Quiet and powerful computer for recording studio

[tenkas]

I am looking foward to buy a new system.

I am currently running a 4 years old Asus laptop (pentium M 2.0ghz) and I am not happy with performances anymore. The applications that I use for recording (Cubase, reaper, etc) use all of the power of my CPU and it becomes non responsive, which makes me work slower in the studio.


I have a budget of 700-750$ before taxes (canadian).


Before finding this forum, I was toward a core2duo or core2quad but I think that the new Phenom II could be a good choise for me.

This computer also as to be the most silent possible (it's not hard to beat my laptop!!!) and it does not need any fancy video card.


I was looking at something like this:

CPU: Phenom II (which one???)

MB : Which one??? (I need a Motherboard with a Texas Instrument firewire chipset, if possible)

Memory: Corsair 4 gb DDR II or III ???

VIdeo Card: Have no idea, anything cheap, cool and quiet, no high performance required

Case and PSU: Antec Sonata III ???

DVD: Samsung

HD: Seagate or WD ? Which is less noisy?


If anyone wants to help out, I would really appreciate. Can't wait to get a FAST system!

 

[daisymtc]

CPU: Phenom IIx3 720BE

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-US2H, it have 1394a...

RAM: Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X4096-6400C5, chosen a DDR2 due to your budget.

Video card: use onboard is the most quiet.

Case & PSU: Antec Sonata III is quite expensive...
My suggestion is Antec 300 with OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W,
Suggesting them due to their overall price and quality. I don't know if they are quiet.

DVD - samsung? I usually choose the cheap one... up to you, no major difference in price anyway

HDD: I usually use Seagate.

OS: Vista Preimum 64bit
Don't forget your OS.

 

[Springy182]

If hard-drive speed isnt as important as silence, you'd probably be good buying a "green" drive like WD GreenPower, Samsung EcoGreen and whatever Seagate's doing, they spin at 5400RPM and hence, quieter

I'd say get an aftermarket CPU heatsink that takes 120MM fans, a TRUE would be an example, and get some low noise high CFM fans (Antec Tricool on low might work) and put those on the TRUE

I dont know about a completely passive setup but could you tolerate low noise fans? how silent do you need this to be?

ETA: You could theoretically get something like a CM-690, tons of 120MM fan slots, and if you get quiet fans and a fan controller and put them all on a low setting noise and heat shouldnt be a problem at all

Video card: use onboard is the most quiet.

Not neccessarily, you can get lowend passive cards and even a passive 9600GT, but odds are onboard will suffice since he's stated he doesnt need much

 

[tenkas]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I really need 7200rpm for my system. I absolutely need to run windows XP on my system. Is there a way to use 4gb or just use 2gb? Most audio apps never use more then 700mb on my projects.


Thanks

 

[Springy182]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I really need 7200rpm for my system. I absolutely need to run windows XP on my system. Is there a way to use 4gb or just use 2gb? Most audio apps never use more then 700mb on my projects.


Thanks

XP can run fine on a modern 5400RPM drive, 4GB RAM is standard although you can opt for 2GB to save money