i7 Builds - Specs and Results

[Shan]

Originally Posted by mlange

With a 32 sample buffer I was recording 64 simultaneous tracks without issue.... CPU Meter was at 10% and disk ~15% max.

Impressive!

Shane

[mlange]

Yep - I was psyched. However, enable the Ethernet port and I'm having to use 64 or 128 sample buffers .....

All four blue 192 I/O s are cranking right along :)

[dave911]

Some of the new Intel Ethernet chips let you adjust the filtering of network
interrupts so the processor is interrupted on different schedules.

Under the advanced section of the device manager driver tabs for the controller.

Might help.

[mykhal c]

Originally Posted by mlange

Hey all -

After some delays, the LGA 2011 is in. I'm still QCing the system, and promise to DVERB test, but we're stable.

With a 32 sample buffer I was recording 64 simultaneous tracks without issue.... CPU Meter was at 10% and disk ~15% max. However, this was only after I disabled onboard Ethernet.....

Anybody else using 32 without disabling Ethernet in Pro Tools HD Native (10.3.8)?

I'm thinking there's networking protocols to be pared, perhaps.

Thanks - Sandra to follow

yep…i'm runnin' my 3930k with ethernet enabled in the BIOS. i didn't with my Q6600. i ran some crazy tests early on with PT10 and 11 and IIRC i could record on 256 trax simultaneously at 32 buffer with no issue. but i can't recall if i have it turned off in W7…will have to check for ya...

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by mlange

Hey all -

After some delays, the LGA 2011 is in. I'm still QCing the system, and promise to DVERB test, but we're stable.

With a 32 sample buffer I was recording 64 simultaneous tracks without issue.... CPU Meter was at 10% and disk ~15% max. However, this was only after I disabled onboard Ethernet.....

Anybody else using 32 without disabling Ethernet in Pro Tools HD Native (10.3.8)?

I'm thinking there's networking protocols to be pared, perhaps.

Thanks - Sandra to follow

I do most of my tracking at a 32 hw buffer and can use an maxing amount of plugins on top of it. I will only track w 11 anymore (dual buffer plugins is huge) and am currently working mainly on W8. My ethnet port is enabled though nothing is plugged in. Glad you found your problem though!

[Eyevanovich]

I know this is a windows based forum but I just built a brand new Hackintosh with the ga-z87x-ud7-th mobo and i7 4770 K processor. If you guys are interested I can post some testing results. I'm using it as my mixing station at home. PT11HD with an Apollo Quad. Runs like a champ.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by Eyevanovich

I know this is a windows based forum but I just built a brand new Hackintosh with the ga-z87x-ud7-th mobo and i7 4770 K processor. If you guys are interested I can post some testing results. I'm using it as my mixing station at home. PT11HD with an Apollo Quad. Runs like a champ.

Please do. Feel free to post parts as well and any other important info.

question on the Apollo, are you using Thunderbolt?

[Eyevanovich]

Originally Posted by guitardom

Please do. Feel free to post parts as well and any other important info.

question on the Apollo, are you using Thunderbolt?

Here are my specs for my setup. Keep in mind that I'm using this for Mac OS although I do plan on setting up a Windows 8 boot drive in the future.

Computer

Case: Silverstone Tek GD08B w/ Rack Mounts
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD7 TH Socket 1150
Power Supply: CORSAIR HX Series HX750 750W
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical Low Profile 32GB Kit (8GBx4) DDR3-1600
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5 (Turbo Clocked to 3.9)
Graphics Cards: Mobo HDMI and EVGA GeForce GTX760 SuperClocked
Boot Drive (OSX 10.9.2): SanDisk Extreme 240 GB
Media Drive: Seagate Barracuda 2 TB HDD
CPU Fan: Noctua NH-L12 Low-profile
Case Fans: 6x60mm Noctua NF-A6x25, 2x120mm Noctua NF-S12A PWM

Pro Tools Rig

Pro Tools HD 11.1.2
Avid Artist Control w/Eucon 3.1
Apollo Quad UAD 7.5 (FIREWIRE 800)

Notes

I just built this machine. So far everything is working flawlessly however I have not had a chance to try the thunderbolt ports on the board yet. It's a very powerful machine but only a quad core so I'll see what kind of power it has with the D-Verb benchmark. Can't wait to push it to its limits.

Here is a link to my spreadsheet of parts and links to the Hackintosh setup instructions: LINK

Pics

Testing


Cable Management (pretty hard to do in this case)


Drive Bay Inserted


Racked up and running


Desk Setup

[mesaone]

As per our conversation earlier, Eyevanovich told me the fans are quiet enough to be eclipsed by mechanical hard drive noise. I think this is one of the most important things to note here, especially for a rack mounted build.

If you have the time, I'd be interested in seeing the readouts of CPU-Z and/or Core Temp to note the operating temperature of this thing during idle, Pro Tools operation, and IntelBurnTest or FurMark at full load after 5 minutes or more. With that case arrangement, CPU, and cooler... It would be expected that full load temps do not exceed 72º C. If they do during FurMark, I would be inclined to blame the 760. I don't know the efficiency of those ACX coolers offhand, but I imagine it's far from perfect.

[Eyevanovich]

The temps run hotter than I expected them to but I will need to do more benchmark tests to see what's going on. Idle temps usually sit in the 38-45ºC depending on the ambient temp. When under load from PT it runs in the 50s. When I ran the prime95 test I hit temps of 95ºC which kind of freaked me out. I may need to go back and re-apply my thermal paste on the CPU fan. It's my first build so I'm not sure I did it correctly.