New DAW performs perfectly - a replacement for my ADK machine

Just had a new DAW built.  I DID have an ADK-built DAW, but a year after getting the MB replaced (after the original died) the MB died again, and this time ADK tells me it's not under warranty AND they won't/couldn't fix it because "too many of the parts were dependent on the motherboard." OK, I understand the business model, and that's cool.  But I wasn't going to go with them again after their MBs died twice regardless.  btw, the first time it died they handled it pretty well.

So this time I had a electronics guy I know build me a DAW to spec.  For $1300 this is what I got:

Intel Quad-Core i7 3.4 Ghz
24 Gb RAM
(2) 1 Tb HDs, 1 500Gb HD
Rack mount case
8 USB ports, Firewire, 3 "ultra-quiet" fans
Dual-head video with (2) 24" wide-screen monitors
(2) DVD R/W drives
External USB Drive Caddy
M-Audio Delta 1010
Windows 7 pro 64-bit
Sonar 8.53 PE with Akoustic Piano, Elektric Piano, Garritan PO, B4 II, EZ Drummer, First Call Horns, Mini Moog, Artutia Mini Moog, Roland V-Drums.  I can all of these at once!

This monster handles all I can throw at it including some pretty great video editing.  It has no problem with hours of video edits, dozens of tracks, tons of VSTs.  I need to use jbridge for all of my 32-bit VSTs, but it seems to work 100%.  That's one great little utility.

I was bummed at first with ADKs response that my original DAW could not be repaired or upgraded.  It sure seems that the case, fans, drives, ports, video, etc. could all be adapted to a new motherboard.  As a matter of fact, the guy that built my DAW is going to get it all working for just a few hundred bucks.  But I love the new DAW he built me, and I'm glad he built it for me.

Best $1300 I ever spent.

Sorry to hear about your DAW.

Power surge got mine so I need to build a new DAW as well......

Our spec's are very close.....our price is worlds apart but that is beside the point.

One thing I would LOVE to know is HOW did your builder get 24 GIG of Ram in there?

I have been searchinng and the most  I can come up with is 16 GIG

Please ask him and let me know......becuase If I can stick 24 GIG in there I would prefer that instead of 16.....

Thanks
Clifford

jrdalton


Just had a new DAW built.  I DID have an ADK-built DAW, but a year after getting the MB replaced (after the original died) the MB died again, and this time ADK tells me it's not under warranty AND they won't/couldn't fix it because "too many of the parts were dependent on the motherboard." OK, I understand the business model, and that's cool.  But I wasn't going to go with them again after their MBs died twice regardless.  btw, the first time it died they handled it pretty well.

So this time I had a electronics guy I know build me a DAW to spec.  For $1300 this is what I got:

Intel Quad-Core i7 3.4 Ghz
24 Gb RAM
(2) 1 Tb HDs, 1 500Gb HD
Rack mount case
8 USB ports, Firewire, 3 "ultra-quiet" fans
Dual-head video with (2) 24" wide-screen monitors
(2) DVD R/W drives
External USB Drive Caddy
M-Audio Delta 1010
Windows 7 pro 64-bit
Sonar 8.53 PE with Akoustic Piano, Elektric Piano, Garritan PO, B4 II, EZ Drummer, First Call Horns, Mini Moog, Artutia Mini Moog, Roland V-Drums.  I can all of these at once!

This monster handles all I can throw at it including some pretty great video editing.  It has no problem with hours of video edits, dozens of tracks, tons of VSTs.  I need to use jbridge for all of my 32-bit VSTs, but it seems to work 100%.  That's one great little utility.

I was bummed at first with ADKs response that my original DAW could not be repaired or upgraded.  It sure seems that the case, fans, drives, ports, video, etc. could all be adapted to a new motherboard.  As a matter of fact, the guy that built my DAW is going to get it all working for just a few hundred bucks.  But I love the new DAW he built me, and I'm glad he built it for me.

Best $1300 I ever spent.

2nd time you posted this..
 
we dont make the motherboards or have anything to do with the warranty of them so stop trying to make us look like the bad guys here.
you bought the system 3 yrs ago. (almost to the day) after 2 yrs and your warranty was up (albeit not by much) we still replaced your board for free
how about a thank you for that huh? try that with another company.
tell the whole story..
 
 FYI you cant have 24G ram with a core i7 3.4GHz quad (2600)
only 16gig
a 960 3.2GHz can have 24gig
 
so which is it?
 
  
 

Beagle


Clifford - win7 home premium (which is what most people use at approx $100+ retail) has a limit of 16G.  you have to step up to Win7 Professional version (typically ~$200 retail) to get the limit raised to 192G (yes, 192G!).

however, you have to be careful about your motherboard limits.  since MOST users have home premium or below then the motherboard manufacturers build MOST models to only handle a maximum of 16G.  so you have to find a motherboard model that will handle more than 16G as well as purchase win7x64 Professional in order to use more than 16G.
 
EDIT:  BTW - win7x64 Home BASIC has a limit of 8G and win7 STARTER has a limit of 2G.
 
ref:  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx

Reece
Thanks for the info....I believe that my MOBO has the capability to handle up to 32 GIG and I THOUGHT that I picked the correct Windows 7 package.....I did read a comparision chart comcerning how much ram they will accept....but I willl go back and re-read.......
 
I thought that my draw back was due to not being able to find 4, 8 Gig Ram sticks. The most I was able to find are 4 gig sticks.....
 
I guess I need to stop and rethink and re look.....that is why I posted my thread and was hoping people would chime in and let me know what I am doing wrong from the get go...
 
Thanks Reece
I appreciate you guidance
 
Clifford

Beagle


ah, yes, there is that problem as well.  I wasn't thinking in terms of RAM sticks.  but you are correct.

Well I went back to see what I choose as an OP and it was windows 7 ultimate which does have the ability to see 24 gig.... (Take a look at my list in this forum just a couple of threads down and see what you think please)
 
but Yeah that is my biggest hurrdle cause the mother board I picked only uses dual channel for the intel 2600K....I could not find a triple channel with out going to a board that others did not have that much luck with.
 
but Yeah...its the RAM sticks baby!   :-)
 
Clifford

same as the first, they replaced the 1st one with the same model (we had one on the shelf as we try to keep a few of everything around for this reason) so the warranty is based on the original board. chances are we couldnt RMA that board we replaced anyway.

when he called with yet another dead board a yr later it was out of warrnty for sure by then and we had no more of those left for service replacement..

also the manufacturers are bad about End of Life.
lets say a company had a model that was discontinued say 3 months ago on their shelf.
and they sell it the mobo will not have a full length warranty.
manufacturers do not go by sold date but when the model went out of production.
so the above would be more like 1yr 9 month (assuming a 2yr warranty) or 2yr 9 months assuming a 3yr
FYI 3 yr is just now back in vogue. for yrs it was 2 yrs and good luck with the EOL thing..
and trust me its not set in stone. if they no longer have any laying around to replace it with you dont have a warranty either..
rarely will they send you a newer model.
and this is all of them not just one manufacturer.

Supermicro is even worse $500 Xeon board 1 yr warranty based on date SOLD to DISTY... NOT end user or even the computer company
so you could buy that board and have a 6 month warranty.. bit me in the butt more than once
i refuse to use them anymore (and havent for yrs now)