• Computers
  • I'm shopping for a new DAW PC. I'm considering a build from "SilentPC".
2018/01/27 20:27:11
David W. Ganem
Any feedback from other Cakewalk users?
2018/01/29 15:53:15
patm300e
If you plan to spend that much, I would just let Jim Roseberry build you one.  That way you get support and a fine machine.
http://www.studiocat.com/opencart2/
2018/01/29 16:32:56
Starise
No matter what you choose here are a few things plain as the nose on your face yet often overlooked when buying a "silent PC"
As I sit in my office typing on a Thinkcentre IBM PC i5 cpu. I hear NOTHING. It's sitting right on my desk. This is a run of the mill office PC. My point being that many computers not sold to be silent are indeed silent.
Recording in the same space with a nominally noisy computer with lowl fan noise is easily tolerable using a  microphone with a cardoid polar pattern if it isn't pointed at the noise. You might hear the noise with your ears, but now put on a pair of mixing headphones. Now what do you hear? That's what will be in the recording. In most cases it won't be heard unless you have the input levels too high.
 
Occasionally a computer builder will use flimsy cheap fans which are noisier. These are easy to change.
2018/01/29 17:19:34
CakeAlexSHere
Yeah pretty much what I do, buy off shelf and customize later over time with slow upgrades.. every 7-8 years or so the computer slowly becomes a new one in stages, or sometimes I just get a new one and start from scratch. Regardless I take my time, something noisy I replace, something too slow (or incompatible) for modern software I am using I replace... Slowly slowly.
2018/01/29 18:34:45
abacab
My computer is fairly quiet with the stock Intel cooler and some good quality case fans, that are RPM controlled by the system.  I don't overclock and my CPU rarely runs full throttle, so heat is usually not an issue.
 
Always build with a quality power supply and fans.  If your system came with generic fans, that's a good thing to upgrade.
2018/01/30 04:19:35
David W. Ganem
Thanks all for your feedback thus far. I feel the need to clarify my pitch. I am specifically interested in knowing if there are any Cakewalk users out there that have any experience with, or own a PC from "Silent PC". I am much more concerned about having a PC for my DAW that will perform when I need it to than I am about how silent the fans are. Although, I do realize that quiet is a good thing when recording (I'm not a total idiot). What I am, is poor. Poor, but very resourceful. The fact that I have managed to assemble my present DAW is quite an accomplishment. I started with a hand me down PC (HP m9300t CTO 32 bit Windows Vista) and without the help from my "go to guy for tech support" I modified it to 64 bit so I could up the RAM to 8 gigs. Upon said modifications I immediately lost all support from HP for drivers. Thanks HP! I couldn't afford an OS, so I opted for the Windows 10 Technical Preview, and when it came down to choosing what software I'd build my world around, I couldn't afford ProTools, so I went with a household name "Cakewalk" (thank you very much Gibson Brands). My sister started me off with SONAR Professional as a combined Birthday/ X-mas gift, and I bought my way up to "Platinum" with lifetime updates. Not only did I have no driver support from HP, when it came down to any issues with software, both Microsoft and Cakewalk could only speak in hypotheticals. It isn't lost on me, that for one such as myself who had never actually bought a new computer, rather, built one using parts I cannibalized from computers other people threw out, at least for once, my OS and software are/were not legacy. I'm still using the HP.
 
My System: HP Pavillion m9300t CTO (modified) w/ Intel Core 2 Quad 2.67 GHz 64 bit 8 GB RAM 250 GB SSD, 128 GB SSD and 3 TB external drive, Radeon R7 250x w/ 3 monitors. Windows 10 Professional and SONAR Platinum, Denon AVR X2300W (7.1) JBL front and sub with Polk as surround,  and two old but reliable Sennheiser headphones.
 
But time marches on. So far, I've managed to turn every hardware failure into a decent upgrade. But it is time for a new PC. I will have help again from my sister (another combined Birthday/ X-mas gift) but I am still poor. I am in the researching phase. I will conduct my research very carefully. Not just because I love my DAW. Not just because I realize how important it is. Both of these things are true. But mostly because if I make the wrong choice I'll be stuck with it. I really wont be able to run out and buy something different. So far, what I've been looking at i7 16 GB (expandable to 64) support for three monitors, in the range of $1,200 to $1,600 seems to be the gaming PCs. Although I really dig the RGB lighted fans and the clear side panels so you can see in them, I spend so much time assembling, maintaining, and learning how to use my DAW, I have zero time to play games. From a practical standpoint, just because a gamer PC specs out in the range I mentioned doesn't assure it will perform for recording. So, I have to consider a PC that is built and tested to perform as such. Which brings me to "Silent PC". They are an unknown to me.  So, I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has purchased a machine from them. Good or bad.
 
Thank you to the user who mentioned the builder in Ohio. I will definitely check him out.
 
*also now with ProTools First, and Ableton 9.
2018/01/30 04:25:09
David W. Ganem
*also part of my DAW
 
Focusrite 18i/20, M-audio TFP and Keystation 61es, Fatar SL-990, Roland D-5
2018/01/30 04:46:34
abacab
Check out PC Part Picker to price out parts for a home built system that meets your specs, then take a look at the custom Studio Cat PCs.
 
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/
 
http://studiocat.com/opencart2/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=56
 
2018/01/30 06:08:42
mettelus
I just took note of CyberPowerPC recently, only because they are being sold 3rd party. I just was checking builds from them vs pcpartpicker and CyberPowerPC is significantly cheaper (many of theirs are GTX 1070Ti cards, and pcpartpicker is running that card alone for $1000 due to the recent price hikes, but doesn't seem to be affecting CyberPowerPC). CyberPowerPC is also one to email subscribe too, since they run flash sales that are significant, and I Googled coupon codes while researching and the one I found (5% off) took, which was "spring0410" IIRC.
2018/01/30 11:08:40
azslow3
General PC components are not DAW optimized. Gamers have different requirements. If you want tested with DAW solution and corresponding support, even good companies which target something else (gamers, silence, servers, etc.) are not going to help you. They probably can answer / solve problems with what they know (why something is noisy, why some modern game has less FPS then expected, etc.), but when you ask them about cracks/pops under particular settings in your DAW, the will just reply "hmm.... DAW? is that a new demanding game?"
 
© 2024 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account