[Success] Z370 Coffee Lake Thunderbolt Recording Rig

[Nuts-N-Bolts]

Nuts-N-Bolts' Build:
GA-Z370 Aorus Gaming 5 WIFI - i7-8700K - GTX 1050​

Components

Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 5 WIFI Motherboard
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075LGLHBY/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813145035

G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB 2666 Memory (F4-2666C15D-16GVR)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J7LQYO/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231892

Intel 3.7GHz i7-8700K Processor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07598VZR8/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1356634-REG/intel_bx80684i78700k_core_i7_8700k_3_7_ghz.html

Corsair Hydro H50 Liquid Processor Cooler
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S9KCWTA/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181010

Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Windforce OC 2GB Graphics Card (GV-N1050WF2OC-2GD)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MF8R2NR/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125917

Gigabyte Alpine Ridge Thunderbold 3 PCIe Card
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0722SV69N/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UG7A04618
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gigabyte-G...196083&hash=item2aa66c6562:g:7U0AAOSwbe5aWP4n

OSXWIFI Wireless/Bluetooth PCIe card
http://www.osxwifi.com/apple-broadc...-bluetooth-4-0-with-adapter-for-pc-hackintosh

Western Digital 256GB Black NVMe M.2 Internal SSD - OSX
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MS6BYJD/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6ZP5RB8364
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=email&A=details&Q=&sku=1332446&is=REG

Crucial 275GB MX300 SSD (CT275MX300SSD1) - Windows 10
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IAGSD5O/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA12K63M4697
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=email&A=details&Q=&sku=1273745&is=REG

Toshiba 2TB 7200rpm HDD
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013JPKT9O/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822149680

Seasonic FOCUS Plus 750W 80+ Platinum (SSR-750PX) Power Supply
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074NB1PBZ/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151191

NZXT S340 Mid-Tower White Computer Case
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NGMIBXC/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146189
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=email&A=details&Q=&sku=1173768&is=REG

Azio MK Mac Keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LP3P834/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAFJ66WY7197
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=email&A=details&Q=&sku=1282175&is=REG



Comments

Let me start off by saying that this was my first Hack build. I really enjoyed building this and wanted to share my experience with you all.

I was running my Focusrite 8prex off my 2012 Mac Mini, and it just wasn't quite cutting it. I started expanding my plugins and VST libraries, and it just didn't love it. So I started researching the Hacks. I had a friend build one a few years back and had some difficulties, but he ultimately got it running and swears by it. After a lot of research, it seemed like the Z370 Coffee Lake was a great option for my needs. I bit the bullet and ordered everything back in December (2017), and, before too long, I had it up and running.

I based my build around the Intel 3.7GHz i7-8700k with a Gigabyte Aorus Gaming 5 motherboard. It has a Thunderbolt header, and I opted for an Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt card to get to my interface. I've been using the Cable Matters adapter off Amazon to get from TB3 to TB2, which has been working great.

Everything seems to be working really well, even Airdrop with the OSXWIFI card. One thing that took me a little while to figure out is that I have to completely power down, including flipping off the PSU, to connect my interface.

The only other thing that is a little quirky... If I connect a USB device while powered down, I'll get a panic when I power up booting into Clover. It is almost always solved by a quick Ctrl+Alt+Dlt reboot, but seems odd nonetheless.

 

[Audiogeek92]

Awesome build, I'm going for something very similar for mine. How did you find the experience of installing the Nvidia card? I'm contemplating getting a RX580 or a Nvidia card similar to yours. Also, thunderbolt. Did you have install a driver in windows?

 

[gsevans]

Building one just like this as we speak. I'm using hardware a little more up to date so thats why I am having issues.
I'm be back to let you know how it all turned out.

 

[trs96]

Here's the Newegg.com link for the i7-8700K. Copy and paste it to your components list.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117827

 

[MrLowndes]

How did you get the Thunderbolt working? Can you hotswap?