DAW system that needs upgrade help

Markw82 · Post by **Markw82** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:46 am

Those look like good numbers ces. I will be doing audio encoding, but also video encoding with hd video. So it's to be a media computer - audio recording, and video editing. I didn't forsee getting into overclocking, so many options.. hmm

Thanks for the link on the dpc latency checker, I will for sure be downloading that. I will take your advice for the Asus P6T SE

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=024899

Getting that silent video card just may be worth it. Thanks for the recomendation. I'm wondering why my videocard even has a fan, that one looks pretty close to specs and how does it not require cooling?

Man it's gonna be nice in the future when all computers are more or less silent.

ces · Post by **ces** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 10:32 am

Markw82 wrote:Those look like good numbers ces. I will be doing audio encoding, but also video encoding with hd video. So it's to be a media computer - audio recording, and video editing. I didn't forsee getting into overclocking, so many options.. hmm

Thanks for the link on the dpc latency check.

Even still, the stock 3.6GHz 680 has about 70% of the clock cycles of the i7 920. So even with 4 core video encoding it is 3/4 as fast. But in almost every other other application, including audio encoding, it will be faster than the i7 920 by about the same amount (at least in theory - you really have to test these things in the real world to see what really is).

And it is the route to a silent as opposed to quiet computer.

Markw82 · Post by **Markw82** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 11:10 am

Hmmm quiet or silent is good! Hmmm, wouldn't I still need to install a better cpu cooler for an i5? How much difference is there in noise levels do you presume?

I originally thought getting quad core was going to future proof myself, at least a few good years. Bah

ces · Post by **ces** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 11:16 am

Markw82 wrote:Hmmm quiet or silent is good! Hmmm, wouldn't I still need to install a better cpu cooler for an i5? How much difference is there in noise levels do you presume?

I originally thought getting quad core was going to future proof myself, at least a few good years. Bah

You could use a fanless PSU. The only fan you would need would be a 300 rpm fan on a ThermalRight HR-01 Plus cooler. Actually you might not even need that, as the HR-01 was designed for fanless operation - but I would still use some kind of fan.

So worst case would be one fan total. Best case would be no moving parts, not even a slow fan.

No moving parts is about as good as you can get. The only noise you would be left with is the capacitors and inductors in the mother board.

Markw82 · Post by **Markw82** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 11:52 am

Isn't the system going to run at a hotter temperature and the parts wear our quicker tho?

ces · Post by **ces** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:09 pm

Markw82 wrote:Isn't the system going to run at a hotter temperature and the parts wear our quicker tho?

No. It will run at about the same temp, but run faster. Packing 4 cores together is what limits the quads.

It gets a bit complicated though. None of these chips generate a lot of heat. Run your current system under a utility meant to stress it. You will see your cpu temps climb. Now touch the heatsink. It's not going to be that hot.

The real problem is the heat is all condensed in a small area within the CPU. The problem is getting that heat out, not moving it into the air once you get it out.

I don't know if I am explaining myself well. But try the experiment above. I think you will be surprised. You won't look at heat sink benchmark results the same again.

But anyway, the cores of the clarkdales aren't much different than those in the 1156 quads. The difference is that with two cores, instead of four, you can run them faster because it is easier to get the heat out of the CPU chip, which is about the same size in both instances.

Markw82 · Post by **Markw82** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:52 pm

Ok this is what I've concluded on my system so far

Antec LifeStyle SOLO (Black) Quiet Mid Tower Case , No PS
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=010408

Intel Core i7 920 Quad-Core Socket LGA1366, 2.66Ghz, 4.8GT/s QPI, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm (Retail Boxed) (BX80601920)
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=020622

Scythe Mugen-2 Rev.B (SCMG-2100) 5 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler for Socket Intel LGA 1156/1366/775/478 & AMD AM3/AM2+/AM2/940/939/754
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=027377

Asus P6T SE Socket 1366 Intel X58 ICH10R Chipset Crossfire X Triple-Channel DDR3 2000/1866/1800/1600/1333/1066 Non-ECC Memory 3x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 GigaLAN 8-CH HD Audio 6x SATA 3.0Gb/s 12x USB 2.0 ATX
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=024899

OCZ (OCZ3G1600LV6GK) DDR3 PC3-12800 1600 MHz Gold XTC Triple Channel Kits 6GB (3x2048MB) T/C
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=020538

Not 100% sure if this memory is 100% compatible it says on the asus P6T SE memory compatibility

OCZ
OCZ3G1600LV6GK
DDR3 1600
6144MB(Kit of 3)
DS
N/A
Heat-Sink Package
8-8-8(1066-7-7-7-20)
1.65

But on the canadacomputers website it says

* 1600MHz DDR3
* CL 8-8-8-24
* (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
* Available in 3GB and 6GB Triple Channel Optimized kits
* Gold Z3 XTC Heatspreader**
* Lifetime Warranty
* 1.65 Volts
* 240 Pin DIM

Is that compatible? Still newb on these matters.

Asus EAH5450 SILENT/DI/1GD3(LP) ATI Radeon HD 5450 Chipset (650MHz) 1GB (800Mhz) GDDR3 Dual Display DVI/HDMI/D-Sub PCI-Express 2.1 Graphics Card
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=030149

OR

Asus EAH4670/DI/1GD3/V2 ATI Radeon HD 4670 Chipset (750MHz ) 1GB (1600Mhz) DDR3 Dual Display DVI/HDMI/VGA PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=026465

and use this cooler fan suggested
Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 Pro for ATI Radeon HD 5870,5850,5770,5750 & nVIDIA GeForce GT220/240,GTS250,9800 Graphics Card Up to 100 Watts
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=024018

Corsair HX Series CMPSU-650HX 650W ATX EPS12V Power Supply
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=025887

DP FireWire 2-Port PCIe
Two-port FireWire (1394a) PCI Express x1 card
http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pn=NN-E20012-S2

2 - Western Digital Caviar Black (WD5001AALS) 500GB SATAII 7200RPM 32MB Cache (OEM)
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=020449

Windows 7 home

I have two of these as well, not sure how beneficial they will be on noise level...
Scythe S-Flex 120mm (1200rpm) FDB Bearing Chassis Fan (SFF21E)
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_ ... _id=014034

let me know if I should change anything, or what not.

Luke

Rucker · Post by **Rucker** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:31 am

I have a simlar system built for the same purposes:

Antec Solo, modded a bit more for silence
i860, stock speeds
Megahalems
EVGA P55 Mobo
Nexus Value 430W PSU
HIS HD 4670 Passive
Slipstream 1200 rpm fans on cooler and exhaust, Nexus 92mm fans for intake, all on a controller

I just ran a quick P95 test. Fan speeds: 600rpm for the Slipstreams, 400 rpm for the Nexus. At these speeds, the computer has no discernible noise. Idle temps: 23-29C for the cores, 48C for the GPU, room temp 16C.

In the blend test, core temps rose to 55C, GPU to 55C. I turned off the intake fans and temps rose only 2C across the board. Since you also have a BAPOA on your CPU, you have no thermal issues to worry about with the i920. Additionally, I could crank up the fans for encoding and overclock by a good bit without risk.

The HIS 4670 is completely passive and with my setup gives a 6.7 video score in the Windows Experience Index.

bonestonne · Post by **bonestonne** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 1:39 pm

Antec LifeStyle SOLO (Black) Quiet Mid Tower Case , No PS
Intel Core i7 920
Scythe Mugen-2 Rev.B
Asus P6T SE
OCZ (OCZ3G1600LV6GK) DDR3 PC3-12800 1600 MHz Gold XTC Triple Channel
Asus EAH5450 or Asus EAH4670
Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 Pro
Corsair 650HX
DP FireWire 2-Port PCIe
Western Digital 500gb AALS
Win7 Home Premium (x64?)

I'm guessing this is your list?

From previous posts, I'm also guessing that you have:
Core i7 920
OCZ RAM
Asus EAH4670
2x WD 500GB AALS
Corsair 650HX
Win7 Home (x64?)

You'll be buying:
Antec LifeStyle SOLO (Black) Quiet Mid Tower Case , No PS
Scythe Mugen-2 Rev.B
Asus P6T SE
DP FireWire 2-Port PCIe
Asus EAH5450

Am I getting this right?

The list does look solid, whether or not you upgrade graphics. From a financial viewpoint, there's no reason to upgrade graphics, but at the same time, you could sell the old one and get a little bit of a return, just like your old motherboard.

The Mugen 2 is a massive, and very good cooler.

But what's important to consider now are the fans.

I personally love the 800rpm slip stream fans from Scythe. Scythe S-Flex fans are also really good, many people use the 1200rpm version.

Nexus and Noctua (to me) are the runners up. Noctua fans are really good, but I think they're priced too high.

There are also plenty of off-brand fans that seem to undervolt to 7v very well. In my main computer, I have a mix of one 92mm fan and two 120mm fans, at either 7v or PWM, all different brands, but they all work very well when they're strategically placed.

Do chime in if i've got it wrong anywhere