-prova-di-daw\/","title":{"rendered":"Audio Optimisation 2: PC and Mac DAW-Proofing"},"content":{"rendered":"<hr \/>\n<h2>A Complete Guide to Maximizing Your Computer&#039;s Performance for Music Production<\/h2>\n<p>If you&#039;ve decided to enter the world of music production, one of the first things to do is prepare your computer\u2014whether it&#039;s a PC or a Mac\u2014to face the challenges of a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). It doesn&#039;t matter whether you use Windows or Mac: both require careful and targeted configuration to ensure maximum stability and fluidity. No matter how expensive or modern your system, if it&#039;s not properly optimized, you risk slowdowns, glitches, audio dropouts, and a loss of creativity.<\/p>\n<p>In this guide, I&#039;ll explain, step by step, how to transform your computer into the perfect audio production machine, using clear and accessible language, even if you&#039;re starting from scratch.<\/p>\n<h2>Choose the right computer<\/h2>\n<p>Is your computer ready for the world of music production?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>CPU: The brain of the system. It&#039;s best to choose multi-core processors (at least 4-6 physical cores) like the Intel i5\/i7, Ryzen 5\/7, or Apple M1\/M2.<\/li>\n<li>RAM: I highly recommend at least 16 GB. It&#039;s essential for managing plugins, virtual libraries, and complex projects. 8 GB might be a bit limited, while 16 GB will allow you to work on more demanding and professional sessions. If you use a lot of virtual instruments or orchestral libraries, RAM is truly indispensable and it&#039;s recommended to upgrade to at least 24-32 GB.<\/li>\n<li>System disk: Opt for a fast SSD. Internal SSDs are faster and more reliable than traditional HDDs. If you still have an HDD, consider replacing it or changing your computer. If your internal disk is small, you can use high-speed external SSDs (at least 1050 MB\/s, preferably 2000 MB\/s) connected to compatible ports. Format them correctly and check compatibility.<\/li>\n<li>For optimal performance and reduced slowdowns, it is recommended to use a <strong data-start=\"452\" data-end=\"492\">High-performance internal NVMe SSD<\/strong> as a system disk (hosts the operating system, DAW, plugins and libraries), with <strong data-start=\"571\" data-end=\"624\">read 3000-3500 MB\/s and write 2000-3000 MB\/s<\/strong>, standard in modern computers.<\/li>\n<li>If space is insufficient, you can consider installing a <strong data-start=\"721\" data-end=\"752\">Larger SSD (2 or 4 TB)<\/strong> through specialized personnel. Always maintain <strong data-start=\"802\" data-end=\"836\">at least 40% of free space<\/strong> to ensure maximum efficiency.<\/li>\n<li>Alternatively, you can use a <strong data-start=\"907\" data-end=\"954\">High-performance external SSD (minimum recommended 1050 MB\/s)<\/strong>, configured for system boot, DAW and libraries, checking connection (USB-C or Thunderbolt) and compatibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Audio recording on fast external SSDs<\/h2>\n<p>To ensure optimal performance and minimize the risk of errors when recording audio, it&#039;s essential to record directly to fast external SSDs (at least 1050 MB\/s, preferably 2000 MB\/s) connected via compatible ports such as USB 3.1, USB-C, or Thunderbolt. This solution is especially useful for complex projects with many tracks or large virtual instruments. Make sure to format the SSD correctly: on a Mac, use Disk Utility with APFS or Mac OS Extended; on Windows, Disk Management with NTFS. Always check compatibility with your computer. This will keep your system disk free and your DAW will be more stable and faster.<\/p>\n<h2>Set the operating system<\/h2>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Updates: Update only after verifying compatibility with your DAW, plugins, and system. A well-tested system can be more stable than one that&#039;s always up to date.<\/li>\n<li>Audio Drivers: Install the official drivers for your interface (ASIO on Windows); on Mac, Core Audio often doesn&#039;t require any extra drivers, but it&#039;s worth checking.<\/li>\n<li>Disable unnecessary processes: Close antivirus, background apps, and automatic updates.<\/li>\n<li>Energy saving: Set to \u201cHigh performance\u201d (Windows) or \u201cMaximum performance\u201d (Mac).<\/li>\n<li>Full Reboot: Before complex sessions, restart your computer to free up memory and close hidden processes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Configure your DAW and optimize storage<\/h2>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Buffer and latency: Use 64-128 samples for recording (low latency) and 1024-2048 for mixing and mastering (high stability). If your system is unstable at 64, try 128, but avoid excessively high values for percussion instruments, piano, or guitar.<\/li>\n<li>Turn off notifications: Turn on \u201cDo Not Disturb\u201d (Mac) or \u201cFocus Assist\u201d (Windows).<\/li>\n<li>Exclude disks from indexing: Prevent Spotlight (Mac) or Windows Search from indexing library and recording disks. On Mac, go to System Preferences &gt; Spotlight &gt; Privacy; on Windows, go to Settings &gt; Search.<\/li>\n<li>Regular backups: Use NAS or external drives. NAS (Network Attached Storage) are network-connected drives, perfect for storing large amounts of data and accessing it from multiple devices. For reliable backups, use Carbon Copy Cloner (Mac) or Macrium Reflect (Windows). Format backup drives as HFS+ Journaled (Mac) or NTFS (Windows).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Connection and network<\/h2>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to avoid interference and save resources.<\/li>\n<li>Use Ethernet for backups and updates; disconnect during production.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Final test<\/h2>\n<p>Open your DAW, load a complex project, check your CPU and RAM, and verify latency and audio stability. If all checks out, you&#039;re all set!<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>A well-configured machine is the foundation of successful audio production. With these tips, you can focus on creativity without interruptions.<\/p>\n<p>In the next article, we&#039;ll talk about the perfect DAW: buffers, plugins, and stability \u2013 don&#039;t miss it!<\/p>\n<div class='avia-iframe-wrap'>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Bm0rTBU7Af\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/staging-a2\/audio-optimisation-2-practical-guide-to-daw-settings-on-pro-tools-logic-cubase-ableton-live-reaper-studio-one-fl-studio\/\">Audio Optimization 2: A Practical Guide to DAW Settings in Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, FL Studio<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cAudio Optimization 2: A Practical Guide to DAW Settings in Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, FL Studio\u201d \u2014 Alessandro Fois\" src=\"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/staging-a2\/ottimizzazione-audio-2-guida-pratica-alle-impostazioni-daw-su-pro-tools-logic-cubase-ableton-live-reaper-studio-one-fl-studio\/embed\/#?secret=cOYiMHn6Y3#?secret=Bm0rTBU7Af\" data-secret=\"Bm0rTBU7Af\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guida completa per massimizzare le prestazioni del tuo computer nella produzione musicale Se hai deciso di entrare nel mondo della produzione musicale, una delle prime cose da fare \u00e8 preparare il tuo computer \u2013 che sia un PC o un Mac \u2013 per affrontare le sfide di una DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Non importa se [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acustica-e-allestimento","category-audio","category-basic-audio"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=656"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alessandrofois.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}