# My DAW is a monster - i9 7960x and 128 Gb or RAM (versus i9 7940x)



## marcodistefano (Oct 17, 2018)

Hi There, In this video I will show you the final build of my Digital Audio Workstation built with the following components:

Intel i9 7960X
AsRock Fatal1ty X299 XE
G.Skill 128Gb Trident 3200 Mhz
BeQuiet! Dark Pro 900 Rev 2
BeQuiet! Silent Loop 360 mm
BeQuiet! Dark Power Pro 11 1000W
3 Tb of SSD Samsung EVO 850, 860
https://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-950 (Geforce GTX 950)
The results are amazing, watch this video I have been able to play 100 instruments from Spitfire Audio in parallel, each with a changing expression/modulation/vibrato and articulations with a buffer size of 128. Just imagine that each of this instrument can use up to 400 voices!!

Follow my blog here
http://marcodistefano.art/vo-16-my-daw-is-a-monster-i9-7960x/

Video on YouTube


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## zig (Oct 17, 2018)

Hi Marco,
Thankyou for this video, very instructive.

Could you tell us more about the other plugin running in your template.
I saw reverbs in the mixconsole panel. How much reverbs instance are you using?

zig


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## marcodistefano (Oct 18, 2018)

zig said:


> Hi Marco,
> Thankyou for this video, very instructive.
> 
> Could you tell us more about the other plugin running in your template.
> ...


There is one reverb AUX channel which is used in all the tracks, the reverb is one from cubase
hope it helps


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## Flexi83 (Oct 18, 2018)

Hi Marco,
you wrote that each of your spitfire instances can play up to 400voices.
When you start your piece of music I was wandering how much voices will be played in total? It sounds like every instances just plays one note (and repeating them) resulting in a lower voice count. If i play a chord for a string patch and use sustain pedal to hop into the next chord more voices will used by an instances.
So can you give use an inside of the voices in total that were played?
Regards
Feliks


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## Flexi83 (Oct 18, 2018)

I'm referring to this:
http://www.scanproaudio.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/7960X-DB6.jpg


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Oct 18, 2018)

marcodistefano said:


> Hi There, In this video I will show you the final build of my Digital Audio Workstation built with the following components:
> 
> Intel i9 7960X
> AsRock Fatal1ty X299 XE
> ...




I have not that "Monster PC" ...But do you really need that to create your music? Or is it just a technical playtoy to feel good? I mean what is the purpose of having that? It is not really clear to me..:D I am a bit dissapointed that you only have 3 Tb of Standard EVOS. Why no 2 TB 960 Pro M.2?  And why a 1000 Watt power Supply? For what do you need it?


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## Flexi83 (Oct 18, 2018)

Hi Alexander,
two standard evos are good for the purpose. You will not get a big loading boost by using m.2 SSD's even if they have a 5 times higher reading rate. Kontakt Libraries are loaded sequential so you only will get about 20percent better loading times.


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## robgb (Oct 18, 2018)

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> I have not that "Monster PC" ...But do you really need that to create your music? Or is it just a technical playtoy to feel good? I mean what is the purpose of having that? It is not really clear to me..:D I am a bit dissapointed that you only have 3 Tb of Standard EVOS. Why no 2 TB 960 Pro M.2?  And why a 1000 Watt power Supply? For what do you need it?


I seem to be doing just fine with a standard iMac and 32 gigs of RAM, but I won't begrudge a man a great computer build.


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Oct 18, 2018)

robgb said:


> I seem to be doing just fine with a standard iMac and 32 gigs of RAM, but I won't begrudge a man a great computer build.



Yeah, I mean no actually not begrudging him. More power to Hardware love :D


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## Mornats (Oct 18, 2018)

You ideally want a power supply running at around 40-60% capacity (or thereabouts - I may be off a bit) in order to get peak efficiency from it. Plus they lose around 4% of their wattage (that may not be the right term!) per year. So you'd want a PSU that can cover your energy consumption and then some.


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## marcodistefano (Oct 18, 2018)

Flexi83 said:


> Hi Marco,
> you wrote that each of your spitfire instances can play up to 400voices.
> When you start your piece of music I was wandering how much voices will be played in total? It sounds like every instances just plays one note (and repeating them) resulting in a lower voice count. If i play a chord for a string patch and use sustain pedal to hop into the next chord more voices will used by an instances.
> So can you give use an inside of the voices in total that were played?
> ...


is there a way I can see this? it seems pretty a difficult tasks since there are hundred of Kontakt instances loaded, maybe there is a way that I don't know?


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## marcodistefano (Oct 18, 2018)

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> I have not that "Monster PC" ...But do you really need that to create your music? Or is it just a technical playtoy to feel good? I mean what is the purpose of having that? It is not really clear to me..:D I am a bit dissapointed that you only have 3 Tb of Standard EVOS. Why no 2 TB 960 Pro M.2?  And why a 1000 Watt power Supply? For what do you need it?


I use to build my PC for a long collaboration, my previous one I had for 7 years, this one has to last one decade and must be ready to absorb any new component I will have to add during the time 
For the SSD I don't feel the need to change, it works perfectly today.
Of course there is a bit of geek inside me that I cannot omit to mention


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## Flexi83 (Oct 22, 2018)

marcodistefano said:


> is there a way I can see this? it seems pretty a difficult tasks since there are hundred of Kontakt instances loaded, maybe there is a way that I don't know?


There is no tool to actual "count" the current played voices. But you can check in the konakt GUI the played voices when the piece is running and cummulate them.


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## Flexi83 (Oct 22, 2018)

Marco...it would be great if you can make a Read Out of DPC's with LatencyMon of your monster machine.
This tool is freeware and analyse which of your component causes the most DPC'S and slow down the system and decreases realtime DAW performance
http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon


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## marcodistefano (Oct 22, 2018)

Flexi83 said:


> There is no tool to actual "count" the current played voices. But you can check in the konakt GUI the played voices when the piece is running and cummulate them.


Well, I have one kontakt instance per track, don't think this approach is possible...


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## marcodistefano (Oct 22, 2018)

Flexi83 said:


> Marco...it would be great if you can make a Read Out of DPC's with LatencyMon of your monster machine.
> This tool is freeware and analyse which of your component causes the most DPC'S and slow down the system and decreases realtime DAW performance
> http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon



Is this enough? 
I see the graphic card is the most troubling device.


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## funnybear (Oct 22, 2018)

Hi Marco, is it possible for you to re-run the above but let it run for a couple of minutes while doing normal DAW work? 25 seconds is normally a bit short to indicate how a system performs overall on the DPC front.


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## marcodistefano (Oct 22, 2018)

funnybear said:


> Hi Marco, is it possible for you to re-run the above but let it run for a couple of minutes while doing normal DAW work? 25 seconds is normally a bit short to indicate how a system performs overall on the DPC front.


Sure,
this is while working on a cubase project with vienna


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## funnybear (Oct 22, 2018)

Thanks, that looks great! Did you install the standard NVIDA driver package or only the bare skeleton using some of the hacks that avoid the NVIDA bloat? Because those NVIDIA timings look nice.

I am trying to decide going down your x299 route or i9 9900k.


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## marcodistefano (Oct 22, 2018)

funnybear said:


> Thanks, that looks great! Did you install the standard NVIDA driver package or only the bare skeleton using some of the hacks that avoid the NVIDA bloat? Because those NVIDIA timings look nice.
> 
> I am trying to decide going down your x299 route or i9 9900k.


I have installed the 
nVidia Control Panel and 
GeForce Experience

Just remember you have 64Gb of RAM limit with 9900k.
I am happy I decided to go with x299, and still in a couple of years could do the upgrade to the top CPU before this series is over (if really needed :D)

I feel I have a skyrocket


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## funnybear (Oct 22, 2018)

Yes, x299 is definitely more expandable / up-gradable. Will see what the refresh looks like that should come along before year-end.


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## Piano Pete (Oct 24, 2018)

Regarding your Nvidia situation, have you considered throwing in a cheap amd card? In my experience, amd has lower dpc latency than nvidia. My slave builds always use whatever amd's cheapest offerings are, and I have had solid results with them. My main pc has a higher-end AMD card in it as well for this very reason. I love Nvidia's GPU's, but I have always gotten better results using AMD for audio. I have some pimped 1080s that were gifted to me sitting in their boxes because they gum my system.

It should go without saying, whatever latency the card is adding is fairly nominal and compensated by the rest of the build, but if you want that final -nth percent .


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## funnybear (Oct 24, 2018)

I sometimes use CUDA enabled software so if an option I would still gravitate towards Nvidia.

But for sure AMD seems to get thumbs up for low DPC graphics drivers.


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## Flexi83 (Oct 25, 2018)

He Marco,
while you run the test does each of the hundred instance play only one note at a time or do they play chords?
This would be more interesting because playing chords will raise the overall used voices for each instance?
Appreciate your testing because this would be very informative.


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## Pictus (Oct 25, 2018)

The "secret" is to run all CPU cores to the same speed.
In this review http://www.scanproaudio.info/2017/10/30/intel-i9-7940x-7960x-dawbench-testing/
Pete Kaine set all cores to 4.1GHz


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## marcodistefano (Oct 30, 2018)

Flexi83 said:


> He Marco,
> while you run the test does each of the hundred instance play only one note at a time or do they play chords?
> This would be more interesting because playing chords will raise the overall used voices for each instance?
> Appreciate your testing because this would be very informative.


For the moment is one note per instrument,
not planning to do this since have no more time to test, and just need to compose now


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## marcodistefano (Oct 30, 2018)

Pictus said:


> The "secret" is to run all CPU cores to the same speed.
> In this review http://www.scanproaudio.info/2017/10/30/intel-i9-7940x-7960x-dawbench-testing/
> Pete Kaine set all cores to 4.1GHz


Yes I have seen this, only I am not good at overclocking, not sure I will do since I don't feel the need.
the machine as it is delivers all I need


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## Flexi83 (Nov 10, 2018)

Hi Marco,
can you share you experience with your new i9 7960x system. Did you got any dropouts or cubase crashes or other interupts while composing? 
Regards


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## Øivind (Nov 11, 2018)

marcodistefano said:


> Just remember you have 64Gb of RAM limit with 9900k.
> I am happy I decided to go with x299, and still in a couple of years could do the upgrade to the top CPU before this series is over (if really needed :D)
> 
> I feel I have a skyrocket



9th gen Intel (9600, 9700 and 9900) does (or will soon) support 128GB of RAM.You just need 32GB modules instead of 16GB which are prolly gonna be a bit more pricey.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1347...gb-of-ddr4-on-core-9th-gen-desktop-processors


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## marcodistefano (Nov 11, 2018)

Flexi83 said:


> Hi Marco,
> can you share you experience with your new i9 7960x system. Did you got any dropouts or cubase crashes or other interupts while composing?
> Regards


impeccable


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## marcodistefano (Nov 11, 2018)

oivind_rosvold said:


> 9th gen Intel (9600, 9700 and 9900) does (or will soon) support 128GB of RAM.You just need 32GB modules instead of 16GB which are prolly gonna be a bit more pricey.
> 
> https://www.anandtech.com/show/1347...gb-of-ddr4-on-core-9th-gen-desktop-processors


I read a post from Intel stating that yes you can do it but is not guaranteed to work well, 64GB is the max amount that is officially recommended in the specification


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## Øivind (Nov 12, 2018)

marcodistefano said:


> I read a post from Intel stating that yes you can do it but is not guaranteed to work well, 64GB is the max amount that is officially recommended in the specification



Quote from Intel
"
_The new 9th Gen Intel Core processors memory controller is capable of supporting DDR4 16Gb die density DIMMs which will allow the processors to support a total system memory capacity of up to 128GB when populating both motherboard memory channels with 2 DIMMs per Channel (2DPC) using these DIMMs. As DDR4 16Gb die density DIMMs have only recently become available, we are now validating them, targeting an update in a few months’ time._
"


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## marcodistefano (Nov 12, 2018)

oivind_rosvold said:


> Quote from Intel
> "
> _The new 9th Gen Intel Core processors memory controller is capable of supporting DDR4 16Gb die density DIMMs which will allow the processors to support a total system memory capacity of up to 128GB when populating both motherboard memory channels with 2 DIMMs per Channel (2DPC) using these DIMMs. As DDR4 16Gb die density DIMMs have only recently become available, we are now validating them, targeting an update in a few months’ time._
> "


Good to know,
Probably my information was not considering the new 9th Generation


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## Zoot_Rollo (Nov 12, 2018)

nice - congrats.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Nov 12, 2018)

What is it about this thread that reminds me of Bwana Dik (Frank Zappa)?


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## Zoot_Rollo (Nov 12, 2018)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> What is it about this thread that reminds me of Bwana Dik (Frank Zappa)?



"I've got the thing you need

I am endowed beyond your wildest

Clearasil-spattered fantasies

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah . . ."


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## Breitenbach (Nov 26, 2018)

marcodistefano said:


> Hi There, In this video I will show you the final build of my Digital Audio Workstation built with the following components:
> 
> Intel i9 7960X
> AsRock Fatal1ty X299 XE
> ...




Hey marcodistefano, thanks so much for sharing your build. I'm currently picking parts for my new DAW, and will be building something fairly similar. 

I'm wondering how you like the BeQuiet! case. I love the look and the possibility to have a really quiet case . However, I've read that it is a confusing case to work with. Did you find that to be true? 

Also, BeQuiet! is a German brand that doesn't have many US retailers. Any chance you could share where you bought your case?


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## marcodistefano (Nov 26, 2018)

Breitenbach said:


> Hey marcodistefano, thanks so much for sharing your build. I'm currently picking parts for my new DAW, and will be building something fairly similar.
> 
> I'm wondering how you like the BeQuiet! case. I love the look and the possibility to have a really quiet case . However, I've read that it is a confusing case to work with. Did you find that to be true?
> 
> Also, BeQuiet! is a German brand that doesn't have many US retailers. Any chance you could share where you bought your case?


Hello

I am super happy of the case,

Altough is true it took some time to make the build, but this is because I inverted the case since I put the PC on my left side and wanted the led to be visible on the right side of the case (by default is the other one)

I am quite impressed with the quality, could not be more happy and I barely listen to the fans

So go for it! 

you find it in newegg
https://www.newegg.com/global/be-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA68V7ER7618&ignorebbr=1


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## Breitenbach (Nov 27, 2018)

Thanks so much Marco! I have one more question... 

My understand from Intel's website is that the i9 7960x supports memory with speeds up to 2666.

Any particular reason you opted to get memory faster than 2666? (DDR4 3200)


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## marcodistefano (Nov 28, 2018)

Breitenbach said:


> Thanks so much Marco! I have one more question...
> 
> My understand from Intel's website is that the i9 7960x supports memory with speeds up to 2666.
> 
> Any particular reason you opted to get memory faster than 2666? (DDR4 3200)



This is the official specs,
but you can load an overclocked profile for the RAM and get it running at 3200
even if I did not do it yet.

Also I took these because there was a very interesting deal.

Hope it clarifies


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Nov 28, 2018)

marcodistefano said:


> This is the official specs,
> but you can load an overclocked profile for the RAM and get it running at 3200
> even if I did not do it yet.
> 
> ...


I have just one question about your rig, which in reference to your signature...

You have spent what is clearly around $3K or the equivalent, so I must ask why you have a seriously budget $100 Audio Interface?

To me this is like running a Rolls Royce system with massive sessions running through a plastic pipe. Surprised you do not have something more along the lines of RME, UA, Focusrite, DigiGrid etc.


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## marcodistefano (Nov 29, 2018)

Shad0wLandsUK said:


> I have just one question about your rig, which in reference to your signature...
> 
> You have spent what is clearly around $3K or the equivalent, so I must ask why you have a seriously budget $100 Audio Interface?
> 
> To me this is like running a Rolls Royce system with massive sessions running through a plastic pipe. Surprised you do not have something more along the lines of RME, UA, Focusrite, DigiGrid etc.


well you know,
just a question of priority.
I already owned this sound card and I am not planning to change it for the moment since I invested a lot on the DAW this year.
Probably next year will be the moment to do the upgrade but so far I am pretty ok with it, it gives almost zero latency for midi recording and don't need lot of audio input since I am mainly using VST and not audio tracks.

Anyway, I am also not very informed on what these soundcards can offer more than my m-audio 2x2m for my workflow, can you give me some insights?

thanks
Marco


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