first time audio production pc build

frunk1 · Post by **frunk1** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:15 am

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1y6IB

I'm working on my first pc build for music production under a 750 $ budget.

Very little recording, lots of vsts and automation. Any ideas or critisism about this build?

azuk · Post by **azuk** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:33 am

I would not get an I5, i doesn't hyperthread.

frunk1 · Post by **frunk1** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:47 am

What is hyperthreading?

What would you recommend?.. I can't find anyone helpful on any other forums so I decided to come here.

Tom_Autobot · Post by **Tom_Autobot** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:05 am

Hyperthreading gives about 50% extra audio processing power at the same cpu speed. This is the difference between desktop i5 and i7 chips.

Personally, i'd look to pick up some bargains from the previous generations and spend a bit extra for a SSD system drive, your pc will feel like its more than twice as fast to use. There's only been about a 10% actual performance difference in the past 3 generations of intel chips, they just use slightly less power now.

I'd steer clear of ASROCK and look at ASUS for the motherboard, very reliable for audio PC's

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1y9BA - quiet, fast i5 audio pc with ability to overclock if you feel the need to at some point. you don't need a separate graphics card with that motherboard, it'll be fine for audio use.
You could swap the i5 chip out for a 3770K i7 for about an extra $100, to gain 50% extra audio processing power.

frunk1 · Post by **frunk1** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:55 am

What's ssd? Sry I'm a noob lol

Think you could link me up to a good cpu and mother board?

mks · Post by **mks** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 3:17 am

It's a solid state drive. There are no moving parts on them unlike conventional hard drives.

frunk1 · Post by **frunk1** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:57 am

so ive been reading up on my shit all day, kind of went way over budget but ill just save up some more cash over the next few weeks.. tell me how you guys feel about this

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1ye3A

azuk · Post by **azuk** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:10 am

You don't really need a good video card, so I'd fone a really cheap one. You could save some and get a smaller ssd

frunk1 · Post by **frunk1** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:25 am

is a smaller ssd better?

or would that jut save me some cash?

id really only need my ssd for DAW use if im correct

everything else would be stored on the other hard drive

Tom_Autobot · Post by **Tom_Autobot** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:43 am

frunk1 wrote:is a smaller ssd better?

or would that jut save me some cash?

id really only need my ssd for DAW use if im correct

everything else would be stored on the other hard drive

You use the SSD for the system drive, where the OS and programs are run from. The difference is roughly in the region of the computer taking 20 seconds to boot up instead of two or three minutes. the whole computer will feel like it runs three or four times faster when you open a window or program.

Do not go below 120gb for the system drive, you need to leave at least 20% of a domestic SSD drive unused, otherwise the drive starts to slow down, its about $100 and will be the best money you've ever spent. Samsung SSD's have the lowest failure rate out of any manufacturer and are the only ones we reccomend for system drives.

Pick any Asus z77 motherboard that you want, and a 3770k processor, but use the rest of the spec i gave you before.

Do not go for the Asus soundcard, they are rubbish for pro audio use, as they have a big delay (latency) from you playing a note on a keyboard to the sound coming out of the speakers and you cant change it.
Go for a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 (or a Traktor Audio 2 if you are never going to do any physical recording) as these are very low latency devices.

I manage the pro-audio division of the largest Audio PC manufacturer in the UK, so i have more than an idea of this

Tom_Autobot · Post by **Tom_Autobot** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:55 am

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1yfAs

There... i7 3770K Processor and a slightly better motherboard.
$1005, plus a soundcard

http://www.amazon.com/Native-Instrument ... te+audio+6

http://www.amazon.com/Native-Instrument ... B002MV4JUM

frunk1 · Post by **frunk1** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:04 am

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1yfOb

i think that might be what i end up buying

i can just throw a Graphics card in that hoe and play some games right?

SunkLo · Post by **SunkLo** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:01 am

Yeah get a decent i7, a mobo that can overclock comfortably, you probably got enough ram, ditch the soundcard in favor of a scarlet 2i4, you can get a Seagate Barracuda for cheaper, might wanna get 2 TB, add on a nice cpu cooler and video card later. Get quiet fans and a case if you're recording anything or need to monitor at a low level. SSD is for your OS and programs, your data drive should be fast if you do a lot of audio work. Get Windows 7.

Tom_Autobot · Post by **Tom_Autobot** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:03 am

That antec case is a peice of crap, it's got no soundproofing and will be very noisy. The coolermaster Silenecio has already got quiet fans, will be a lot quieter in operation and is an all round better manufactured case. They are phasing it out now, hence why its particularly good value. the fractal R4 is also above average for a studio pc if you want to have a window like the antec. http://pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-de ... cadefr4blw

I'd go for Western Digital Blue or black HD's over hitachi's anyway of the week, much lower failure rate.

If you are going to game on it, get a gtx650 ($100) or above
... the gtx660ti is particually good value at the minute at about $200
... but the built in graphics would be good for everything else, so perhaps add it a bit later. The graphics part of the 3770k is actually quite decent for any 2d work and will power multi-monitors too.

Windows 8 does actually just topple win 7 for low latency audio performance, but either 64 bit OS is fine.

forbidden · Post by **forbidden** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:51 am

wow had no idea hyperthreading had that kind of an impact.

test_recordings · Post by **test_recordings** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 10:15 am

Yo $750 will get you a supercomputer as a self build if you look in the right places

Tom_Autobot · Post by **Tom_Autobot** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 10:56 am

difference wrote:wow had no idea hyperthreading had that kind of an impact.

http://www.scanproaudio.info/?p=2290

This shows exactly how much audio processing power different cpu's have. The higher the number, the more RXC compressors could be run on each cpu (at stock and overclocked) before the audio breaks up.

Frunk · Post by **Frunk** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:20 am

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1yD8G

this is my final build, lmk what youthink.

after reading up on over clocking i dont think ill find myself doing that anything soon

Tom_Autobot · Post by **Tom_Autobot** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 6:34 pm

Frunk wrote:http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1yD8G

this is my final build, lmk what youthink.

after reading up on over clocking i dont think ill find myself doing that anything soon

Great, but you haven't got a case!

RmoniK · Post by **RmoniK** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:50 pm

Go for an i7 and just one card of 8 GB RAM. You can always add more later. Chances are if you're using non samplebased vsts, you're gonna need your cpu more than your RAM.

Also i saw you're going for a 3770, why not go for the newer 4770? almost as cheap and a little better performance wise. Another chipset/socket though so it's up to you.
(if you're not gonna overclock, there's not really a reason to go for a 3770K as opposed to regular 3770 though).

I'm actually building my first one myself too in a couple of weeks, this is my order:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1y2zr

first time audio production pc build

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