Q. How is the MusicXPC different that other Windows based PCs?

A. The MusicXPC is built from the ground up for music applications. That's your sequencer software, mastering applications, virtual instruments, sound cards, MIDI interfaces and newer firewire/USB interfaces. The MusicXPC has been optimized to accept these components of your musical arsenal with ease and stability. The goal is to get you to forget about the computer and focus on your musical tasks. In this respect the MusicXPC shines - it just works.

Q. Why only 1 PCI slot in the C series?

A. PCI has been and will continue to be a solid interface for getting data in and out of your computer. However, when developing a product you try to look ahead as much as possible. Looking ahead, it is clear that more and more high quality audio and MIDI devices will be available that interface through the IEEE1394 [Firewire] port and the USB 2.0 ports. It's a virtual certainty that there will be more USB and Firewire devices than PCI devices in the near future. Owners of the MusicXPC will not be deprived of every option currently available for multiple PCI computers.

Q. Can I customize my MusicXPC?

A. For the C series the answer is yes and no. We only sell single configurations with a single component set, which to be honest is pretty much a maxed out PC. Of course after you buy a MusicXPC, you can and add extra RAM, etc. but we do not offer variations from the factory. We do this because the MusicXPC has been tested and tweaked for a specific component set.

The S3 with a much larger chassis is more customizable with the ability to add up to 5 more hard drives to the 4 it comes stock with.

Q. How did you tweak the operating system to optimize it for music?

A. Isn't this is like asking Colonel Sanders for the recipe for KFC? Anyway, we made many tweaks to Windows XP and the BIOS to make the computer operate optimally and rock-solid for professional music applications.

Q. My computer-genius buddy suggests a few more tweaks, should I let him have a go at my MusicXPC?

A. The MusicXPC comes out of the box ready for professional audio use. Really, there is no need for any more tweaking, that would be more like tampering. We'd like to warn you now: keep 'computer genius friends' away from your MusicXPC. It is all set to work and has a robust restore utility. Spend your time worrying about the music.

Q. Is the Internet disabled on the MusicXPC?

A. No. The internet is a necessary resource for updates, information and communication. If configured correctly, it will not interfere with music applications. The MusicXPC is doesn't need to have the internet chopped off to work properly.

Q. Can't I buy a Shuttle chassis and put this together cheaper?

A. Some people may be able to do this, if they factor in their time at $0.00 per hour. The MusicXPC is not a bolted together set of components. We built this machine from the BIOS right up to the faceplate. The perception that anyone can bolt a product like this together is erroneous. It may look like a MusicXPC but 100 times out of 100 it will never work like one. It's a question of how much time you want to spend thinking about the computer as opposed to thinking about music.

Q. Why not use Windows XP Professional®?

A. For music applications there is no real advantage to having XP Pro. The additional features are more useful for network administrators than for most professional musicians. The S3 and M7 models come with Windows Professional for these networking reasons.

Q. Why is there a second hard drive in the MusicXPC?

A. We believe that it is better to have an audio drive that stores all audio material that is separate from the system drive.

Q. What brand of hard drive are you using?

A. Seagate SerialATA 3Gb/s drives.

Q. A dealer of yours shows the MusicXPC as having a "x.xx" GHz processor and based on the "yyy" architecture which is different from your web pages - who is right?

A. The specs on musicxpc.com is for the currently shipping model. Sometimes there are dealers who have very large websites. It is not always quick to get these sites updated. Rest assured that MusicXPC's ordered will ship with the components listed on these pages.

Q. Because of it's small size wouldn't the MusicXPC C series overheat?

A. No. The heat-pipe dissipates a lot of heat though silent convection. We ran several MusicXPC’s for days playing back huge [150+ track] projects and there was no overheating. This cooling technology is rock solid and very clever.

Q. How many tracks of audio can I get with the MusicXPC?

A. This depends on many factors. We have done some initial tests with some Native applications and a stock MusicXPC C5 delivered nearly 200 linear tracks. The detailed results of our testing are available on the test pages for each model.

Q. Is the MusicXPC C2 really faster than a Dual 2GHz G5?

A. Absolutely. See above and check this comparison chart. Also take note of the fact that Apple has abandoned the G5 processor because it cannot compete with Intel's speed and power. If Apple has given up this argument, it's probably time for the die-hard Mac maniacs [I was one of them] to give it up too. Now when you look at the C5 with its Serial-ATA drives you can see why Apple has abandoned the G5 and come over to the Intel Pentium architecture.

Q. What's the warranty on the MusicXPC?

A. One year parts and labor. Some components may be actually longer.

Q. Is the MusicXPC Digidesign approved?

A. The MusicXPC is approved and recommended by Digidesign for the MBox, Digi 002 and Digi 002 Rack.

Q. Can I use this with GigaSampler™?

A. The MusicXPC has been tested with Tascam GigaSampler and we can say that it works perfectly with the appropriate interfaces. Audio interfaces with a GSIF driver are especially good.

Q. What specific hardware and software have you tested on the MusicXPC that were stable?

A. We have tested quite a few sound cards but the bulk of our tests are with Digidesign; M-Audio, Echo, RME/Steinberg, Presonus, ESI, MOTU, Roland & Tascam. We've also tested the Universal Audio UAD-1. We generally use Cubase SX, FL Studio, Live, Project 5, ProTools, ProTools LE, Reason & SONAR as applications from which to run several plug-ins from East West, Native Instruments, IK Multimedia and others.

Q. Have you experienced any IRQ conflicts or other problems with the integrated Realtek sound card and PCI sound cards?

A. No. With the MusicXPC you can actually, depending on your software, use both without conflicts.

Q. Who is Les Bateman?

A. The father of the MusicXPC is one of the foremost music technology experts in the world - no hyperbole. His encyclopedic knowledge, gained from 30+ years of experience, has been distilled into the MusicXPC. He is also a fabulous Hammond B3 player. Read more here.

Q. What sound card do you recommend with the MusicXPC?

A. To be fair to all manufacturers we don't recommend sound cards. However, virtually any 7" PCI card will work as well as most USB and Firewire cards. Having the latest drivers is a bigger worry than wondering is a specific card will work with the MusicXPC. The best tech support we can offer is this: never use the drivers that come on the CD-ROM with a sound card. Train yourself to automatically go to the web to get the latest driver from the manufacturer's website.

Q. What kind of support do you provide?

A. Our dealers provide a lot of basic support and we back them up. At MusicXPC we provide telephone and email support. Sometimes, you can even receive email responses from Les Bateman, our Chief Technology Officer.

Q. Is there a backup utility to restore the machine to its factory state.

A. Yes, every MusicXPC ships with a restore utility that will restore the machine to its factory defaults.

Q. Where can I buy a MusicXPC?

A. MusicXPC is available at most music retailers. In the USA, our dealers list includes Sam Ash Music and Sweetwater Sound and in Canada Long & McQuade, Axe Music and others. We do not sell direct