# Building a new PC, is 128 Gb of RAM enough or should look for more?



## marcodistefano (Aug 17, 2018)

Hi All,
I am about to build my new PC and I have a dilemma

I am planning to buy an intel i9 9740X but:
Will 128Gb be enough or not? Should I look for a intel xeon with a 2 CPU mobo that can extend to even 512Gb?
I have about 3 To of Spirtfire Audio Samples, I use Vienna Ensemble so I can load in memory only what I really use (using the disable function).

Anyone owning 128GB of RAM here can give me a good advice?

Thanks in advance
Marco


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## JohnG (Aug 17, 2018)

Hi Marco,

My philosophy, as technology has evolved -- from a maximum of 4GB to what it is today -- has been to get two computers and divide the load, whatever the size of that load. Yes, there is extra pain from maintaining two machines, but I feel you gain more than you pay in the headache.

Accordingly, if I were choosing today, I would get 2 X 128GB instead of one with 256, or 2 X 256GB instead of one with 512.

I reason that one computer has other limitations besides RAM. Each computer offers only so much bus capacity -- ability to send data from place to place -- only so much ability to cool itself, and only so many disk drive ports. Put differently, even if you have enough RAM, you may find that some other limitation asserts itself. 

There may even be a limit on VE Pro or your DAW software to handle more than [some large number] of samples, so think about that too. Trying to get one computer to do everything may actually exceed what the software can accommodate.

I realise there are arguments on both sides but that's where I come out.

Also, FWIW, I use five computers sharing the sample and v.i. load today whose RAM totals less than 256GB (if I remember correctly). Just to answer one aspect of your question. That's not counting my recording computer, a Mac with Pro Tools.

Good luck!

John


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## marcodistefano (Aug 19, 2018)

JohnG said:


> Hi Marco,
> 
> My philosophy, as technology has evolved -- from a maximum of 4GB to what it is today -- has been to get two computers and divide the load, whatever the size of that load. Yes, there is extra pain from maintaining two machines, but I feel you gain more than you pay in the headache.
> 
> ...


Thank you John

I will surely reuse my current PC which cannot onboard more than 128 Gb of RAM

I will buy a PC with 128 Gb so can make a rig with 160 which should be ok for a very long time 

thanks for sharing your experience

Marco


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## mrd777 (Aug 22, 2018)

JohnG said:


> Hi Marco,
> 
> My philosophy, as technology has evolved -- from a maximum of 4GB to what it is today -- has been to get two computers and divide the load, whatever the size of that load. Yes, there is extra pain from maintaining two machines, but I feel you gain more than you pay in the headache.
> 
> ...


John,

I agree with what you mention here, but one thing that worries me (i'm also considering a 128gb slave, funny)
Is that I will have 3 machines drawing power in one room of my house. I wonder if this will be a bad idea. I already have 2 display monitors, 2 machines, a TV, 2 powered audio monitors, and probably something else plugged in. Too many devices to add another computer?


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## JohnG (Aug 22, 2018)

mrd777 said:


> John,
> 
> I agree with what you mention here, but one thing that worries me (i'm also considering a 128gb slave, funny)
> Is that I will have 3 machines drawing power in one room of my house. I wonder if this will be a bad idea. I already have 2 display monitors, 2 machines, a TV, 2 powered audio monitors, and probably something else plugged in. Too many devices to add another computer?



Thing is I am not sure how much computers using SSDs really draw. I've heard wildly varying opinions, which makes me doubt most of them. 

I guess you could call a local studio and ask for an electrician recommendation?

I had really terrible power to my studio so I hired an electrician to run dedicated power to it. He used some kind of hospital-standard components; don't know if they help but they cost a lot. Before, the power gyrated wildly in a range of below 100 to about 108. Afterward, it hold steady at a solid-as-a-rock 110. 

Not sure at what point one's stack of gear typically necessitates such a step. I run six computers plus Pro Tools interfaces and everything else we use. Sometimes electric guitar amp -- you know.


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 22, 2018)

The power draw from SSDs is negligible... the main thing drawing power in a DAW is the CPU, especially higher end CPUs and especially with overclocking / under load. You can actually go out and buy a simple power meter that you plug your stuff into to measure how much they are actually using.

For example, on a high end processor with 10+ cores it's possible that they may use upwards of 250w by themselves if pushed to the limits (for example, during an intensive render.) While idle, they might not even use 20w. The most monstrous processors today like Intel's i9 series or Threadripper can actually hit over 400w when overclocked! And that's JUST the cpu...


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## Sami (Aug 22, 2018)

My experience of going from slaves to a single machine with 128gb was truly life changing and I personally am unwilling to go back to the slaves. More than that it had a musical impact. Made me much more methodical in considering what instruments I want playing and planning out cues and lines. With Cubase you can disable tracks anyway, I use Logic on a 14 core iMac Pro, and with VEPro and ArtzID the experience isn’t far from Cubase. 
I totally agree with everything John said. The only caveat for me is reliability and indeed power draw. I am seeing a significant decreease in power bills from going from an air conditioned machine room with 4 slaves (even with titanium psus) to a single machine and over the years the little issues do cumulate. A broken network card here, a failed cooler there, you gotta check the machines all the time, you have to keep the machine room clean so you don’t get dust buildup etc..
I think there is a personal prefrence component to this. For me going to a single machine which I can backup and in case I have a technical issue i can have repaired and in the meanwhile just reorder a new one with identical specs, carbon copy clone the ssd over and be up and running within little time was kind of a magic cleaning moment for me...


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## marcodistefano (Aug 23, 2018)

Sami said:


> My experience of going from slaves to a single machine with 128gb was truly life changing and I personally am unwilling to go back to the slaves. More than that it had a musical impact. Made me much more methodical in considering what instruments I want playing and planning out cues and lines. With Cubase you can disable tracks anyway, I use Logic on a 14 core iMac Pro, and with VEPro and ArtzID the experience isn’t far from Cubase.
> I totally agree with everything John said. The only caveat for me is reliability and indeed power draw. I am seeing a significant decreease in power bills from going from an air conditioned machine room with 4 slaves (even with titanium psus) to a single machine and over the years the little issues do cumulate. A broken network card here, a failed cooler there, you gotta check the machines all the time, you have to keep the machine room clean so you don’t get dust buildup etc..
> I think there is a personal prefrence component to this. For me going to a single machine which I can backup and in case I have a technical issue i can have repaired and in the meanwhile just reorder a new one with identical specs, carbon copy clone the ssd over and be up and running within little time was kind of a magic cleaning moment for me...


Yes,
that is also what I am going to do
one single machine 128gb, will be enough since I disable tracks in VEPRO, so I load only what I really use and so far I just got close to my RAM limit of 32Gb

If needed a twin can always come, but I don't see this happen soon, 128 gb is really a lot with a template using disabled tracks


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## g.c. (Aug 23, 2018)

An option, the one I've used, is running one 64 GB system with multiple library drives dedicated to specific libs (I run 4), a seperate O.S. drive (SSD if Win 10) and a seperate audio drive, with multiple available slots for drive additions.
The audio drive can be small.
Depending on who I talk to I get varying opinions about the neccessity of all SSD or a combo of SSD and Spinners (7200).
Definetely a cost point there.
As I remember now a variable of about $120.00 for 2 TB 7200's to $600.00 and up for 1TB SSD's.
But it has to be said that you can run an 1 TB SSD at about 90%, while I don't know that I'd consider anywhere close to that for a 7200.
g.c.


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## Usernamed (Aug 28, 2018)

Marco, which motherboard & videocard will you choose ? Will you watercool your DAW?


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## 98bpm (Aug 28, 2018)

JohnG said:


> Thing is I am not sure how much computers using SSDs really draw. I've heard wildly varying opinions, which makes me doubt most of them.
> 
> I guess you could call a local studio and ask for an electrician recommendation?
> 
> ...


That sounds like a truly amazing setup! BTW, love your website. Your work is stunning! Do you do any workshops teaching how to get to that level?


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## JohnG (Aug 28, 2018)

98bpm said:


> That sounds like a truly amazing setup! BTW, love your website. Your work is stunning! Do you do any workshops teaching how to get to that level?



Thanks @98bpm I have been poking along at this for quite some time, learning a little here, a little there.

Never done a workshop; for me, the best experience always is having at least some live players / singers involved. That's how I think I learned the most. And performing as well -- I sing with a choir every week now, but used to play in bands and ensembles too.


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