Just ordered my New Custom Build PC

[Carlvtr88]

Hey, thought id share my custom spec with you guys. This PC will be used as my Digital audio workstation (Hence the absence of a dedicated graphics card etc) But here goes.

ANTEC NINE HUNDRED TWO CASE

Processor (CPU) - Intel® Core™i5-650 Dual Core (3.20GHz, 4MB Cache) + HD Graphics + Turbo Boost

Motherboard
ASUS® P7H55-M/USB3: MICRO ATX MAINBOARD,USB 3.0 & SATA 6.0Gb/s

Memory (RAM)
4GB SAMSUNG DDR3 DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (2 X 2GB)

Graphics Card
INTEGRATED INTEL HD GRAPHICS (HDMI, DVI, 1920 X 1200)

Memory - 1st Hard Disk
250GB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm)

2nd Hard Disk
500GB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm)

1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM

2nd DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Monitor
22" WideMonitor

Power Supply & Case Cooling -
450W Quiet 80 PLUS Dual Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan

Processor Cooling
SUPER QUIET 22dBA TRIPLE COPPER HEATPIPE CPU COOLER

Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO
(Already got active usb studio monitors with soundcard built in so i didnt need a dedicated sound card, So i just went with the on board)

Got myself a nice logitech USB Mouse and Keyboard aswell.



For those of you who inevitably will say, macs are better for music, OK they are ideal but the price was just too much for me. I managed to get all this for under £800 where as a mac would have been over the £1000 mark at this spec. But yeah , that should see me for multiple years in My bedroom/ Studio.

[gord]

so do you build it yourself?

[Carlvtr88]

No, I was going to but ive got enough trouble with getting all my crap off my current laptop and transferring it over. The company i buying off build the pc for me... Custom build. all ready to go.

[woodysVTR]

Originally Posted by Carlvtr88

Memory - 1st Hard Disk[/B]
250GB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm)

2nd Hard Disk
500GB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm)

When do the cams kick in?!

[haz_pro]

You getting it from OCUK?

[MunkyBoy]

If its a dedicated audio pc - the lack of soundcard would worry me still. How are you inputting music into it?

If you are using MIDI, then the onboard sound card will be too slow to do this, you'd have to run it at half duplex on both input and output.

If you are recording via a mixing desk, then I'd have plumped for a bigger sound card so you can use a higher quality D/A Converter...

If you are just recording via the line in, then i'd still have plumped for the bigger sound card!

P.S - You bought a motherboard with SATA2, but only bought Sata HD's... Hence 3Gbps, instead of 6... just letting you know.


Apart from those, its not a bad build at all. The i5's are cracking processors. Only thing I'd change would be the soundcard, and probably swap out the drivers for Sata2 and at least a 16mb cache..

[Manu]

+1, daw without a sound card :/

And should have bought a mac, more stable/no virus/can run logic studio. That computer will slow down dramatically after a few windows updates.

[Carlvtr88]

i already have a sound card guys... Its inside my monitors. I use reason. And cubase and abelton. The abelton programme utilizes asio drivers. The on board will be adequate for me at the minute. As i wont use it. Unless im recordng a radio stream from the interet or some thing. Thanks for the feed back guys plenty of upgradable space for the future. And its pc specialist im dealing with

[haz_pro]

Originally Posted by Manu

+1, daw without a sound card :/

And should have bought a mac, more stable/no virus/can run logic studio. That computer will slow down dramatically after a few windows updates.

windows 7 is very stable, and only retards get viruses.

My windows 7 laptop has crashed maybe once or twice in nearly 2 years.

Only advantantage with apple os in regards to viruses is that you dont really need a antivirus, which is one of the programs that slows a windows PC down.

Cant comment on logic, although i know most of my friends who are into music production use mac.

[Carlvtr88]

I agree with the comments about macs being more ideal. Which is true yes, We used them in the studio at college and the my mate has one in his studio now. They are ideal systems but i mean, for the price (on a middle - ish budget, a system like the one i custom spec'd would be well expensive if it were an apple product.

I can always upgrade a more expensive sound card at a later date. The one in my monitors is very good and has inputs at the back.

At the minute, i will be using it for recording my DJ sets live into the pc ( via usb audio ).

Monitoring my mixdowns from reason/. which uses USB audio and cubase which uses asio drivers. As i say the only time ill use the onboard card is if theres a stream on the net id like to record ( straight through the sound card ) then id swich to on board. But other than that i use the usb audio codec and asio drivers. Suits me fine at the min. Then when i move out and make myself a proper studio ill think about adding more to the system (its the reason i bought a desktop) Current laptop is 8 years old and just un upgradable (apart from the ram which i already did, But its still not adequate) so this will be 100 times better, No doubt.

[Carlvtr88]

Originally Posted by woodysVTR

When do the cams kick in?!

lol at about 3.2 ghz.. then the turbo kicks in haha. up to 3.46ghz


Just to add to the last commnt, Yeah, im very sensible when it comes to internet use. I dont install limewire and stupid stuff like that, When i download i know what im downloading and what to avoid.

Ive never had any trouble with my current laptop with avg free on it + a dash of common sense, I know people with symantec and kaspersky that have still managed to fuck their systems up. I may well use this laptop for downloads and internet stuff and keep my PC clean by just using it soley as my DAW.

But yeah, im happy with the system for the price. 22 inch monitor aswell, thats not bad at all.
I was going to get a cracked copy of 7 from my mate but its recently recognised its not genuine ( although its cracked ) so i thought fuck it, id rather buy it genuine.

Also sorry to consused people about the usage of my pc. i use it as a virtual studio, I dont actually record any instruments into it as of yet ( apart from my dj sets from my mixer ) but i may in the future. But for running cubase/VST's, reason and abelton its going to be a dream, it really is. No more ( comp too slow for song ) Messages popping up. Case looks pretty awesome too.

[Manu]

Originally Posted by haz_pro

windows 7 is very stable, and only retards get viruses.

My windows 7 laptop has crashed maybe once or twice in nearly 2 years.

You had W7 for nearly 2 years ? Thought it was released in July.. My comments were regarding mac vs everything else, not just a W7 laptop. And I would certainly not recommend a laptop for music production, as they have lower specs anyway.

i already have a sound card guys... Its inside my monitors. I use reason. And cubase and abelton. The abelton programme utilizes asio drivers.

What monitors ? You may experience some lag if you ever use a keyboard or other control devices. bah it'll give you an excuse to upgrade at some point.

[haz_pro]

Originally Posted by Manu

You had W7 for nearly 2 years ? Thought it was released in July.. My comments were regarding mac vs everything else, not just a W7 laptop. And I would certainly not recommend a laptop for music production, as they have lower specs anyway.

Got the RTM through msdnaa in july 2009.

I didnt at any point reccomend a laptop for music production either

Also you can get laptops with better spec then the base Imac any way.

[Manu]

The base imac is laptop technology... Some of my friends have them, they tend to be slow once you filled the hard drive up(might improve with soon to come SSL drives though). still wouldn't have a laptop over an imac anyway.

[Carlvtr88]

i do use a midi keyboard with my usb monitors and experience zero lag. Latency is miniscule and totally un noticeable

[Carlvtr88]

laptops are good for transport and have come leaps and bounds in terms of performance but tbh i dont move it about and also want to be able to upgrade it ( future proof it ) so a pc was my choice given the circumstances.