Pro Tools 10/11 - first build!

[EmbraceRandom]

Hi all,

I'm new here, and this will be my first computer build. Very excited! Please bear in mind I'm practically a complete novice. I'm particularly interested to hear BoomR's thoughts on this!

Build aims:

• I'd like to build an i7 desktop to run Pro Tools 10/11 (and future versions) as my bedroom studio's base system.
• Ideally, it would be capable of running W7 and / or OSX.
• My budget is £1000 ($1650).

Context:

• I use Pro Tools in my bedroom to write alt-pop / rock music, developing sessions from initial ideas with MIDI instruments to complete recorded productions.
• I record and mix music for a handful of bands.
• I record in multiple generally unorthodox locations.
• I travel frequently, listening to music when I'd prefer to be writing!
• Alongside this build, I intend to buy a sub-£400 ($650) Windows laptop running Pro Tools 10/11 for recording on-location, and for writing when travelling. The writing session files wouldn't be intensive. I would transfer the session files to my base system to fully produce.
• Current system (full spec available if necessary):
  • 2008 HP A6612UK (Vista) desktop PC + WD Blue 500GB internal audio drive
  • Digidesign 003 Rack Factory FireWire (400 6-pin) audio interface
  • Pro Tools LE 8 & Music Production Toolkit 2
  • AKG K701 & Sennheiser HD 25-C ii headphones
  • Maxtor OneTouch 500GB external HDD
  • Logitech wireless mouse & keyboard

I figured it'd be a good idea to cross-reference component compatibility advice from these forums with the Pro Tools community forums i7 builds thread, as to come up with a build spec that is fully Pro Tools and Hackintosh compatible.

-SPEC DRAFT 1-
Based on CustoMac mATX (June 2014)
MB: GA-Z87-HD3 (ATX)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
GFX: GeForce GT 640
RAM: ​Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
SSD: 1 x Samsung 840 EVO 120GB
HDD: 2 x WD Black 1TB, 1 x WD Blue 500GB
PSU: Corsair CS 550 Watt Modular
WiFi: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 WiFi Adapter
Case: Corsair Carbride 200r

​

Based on the CustoMac mATX build, this spec swaps out the suggested mATX MBs for a GA-Z87-HD3 (still listed in the Buyer's Guide!) as apparently the Z87Ms & Z87MXs are "a bit untested" in Pro Tools. This spec also swaps out the GTX-760 for a GT-640 (still listed in the Buyer's Guide!) as the GT-640 works fine in Pro Tools and would save me £130!

My drive layout would be:

• System & Apps Drive: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD
  
• Audio Drive: WD Black 1TB HDD
  
• Sample Libraries Drive: WD Black 1TB HDD
  
• Personal Drive: WD Blue 500GB HDD (for music library, documents etc. - already owned)

From a Pro Tools perspective, this is apparently pretty sound...

Is this a OSX-hackable spec???

​

Thanks,
ER.

 

[Going Bald]

-SPEC DRAFT 1-
Based on CustoMac mATX (June 2014)
MB: GA-Z87-HD3 (ATX)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
GFX: GeForce GT 640
RAM: ​Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
SSD: 1 x Samsung 840 EVO 120GB
HDD: 2 x WD Black 1TB, 1 x WD Blue 500GB
PSU: Corsair CS 550 Watt Modular
WiFi: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 WiFi Adapter
Case: Corsair Carbride 200r

​

Based on the CustoMac mATX build, this spec swaps out the suggested mATX MBs for a GA-Z87-HD3 (still listed in the Buyer's Guide!) as apparently the Z87Ms & Z87MXs are "a bit untested" in Pro Tools. This spec also swaps out the GTX-760 for a GT-640 (still listed in the Buyer's Guide!) as the GT-640 works fine in Pro Tools and would save me £130!

My drive layout would be:

• System & Apps Drive: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD
  
• Audio Drive: WD Black 1TB HDD
  
• Sample Libraries Drive: WD Black 1TB HDD
  
• Personal Drive: WD Blue 500GB HDD (for music library, documents etc. - already owned)

From a Pro Tools perspective, this is apparently pretty sound...

Is this a OSX-hackable spec???

​

Thanks,
ER.

Looks OK to me. Everything you list is in the Buyer's Guide and is known to be compatible, so I don't see you having any major problems getting your system up and running. Do you have access to a Mac to create your UniBeast USB installer or are you going the Snow Leopard route?

 

[EmbraceRandom]

I have a few friends with MacBooks who would be able to lend me theirs for a couple of hours
I need to have a bit more of a read-up on the actual OSX installation process; please could you link me to the benefits of the UniBeast method over the Snow Leopard route, or vice versa?

FYI, as per some advice on the Pro Tools i7 thread:

• I've upgraded the 120GB SSD to the 250GB version as it only costs +£41 and improves the build's future-proofing.
• I've upgraded the 550w PSU to the Corsair RM650w to ensure I've got plenty of headroom.
• I've included a SIIG FireWire 2-port PCIe card - I completely overlooked this! This isn't listed as OSX-compatible. Can anyone advise on this card???

So, the spec currently looks like this:

-SPEC DRAFT 2-
Based on CustoMac mATX (June 2014)
MB: GA-Z87-HD3 (ATX)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
GFX: GeForce GT 640
RAM: ​Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
SSD: 1 x Samsung 840 EVO 250GB
HDD: 2 x WD Black 1TB, 1 x WD Blue 500GB
PSU: Corsair RM 650 Watt Modular
WiFi: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 WiFi Adapter
FW: SIIG FireWire 2-port PCIe
Case: Corsair Carbride 200r​

It has also been suggested that I look into a third-party cooler (although the poster admitted he wasn't familiar with the Carbride 200r case), as the stock Intel coolers are known to be pretty loud. Of the compatible coolers listed in the Buyer's Guide, can you recommend any in particular? Bear in mind that this current spec draft totals £895 and I wouldn't like to spend much more than that!

Thanks,
ER.

 

[EmbraceRandom]

Having read BoomR's Recording Studio 2.0 post, I've decided to swap out the (Avid-qualified) SIIG FW PCIe card and replace it with the Syba SD-PEX30009 he uses. Apparently it's got the same TI chipset as the SIIG card so should work just fine (as I'm sure it does for BoomR!).

-SPEC DRAFT 3-
Based on CustoMac mATX (June 2014)
MB: GA-Z87-HD3 (ATX)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
GFX: GeForce GT 640
RAM: ​Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
SSD: 1 x Samsung 840 EVO 250GB
HDD: 2 x WD Black 1TB, 1 x WD Blue 500GB
PSU: Corsair RM 650 Watt Modular
WiFi: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 WiFi Adapter
FW: Syba SD-PEX30009
Cooler: ???
Case: Corsair Carbride 200r​

I still need to decide on a suitable third-party cooler. I would like something that is as quiet as possible, delivers solid performance and doesn't cause any clearance issues (e.g. obscure DIMM slots). This is still a budget build, so I'd like to find something as cheap as possible to keep my costs down.

Any suggestions?

Can you see any issues with this spec so far?

I dropped the GTX-760 GPU for a GT-640; is there anything else I've spec'd that you think is overkill for a budget build? Is there anything else I could save money on?

Thanks,
ER.

 

[trs96]

A good, low cost cooler is the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo. Only about 30 dollars.
If you can spend more go with one of the similar size Noctua Coolers which are even
quieter due to better fans. The NH-U12s would work. Shop around for the lowest price.

The Unibeast method uses any version of OS X Lion through Mavericks to make a USB
installer of the OS. It's easy to do if you have access to a Mac. You would only use
Snow Leopard if you didn't have access to a Mac.