# PC Slave newbie - specs ok?



## markwhite (Jan 8, 2016)

Hi All,

I've been on an iMac 2009 i5 for some time now and it's just getting to slow for handling projects so am going to take the plunge to PC Slave and VEPro5. Ideally, I'd be looking to run a template of 60-80 tracks - Spitfire, EW etc.

Although I have a limited technical knowledge, my brother knows PC's well, so is helping with the build. Initial ideas are:

Intel Core i5 660 Skylake 3.9 8 cores

Asus B150-PLUS D3 Intel Skylake ATX Motherboard

32 GB RAM (upgradable to 64)

I was then considering 2 x 1TB SSD's to start. Are SSD's essential in a slave machine? If so, are any particular models recommended?

I'd also need a relatively small system HD, only to accomodate Windows and VE PRo. Any recommendations? - size and brands? 

Noise is also a consideration, my brother has suggested for @£50 I could get a few quiet fans. I'll be recording in the same room as the PC from time to time.

Finally, is a dedicated network card a good idea, or is the standard one on the motherboard suffice?



Any guidance on this much appreciated!


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Jan 9, 2016)

That processor is only dual core and quad with hyperthreading so it will be very limiting. I suggest getting an i5 that's quad core or, if you can afford it, an i7. 

For ram I'd suggest 2x16GB instead of 4x8GB so that if you upgrade to 64GB you don't have to throw out 4 sticks and buy 4 new ones. 

I suggest the Samsung SSD's. They're fairly popular around here. I'd probably go with a 256GB for the OS. They're very affordable nowadays.

For the network card you should be using an Intel one. I didn't check what's on the mobo you mentioned. You could probably just test that one and if it doesn't work, then getting a PCIe one. I believe it's the Intel CT1000. Around $50.

The Noctua fans are incredibly quiet. I'm using an intel stock CPU cooler and it's also very quiet. The issue that I had with my computer is that it had to be rebuilt at the shop and the builder decided to swap the power supply with on that was more powerful. It always has the fan at 100% and is very loud essentially making all of the super quiet fans I had put in useless (louder than my Dell XPS which wasn't especially built to be quite and even has a graphics card with a fan). I'll probably replace it with a quiet one soon. So be careful with the power supply. Many have an option to adjust the fan speed based on the load so that it's not always 100%.

Hope that helps!


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## markwhite (Jan 11, 2016)

T


Gerhard Westphalen said:


> That processor is only dual core and quad with hyperthreading so it will be very limiting. I suggest getting an i5 that's quad core or, if you can afford it, an i7.
> 
> For ram I'd suggest 2x16GB instead of 4x8GB so that if you upgrade to 64GB you don't have to throw out 4 sticks and buy 4 new ones.
> 
> ...


hanks Gerhard that's really helpful.

Proc - would something like the intel core i7 6700 Skylake be better?
*Intel Core i7 6700 Skylake*


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Jan 11, 2016)

markwhite said:


> T
> 
> hanks Gerhard that's really helpful.
> 
> ...



Way better. Especially if you're going with 32GB. If it were only 16GB then maybe your memory limit would stop you from loading too much.


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## chimuelo (Jan 11, 2016)

I'm using a Skylake i5 6500 quad for a 27GB template and it's plenty.
But also have a Supermicro H170 that unlocks non K series Skylakes.
So I am running at 4.3GHz no multithreading and RAM limited to 64GBs/2400/CAS 15.
I use Bidule as a host so I can optimise cores using MP Assign
But even then I rarely go above 40%.
Don't worry about speed on the Skylakes.
But an i7 6000 K series at any speed.
Would be fine.
Just get a good cooler as they run hot and no longer supply a HSF.


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## rgames (Jan 11, 2016)

It depends a bit on what libraries you're running and what else you intend to run on the slave (reverbs? other plug-ins?).

An i5 is perfectly fine for streaming just about anything except, maybe, PLAY. Having said that, I have Hollywood Strings, Brass, Perc (all diamond) and SD3 on a single i5 2500k (4.5 yr old now...) and it works, but it's pushed to the CPU limit with a 3-4 ms buffer on the sound card. It's overclocked to 4.4 GHz and gives ~1500 voices from VSL/LASS, ~750 from Cinebrass and ~200 from PLAY with everything running from SSD. Without PLAY, Kontakt and VSL libraries run into streaming limitations long before CPU limitations.

Also, if you run reverbs and plug-ins on the slave then you might want an i7, certainly if you're running PLAY libraries.

SSDs play a huge role in performance these days, more so than processor for a slave machine. So put your money there first.

Regarding noise, spend the extra money on extension cables, not fans, and put it in another room. Expensive fans and cases have a small effect on noise but putting the machine on the other side of the wall is cheaper and *much* more effective.

rgames


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## markwhite (Feb 8, 2016)

Thanks for the info guys, really useful. I hadn't considered where the audio plugs would be hosted. Is it a faff running them on slave? Not in terms of activation etc. (I guess that's just what it is) but in terms of routing. I was thinking my iMac i5 (2009) would handle it if just reverb busses and some sound toys, but thinking about SSL and ProQ EQ which will be on individual channels, maybe this is pushing the iMac?


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