I agree with you, Sam. I kept an older machine as a backup that is almost exactly what dalemccl has, and it runs anything from PG Music very well. About "upgrading RAM for speed", you can't put DDR3 into a motherboard designed for DDR2, for example, so I'm not sure exactly how one does that.

Funny you mentioned mainframes. I used to teach mainframe operating systems on one of those in the 1980s. Brings back good memories. I also happen to live near the IBM manufacturing plant for mainframes. For decades, IBM was the largest employer in my county.

BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.