unsurprising new pc questions

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coming from a 2cores amd3000 winxp, guess it's quiiiiiite time for the x64 jump.
It's more a blind jetpack test than jump. :hihi:

Specs for a ReaperDaw
- Power-Supply: 750w quiet
- Haswell CPU: 4790k @ 4.4GHz 8 threads
- RAM: 8GB DDR3/1600
- OS drive: 500GB HD
- Audio drive: 500GB HD
- Samples drive 1: 1TB HD
- Video: HD5450 (1GB)
- Operating System: Windows 8 x64
etc..

First question is if you guys think ram or the videocard is gonna buy the pc more "future".
I'm not a huge samplesram stuffer, I use vst synths, vst samplers and otb hardware at the same time, no big rules. No sampled orchestras, just few Kontakt instruments.
I have no rush to use the latest cpusucking vsti synths.
Am I gonna benefit from having more than 8gb or more than a 1gig videocard?

Second question, hairy one, soundcard.
My best experiences have been with PCi. I play lots of keys and a roland V-drum kit avec Toontrack Superior so short latency during most recordings is important.

Also I have tons of hardware, 6 analogs & digitals synths, analog spring/delay/phaser, loads of reamping and pedals. Actually I'm use 4balanced I/Os with a patchbay and that's still a loooot of patching.

Last but not least, two of my analog synths are semimodular and I can't wait to get a dc coupled soundcard to control them via Silent Way or similar applications.

Is the basic RME hdsp pci card with MultifaceII modern, viable solution? (yet a bit pricey)
Any alternatives?

Sorry if they seem basic questions, but I admit I lost a bit the bearings in hardware setups. :ud:

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8Gb RAM 'seems' a bit low when we can all fit much more quite easily, but to be honest, if you're mostly using synths rather than samples, you'll probably be fine. Fit 2x4Gb sticks so that you do have the option in future, though.
The graphics card isn't that critical to a DAW IMO, unless you're using a convolver that needs CUDA.

The biggest difference you'd see, again IMO, is if you fit an SSD. Makes a marked difference to how responsive a system feels and operates.
my other modular synth is a bugbrand

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RME are known to have the best low latency drivers that are very stable, and perform especially well with the PCIe versions - so yes, go with them if you can.
... space is the place ...

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ok 16 is better than 8gb of ram, in the end it's gonna be extra flexibility and avoid revisions. No CUDA needs, and I guess I'll wait another turn for SSDs.

For the videocard, I have few plugins with slow graphics on my older actual daw, but I admit I've lost the habit of double-checking for softwares' graphic requirements.
Probably new graphic cards completely satisfy and overrun Amplitube or (bridged, as I don't remind a x64 version) Morgana needs.
(the first taking forever to display once hidden and the second being just sluggish, first two examples)

ZenPunkHippy do you advice PCIe over PCI?

Is PCI a dying breed?

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SSD for the system drive is crucial in a modern computer, you will never regret it. 256 GB, even just 128 GB, is enough.
"A pig that doesn't fly is just a pig."

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waiting man wrote:... I guess I'll wait another turn for SSDs.
I would not even consider building a new PC without SSD. It makes a massive difference to overall snappiness of the OS and apps ... the computer runs like you always imagined it should, fast, smooth and silent.

You don't need an expensive 1 TB disk if the system is set up properly: 256 GB or even 128 GB is plenty for OS / apps / plugins (depends on how much stuff you need to install, of course). Put everything else no a separate HDD (projects, samples).
For the videocard, I have few plugins with slow graphics on my older actual daw
I don't think many (any?) plugins will benefit from a fancy graphics card (except as mentioned, plugins that use CUDA for processing e.g. Nebula).

Both my PCs use built in mobo graphics and they run without any problems. I rarely or never notice any GUI slowdown.
do you advice PCIe over PCI?
Yes, go with PCIe. Very few new motherboards support PCI these days.

Peace,
Andy.
... space is the place ...

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If it helps, I just built this and am very happy with it.

MOBO: Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H (micro ATX)
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 32GB (4 x 8GB)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 Haswell Quad-Core 3.6GHz
SSD: Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 250GB (on sale now at Amazon)
Data Drive: Western Digital 2 TB SATA III 7200 RPM (got it for less than 150 at Amazon)
OS: Windows 8.1

Cost just under a grand US with the CPU and RAM 75% of the build cost. Then the CPU went down the next week :shrug: :lol:

Using stock cooler in a Lian Li PC-V352B I had.

No additional GPU but I may install one to free up some RAM the CPU uses for graphics.

Running as a slave with VEP5 installed.

Marvelous baby, marvelous :)

Like Andy and others have said, go with SSD. You will be glad you did.

Afford as much RAM as you can and the mobo will accept. You will not be sorry in the long run, especially if you are using samples as whyterabbyt points out.

I would probably bump up the HDD's size but your work may differ and not require it.

I believe in future proofing and getting the most the build components and budget will allow. Of course future proofing in computer days is 6 months :hihi:

HTH

Happy Musiking!
dsan
My DAW System:
W7, i5, x64, 8Gb Ram, Edirol FA-101

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dsan@mail.com wrote:Then the CPU went down the next week :shrug: :lol:
I got a 4470K the week before the 4790K came out at the same price. :cry:
my other modular synth is a bugbrand

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Isn't that how it always goes? :x

Although, that board now costs $25 more than I paid ;)

It all evens out I suppose.

Happy Musiking!
dsan
My DAW System:
W7, i5, x64, 8Gb Ram, Edirol FA-101

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dsan@mail.com wrote:Isn't that how it always goes? :x

Although, that board now costs $25 more than I paid ;)

It all evens out I suppose.
Indeedy. And even with 32Gb RAM, a GTX770 and 3 SSD drives (including an M2 boot drive that's twice the bandwidth of SATA) it was still cheaper than my first PC, a Pentium75 that cost me more than £1500 in 20-years-ago money...
my other modular synth is a bugbrand

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Acquisition of Scsi and drive in the early days of cd burning has been filed under "traumatic events".

SSD 128gb as the main drive has gone into the list.
Me likes "snappy" OSs, it's like sayin' "warm" analogs. :hihi:

Still unsure about going HansZimmer on the ram. 16gb sounds like a huge amount, but like has been said I can change that.

Dsan, can you comment your pc noise performances?
One of the last reasons I'm looking for daw builders is for that extreme noise suppression.

so far, thanks to all of you for being here. :party:

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waiting man wrote:.....Dsan, can you comment your pc noise performances?
One of the last reasons I'm looking for daw builders is for that extreme noise suppression.
I don't think my comments will assist you much as my units are not noise suppressed and not something I am critical about. I have not done any measurements to determine noise levels.

Most fans today are fairly quiet. If I hear fan noise it means there is a problem....generally, it means something needs to be cleaned.

You can adjust fan speed in BIOS on most boards today. Slower fans speeds equates to less noise and in a lot of cases it is not necessary to run fans full speed.

The specific unit I mentioned in my previous post sits above my head at the mixing desk. I do not hear it at all. Being everything is new I wouldn't expect to and being above my head the noise, if any, is ported away from my listening area.

My studio is very quiet except for a personal fan - WHICH I DO HEAR! :hihi:

Since you are after extreme noise suppression you may want to look into some linings made for noise suppression. I don't use them as they tend to raise the temperatures in the box and I prefer to keep the boxes cooler. I can work around the noise if any.

Sorry I can't be more helpful in this regard.

Happy Musiking!
dsan
My DAW System:
W7, i5, x64, 8Gb Ram, Edirol FA-101

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no, no, sorry if I made the wrong impression.
I'm not that critical about pc noise, it just doesn't have to sound like a hairdryer, or a dark ambient drone.

If it's closer to, mmh, let's say a laptop with one of those usb-fan risers, it should be sweet.

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Remember too, that lining the case for noise suppression can also increase the heat inside the case.

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whyterabbyt wrote:8Gb RAM 'seems' a bit low when we can all fit much more quite easily, but to be honest, if you're mostly using synths rather than samples, you'll probably be fine. Fit 2x4Gb sticks so that you do have the option in future, though.
The graphics card isn't that critical to a DAW IMO, unless you're using a convolver that needs CUDA.

The biggest difference you'd see, again IMO, is if you fit an SSD. Makes a marked difference to how responsive a system feels and operates.
Going 2 DIMM sticks with the idea of adding 2 dimm sticks in the future might not pan out very well. Best to buy them all at once so you know they're from the same lot and WILL work together.

SSD? Yes please. Amazing how more responsive my systems now are with SSD's inside them. 7 second boot times are amazing on Windows 7.

Devon
Simple music philosophy - Those who can, make music. Those who can't, make excuses.
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!

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