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Building my own $1200 i7 DAW ?HELP!

J

JvM

Junior Member
Hi, I?m building a DAW computer (never built any computer before) I priced out commercial DAW?s around 2k for a core 2 quad 8200 setup (with XP tweaked for audio) Then I found a Dell xps 420 deal for a quad 9400 setup for around 1,200 shipped.

I think I can build an i7/x58 DAW system for a little more than the Dell?s price (hopefully)

Couple of things?

- This computer will ONLY be used as a DAW (no gaming, etc) I might edit video down the road (but I can always upgrade my vid card setup then)

- I want the max audio tracks I can get (24+ at 24/96 & effects)

- I?m trying to keep the cost as low as possible (I need to put my main $?s into the 24/96 converters & card, mic pre, etc.)

- Not planning on overclocking (don?t know how & not sure I will need to)

- I already have the OS (XP pro 32 bit) can?t do 64bit till all the drivers are good with my Nuendo software version (haven?t heard great things about vista 32bit stability yet with this software as well) Once it?s solid, I?ll switch to 64bit.

- I need a dual monitor setup (nothing special, the cheapest costing vid card with 2 digital outputs to connect my 2 lcd monitors) also, enough onboard card memory so it never uses my system ram. Something like this? $44.99 (After rebate)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814130383


- As far as a computer case, I don?t care how it looks. I just want it big enough to fit everything easily & good airflow (& as quite as possible)

- Lastly, I found out from my tax person I need to buy all this before the end of this year (08) so I can use it as a deduction! (I?ve been living on these forums & the net for a week now?lol)


Here are the parts I am leaning towards so far (not sure if they are all 100% compatible)


Processor: core i7 920 $299.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819115202


Mobo: Asus P6T deluxe X58 $299.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131346


Memory: CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory ? Retail $229.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820145222

Or

OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory ? Retail $184.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820227365

(I know I will only be able to use up to 4gb (with the 3/g switch) with XP pro. But I?ll have 6gb for when I eventually bump up to 64bit vista)


CPU: Corsair 750 W crossfire ready $99.99 (After rebate)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817139006

Or

PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply ? Retail $69.99 (After rebate)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817341011


Hard Drives (1 boot & 1 data) - 2 X Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $64.99 each = $129.98

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822148288


Optical Drive - 1 X SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM $28.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827151173


Case? (big enough & cool enough & not too pricey)


Fans? (CPU fan, Case fans? already good/quite enough? Or do I need to get other ones?)


Thanks in advance for any help.

JvM
 
Originally posted by: JvM
Hi, I?m building a DAW computer (never built any computer before) I priced out commercial DAW?s around 2k for a core 2 quad 8200 setup (with XP tweaked for audio) Then I found a Dell xps 420 deal for a quad 9400 setup for around 1,200 shipped.
Click to expand...
Specialized applications or hardware + new chipsets, CPU architectures, and motherboards are not a good combination. For that matter, neither is first time builder + enthusiast class hardware. You are courting (read: begging for) some added complication here in a few ways:

DAW is specialty stuff that rarely gets any testing by motherboard manufacturers before launch. On the DAW vendor side, the same applies even more so. Many DAW vendors are relatively small companies that don't have the resources to stay on top of the latest motherboards, chipsets, and whatnot. Whenever I've looked through support documents and 'tested hardware' lists on the websites for a few DAW vendors in the past, the majority of motherboards listed are two or three generations behind.

Enthusiast class motherboards may not be the most sound choice for DAW. This class of motherboard is heavily tweaked for performance and throughput, which is not the trade-off you want for DAW. Design and tweaking decisions that heavily favor performance and throughput are one of the most common underlying contributors to or out-right causes of problems like audio glitching, much of which is beyond your control as it is selected for during the design of the motherboard and BIOS programming decisions. For a purpose built DAW, you would want a trade-off that is better represented in server and workstation motherboards. e.g. Tyan, SuperMicro, or Intel as opposed to ASUS, EVGA, DFI, et. al.

If you must have Core i7, it is much safer to buy a workstation from an OEM like Dell precisely because OEMs aim for "safer" design and BIOS programming trade-offs. Also, many DAW builders or VARs are using custom whitebox or barebone workstations from Dell or some other OEM, which gives them considerable exposure to the DAW market. Of course, it is entirely possible you may have no problem at all and everything goes as smooth as silk, but you can minimize the real potential for such issues by buying a pre-built workstation, or at the very least, building your own using hardware that is a lot more mature than 30 days.
 
Thanks.

I just found out since I'm going with an RME Fireface 400 converter setup, my motherboard needs to use the Texas instruments firewire chipset. (preferably at firewire 800 speed)

The Asus p6t doesn't. So I need to figure out what the best moboard is the does use Texas instruments firewire.

I saw this one: Intel BOXDX58SO LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Intel BOXDX58SO

& This one: GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5

Can't figure out if they're firewire 800 or 400 speed.

Not sure which mobo is THE best or what.

Thanks for your help!

J
 
I am about to build an 17 system as well

I am using the Giabyte Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128361

It has the Ti chip and firewire 400
I would suggest a pci or pcie Firewire card as I have had trouble with onboard fw in the past

Sigg makes ones that use the TI chip
and make sure you get an after market cpu cooler as the one the the 970 comes with will not be enough
hope thats helpful
JBBLACK
 
Originally posted by: JvM
I just found out since I'm going with an RME Fireface 400 converter setup, my motherboard needs to use the Texas instruments firewire chipset. (preferably at firewire 800 speed)
Click to expand...
The Fireface 400 interface is firewire 400, not 800. RME does not require Texas Instruments firewire controller chip. In fact, RME support docs report that RME testing found no problems with firewire 400 chips from VIA, NEC, and TI, though it recently reported problems with an Agere (Lucent) chip that Apple began using in some computers.

RME reports numerous problems with FW 800 controller cards, not due to the firewire chip but because of design or manufacturing flaws by the card manufacturer (chip makers don't manufacture the cards), including those with TI chips.
 
Thanks!

BTW.... Is it better to have a smaller seagate 250 or 320 gig boot drive that has a 16mb cache, or one of the seagate 500gig with a 32mb cache???

Because the 250 & 320 drives are only 5 or 10 bucks cheaper than the 500 & have half the cache.

Thanks,

J
 
I've just completed building a couple of high end DAW's and I have a couple of warnings for you.

Your choice of DAW software and interface hardware will dictate what computer components you need. For instance if you must use Protools you are stuck with 32bit OS and less than 4gb of ram. And tcsenter is correct about the chipsets, some DAW's won;t work with certain chipsets, and none of the new ones are properly tested and 64bit driver support for USB and firewire hardware is still spotty.

If you insist on using state of the art computer parts, I would stay with the newer DAW's like Reaper,Cubase,Muendo etc.. with good 64bit support, and stay away from Protools
And stay with the higher end 96khz+ interface hardware.

And on the TI firewire chipset, just buy the add on card with the correct chipset or you will be fighting it forever, it's like $40 at newegg
 
cool. thanks.

I'm going to be using Nuendo & the RME fireface 400 at 24/96. I'll definitely get the pci firwire interface card too.

I'm probably going to use XP pro 32 bit OS for now till all the Vista 64 bit drivers are solid (I will upgrade to 64 bit then)

Any idea on which is better for the OS/boot drive? smaller (250 or 320 gig) with a smaller 16mb cache vs a 500 gig with a 32mb cache?

Thanks,

J
 
JvM: I've built a number of daw's that occasionally get used for video. Sounds like you're building a great machine...a couple quick thoughts.

I've been using 500 watt power supplies with great success, and lower power draw. Seasonic is a good brand. Go for their 80+ (S12?) setups.

Video cards; I don't know about the 9500 but think it's in line with what I've done in the past: Save cash and go middle of the pack. There's no reason to have a high end video card for audio and even video editing; neither tax the video card much. A geforce 8600gt is what I bought earlier in the year for near $100.

Hard drive wise, I would check and see what anandtech says about what drives do best in desktop machines. If the Seagate Barracuda do well in test results, I think they'll be great. I've had good success with Seagate as well as Samsung 1tb drives recently.

Sean

 
Why are you spending so much on 6gb of DDR3 ram when XP32 can only access 3.5 (ish) of it? I also recommend going w/ an OEM for this or going back and building a P35/P45 system and saving yourself some money.
 
Thanks all.

I'm hearing bad things about the Seagate barrucada's. Seems like people on here like the Western Digital Caviar Black series drives (but they are mostly into raid setups, I won't be)

I just want...

1 reliable (most important) fast & smaller OS/boot drive
1 data drive (for the 24/96 audio files)
1 backup drive (I already have a eSATA 1tb Cavalry (brand) consumer drive I've been backing up data to)

Gotta buy em in the next day or two, so any help is greatly appriciated!

J

 
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