Motherboard = EVGA X58 SLI
Processor = Intel Core I7 CPU
Chipset = Intel X58 and ICH10R chipsets
Graphics Card = NVIDIA GEFORCE GTS 250
Audio Interface = TASCAM FW1884

My previous computer was AMD 64 single core. I previously had problems with frequent dropouts, the computer would post 100% CPU usage.

Now the new machines rarely gets above 5-6% CPU usage running the same programs. I went Intel chip set all the way, and operating system and applications (Ableton and SONAR) all 64-bit. Runs DAW programs as if they were MS Word. The new machine was definitely worth building.

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- Tommygear: Ableton 8.1.5(64), Sonar 8.5 Studio (64), TASCAM FW1884, TASCAM US122, FCB1010, Roland VG-99,
Roland PC-160, WIN7 Pro 64-bit, EVGA X58 SLI motherboard, Intel Core I7 CPU

MB: ASUS P5Q
CPU: Intel Q6600
RAM: Kingston KVR 2x2GB @800Mhz
Soundcard: E-MU 1820M
Chassis: Antec Sonata III
OS: Windows XP SP3
software: Cubase, Reaper, Reason, VST plugs and loads of crèpe

Been using this system for quite a few years now. Stable, reliable and quiet. Did not feel the need to overclock or upgrade yet as I haven't reached the 100% usage. I did some OC to test it's limits and found it can run stable at 3,66Mhz, which should still give me a boost of +/- 20%

Likely my next upgrade will be around the time AMD's bulldozer or Intels ivy brdige platform comes out. Depending on what give me most performance for the budget.

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who is Kees and why is he so special?

here also our studio DAW:

CPU: 2x Xeon X5650
MB: Asus Z8PE-D12
RAM: 24GB DDR3 ECC/reg@1066Mhz
Soundcard: E-MU 1820m, UAD1 expansion,
Chassis: don't have specs here, SSI/EEB compatible
OS: Win7/Suse/win2003 server
Software: Ableton Live, Cubase SX, various VST plugins

Totally unable to make this system work hard, even under the maximum possible load we could create the CPU usage hovers around 10% max.

System has been running 24/7 continuously for +/- 9 months now. Only 1 time it's been shutdown for replacement of the CPU fans. Doesn't really get warm, but noticed the boxed cooler at the 2nd fanrate starts becoming audible.

Tips: It is hard to find proper power supplies for dual socket boards! Must be SSI/EEB compatible. We first had a ATX PSU which obviously didn't work and then payed too much for a PSU because it was the only one that could be delivered in less then 14 days. Other option were pre-built PSU's into a rackmount but this option is too noisy for use in a studio (or even for the neighnours of a studio).

We could've easily saved a few 100 eur's if we had looked into the PSU issue on forehand.

- consider using aftermarket CPU coolers, boxed fans are quite noisy when system gets warmer.

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who is Kees and why is he so special?

Thanks for informations in this thread because very helpfully.

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"Welcome In My World and smile"

Details of my new build.

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H61M-USB3-B3
CPU: Intel i3-2100 Sandy Bridge 2 core (4 with hyperthreading) 3.1ghz
Graphics: On CPU
RAM: 4Gb - ( 2 x 2Gb 1333mhz DDR3)
OS: Windows 7 Pro 64bit
DAW: Acid Pro v6d
Audio: Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 USB
2 x Seagate Barracuda 500Mb SATA 150 drives
Sony Lightscribe SATA DVD writer.
Antec Sonata Case and Antec 380watt PSU.

Old system was based on Pentium 4 3.0Ghz 800 FSB with Abit IS7-V2 motherboard and 1Gb RAM. Disk drives and case used from old system.

I got the gigabyte mobo as it had 32bit PCI slots as well as PCIe. I wanted old PCI to take my Echo Gin24 sound card which at the time the website stated that it was still supported and in Windows 7 64bit. (Echo and I now know differently!) I also chose the mobo as it has the intel H61 chipset for Sandy Bridge which does not have the SATA drive issues recently reported.

My old system was fine apart from the occasional lock up but I was limited to recording two inputs at once anyway, though it could cope with a further 8 on adat on accasions. Performance seemed ok until I got the new one !

The new system is far more stable, considerably faster and during a recent 5 hour recording session with vocal, keyboard, violin, viola and acoustic guitar recorded as a live group, all hardware performed perfectly. Saving projects inbetween and during takes was so much faster.

The newer PC is noticably cooler and quieter and might even be saving the planet!

In use I find Windows 7 Pro far more productive than XP Pro and even old programs look far better on screen than under XP.

Opening Acid from scratch and opening projects takes about a third of the time it used to. Rendering mixed tracks takes less than 25 secs for a 4 minute full band mix with many plugins.
Web pages render instantly and any processing associated with video/dvd is much faster.

Most software seems to work ok as the installer tunes older XP programs to work with W7. Some software requires admin approval to run which is annoying when you are the only user on the system!

What doesn't work:-
Echo Gina24 PC Card and Echo's W7 drivers (works in XP on same PC hardware but goes awry after 15 mins or so).
My old adaptec SCSI PCI card and therefore my trusty scsi scanner! no-driver
Umax Astraslim USB scanner - no-driver
HP Deskjet 720c printer - using Gigabyte LPT printer port adapter (works in XP on same PC hardware).
Avermedia Video capture PCI card
Nero 6 Burning ROM software
Netgear NTI Shadow backup software (works in XP on same hardware)
PATA DVD Writer & Floppy Disc Drive not supported by Mobo.

Matt

Edited by MattHT (21/06/11 01:05 PM)

In risposta di MattHT:

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My old adaptec SCSI PCI card and therefore my trusty scsi scanner! no-driver
What doesn't work:-
Echo Gina24 PC Card and Echo's W7 drivers (works in XP on same PC hardware but goes awry after 15 mins or so).

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My Layla24 works grat on win7 64bit (with PCI card)
Layla 24 and Gina 24 use the same driver you can find here: http://echoaudio.com/Downloads/Windows_Drivers.php

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA965P-S3 Rev 3.3
Processor: Intel Q6600
Ram: 6GB OCZ DDR2 6400 Platinum Rev2
Graphics card: MSI R6950 Twinfrozr III 2GB
Audio interface: Echo Audio - Layla 3g/PCI
OS: Windows 7 64
Software: Cubase 6 (32bit)
Drives: 320GB OS/Programs, 500GB Samples, 750GB Audio/Projects. (all Sata2)

An older setup, however it's extremely stable and reliable. I run some heavy projects on this machine and have no issues. I will be moving to Cubase 64 soon. Will probably be running this system for another two years before I build another machine.

Edited by dgalas (10/03/12 05:06 AM)