# Looking for a music computer recommendation (PC)



## Dylanguitar (Jun 27, 2022)

I'm looking to upgrade my main music computer. Trying to keep cost low. 
Requirements would be a minimum of 64 memory capacity, but hopefully 128gb.
I currently have about 3 peripheral sample library drives on external SSD which I want to migrate over eventually to NVME drives, so it would have to have the correct ports (?) to accommodate those (or at least be able to do it with some sort of dual controller/adapter that could house multiple NVME drives). This is in addition to NVME system drive.
Also would need to be pretty quiet (obviously). Cant sound like a get engine living below my desk as I'm trying to mix. 
From what I see the Ryzens seem to be the way to go as they perform well and cost less than intel processors.
Anyway, would appreciate some suggestions.
Thanks!


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## JohnG (Jun 27, 2022)

Sounds as though you want a PC, not a Mac? Are you a Windows/Cubase composer? It would help with recommendations.


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## Dylanguitar (Jun 27, 2022)

JohnG said:


> Sounds as though you want a PC, not a Mac? Are you a Windows/Cubase composer? It would help with recommendations.


PC. I'm on Windows.


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## Loerpert (Jun 27, 2022)

I would suggest looking for someone who can assemble it for you. A lot of webshops provide that service as well. Won't cost you more than a few hundred bucks max. And it's better anyways since prebuilt / mass built computers usually include components of poor quality.


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## HM_Music (Jun 27, 2022)

I use be quet (power supplies, pc cases, air coolers), they are certainly not quiet, but comfortable enough, and after a while does not start to make noise as it was with other coolers.









be quiet!


be quiet!




www.bequiet.com


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## Dylanguitar (Jun 27, 2022)

Loerpert said:


> I would suggest looking for someone who can assemble it for you. A lot of webshops provide that service as well. Won't cost you more than a few hundred bucks max. And it's better anyways since prebuilt / mass built computers usually include components of poor quality


Yes that's the plan. I can probably assemble it myself or a have a buddy or two I can call if I get stuck. Just looking for specific build recommendations. (processor/motherboard/cooler etc..)
I mean, if there's one that's already assembled that's good, I'm not against that either. But I know that factors into the cost.


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## Jrides (Jun 27, 2022)

New System - AMD Ryzen 7 5700G


I have been using an ancient Dell Optiplex 3020 i5 with 16GB of memory. I just picked up one of these at Micro Center along with 32GB of RAM: PowerSpec B734 Desktop Computer AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 3.8GHz Processor; 16GB DDR4-2666 RAM; 1TB Solid State Drive; AMD Radeon 5700G Graphics Under $1K...



vi-control.net


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## Pictus (Jun 27, 2022)

For 128GB AMD is the choice.
The German magazine article https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2022/12/2209013172780695778
Shows that the 5800X3D kicks ass of the 12900KS/5950X specially in Ableton/Bitwig/Reaper/Studio
One, but not in Cubase/Pro Tools, but still better than the AMD 5950X in Cubase/Pro Tools.

*UPDATE:*
Scan 5800X3D DAWbench, different from the German magazine, not good results.
You can remove the SSD from the external cases and use directly to the motherboard internal
SATA ports, they will be faster, later you can buy a BIG NVMe SSD








DAWBench DSP / VI Universal - Cross Platform DAW Benchmarks : - Page 30 - Gearspace.com


Hey All, Quick heads up for the latest DAWbench Radio Show Episode. Music Tech Pioneers III : Sequential Circuits : Rise, Fall, Return ! 'UMII , You Me ' Uploaded Now across all of the major pod casting platforms. A few links below , but easily found on most others with a search. Podcast Home...



gearspace.com





My suggestion would be something +- like this:


https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9NBL4s






CPU = AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Cooler = Dark Rock Pro 4
Without any BIOS custom fan curve customization(limit the fan max RPM), the
Dark Rock Pro 4 is the best option for lower noise.




Motherboard = Gigabyte X570*S* AORUS PRO AX
Good VRM, can handle 3 NVMe SSDs, no pesky chipset fan, front USB-C port and TB(Thunderbolt)
capable if you add a TB card.
IF TB is required, better change to a motherboard with built-in TB ports.

RAM = TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 128GB 3600MHz








Team Group T-Create Expert DDR4-3600 MHz CL18 2x32 GB Review


The Team Group T-Create Expert is a high-capacity memory kit available in a 3600 MHz specification with a low-profile design and 10-layer PCB for extra stability. This sensible design combined with great performance could be the perfect workstation memory kit.




www.techpowerup.com





SSD M.2 NVMe = MSI SPATIUM M470 2TB
Fast enough, good price and long endurance.


https://www.overclockers.com/msi-spatium-m480-m470-m2-review/


But if want the one of the TOP dogs, get the FireCuda 530.

GPU = XFX Radeon RX 6500 XT 4 GB Speedster QICK 210
It is a modern model, semi-passive and for audio workflow the fans probably will never turn-on.
The AMD driver is less aggressive than the NVidia and it is easy to only install the driver without the bloat.





Case = Fractal Meshify 2
Good airflow to keep the CPU/GPU cool and front USB-C port.


PSU = Corsair RMx (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold
It is semi-passive and +- up to 410W the fan is off




You will need to update the motherboard BIOS to support the new CPU.
No problem, they can update without CPU/GPU/RAM installed.
*Pay attention(BIOS download) to the motherboard version as it can be 1.0 or 1.**1* ‼️





BTW, some stuff you may like:



https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/windows-11-tweaks-fixes-and-modifications-overview.83744/page-20#post-1687577







W10Privacy - Privacy made easy


The by default highly questionable set options concerning privacy and data protection in Windows 10 brought me to the idea to develop this program. Microsoft generously enables everybody to change the concerning settings, but hides them in countless menus, where a normal user does not want to...




www.w10privacy.de









O&O ShutUp10++ – Free antispy tool for Windows 10 and 11


With the freeware O&O ShutUp10++, unwanted Windows 10 and 11 features can be disabled and the transfer of sensitive personal data onto Microsoft prevented.




www.oo-software.com






https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/msmg-toolkit.50572/










Windows Update Blocker v1.7


In Windows There is no option to turn off Windows Updates. Windows Update Blocker is a tool that helps you to disable or enable Updates.




www.sordum.org












Defender Control v2.1


In Windows there is no option to completely turn off Microsoft Defender , Defender control is a Portable freeware to disable Ms Defender.




www.sordum.org









Windows Firewall Control


Windows Firewall Control is a powerful tool which extends the functionality of Windows Firewall by adding outbound notifications and many other features.




www.binisoft.org












Autoruns for Windows - Sysinternals


See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots and you login.



docs.microsoft.com












Process Explorer - Sysinternals


Find out what files, registry keys and other objects processes have open, which DLLs they have loaded, and more.



docs.microsoft.com












freeware utilities: password recovery, system utilities, desktop utilities - For Windows


Unique collection of freeware desktop utilities, system utilities, password recovery tools, and more



www.nirsoft.net






Double Commander


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## JohnG (Jun 27, 2022)

@Pictus 

...could you be more specific...?


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## Pictus (Jun 27, 2022)

JohnG said:


> @Pictus
> 
> ...could you be more specific...?


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## Dylanguitar (Jun 27, 2022)

@Pictus Thanks for all the great info. Will dive into it later tonight. Thanks again!


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## easyrider (Jun 27, 2022)

@Pictus knows his onions.....Do we have a firm release date yet on AM5?


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## Pictus (Jun 27, 2022)

Dylanguitar said:


> @Pictus Thanks for all the great info. Will dive into it later tonight. Thanks again!


I am glad to help.



easyrider said:


> @Pictus knows his onions.....Do we have a firm release date yet on AM5?


I only know what is in the wild...
From https://www.tomshardware.com/news/a...ications-pricing-benchmarks-all-we-know-specs
"AMD has set Fall 2022 as the official launch window for the first Zen 4 products, the Ryzen 7000 series for desktop PCs (codenamed Raphael). For the US, Fall begins on September 22 and ends on December 22, meaning we'll see Ryzen 7000 by the end of the year. AMD has already demoed its 16-core 32-thread Ryzen processor, presumably the flagship processor, and if the company follows tradition, we expect it to launch its highest-end products first. The company has confirmed that 16 cores and 32 threads are the maximum core count for the Ryzen 7000 at launch. 

Reports have also emerged of a launch on September 15, fed by a picture of an apparent briefing with the date emblazoned on a banner. While this may be the release date, it is noteworthy that this lands a full week before Fall, and we're more accustomed to vendors releasing at the tail end of the designated window rather than before it. As such, we think you should take this with more than the usual grain of salt."


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## TravB (Jun 27, 2022)

I have successfully designed and built dozens of custom DAW PCs over the years going back to the 90's. Some for myself, but mostly for paying clients (to rave reviews) as a serious hobby/side hustle. Personally, I found the custom design/build process to be absolutely fascinating. To build a superior performing PC that was on the cutting edge of speed and stability while remaining cool and quiet was a challenge I relished. I loved it, lived it, but it became massively time consuming keeping up with the technology and competition. I made it a point to know most of the custom builders (many have come and gone), their design philosophy, and what their clients thought of their product and service. While I no longer provide custom DAW service, by far the best in the business I ever encountered is Jim Roseberry of Purrrfect Audio. By the "best" I mean I've never met or known anyone with more custom DAW knowledge or experience than Jim. Furthermore, Jim is just a genuinely great guy who takes fantastic care of his clients before/during and most importantly after the sale. My last two personal studio PCs are from Jim and I couldn't be more pleased with their performance and value. I get no financial compensation (or otherwise) for recommending Jim's product and service, other than the personal satisfaction I've given the very best advice I can offer. Anyone looking to get into a custom DAW PC should at least give Jim a call. Check out his website at www.studiocat.com.


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## rrichard63 (Jun 27, 2022)

TravB said:


> by far the best in the business I ever encountered is Jim Roseberry of Purrrfect Audio. By the "best" I mean I've never met or known anyone with more custom DAW knowledge or experience than Jim. Furthermore, Jim is just a genuinely great guy who takes fantastic care of his clients before/during and most importantly after the sale.


+1. Assuming that @Dylanguitar is the U.S. International shipping would make this prohibitively expensive.


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## tony10000 (Jun 28, 2022)

I would definitely suggest AMD Ryzen. Micro Center has a great PC builder:









Custom AMD PC by Micro Center


Build your own custom PC with an AMD Ryzen processor. Award-winning performance and optimized technology for gamers, creators and business. Order online and have it professionally built by your local Micro Center.




www.microcenter.com


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## rgames (Jun 28, 2022)

If your goal is to write and produce music then it really doesn’t matter these days once you get over 8 cores and 64 GB RAM. Add NVMe storage to taste and budget. Video card doesn’t matter.

If your goal is to run benchmarks, well… this is the wrong forum


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## tony10000 (Jun 28, 2022)

rgames said:


> If your goal is to write and produce music then it really doesn’t matter these days once you get over 8 cores and 64 GB RAM. Add NVMe storage to taste and budget. Video card doesn’t matter.
> 
> If your goal is to run benchmarks, well… this is the wrong forum


In my opinion, the AMD Ryzen 5700G is the sweet spot in terms of high-performance, low-cost, and low-noise. My new system was south of $1000 with 32GB RAM.


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## Dylanguitar (Jun 28, 2022)

tony10000 said:


> In my opinion, the AMD Ryzen 5700G is the sweet spot in terms of high-performance, low-cost, and low-noise. My new system was south of $1000 with 32GB RAM.


I was checking out that machine on the other thread you posted on. I wanted to love it considering the price, but capping out at 32gb of RAM was a deal killer.


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## tony10000 (Jun 28, 2022)

Dylanguitar said:


> I was checking out that machine on the other thread you posted on. I wanted to love it considering the price, but capping out at 32gb of RAM was a deal killer.


I am wondering if the information is accurate. The motherboard used is spec'd at 64GB max:

"Max. capacity of system memory: 64GB**"









ASRock A520M-HDV


Supports AMD AM4 Socket Ryzen™ 3000, 4000 G-Series and 5000 and 5000 G-Series Desktop Processors<span style=color:red;>*</span>; 6 Phase Power Design; Supports DDR4 4733+ (OC); 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1; Graphics Output Options: D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI; 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC887 Audio...




www.asrock.com


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## tony10000 (Jun 28, 2022)

Dylanguitar said:


> I was checking out that machine on the other thread you posted on. I wanted to love it considering the price, but capping out at 32gb of RAM was a deal killer.


Also, see:









Memory RAM & SSD Upgrades | asrock | asrock motherboards | A520M-HDV | Crucial.com


Crucial Memory and SSD upgrades - 100% Compatibility Guaranteed for asrock A520M-HDV - FREE US Delivery.




www.crucial.com


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## tony10000 (Jun 29, 2022)

Dylanguitar said:


> I was checking out that machine on the other thread you posted on. I wanted to love it considering the price, but capping out at 32gb of RAM was a deal killer.


In any case, you can build a system around the 5700G and get a mobo that can accept 128GB of RAM if you want. Such a system would be very quiet and affordable.


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## Pier (Jun 30, 2022)

I have nothing to add other than I've been using a Ryzen 3700X PC since 2019 and I've been super happy with it.


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## Pictus (Jul 1, 2022)

AMD to Reveal Ryzen 5 5600X3D and Ryzen 9 5900X3D with up to 200MB of Cache (128MB 3D Stacked) Next Month? | Hardware Times


A while back, it was reported that AMD might launch additional Zen 3 SKUs leveraging the 3D V-Cache technology. It would seem that that rumor is indeed true. Well-reputed tipster @Greymon55 has stated that there will be “several new products” headed to the Zen 3D family next month. There’s no...




www.hardwaretimes.com


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## tony10000 (Jul 2, 2022)

Pictus said:


> AMD to Reveal Ryzen 5 5600X3D and Ryzen 9 5900X3D with up to 200MB of Cache (128MB 3D Stacked) Next Month? | Hardware Times
> 
> 
> A while back, it was reported that AMD might launch additional Zen 3 SKUs leveraging the 3D V-Cache technology. It would seem that that rumor is indeed true. Well-reputed tipster @Greymon55 has stated that there will be “several new products” headed to the Zen 3D family next month. There’s no...
> ...


Nice and great for gaming, but overkill for audio production. Also, those require a dedicated GPU which adds to system cost, requires more power, fans, etc. The reason I love the AMD G series processors (5700G, 4600G) is because they are APUs with decent integrated graphics and low power requirements (65W). Closer to a SoC like the M1 (sans integrated memory and storage). They have very good single-thread performance and are affordably priced.


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## Pictus (Jul 3, 2022)

Over


tony10000 said:


> Nice and great for gaming, but overkill for audio production.


I do not think users of u-he Diva/Repro, Arturia Pigments, Roland Cloud will consider overkill.
With more CPU power we can run stuff at higher sampling rate.


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## Pictus (Jul 5, 2022)

How to "undervolt" AMD RYZEN 5800X3D Guide with PBO2 tuner.








GitHub - PrimeO7/How-to-undervolt-AMD-RYZEN-5800X3D-Guide-with-PBO2-Tuner: Get the Most out of your 5800X3D using PBO Curve Optimizer!


Get the Most out of your 5800X3D using PBO Curve Optimizer! - GitHub - PrimeO7/How-to-undervolt-AMD-RYZEN-5800X3D-Guide-with-PBO2-Tuner: Get the Most out of your 5800X3D using PBO Curve Optimizer!




github.com


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## Pictus (Jul 9, 2022)

Scan 5800X3D DAWbench, different from the German magazine, not good results.








DAWBench DSP / VI Universal - Cross Platform DAW Benchmarks : - Page 30 - Gearspace.com


Hey All, Quick heads up for the latest DAWbench Radio Show Episode. Music Tech Pioneers III : Sequential Circuits : Rise, Fall, Return ! 'UMII , You Me ' Uploaded Now across all of the major pod casting platforms. A few links below , but easily found on most others with a search. Podcast Home...



gearspace.com


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## Dylanguitar (Jul 9, 2022)

Pictus said:


> Over
> 
> I do not think users of u-he Diva/Repro, Arturia Pigments, Roland Cloud will consider overkill.
> With more CPU power we can run stuff at higher sampling rate.


Not to mention some plugins like Acustica that are CPU intensive.


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## tmhuud (Jul 9, 2022)

Pictus said:


> Over
> 
> I do not think users of u-he Diva/Repro, Arturia Pigments, Roland Cloud will consider overkill.
> With more CPU power we can run stuff at higher sampling rate.


Or Omnisphere...


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