Building a DAW for Cubase 6

WaveLab
1

I’m getting around to building a computer for Cubase 6 and some video editing. I’m going to use Windows 7 and here are the components I’ve picked:

I’ve been checking the compatibility between motherboard-RAM and motherboard-CPU on the motherboard’s manufacturer’s website.

I’m not sure about the cabinet, I just wanted a very quiet one with isolation. I’ve read some reviews about it, and they all say it’s supposed to be really silent. Not quite sure about the PSU either. I chose the very cheap CPU cooler based on some good reviews.

Here’s the list again, but in a simpler version:

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3
AMD 990FX, AM3+, ATX, (DDR3 1866/1600/1333/1066Mhz 4st <32GB), SATA 6.0 Gbit/s
According to their website:
Supports AMD Phenom II X4 955rts
Supports Corsair 8GB (2x4096MB) VENGEANCE

Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 3,2GHz Black Edition
2 MB L2-cache, 6 MB L3, AM3/AM2+ socket

Processor cooler: Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 Pro

RAM: Corsair 8GB (2x4096MB) 1600MHz VENGEANCE
DDR3, 240-pin DIMM, recommended for Core i7/i5/i3/AMD

HDD: OCZ SSD Agility 3
60 GB, SATA 6.0 Gbit/s, Read: 525 MB/s; Write: 475 MB/s

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green
2 TB, SATA 3.0 Gbit/s, 3.5", 5400 rpm

Video card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 550Ti OC 1GB
DirectX 11
GPU: Nvidia, 970 MHz
Memory: GDDR5, 1024 MB, 4200 MHz, 192 bit
PCI Express 16X, 2.0
Requires >400W and 6-pin ext. power connector
Fits in the cabinet.

CD/DVD:
Samsung SH-B123L Blu-Ray R/DVD W, Lightscribe
DVD <16x, CD 40x
SATA, buffert 2 MB

Cabinet:
Cooler Master Silencio 550 (ATX, mATX)
Fans: 2x120mm(800rpm)

PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro M 600W

I’m going to use it for metal, so I’ll have like 20 channels maybe, 12 minute projects. All of the channels are audio, except for perhaps three VSTi (incl. EzDrummer Drumkit From Hell). I’ll likely have some inputs and effects on all channels, like reverb, EQ etc.

Thanks in advance for any feedback, input, suggestions and so on! :smiley:

2

Should work OK.

Only one suggestion: I wouldn’t go with AMD but with Intel i7 2600K.
Maybe the AMD will be enough for you at the moment, but let’s say in 1-2 years, when more CPU-heavy plugins shows up, new versions of Cubase etc.

3

Hi there,

Have you checked out this page?

4

For your WD HDD you would be better off with 7200 rpm.

5

Hey !

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3
AMD 990FX, AM3+, ATX, (DDR3 1866/1600/1333/1066Mhz 4st <32GB), SATA 6.0 Gbit/s
According to their website:
Supports AMD Phenom II X4 955rts
Supports Corsair 8GB (2x4096MB) VENGEANCE



Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 3,2GHz Black Edition
2 MB L2-cache, 6 MB L3, AM3/AM2+ socket



Processor cooler: Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 Pro

I would rather prefer to choose some Intel based platform. From the past experience, it is better supported in computers and there are less problems. (Compability, Drivers, etc.)

RAM: Corsair 8GB (2x4096MB) 1600MHz VENGEANCE
DDR3, 240-pin DIMM, recommended for Core i7/i5/i3/AMD

OK

HDD: OCZ SSD Agility 3
60 GB, SATA 6.0 Gbit/s, Read: 525 MB/s; Write: 475 MB/s

OK for the OS and Software Installation

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green
2 TB, SATA 3.0 Gbit/s, 3.5", 5400 rpm

I would rather choose Western Digital Caviar Black, these models with 64 MB Cache - It´s a question of performance: You need quick access to samples in terms of production and they can handle a huge amount more of audio tracks, while the price difference is not thaaaat much… Don´t save at the wrong end, same for processor…

Video card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 550Ti OC 1GB

Just a small and cheap graphics card can do the job. No need to invest in 1GB of Ram… Good example is ATI HD4550… Not even 50 Euro, fanless, 3 outputs - perfect.


CD/DVD:
Samsung SH-B123L Blu-Ray R/DVD W, Lightscribe
DVD <16x, CD 40x
SATA, buffert 2 MB

Not important at all… OK.

Cabinet:
Cooler Master Silencio 550 (ATX, mATX)
Fans: 2x120mm(800rpm)

OK

PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro M 600W

400 W does the job with ease and saves 50-100 Bugs on cost for electricity per year.

Cheers
Garfield

6

Sorry, but

Just a small and cheap graphics card can do the job. No need to invest in 1GB of Ram… Good example is ATI HD4550… Not even 50 Euro, fanless, 3 outputs - perfect.

Doesn’t seem to be true. That card has 2 outputs and can not handle high resolutions at all according to this review.

7

Hi !
If you plan to use your system for more then music you might need à bigger card.
I would not go nvidia though.
There are some realy great fanless hd 57… Series.
There are some realy great fanless 5750 and 5770 out there and they Will handle gaming verry Hood st high res.
Remember that all bench review pages test The card for gaming and not for music.
And à 5750 Will be overpower for only cubase.
Check out

And as many Said dont go amd.
If your budget is tight The i5 CPU id à rock but if u an afford go gigabyte mobo and i7 CPU

8

Just installed MOTU 24io into my machine. It requires a PCIe 16x slot, while the manual does not specify between 1x 8x or 16x. Don’t know what sound card you’re going to use, but you should make sure your motherboard has more than just one 16x PCIe slot just in case. To solve my problems with MOTU installation I moved my video card to the 8x PCIe slot so that the MOTU could have the only 16x.

And I’ve used my AMD based machine for over five years now with no problems.