Questions about a build with Core i5 4430 and GA-H87N-WIFI, for music production.

[Ofo]

Hello everyone,

I’m a noob at this and I want to build a CustoMac for music production. I’ve been looking everywhere and reading stuff but I’m still insecure about what I’m getting. I’m a bedroom producer and I make everything on my Macbook Pro 13” early-2011 with headphones or external monitors connected via built-in output. I want to build myself a desktop CustoMac to run Ableton and Logic Pro X with various plugins. My configuration would be this (I’m kind of in a budget so this is the best I can afford right now):

• Intel Core i5 4430 3.0GHz
• Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI
• 8 to 16GB of RAM (I want to know if the brand really matters or if I can use any other as long as it has the same specs recommended in the Buyer’s Guide, I’m asking because not all the brands are really easy to get or are expensive where I’m from).
• Power Supply 500W (Same question here as before about the brand)
• Toshiba SSD 254GB (I already have it on my Macbook Pro)
• 1TB HDD 3.5” 7200RPM (Brand still pending)
• COOLER MASTER ELITE 120 Case.

My questions are:


1) Will this run Ableton and Logic Pro X in a stable way? Supporting Midi from USB, and audio input and output from the built-in Audio ports.


2) Do I need a Graphic Card if I’m going to use a Monitor or TV via HDMI? (I’m sorry for this noob-ish question, I just want to make sure).


3) Does anyone have any experience with this kind of build and DAWs?

4) I'm thinking on getting a Water cooling system, the Cooler Master Seidon 120XL (Water) looks great. Will it work?


Any kind of advice, feedback or comments would be really helpful. This would be my first CustoMac and I’m kind of nervous if what I’m getting is going to work.


Thanks in advance.

 

[Adrian B]

Hello everyone,

I’m a noob at this and I want to build a CustoMac for music production. I’ve been looking everywhere and reading stuff but I’m still insecure about what I’m getting. I’m a bedroom producer and I make everything on my Macbook Pro 13” early-2011 with headphones or external monitors connected via built-in output. I want to build myself a desktop CustoMac to run Ableton and Logic Pro X with various plugins. My configuration would be this (I’m kind of in a budget so this is the best I can afford right now):

OK, the hardware that you have picked will run Mavericks fine - however if Mountain Lion would suit Ableton better then you could add a cheap GT610 GPU to get your hardware running with 10.8.5 (HD4600 graphics started working properly with 10.9)

• Intel Core i5 4430 3.0GHZ
  [*]Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI

Both of these items are fine

• 8 to 16GB of RAM (I want to know if the brand really matters or if I can use any other as long as it has the same specs recommended in the Buyer’s Guide, I’m asking because not all the brands are really easy to get or are expensive where I’m from).

If you can get RAM that is confirmed working by Gigabyte for this board then that is the best option. Otherwise buy the best that you can get from a reputable manufacturer.

• Power Supply 500W (Same question here as before about the brand)

A Haswell certified PSU is worth having, the brand does not matter - purchase a quality model to avoid some of the freezing that could happen with cheaper hardware.

• Toshiba SSD 254GB (I already have it on my Macbook Pro)

Are you wiping this before you use this SSD for this build?

• 1TB HDD 3.5” 7200RPM (Brand still pending)

If this is for data then any good quality HDD should be OK. The WD Black models are the choice option for many people as they are considered to be some of the best available for heavy use.

• COOLER MASTER ELITE 120 Case.

Fine

My questions are:


1) Will this run Ableton and Logic Pro X in a stable way? Supporting Midi from USB, and audio input and output from the built-in Audio ports.

I am not familiar with using Ableton - so I will let you source answers from those that can answer better than me. (I don't see a problem with the hardware working).

2) Do I need a Graphic Card if I’m going to use a Monitor or TV via HDMI? (I’m sorry for this noob-ish question, I just want to make sure).

Using on board graphics is quite adequate for your purpose.

3) Does anyone have any experience with this kind of build and DAWs?

See: http://www.tonymacx86.com/music/

4) I'm thinking on getting a Water cooling system, the Cooler Master Seidon 120XL (Water) looks great. Will it work?

Water coolers will work. Remember that any software supplied is designed to work in windows only. Most music users tend to go for a quality air system rather than water.

Any kind of advice, feedback or comments would be really helpful. This would be my first CustoMac and I’m kind of nervous if what I’m getting is going to work.

Many people have built similar systems that run just fine. Ableton software tends not to be as quick to work with the latest versions of OSX. Mavericks will shortly be replaced by Yosemite, Apple will have Pro Logic X fully compatible from day one.

Prepare in advance and research well and you should be fine.

 

[Ofo]

OK, the hardware that you have picked will run Mavericks fine - however if Mountain Lion would suit Ableton better then you could add a cheap GT610 GPU to get your hardware running with 10.8.5 (HD4600 graphics started working properly with 10.9)

Thanks for you reply! I use Mavericks in my Macbook Pro and the latest version of Ableton and everything works fines, so I suppose that if I install Mavericks and the latest version of Ableton I should be fine, no?

Are you wiping this before you use this SSD for this build?

Yes, I'm cleaning the SSD before the installation

Using on board graphics is quite adequate for your purpose.

I'm not sure that I follow you here, I don't know anything about graphic cards specs, but doesn't the processor has it's own integrated graphics? Will this work? I think that's how my Macbook Pro works (I'm not really sure).

Thanks again for your answer

 

[Adrian B]

Thanks for you reply! I use Mavericks in my Macbook Pro and the latest version of Ableton and everything works fines, so I suppose that if I install Mavericks and the latest version of Ableton I should be fine, no?

Yes - its aways best to check this with third party apps in the Apple eco system.

I'm not sure that I follow you here, I don't know anything about graphic cards specs, but doesn't the processor has it's own integrated graphics? Will this work? I think that's how my Macbook Pro works (I'm not really sure).

The integrated Intel Graphics will work perfectly fine for simple 'office' type tasks and for using with DAW apps. There is no need to use a separate GPU in your build.