2018 Audio Workstation Build

[Krismiller1982]

Hey everyone. This is my first post here. Extremely grateful for a place like this. I’ve decided to build a Hackintosh. I’ve tried searching through the forums for recommendations, but it’s hard to sort through so much info. I’m hoping some of you more experienced with building a Hackintosh Audio workstation can point me in the right direction.
Basically I want a killer audio workstation that I can sometimes (rarely) edit video on. 6-12 core processor, 32-64GB DDR4 ram, 2 decent but not crazy expensive gpus. I would like to take advantage of the newest tech available even though prices have been reduced on previous Kaby Lake builds. I’m looking to spend $1500-2000. I use UAD Thunderbolt audio interfaces. This is the biggest concern For me. If I get a motherboard with USB3 will I be able to still use my UAD Thunderbolt hardware with my system? I know this is a very specific question and most might not know the answer, but I just wanted to test the waters and see if some of you might know.... Any recommendations for Motherboard brand, Ram brand, and best quality will be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[Feartech]

Hey everyone. This is my first post here. Extremely grateful for a place like this. I’ve decided to build a Hackintosh. I’ve tried searching through the forums for recommendations, but it’s hard to sort through so much info. I’m hoping some of you more experienced with building a Hackintosh Audio workstation can point me in the right direction.
Basically I want a killer audio workstation that I can sometimes (rarely) edit video on. 6-12 core processor, 32-64GB DDR4 ram, 2 decent but not crazy expensive gpus. I would like to take advantage of the newest tech available even though prices have been reduced on previous Kaby Lake builds. I’m looking to spend $1500-2000. I use UAD Thunderbolt audio interfaces. This is the biggest concern For me. If I get a motherboard with USB3 will I be able to still use my UAD Thunderbolt hardware with my system? I know this is a very specific question and most might not know the answer, but I just wanted to test the waters and see if some of you might know.... Any recommendations for Motherboard brand, Ram brand, and best quality will be much appreciated. Thanks

i have moved your post to buying advice

 

[Krismiller1982]

i have moved your post to buying advice

Sorry for not putting it in the right place.

 

[Jamesbond007]

Hey everyone. This is my first post here. Extremely grateful for a place like this. I’ve decided to build a Hackintosh. I’ve tried searching through the forums for recommendations, but it’s hard to sort through so much info. I’m hoping some of you more experienced with building a Hackintosh Audio workstation can point me in the right direction.

Basically I want a killer audio workstation that I can sometimes (rarely) edit video on. 6-12 core processor, 32-64GB DDR4 ram, 2 decent but not crazy expensive gpus. I would like to take advantage of the newest tech available even though prices have been reduced on previous Kaby Lake builds. I’m looking to spend $1500-2000. I use UAD Thunderbolt audio interfaces. This is the biggest concern For me. If I get a motherboard with USB3 will I be able to still use my UAD Thunderbolt hardware with my system? I know this is a very specific question and most might not know the answer, but I just wanted to test the waters and see if some of you might know.... Any recommendations for Motherboard brand, Ram brand, and best quality will be much appreciated. Thanks

To use Thunderbolt 3 on a hackintosh, either the motherboard must have Thunderbolt 3 support (which means it will have a Thunderbolt chip on board and one or several USB-C ports which also act as Thunderbolt 3 ports) or the motherboard need to have a Thunderbolt header through which a Thunderbolt 3 add-in card can be connected to provide support. USB3 ports do NOT support Thunderbolt.

For the motherboard you might consider the Gigabyte GA-X299 Designare EX, which uses the new X299 chipset capable of supporting 6-18 core CPUs, and also has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports onboard.

Or if you are satisfied with 6 core CPUs, then you may consider any Z370 motherboard listed in the Coffee Lake Buyer's Guide together with a Core i7 8700 or i7 8700K, which is natively supported with High Sierra. But there will be no Thunderbolt 3 support unless you ascertain the motherboard has a Thunderbolt header and purchase in addition a Thunderbolt 3 add-in card such as the Gigabyte GC Alpine Ridge or Asus Thunderbolt EX 3.

 

[zipb]

Beware that here's no proper Thunderbolt implementation for hacks... TB will be nowhere as smooth as on a real Mac... You will need to enable TB in Windows first(only once), adjust settings in the BIOS until satisfied, and maybe plug your TB gear in while booting, or boot Windows first, then switch to OSX every time you want to work with your TB gear. Also, some stuff will just not work. Hot plugging isn't possible.
Unfortunately, TB is a bit like the final frontier in Hackintoshing, and the last couple of years or so minimal progress has been made.

Search this site for Apollo, and you will find some failure and success stories.

 

[DanRamone]

hi!
today i just order the components for my audio workstation hackintosh.
I ordered:
CPU: i7-8700K
MB: ROG Maximus X Hero
Case: NZXT H700i
air cooler: Artic freezer 13CO
Ram: 32GB Ballistix Sport LT
HDD: Samsung 500GB SSD drive for OS and Seagate 4TB Sata 7200rpm Drive for Samples
power supply: Corsair RM650x
Graphic Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 560
Monitor: 21:9 LG 34UM59
Total price damage: 2.100€

I will update you how it will work. Consider that without monitor you save 360 euros. You can consider to take a Seagate PRO 4TB (has much more cache, cost around 100 euros more), even not in the buyers guide list i figured out with some google research that it works.

 

[Krismiller1982]

hi!
today i just order the components for my audio workstation hackintosh.
I ordered:
CPU: i7-8700K
MB: ROG Maximus X Hero
Case: NZXT H700i
air cooler: Artic freezer 13CO
Ram: 32GB Ballistix Sport LT
HDD: Samsung 500GB SSD drive for OS and Seagate 4TB Sata 7200rpm Drive for Samples
power supply: Corsair RM650x
Graphic Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 560
Monitor: 21:9 LG 34UM59
Total price damage: 2.100€

I will update you how it will work. Consider that without monitor you save 360 euros. You can consider to take a Seagate PRO 4TB (has much more cache, cost around 100 euros more), even not in the buyers guide list i figured out with some google research that it works.

Awesome. Look forward to hearing about your experience.

 

[DanRamone]

DanRamone First Build > ASUS MAXIMUS X HERO - i7-8700K - Radeon Sapphire rx560

 

[Mixerjack]

Hey everyone. This is my first post here. Extremely grateful for a place like this. I’ve decided to build a Hackintosh. I’ve tried searching through the forums for recommendations, but it’s hard to sort through so much info. I’m hoping some of you more experienced with building a Hackintosh Audio workstation can point me in the right direction.
Basically I want a killer audio workstation that I can sometimes (rarely) edit video on. 6-12 core processor, 32-64GB DDR4 ram, 2 decent but not crazy expensive gpus. I would like to take advantage of the newest tech available even though prices have been reduced on previous Kaby Lake builds. I’m looking to spend $1500-2000. I use UAD Thunderbolt audio interfaces. This is the biggest concern For me. If I get a motherboard with USB3 will I be able to still use my UAD Thunderbolt hardware with my system? I know this is a very specific question and most might not know the answer, but I just wanted to test the waters and see if some of you might know.... Any recommendations for Motherboard brand, Ram brand, and best quality will be much appreciated. Thanks

Hi kris!!! It’s funny, almost everyone looking for thunderbolt owns an Apollo!! But thunderbolt certainly is the standard for audio interfaces these days....

I am actually looking at a similar build.

Personally I’m looking at the i9 7900x, it seems the right balance between power/speed and price. I really miss having 24 threads... right now I’m running an i7 Kaby hack which is a great machine. But alas I use a lot of very heavy plugins and super large Kontakt libraries so multi core is king....

Have a search here for the X299 builds... thunderbolt is possible if you are determined enough!! Let me know how you get on

 

[msj103]

Krismiller hello how's the build going, I'm headed to a computer store in the morning to get stuff for my first DAW build. Still trying to figure things out....