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  #1  
Old 08-01-2003, 07:11 AM
parker9 parker9 is offline
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Default Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I've seen a few posts recently where people were wondering if upgrading a Quicksilver 733 (no L3 cache) with one of the recently released CPU upgrades is a cost/performance effective move.

Keeping in mind that ALL computer upgrades and purchases are interim technology that will soon be eclipsed both in price and performance by subsequent gear, I took the plunge and installed a Gigadesigns single processor 1GHz (overclocked to 1.2GHz) upgrade. The result was that my davec score doubled. I was getting 9 tracks before and am getting 19 tracks now.

I have no reason to believe that the Gigadesigns unit is any better or worse than the Powerlogix or the Sonnet. It was simply the cheapest upgrade at that speed – about $400 with shipping.
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  #2  
Old 08-01-2003, 07:23 AM
saggsy saggsy is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I have the same machine with a 001 and was scoring 13 tracks on the davec test. Do you have a 001?
I personally upgrade the whole Mac each time I decide to. I normally stay one step behind leading edge technology so that I can buy it a runout prices, plus your buying gear that is tried and tested instead of these early adopters who are actually the Beta testers!!
I realise that this is a more expensive option but all I do is take out a loan for the bulk of the cost of a newer machine, then sell the old one (whilst still working on your new one) and then once that is sold you may only have a couple hundred $ debt to pay off. Where I live here in South Australia I never have problems finding people to buy my old macs, and they hold they're value fairly good aswell.

from Matt Saggs
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  #3  
Old 08-01-2003, 06:15 PM
parker9 parker9 is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

Yes, Matt, I have the 001. My setup is not 100% optimized for Pro Tools though so it doesn't surprise me that you get more tracks with the same machine.


As I said in the post, I was really looking at $400 giving me another 6-12 months of Pro Tools usability out of my 733. Like everyone else who wants to keep up with the most current incarnations of Pro Tools, I will at some point need to move to a more powerful computer.
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Old 08-03-2003, 12:40 AM
mbuono mbuono is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I have a 733 and get about 12 tracks on dave c. great to know that the upgrade helped you that much. I was actually just thinking whether to upgrade mine or buy an entirely new one. My problem is due to my plugins, I cannot upgrade to pro tools 6 without paying massive upgrade fees, so i can't get a g5 and a dual prossesor will not help me at all either in pt 5.
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Old 10-11-2003, 03:57 PM
proxy proxy is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I too have this computer, and was considering the (currently 3?) GigaDesign upgrade options at OWC. I'm pleasantly surprised that you found that much of a performance improvement going from 733 to 1.x ghz.

I took a big hit going to OSX, and I'm currently looking at the 1.25 (~$440) . Am I right in thinking that the kind of boost you are experiencing is not only from the faster processor, but also the fact that the new card kind of cracks open a weak link in the 733 - the cache?

I'm also considering the 1.4, but I have a sixth sense that the extra 0.15 ghz may be diminishing returns considering its $600 price tag, but perhaps the dual-data cache business will make it even more of a jump. Can any alpha-compu-hedz offer any insight?

- Much obliged, : )

Proxy
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  #6  
Old 10-12-2003, 04:54 AM
mindnoise mindnoise is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

At the moment 1.2Ghz CPU upgrade are most bang for buck, no matter what brand.
do a search for the "safe cpu upgrade" thread, ther will be lots of answers!
also see http://www.xlr8yourmac.com for plenty of user reviews.

best
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  #7  
Old 10-12-2003, 07:47 AM
proxy proxy is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

Thanks MindNoise. I plan on making this jump soon, and I will report my experience. Should be interesting - I'm still sort of straddling OS9 and X, with projects in PT6 and DP3.

Thanks again.

- Proxy
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  #8  
Old 10-12-2003, 11:41 AM
sonicmook56 sonicmook56 is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I dont want to sound like an idiot, but what is the davec test? I too run a 001 on a 733 quicksilver and was wondering what my score is.
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  #9  
Old 10-12-2003, 12:11 PM
Frank S Frank S is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I upgraded my 867 2001 quicksilver with the OWC 1.467 and can't tell you how happy I am. I fretted about OWC vs. the Giga, but in the end went with the OWC - see my brief review on xlr8yourmac.com. As long as the quicksilver is the 2001 model you should be OK - the 2002 machines don't work with this card. I never bother with the Davec test either - but others have posted that with the upgrade on a 133 Mhz bus machine (like mine) that they're getting 28 tracks on that test with the 1.467, which certainly EVEN better than what you are seeing now with the Giga 1ghz card. On sessions that maxed out the CPU with my 867, I am now 60% CPU with the new machine - so it really is almost twice as fast.

Its an easy upgrade, and basically gave me another year or so with the machine - so I can wait for the dust to settle on Panther/PTLE and more importantly dual 3G G5s to come out. I would have bought a dual 2 G5 now, and suffered the wrath of the early adopter if I didn't do this upgrade.

Highly recommended.
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  #10  
Old 10-13-2003, 11:19 AM
proxy proxy is offline
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Default Re: Quicksilver 733 processor upgrade

I haven't done the test yet, but its basically a series of steps involving loading plugs/tracks in an organized way to see how much the processor can take. Its not a real-world test (plenty of back and forth on this forum about it), but for those interested in having some constant point of reference it seems like it can be useful. Seeing what percentage improvement people had after an upgrade was one of many pieces of info that I've been cooking-up to make a cpu upgrade decision.

Don't just go on my word, but my sense is that the 733s without any L3 cache (QuickSilver) will gain from the upgrades, not only by the improved processor speed, but by the addition of the cache. Basically, if I can get an upgrade that will make my PT6/OSX performance close to what it was like in OS9, I'll be thrilled. I'll keep you posted.

- Proxy
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