New Build Plan for the New Year!

[Chevron]

I've been debating what to go for for in my first build, and I've settled on the below after a lot of reading and getting relatively up to speed. I'm pretty new to this scene so would appreciate some advice on my selection.

I'm a music guy, so the single core speed of the i9s is appealing. I also was thinking to over spec the power and cooling to make for a more future proof system if I wanted to upgrade the Mobo and Processor later for a X299 etc. QUIET OPERATION IS A MUST FOR RECORDING IN SAME ROOM.

i9 - 9900ks (was originally thinking the 9900k, but seeing as I can get the ks for only slightly more)
Gigabyte MB INT 1151 Z390 Designare DE ATX
Corsair 163301 Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4 3200 Mhz
Samsung EVO 970 1 TB
Sapphire Radeon NITRO+ RX580 8GB (not a graphics guy, and only do light video editing)
NZXT H510 Elite Case
BeQuiet Dark Pro 11 850W
Corsair H150i PRO

I am aiming for a vanilla install, no idea if this is viable so appreciate any feedback.

 

[theruck]

there are 1000 questions like this even with the same components. buyer's guide is your friend. just pick anything from there.

 

[Chevron]

I know it must be tedious, but the landscape evolves and not everyones needs are the same. It's pretty daunting making the first build, and people post these questions for genuine help. Which is hugely appreciated.

 

[theruck]

there is a list of HW from the buyer's guide so obviously it will work. why would you buy the most expensive hardware and not buy a real mac? only you know.
anyway if you are a music guy then probably the onboard audio will not be enough for you so you might look for a HD audio USB DA decoder
if quiet operation is a must you shall pick the CPU with lowest TDP not highest as you did. imho nobody but intel needs the 9900KS to exist

 

[Chevron]

Sure, this is my list based on reading so far. No doubt it is a good idea to check here before buying, no?

The cost of this build compared to a similar perfromance for a real Mac is £1700 compared to £4,800 or more for an iMac Pro, not to mention upgradability - and the new Mac Pro starts at £5,500 and will be less powerful. Surprised that is needed to be explained here... The i9 iMac has been reported as throttling under load and also for the fans to kick in quite loud, so not an option.

Sure, I already have all the audio gear I need outside of the computer. This is to replace my ageing 5,1 Mac Pro.

I have read from music people using the 9900ks who have managed to keep it quiet with sufficient cooling. Seeing as the price difference I can get it for is about £70 compared to the 9900k I thought I'd go for it.

 

[trs96]

no idea if this is viable so appreciate any feedback

Your chosen parts are very similar to the CaseySJ Golden build with the Designare motherboard. Definitely read through as much of that as possible to learn which hardware will work. That build is a much better value than buying an iMac from Apple. What you have to figure into the equation is all the time required to learn this, build the PC/hack and then maintain it in the future. If you have some free time available to do all this that doesn't take away from earning money from audio production it is definitely worth it.

 

[Chevron]

@trs96

Thank you, I had read through CaseySJ's build guide. Which in part, lead me to go for the selection I have.

I am still reading up and I understand about investing the time to learn and build the HT. Not knowing how much time that may be, is a little concerning but nothing ventured nothing gained

 

[e-troc]

I rely on a Hackintosh as my main audio workstation and can recommend it, given that:

• You are a bit of a tinkerer.
• You pick a mainboard that is used in a well-supported Golden Build (like you did).
• You follow the guide closely and understand its steps, so you know how to troubleshoot and ask the right questions.
• You maintain a bootable backup of your system drive.
• You don’t go crazy with updates. If you need to rely on your system professionally, you don’t want to introduce uncertainty into your workflow just to have the latest OS.

 

[e-troc]

if quiet operation is a must you shall pick the CPU with lowest TDP not highest as you did. imho nobody but intel needs the 9900KS to exist

I’ve seen reports showing that the 9900KS is running significantly cooler than the 9900K. Both of these are excellent CPUs for audio work given their strong single-core performance, allowing for extensive DSP at low latencies.

 

[Chevron]

I rely on a Hackintosh as my main audio workstation and can recommend it, given that:

• You are a bit of a tinkerer.
• You pick a mainboard that is used in a well-supported Golden Build (like you did).
• You follow the guide closely and understand its steps, so you know how to troubleshoot and ask the right questions.
• You maintain a bootable backup of your system drive.
• You don’t go crazy with updates. If you need to rely on your system professionally, you don’t want to introduce uncertainty into your workflow just to have the latest OS.

Thank you, and I am most definitely a tinkerer. As long as it is for productive gain

For a bootable back up, do you use something like Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner? I was thinking to use the 2nd M.2 slot on the Z390 for a cheaper M.2 drive as a back up drive.

I’ve seen reports showing that the 9900KS is running significantly cooler than the 9900K. Both of these are excellent CPUs for audio work given their strong single-core performance, allowing for extensive DSP at low latencies.

That's good to know, thank you.