Silent PC Build - Suggestions Please!

[william lawes]

Which Mother board would you suggest for this setup? I currently have in my list the MSI Z590-A PRO ProSeries Motherboard.

I see the i9-10900K recommended over and over for audio production, it was suggested earlier in this thread that the i7-11700K would be a better choice, why is that?

[Pictus]

Pictus the legend!

Synapse Audio The Legend!



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Which Mother board would you suggest for this setup? I currently have in my list the MSI Z590-A PRO ProSeries Motherboard.

https://youtu.be/_NGhtvLJoUs
The MSI Z590-A PRO + 10700K did OK, but it does not have a Thunderbolt header or Thunderbolt port, there are some interesting Thunderbolt audio interfaces.
https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... count=4631

I see the i9-10900K recommended over and over for audio production, it was suggested earlier in this thread that the i7-11700K would be a better choice, why is that?

A reference for CPU performance for DAW workloads.
https://gearspace.com/board/music-compu ... st15666573

[T-CM11]

I see the i9-10900K recommended over and over for audio production, it was suggested earlier in this thread that the i7-11700K would be a better choice, why is that?

You listed the 10900KF in your opening post. That one doesn't have integrated graphics. Since then you mentioned that you need a discrete card* anyway - so it doesn't matter which one you pick.

*Graphics cards have been over-the-top expensive since 2020. No improvement in sight.

[T-CM11]

The MSI Z590-A PRO + 10700K did OK, but it does not have a Thunderbolt header or Thunderbolt port, there are some interesting Thunderbolt audio interfaces.

Do you mean UAD?
I find RME the most interesting interfaces (I have a Fireface UC) and they don't need Thunderbolt.

The OP doesn't mention the need for many inputs/outputs or DSP processing...

[Pictus]

You listed the 10900KF in your opening post. That one doesn't have integrated graphics. Since then you mentioned that you need a discrete card* anyway - so it doesn't matter which one you pick.

*Graphics cards have been over-the-top expensive since 2020. No improvement in sight.

True, but without the built-in Intel GPU there will be no Intel CODEC QuickSync
that may help if the GPU card is weak.

Do you mean UAD?
I find RME the most interesting interfaces (I have a Fireface UC) and they don't need Thunderbolt.

The OP doesn't mention the need for many inputs/outputs or DSP processing...

No UAD.
RME is king.

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... count=4631

[william lawes]

I have an RME FF400 that uses firewire, bought it over 10 years ago, that was actually one of my next questions...I will need a new interface, I assume I won't be able to use it due to the firewire.
So good point about the MB, thunderbolt integration could be important for the audio interface, is there a motherboard you would suggest?

[william lawes]

Those CPU tests look interesting, reference for CPU performance for DAW workloads, but I can't really interpret them...

[Passing Bye]

Those CPU tests look interesting, reference for CPU performance for DAW workloads, but I can't really interpret them...

i9-11900K doesn't score much more than i7-11700K, not as much as price difference suggests or that few extra cores and all that.

I see the i9-10900K recommended over and over for audio production

Because people assume it's best thing one can buy and that is much better than i7, because it's i9, well, it's really not the case.

[Passing Bye]

I have an RME FF400 that uses firewire, bought it over 10 years ago, that was actually one of my next questions...I will need a new interface, I assume I won't be able to use it due to the firewire.
So good point about the MB, thunderbolt integration could be important for the audio interface, is there a motherboard you would suggest?

There's PCIe Firewire cards, maybe try that before going into extra expense, some colleagues had great experience even with cheap ones, not just Texas Instrument ones, like this one
https://www.amazon.com/Firewire-Expansi ... B004F3DM6C

[Pictus]

I have an RME FF400 that uses firewire, bought it over 10 years ago, that was actually one of my next questions...I will need a new interface, I assume I won't be able to use it due to the firewire.
So good point about the MB, thunderbolt integration could be important for the audio interface, is there a motherboard you would suggest?

This card is working with audio interfaces
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Por ... B08339PGM8
The GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite you first selected has a Thunderbolt header, later you can add a Thunderbolt card.

Those CPU tests look interesting, reference for CPU performance for DAW workloads, but I can't really interpret them...

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... tcount=405

From https://forums.steinberg.net/t/cpu-test ... lts/744061
"For those who don’t know how the test results differ and don’t want to read up on it
the short version is that the DSP test focuses on running plugins whereas the “VI”
test focuses on the number of voices played back when using virtual instruments.
There’s an argument to be made then that if you’re mostly mixing and not playing
back instruments in realtime the DSP test might be a better indicator of what
performance you’ll get, whereas if you play virtual instruments in realtime
the “VI” test is more appropriate.

Please note: this test is performed using Reaper which if I understand correctly
scales much better across CPU cores than Cubase/Nuendo does.
So the test shows the relative performance between the CPUs, not an absolute
number that you can achieve in Cubase/Nuendo."

[william lawes]

I have just been researching about motherboards and there are a few choices, what do you think?

MOBO

ASUS Prime Z590-A LGA 1200 (Intel®11th/10th Gen) ATX Motherboard (14+2 DrMOS Power Stages,3X M.2, Intel® 2.5 Gb LAN, USB 3.2 Front Panel Type-C, Thunderbolt™ 4, Aura Sync RGB Lighting)
$338.98

GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX (LGA 1200/Intel Z590/ATX/3x M.2/PCIe 4.0/USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/Intel WiFi 6/2.5GbE LAN/Gaming Motherboard)
$309.28

GIGABYTE Z590 Vision G (LGA 1200/Intel Z590/ATX/3x M.2/PCIe 4.0/USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/2.5GbE LAN/Motherboard)
$279.99

GIGABYTE Z590 UD (LGA 1200/ Intel Z590/ ATX/Triple M.2/ PCIe 4.0/ USB 3.2 Gen 2/2.5GbE LAN/Motherboard)
$258.59

GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite (LGA 1200/ Intel Z590/ ATX/Triple M.2/ PCIe 4.0/ USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/ 2.5GbE LAN/Gaming Motherboard)
$229.99

Passive GPU

ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition 2GB DDR3 PCI HDMI DVI Graphics Card ZT-71113-20L
$215.42

MSI GT 1030 2GH LP OC Graphic Cards
$199.38

ASUS GeForce GT 1030 2GB GDDR5 HDMI DVI Graphics Card (GT1030-2G-CSM)
$169.99

SSD

(I was going to get 2 of these) Mushkin Pilot-E – 2TB PCIe NVMe – Opal Data Encryption – M.2 (2280) Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) – Gen3 x4 – 3D TLC - (MKNSSDPE2TB-D8)
$269.99

Samsung 980 PRO SSD 500GB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology (MZ-V8P500B/AM)
$139.99

OS

Windows 10 Home USB - Full Version 32 & 64 Bit - English - Lifetime License for 1 PC
$129.99

[Passing Bye]

Seems like ADK is using Asus one mostly in their builds, maybe go for that one too.

[Pictus]

I have just been researching about motherboards and there are a few choices, what do you think?

MOBO

ASUS Prime Z590-A LGA 1200 (Intel®11th/10th Gen) ATX Motherboard (14+2 DrMOS Power Stages,3X M.2, Intel® 2.5 Gb LAN, USB 3.2 Front Panel Type-C, Thunderbolt™ 4, Aura Sync RGB Lighting)
$338.98

GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX (LGA 1200/Intel Z590/ATX/3x M.2/PCIe 4.0/USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/Intel WiFi 6/2.5GbE LAN/Gaming Motherboard)
$309.28

GIGABYTE Z590 Vision G (LGA 1200/Intel Z590/ATX/3x M.2/PCIe 4.0/USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/2.5GbE LAN/Motherboard)
$279.99

GIGABYTE Z590 UD (LGA 1200/ Intel Z590/ ATX/Triple M.2/ PCIe 4.0/ USB 3.2 Gen 2/2.5GbE LAN/Motherboard)
$258.59

GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS Elite (LGA 1200/ Intel Z590/ ATX/Triple M.2/ PCIe 4.0/ USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/ 2.5GbE LAN/Gaming Motherboard)
$229.99

They are all good, I friend just got the Elite + 11700K and it is satisfied.
The Prime and the PRO has stronger VRM, good for the higher CPU models.

Passive GPU

ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition 2GB DDR3 PCI HDMI DVI Graphics Card ZT-71113-20L
$215.42

MSI GT 1030 2GH LP OC Graphic Cards
$199.38

ASUS GeForce GT 1030 2GB GDDR5 HDMI DVI Graphics Card (GT1030-2G-CSM)
$169.99

The MSI has a DisplayPort + HDMI
The Asus has a Single-link DVI-D + HDMI

SSD

(I was going to get 2 of these) Mushkin Pilot-E – 2TB PCIe NVMe – Opal Data Encryption – M.2 (2280) Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) – Gen3 x4 – 3D TLC - (MKNSSDPE2TB-D8)
$269.99

Samsung 980 PRO SSD 500GB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology (MZ-V8P500B/AM)
$139.99

OS

Windows 10 Home USB - Full Version 32 & 64 Bit - English - Lifetime License for 1 PC
$129.99

Get the OEM
https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/adver ... 1021).html

[william lawes]

Narrowed it down, are there benchmark tests for these two boards, they both sound good...

MOBO

ASUS Prime Z590-A LGA 1200 (Intel®11th/10th Gen) ATX Motherboard (14+2 DrMOS Power Stages,3X M.2, Intel® 2.5 Gb LAN, USB 3.2 Front Panel Type-C, Thunderbolt™ 4, Aura Sync RGB Lighting)
$338.98

GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX (LGA 1200/Intel Z590/ATX/3x M.2/PCIe 4.0/USB 3.2 Gen2X2 Type-C/Intel WiFi 6/2.5GbE LAN/Gaming Motherboard)
$309.28

Passive GPU

ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition 2GB DDR3 PCI HDMI DVI Graphics Card ZT-71113-20L
$215.42

OS

Microsoft Windows 10 Pro

[T-CM11]

Passive GPU

ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition 2GB DDR3 PCI HDMI DVI Graphics Card ZT-71113-20L
$215.42

Why?
https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/N ... vsm1498842