Recommend a new PC for DAW and bedroom recording

[geoffroy]

Dear forum

My DAW is getting old...
case : silent Antec but can't find the reference
power supply : Corsair VX450W
mobo : Gigabyte GA P35 DS3R
graphic card : Nvidia Geforce 8500 GT
CPU : Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2160
Firewire : Belkin F5U503 PCI / Firewire 400
hard drive : WDC WD5000AAKS
screen : I-Inc AG191D with DVI and VGA inputs

I'd like to refresh it for about 800€ (PC parts and new screen).
I'm based in Paris, France.
The more silent the better, because I record everything in the same room. If it would be as silent as my Macbook Air I'd be very pleased.
I don't play video games, I hope I don't need a graphics card at all.
I'd like to buy a new screen but would like to keep my old screen as a second screen if possible.

I absolutely need a good Firewire card for my soundcard (Steinberg MR816).
I also need a solution to connect my old SATA/IDE hard drives from time to time.

Do you think I need to change the case and/or the power supply ?

Thanks in advance.

Geoffroy

[quest_for_silence]

I'd like to refresh it for about 800€ (PC parts and new screen).
I'm based in Paris, France.
The more silent the better, because I record everything in the same room. If it would be as silent as my Macbook Air I'd be very pleased.
I don't play video games, I hope I don't need a graphics card at all.
I'd like to buy a new screen but would like to keep my old screen as a second screen if possible.

A possible build might be:

Motherboard: ASRock Z170A-X1/3.1 / H170A-X1/3.1 / B150 Pro4/3.1
CPU: Intel Core i3 6300 / Intel Core i5 6500
RAM: Kingston HX421C14FBK2/16 / HX421C14FBK2/32
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 500GB
HDD: do you need scratch disks? Do you just need long term storage?
Monitor: how many inches? Do you need some special features?

I absolutely need a good Firewire card for my soundcard (Steinberg MR816).

1. http://www.lindy.fr/Carte-FireWire-800- ... 3&pi=51182
2. https://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapters ... ~PEX1394B3
3. http://www.siig.com/it-products/firewir ... -pcie.html
4. http://www.siig.com/it-products/firewir ... -pcie.html

I also need a solution to connect my old SATA/IDE hard drives from time to time.

To do what, exactly?

Do you think I need to change the case and/or the power supply ?

Are you satisfied by their sound level (case & PSU fans)?

[geoffroy]

Thanks a lot for your quick answer !!

Motherboard: ASRock Z170A-X1/3.1 / H170A-X1/3.1 / B150 Pro4/3.1

Is there any practical difference between the three of them ?
Can I connect two screens with all of them ?

HDD: do you need scratch disks? Do you just need long term storage?

I don't need scratch disks if my main HD is 500 GB

Monitor: how many inches? Do you need some special features?

No special features needed. 25" or 27" would be nice.

For the Firewire card, if PCI express works, maybe my current card works too (I have to check if it's PCI or PCI E)

> I also need a solution to connect my old SATA/IDE hard drives from time to time.
To do what, exactly?

To retrieve files from my old backups. It's quite rare.

Do you think I need to change the case and/or the power supply ?
Are you satisfied by their sound level (case & PSU fans)?

PSU fan : yes.
Case : I'm not quite sure.

Thanks again !

[quest_for_silence]

Motherboard: ASRock Z170A-X1/3.1 / H170A-X1/3.1 / B150 Pro4/3.1

Is there any practical difference between the three of them ?

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/artic ... rence-635/

Can I connect two screens with all of them ?

No, I missed that, I'm sorry: well, let's start over.

Some options with multi monitors capability and not that frugal features might be:

Cheaper: ASRock H110M-HDS / ASUS H110M Plus
Not so cheap: ASRock B150M Pro 4 / ASRock H170 Pro4S / ASUS B150M-Plus / ASUS H170M-Plus

Difference are mainly in connectors/features, so please check the relevant product pages, I may try to clarify on these if needed/possible.

HDD: do you need scratch disks? Do you just need long term storage?

I don't need scratch disks if my main HD is 500 GB

I beg your pardon: do you need mechanical disks at all?
Because ATM I think you may need one, albeit not a huge one I guess, unless you're used to store files on external (likely USB) drives.

Monitor: how many inches? Do you need some special features?

No special features needed. 25" or 27" would be nice.

For instance: iiyama XU2590HS-B1 / Benq GW2870H

It may worth to note that 23-24" screens could be noticeably cheaper.

> I also need a solution to connect my old SATA/IDE hard drives from time to time.
To do what, exactly?

To retrieve files from my old backups. It's quite rare.

So which are those older drives, and how do you usually store them?

Do you think I need to change the case and/or the power supply ?
Are you satisfied by their sound level (case & PSU fans)?

PSU fan : yes.
Case : I'm not quite sure.

How many are those case fans? Which are they (that may affect the motherboard choice/parts list)? How did you connect those case fans (in your current setup, I mean)?

[geoffroy]

Hello

Sorry for the delay in my reply, I was away this week !

I beg your pardon: do you need mechanical disks at all?
Because ATM I think you may need one, albeit not a huge one I guess, unless you're used to store files on external (likely USB) drives.

I'm not sure I need a mechanical disk at all, because when a track is over, I can copy the full project to an external HD.

Code: Select all

So which are those older drives, and how do you usually store them? 

I've got 4 IDE drivers, and one SATA drive. I store them in a cupboard.
A friend recommended me to buy a USB/IDE/SATA adapter so that I can retrieve some old projects if I need to.
http://www.materiel.net/cable-adaptateu ... 35510.html

How many are those case fans? Which are they (that may affect the motherboard choice/parts list)? How did you connect those case fans (in your current setup, I mean)?

There are two fans.

One at the front


One at the back


And here are the connectors



Thanks again !!

All the best

Geoffroy

[quest_for_silence]

I'm not sure I need a mechanical disk at all, because when a track is over, I can copy the full project to an external HD.

Well, if you may get away with no mechanical disks there's a big advantage, as it's one of the major noise sources, and a small one too, as it's a minor expense you may spare.

I've got 4 IDE drivers, and one SATA drive. I store them in a cupboard.
A friend recommended me to buy a USB/IDE/SATA adapter so that I can retrieve some old projects if I need to.
http://www.materiel.net/cable-adaptateu ... 35510.html

Likely it's the most cost-effective work around: but think also that mechanical drives wear out over time (their electronics do), and IDE ones are old, so IMHO you'd better use two larger, newer SATA disks instead of five old and small ones: one drive for the data, one as a back-up of the first one.

There are two fans.

That's right, two translucent fans, unmanaged (please resize the pics, they are pointlessly ugly ): I think you should replace them (and get the dust out of your "boitier" ).

Then, you should add a couple of good sounding 120mm case fans to your parts list.
May I ask where are you going to buy your parts, or better, which is your preferred e-shop? I'm asking so just to check which fans you may find locally, as there may be more than an option.

[geoffroy]

Thanks for the HD recommandations. I will follow your advice.

That's right, two translucent fans, unmanaged (please resize the pics, they are pointlessly ugly ): I think you should replace them (and get the dust out of your "boitier" ).

Then, you should add a couple of good sounding 120mm case fans to your parts list.
May I ask where are you going to buy your parts, or better, which is your preferred e-shop? I'm asking so just to check which fans you may find locally, as there may be more than an option.

Sure, I will clean the case

I don't use e-shops usually, but there's a LDLC shop in Paris I can go to :
http://www.ldlc.com

Thanks again !

Geoffroy

[quest_for_silence]

I don't use e-shops usually, but there's a LDLC shop in Paris I can go to :
http://www.ldlc.com

That's a base example:

[geoffroy]

LOVELY !!!

Thanks a million Luca !!

[quest_for_silence]

LOVELY !!!

Thanks a million Luca !!

Well, no: I'd have said "Thanks 5000 Luca !!" (that one was my 5000th post in 9 years here on SPCR... OMG!)

More seriously: I hope you'll be satisfied by your upcoming re-build, and if any of my advices shouldn't sound that right, well, please be as gentle as you were with me!