ControlFreak
Max Output Level: -88 dBFS
- Total Posts : 120
- Joined: 2006/10/12 10:15:45
- Location: South Florida
- Status: offline
Need New Computer Advice
Budget: $1,300 Resoultion: 1680x1050 Building a new machine that will do a few things: - Sonar 7 Producer
- NI Battery 3
- Dimension Pro
- Rapture Pro
- Amplitube
- Gaming
- Software Development (MS Visual Studio)
- Minor video editing
I've done some research and here's where I am, but all the info I've gotten was from the Gaming side (easiest to get system building advice in that area first): - Case: Antec Three Hundred (well reviewed, low-price case)
- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P P45 (does this have TI firewire?)
- CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8500 (i7 blew up the prices too high)
- CPU Cooler: Xigmatech HDT-S1283 w/Retention Bracket and Arctic Silver 5 (keep things running cool)
- Memory: G.Skill 8GB (4x2GB) DDR2 1100 PC2 8800 (CAS Latency 5, Timing 5-5-5-15)
- GPU: Sapphire HD 4870 1GB (for the gaming of course)
- PSU: PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W (good reputation and the price is right)
- Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA (good experiences with WD)
- Optical: HP 20X DVD+R Burner
- O/S: Vista Home Premium 64-bit (any issues with Battery3 with this?)
Thanks in advance CF
|
bpclark
Max Output Level: -85 dBFS
- Total Posts : 275
- Joined: 2003/11/06 21:08:16
- Location: Gettysburg, OH
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/14 16:03:07
(permalink)
The Gigabyte motherboard has the TI firewire chipset. It's a sturdy board too. I knocked mine off the table accidently before I installeded it (out of the box, but still in the bag)  and no damage done.
|
losguy
Max Output Level: -20 dBFS
- Total Posts : 5506
- Joined: 2003/12/18 13:40:44
- Location: The Great White North (MN, USA)
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/14 16:26:02
(permalink)
A few quick things right off the bat:
A case for a DAW should be quiet by design. The Antec P180 series is in a class by itself in this area. Solid like a tank, too. Worth every penny.
Don't know about the Xigmatech cooler... but the Zalman 9500 or 9700 series rocks for cooling and quietness.
Be sure to get a separate dedicated hard drive for audio and video.
|
ControlFreak
Max Output Level: -88 dBFS
- Total Posts : 120
- Joined: 2006/10/12 10:15:45
- Location: South Florida
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/14 19:42:37
(permalink)
Made some changes based on advice here and elsewhere. Changes are highlighted: - Case: Cooler Master Storm Sniper (much more roomy, but a bit more expensive)
- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P P45 (well reviewed)
- CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8500 (i7 blew up the prices too high)
- CPU Cooler: Xigmatech HDT-S1283 w/Retention Bracket and Arctic Silver 5 (keep things running cool)
- Memory: CORSAIR 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) (less expensive than the G.Skill)
- GPU: Sapphire HD 4870 1GB (you know, for kids!)
- PSU: PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W (good reputation and the price is right)
- Storage: 2x Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA (added 2nd drive)
- Optical: HP 20X DVD+R Burner
- O/S: Vista Home Premium 64-bit (still need to know .. any issues with Battery3 with this?)
It's not mentioned, but I use an E-Mu 0404 USB for Digital Audio. Comments are still desired and appreciated, CF
|
vaiman
Max Output Level: -90 dBFS
- Total Posts : 44
- Joined: 2009/01/25 08:05:18
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/15 07:58:03
(permalink)
Looks good. Nice to see you have considered a decent PSU as this is often one part that is overlooked and can cause no end of problems. My only concern would be that it looks like you are a gamer? Just looking at the parts and what you said. As you probably know a gaming rig and a music rig need to be setup differently if you want the most out of them. I can be done dont get me wrong, but being a gamer myself I found over the years that this caused more pains than it was worth. Thats why I now have two machines. It all boils down to cash I know. All I am saying is remember what primary function you want the computer to achieve... music or gaming. Good imaging software is a good buy, I use Acronis. Saves hours after you have installed those hacked graphics drivers or system tweaks for Crysis 2 that totally screw the system 
|
ControlFreak
Max Output Level: -88 dBFS
- Total Posts : 120
- Joined: 2006/10/12 10:15:45
- Location: South Florida
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/15 13:06:04
(permalink)
Yes I'm a gamer, but I mostly play MMORPG's, so I'm not looking for 60 FPS on Crysis .. I'm just looking for good performance in Warhammer Online. I'm hoping that I don't have to make too many sacrifices for either one (gaming or music) though.
|
vaiman
Max Output Level: -90 dBFS
- Total Posts : 44
- Joined: 2009/01/25 08:05:18
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/15 13:46:04
(permalink)
Sounds good.
I went for the Antec Nine Hundred case, nice and quite but it lights the whole room up when playing in the dark lol
|
ControlFreak
Max Output Level: -88 dBFS
- Total Posts : 120
- Joined: 2006/10/12 10:15:45
- Location: South Florida
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/15 13:54:04
(permalink)
|
losguy
Max Output Level: -20 dBFS
- Total Posts : 5506
- Joined: 2003/12/18 13:40:44
- Location: The Great White North (MN, USA)
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/16 11:58:54
(permalink)
ORIGINAL: ControlFreak
MMORPG's
For the rest of us non-gamers... in case you were curious... this means Massively Multiplayer Online Role- Playing Games How do I know, you ask? My kid... he's on WarHammer too. (He goes by ConflictMallet over there.  ) Looking at the things he does to his machine for the best gaming, were it me, I would definitely go with two machines as already mentioned. If it must be one machine, I'd at least go dual-boot.
|
ControlFreak
Max Output Level: -88 dBFS
- Total Posts : 120
- Joined: 2006/10/12 10:15:45
- Location: South Florida
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/17 21:04:04
(permalink)
I am doing my best to "support" the gaming, while not sacrificing anything for the DAW. I'm not planning to dual boot, but if I notice any performance issues in Sonar I will probably do that fairly quickly. If I was making this machine to play high Frames-Per-Second First-Person Shooters or Real-Time Strategy games, then maybe I could see where I'd be pushing the machine in a certain "direction" for performance. However, with a Massively-Multiplayer Online Game, I don't expect to be pushing anything to the limit where I'd be sacrificing audio latency. That being said, the parts should arrive tomorrow and Thursday according to UPS.
post edited by ControlFreak - 2009/02/17 21:14:31
Sonar 8.5 Producer, E-MU 0404 USB Battery 3, Amplitube2, Ampex SVX Some Hard Synths, Some Guitars Running 64bit Gamer-Musician-Programmer
|
ControlFreak
Max Output Level: -88 dBFS
- Total Posts : 120
- Joined: 2006/10/12 10:15:45
- Location: South Florida
- Status: offline
RE: Need New Computer Advice
2009/02/23 12:11:14
(permalink)
Well .. computer is assembled and working, but I can't seem to find my Sonar 7 Producer disk. Not sure how I'm going to proceed, but I guess right now the best option seems to be to just upgrade to Sonar 8 Producer. Then again, having just bought the new computer, money is a bit tight.
Sonar 8.5 Producer, E-MU 0404 USB Battery 3, Amplitube2, Ampex SVX Some Hard Synths, Some Guitars Running 64bit Gamer-Musician-Programmer
|