subsekt

Plyphon wrote:I don't think Xeon are optimal for 'basic' computing tasks (of which, making music falls into that category).

They are server/workstation CPU's that are designed to do a certain type of work - it's not the same as comparing GHz across the board.

Yep

nomadjames wrote:Since posting this I have been down a huge rabbit hole of research. I think I am going to go with the i7-7820X processor. 8 cores @ 3.6 ghz base speed. Trying to figure out the best X299 motherboard with on-board Thunderbolt 3 right now. Should last me a while.

If any of you guys know anything about the X299 motherboards, I'm down to learn it.

Interesting to hear how you get on with this. No idea about mobos with thunderbolt 3 support tbh, but I'd like to!

I had always wanted to go UAD, so we will see. There's some info out there, but there are literally a handful of these motherboards out in the wild right now.

Just trying to get a broad spectrum of opinions on the shit before I pull the trigger. Lots of info at Gearslutz and UAD forums, but once you start getting into that hardcore motherboard shit, I'm kinda lost. My computer guy doesn't know shit about music, keeps pushing me in the wrong direction.

I’ve personally always bought Gigabyte motherboards, currently the X299-Designare-EX is the best one you can get and has on board Thunderbolt 3. The other Gigabyte motherboard can take an add on card, just make sure there’s a Thunderbolt connector on the motherboard (not all of them do)

X299, personally i think the sweet spot is the 10 core chip Intel Core i9 7900X X-series, but the 8 Core chip looks great as well, just don’t get the 6 core, because then you may as well get the X370 motherboards, which will be cheaper overall.

The most expensive parts in recent times is RAM and Graphics cards, thanks to Crypto miners, if you want to hackintosh then you best off getting one of the latest AMD Vega cards, but they’re really expensive.

You can still pick up the Nvidia Fanless cards Gigabyte GeForce GT 710 and I’d recommend getting a good power supply (and EVGA modular are great) and a good water cooling unit cause the X299 chips run really hot.

http://www.gigabyte.com.au/Motherboard/ ... -EX-rev-10

Also is a 6 hour drive worth $1000 off a iMac Pro?

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... 9a8958b321

Ekwipt: that’s the motherboard I was looking at. I still feel like 7820x is ideal for ableton due to the base clock speeds. Was just about to figure out the cooling situation. I would probably want to overlock it some, just because, lol.

I think it’s the only motherboard with inbuilt Thunderbolt, it’s very expensive but I tend to look at computer purchases over 2-5 years depending on your situation. I think you’ll be fine with either chip, make sure you get a AIO cooking loop or you can get the shop to build a custom job but that’s a lot more expensive as well. I’m guessing you won’t be pushing the overclock to high anyway so the AIO is true better solution.

I bought a NZXT Kraken cooler and case, did some research but that a couple of years ago now. EVGA make great power supplies and I’d personally go GSkill for RAM

I already got my case.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... 2fEALw_wcB

I’m still using a Mid 2010 MPB. This thing should last me forever. Trying to figure out the best cooling solution now.

I don’t understand why you need such a beast computer for music. Are you also mastering on this thing? I know some high end simulation plugs are heavy on cpu but it seems excessive. Fair amount of ram and fast reasonably sized HDD and you’re good to go.

nomadjames wrote:I already got my case.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... 2fEALw_wcB

You might struggle with the layout using this type of case, with cooling etc, I guess justvresearch and measure before you buy

buffered wrote:I don’t understand why you need such a beast computer for music. Are you also mastering on this thing? I know some high end simulation plugs are heavy on cpu but it seems excessive. Fair amount of ram and fast reasonably sized HDD and you’re good to go.

Mastering would use less resources I would have thought? Less plugins per channel?

ekwipt wrote:

buffered wrote:I don’t understand why you need such a beast computer for music. Are you also mastering on this thing? I know some high end simulation plugs are heavy on cpu but it seems excessive. Fair amount of ram and fast reasonably sized HDD and you’re good to go.

Mastering would use less resources I would have thought? Less plugins per channel?

Not if you use processor hogs like Acustica Acqua plugins and circuit emulators. They use a shit ton of processing. As does anything dealing with spectral dynamics.
The machine in my mastering room is a beast so I can use these high end tools.

I have single Reaktor instruments that I can't run on my computer. I'm into recording 10 hour long jams into Ableton, 16 channels at 96k is what I'm aiming at, and want to be able to fuck with it on the fly. I want to record bands, I dabble in video (nothing serious, trying to learn), and I can afford it. Just trying to build something that will last, wont' tap out, and really, compared to what I would spend on a Mac Pro, or Imac, or Imac Pro, this shit is cheap.

Also, I want to upgrade to a UAD interface, I have for a long time, since I used one at a friends studio. So I need, ideally, Thunderbolt, natively supported on the motherboard. Now I had no idea that Thunderbolt was now being used on PC, i didn't find this out till I started researching builds 3 weeks ago or so.

It's pretty crazy that when I bought that Mac, it was the fastest Apple laptop available.

https://ark.intel.com/products/40380/In ... 66-MHz-FSB

Has been used to it's fullest potential, lol.

Did you check out the other link i posted, its a really great deal on then iMac Pro with the chip you're thinking of getting anyway

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... 9a8958b321

nomadjames wrote:I have single Reaktor instruments that I can't run on my computer. I'm into recording 10 hour long jams into Ableton, 16 channels at 96k is what I'm aiming at, and want to be able to fuck with it on the fly. I want to record bands, I dabble in video (nothing serious, trying to learn), and I can afford it. Just trying to build something that will last, wont' tap out, and really, compared to what I would spend on a Mac Pro, or Imac, or Imac Pro, this shit is cheap.

ok well this could have been posted first.

Once you get into video, especially animation, CAD, rendering, compositing etc etc etc this is what will really push a system. Video is far more taxing.

That said, if you want to get serious with video, animation, rendering etc Macs are rock solid. Still way too expensive.

ekwipt wrote:Did you check out the other link i posted, its a really great deal on then iMac Pro with the chip you're thinking of getting anyway

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... 9a8958b321

I did. Honestly, I’ve become obsessed with figuring out how to do this.