Custom PC - price/spec discussion...

[wub]

As per the title really, I think a change of scenery/city/studio means a change in machine may also be in order. Remember seeing a site a while back on here that allowed you to pick your components and they'd custom build it for you & deliver.

Anyone know the site, or indeed suggest something similar?

[DZA]

http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/

?

[wub]

Hmmm...neither of those was what I was thinking of but they're ideal


Follow up question - what's a good minimum main HHD size for a SSD system/programs function?

[Electric_Head]

I have a 80 and I find it to be sufficient as long as you don't go mad with game installs.
Plus I keep my major sound databases on a separate drive with a linked shortcut.

Ideally I'd like to go 250 +.

[wub]

This will be a purely 'studio' machine, no games.


Thinking 120/180 for the main SSD HDD will be sufficient for programs/VSTs, then a seperate 1Tb for samples etc. And an external 1/2Tb backup.

[Electric_Head]

More than enough imo.

[JBE]

http://www.computerplanet.co.uk/
http://www.inta-audio.com/music-pc-systems-c192
http://www.music-pc.com/
http://www.raincomputers.co.uk/Default.asp
http://www.scan.co.uk/

I've read some decent things about scan. The others are just some stuff I've found or have heard mentioned in other threads/forums.

For a primary studio machine I don't think you'd really need to go above 120, and even that might not be needed. I guess it depends just how much you plan to run in VSTs. If you plan to keep all your samples and what not on a seperate drive then that's where most of your space will be needed. I keep all my project files and everything on a secondary drive so my primary drive doesn't even get used that much to be honest.

If i removed all my games and stuff from this computer I'd only have about 35-40 gbs total used up.

[wub]

Right, really fucking stupid question re; FireWire soundcards...

1. Does a FireWire soundcard (i.e. a MOTU) require a FireWire PCI card in the machine in order to be able to connect?
2. What are the advantages of FireWire over USB, given that USB 2.0 is 480Mbps vs. FireWire's 400/800Mbps?

[Ongelegen]

Right, really fucking stupid question re; FireWire soundcards...

1. Does a FireWire soundcard (i.e. a MOTU) require a FireWire PCI card in the machine in order to be able to connect?
2. What are the advantages of FireWire over USB, given that USB 2.0 is 480Mbps vs. FireWire's 400/800Mbps?

1. Yes
2. Well on paper USB 2.0 is faster than FW400, but in practice FW400 outperforms USB 2.0. I don't really understand the technical details behind it but from what I understand is that USB uses the CPU and FW doesn't need to and can communicate both directions where USB can only communicate in one. So USB almost never even comes close to the spec speed where FW does. Some correct me if I talked out my ass

[Electric_Head]

I've also found firewire to be more stable as long as you minimize the amount that you move your machine around.
If this makes any sense?

[Ongelegen]

Also worth noting, if you're getting a FW PCI make sure you get one with a Texas Instruments chipset.

[wub]

Right, really fucking stupid question re; FireWire soundcards...

1. Does a FireWire soundcard (i.e. a MOTU) require a FireWire PCI card in the machine in order to be able to connect?
2. What are the advantages of FireWire over USB, given that USB 2.0 is 480Mbps vs. FireWire's 400/800Mbps?

1. Yes

So the chain would be;

PC >>> FireWire PCI Card >>> Firewire Sound interface >>> Synths etc

?

2. Well on paper USB 2.0 is faster than FW400, but in practice FW400 outperforms USB 2.0. I don't really understand the technical details behind it but from what I understand is that USB uses the CPU and FW doesn't need to and can communicate both directions where USB can only communicate in one. So USB almost never even comes close to the spec speed where FW does. Some correct me if I talked out my ass

I've also found firewire to be more stable as long as you minimize the amount that you move your machine around.
If this makes any sense?

Ok, this makes sense. Plus it seems that Firewire keeps it's speed with multiple sources a lot better than USB does.

[Electric_Head]

Your signal chain is spot on.

[Ongelegen]

EDIT: Electric beat me to it

[Electric_Head]

Faster than the speed of light.

[wub]

See, this whole Firewire revelation opens up more choices for me in terms of what card to get...though a new rack mount solution w/ the external effects unit & compressor does open up.

Furthermore, what to do with the old machine? Can't really bring myself to break it up for spares (plus the fact most of the bits are pretty obselete now anyway)...anyone running a dedicated machine in the studio for a specific task, such as audio editing/VST hosting (via a network cable)?

[SKIN E]

You just came up with a pretty good solution yourself I suppose you could do quite a lot of things with a second PC depending on your interests, if you aint strapped for money just keep it and hook it up as a media center or like you said a specific tasks like cutting breaks, use it as your experimentation machine, or even as your internet? (my studio machine aint hooked up to the internet on purpose)

[VirtualMark]

Specs i'd go for: Intel i5/i7 ivy bridge, 8gb ram, 128-256gb ssd(i get by with 128, but you can get 256 quite cheap now), 1tb hdd, dual monitors. Large slow fans so that its quiet.

I just bought the parts from one of the scan.co.uk 3xs systems and built it myself, saved about £300.

You could give the old machine to a family member, that's what i did. Its probably not worth a lot anyway, computer's lose almost all of their value.

[wub]

or even as your internet?

Oooo...now that is an awesome idea. Dedicated Internet machine in the new pad

Specs i'd go for: Intel i5/i7 ivy bridge

Was thinking of the AMD Bulldozer over the Intel for cost purposes.

128-256gb ssd(i get by with 128, but you can get 256 quite cheap now)

Don't think FL has the biggest footprint in the world, so will probably stick with the 180 to go halfway.

I just bought the parts from one of the scan.co.uk 3xs systems and built it myself, saved about £300.

Thinking I may go PCSpecialist and have them build it for me...my internal cabling skills weren't the best, even before I went rusty as fuck on my builds

[SKIN E]

It's very easy to connect all the parts if you get a decent box to put it all in Either way to keep it up for connecting to the internet is a good idea trust me, it'll keep your production machine SO much quicker (my production machine is a shitty dual core with 2gb RAM and I never have any problems whatsoever) and increases life duration by a million I use my macbook for chopping up breaks on the go, connecting to the internet.. downloading samples/vsts and just transfer it over via teamviewer.