Subject:64-bit, SATA, etc.

Posted by: Spy

Date:11/10/2005 4:31:38 AM

Greetings All,

I'm considering upgrading my PC from it's Intel 2.67GHz P4 to an AMD X2 4200+ dual core CPU. The combination of mobo/CPU I'll use is already being used by many satisfied DAW builders/owners but I'm curious about possible compatibility issues with Acid and/or Sound Forge.

This is my current set-up:

Computer:
Carillon AC-1 Core 1
Intel motherboard 845E Intel chipset
Intel Pentium 4 2.67GHz CPU
QTechnology QT-03400G Gold 400W ATX PSU
2 x 512MB 333MHz DDR RAM
1 x Seagate 80GB 7200rpm IDE HDD
1 x Seagate 200GB 7200rpm IDE HDD
LiteOn internal DVD ROM/CD-R/CD-RW combination optical drive
Plextor PX-504UF external DVD+R/DVD+RW/CD-R/CD-RW combination optical drive
ATI Radeon 9200 128MB dual head videocard
2 x Digimate 17” TFT video monitors
Labtec wireless keyboard & mouse

Related hardware:
MOTU MIDI Express XT MIDI interface
MOTU 2408 mk3/PCI-424 audio interface
TC Electronic Powercore Element

Software:
Microsoft Windows Home XP (SP2)
Steinberg Cubase SX 3.1.0
Sonic Foundry Acid Pro 4.0f
Sony Acid Pro 5.0c
Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 6.0e
Sony Sound Forge 8.0b
Sony CD Architect 5.2
Image Line FL Studio 4.52
Image Line FL Studio 5.0.2
Propellerhead Reason 2.5
Various demo and/or freeware plug-ins

I intend to upgrade to:

ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard/VIA K8T800Pro + VT8237 chipset
AMD 64 X2 4200+ 2.2GHz Socket 939 CPU
Crucial DDR PC2700 333MHz 184-Pin Memory
Samsung SpinPoint P120 SP2004C SATA hard drives

For now, everything else will be the same as the current set-up.

So, finally, to re-iterate my question are there any compatibility issues between these new components and Acid and/or Sound Forge?

TIA

Subject:RE: 64-bit, SATA, etc.

Reply by: stuffedspacedog

Date:11/10/2005 8:08:32 AM

I have no problem with dual core AMD, you might want to go down the Tyan route rather than Asus, and also Opteron will give you more robust results than Athlon with sample based applications, and for maximum plugins. No problem with SATA + 1Tb in RAID, but that's with Tyan K8W (old I know, but proven), so can't comment on the Asus.

I'm using Samsung DDR400 512 X 4 (XP SP2 is better with 2 RAM on each processor).

I have Acid, Vegas, Sound Forge, Samplitude, Cubase SX 3 running fine, all latest versions.

Subject:RE: 64-bit, SATA, etc.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:11/10/2005 8:10:12 AM

I’m surprised that many DAW builders would recommend a mobo with a VIA chipset. For Video we have learned to steer clear of VIA chipsets because of all sorts of incompatiblity problems with video capture cards. I guess they must be OK for audio. I assume your selection of the slower DDR333 memory is because you are planning to also use what you already have. I guess that’s OK but not optimal.

I’m building a new system around an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ 2.4Ghz CPU and the ASUS A8N-SLI Premium mobo with the nForce4 chipset. I have it assembled but the graphics card I bought was DOA so I’m waiting for another one to arrive. :( So I can’t comment on how well it works with ACID yet but hopefully next week I should have it up and running.

I’ve read that the AMD Athlon 64 X2’s are screaming fast! :)

~jr

Subject:RE: 64-bit, SATA, etc.

Reply by: stuffedspacedog

Date:11/10/2005 8:17:22 AM

I second that on VIA, you'll just run into headaches later. BTW, I would recommend going for a Tyan 2895 motherboard.

Subject:RE: 64-bit, SATA, etc.

Reply by: Spy

Date:11/10/2005 8:37:13 AM

Thanks SSD & JR

I've been told (by people with far more knowledge & experience of such things than I'll ever have) that for audio PCI-E is a no-no, hence the choice of the older Asus mobo, not to mention the 5 PCI slots it has for my various cards (MOTU PCI-424, TC Powercore, etc.)

See here for more on this

Subject:RE: 64-bit, SATA, etc.

Reply by: Spectralis

Date:11/10/2005 10:34:30 AM

I have 2xPoco and 1xUAD-1 so I agree, a 5 slot PCI board is worth more to me as a musician than PCI-E. I suppose there's always the magma for PCI but why pay extra for that?

There are a few PCI boards that are AMD dualcore ready. The manufacturers just need to update the bios and away you go with dualcore chips.

Is ACID 5 able to make use of dualcore technology? Maybe ACID 6 will be able to?

Subject:RE: 64-bit, SATA, etc.

Reply by: stuffedspacedog

Date:11/10/2005 7:50:51 PM

The AMD utility software will spread the workload across both CPUs, so in that sense you do get some performance benefits with dual core and Acid, but it in no way is Acid properly optimised to get the full benefits of 64 bit dual core architecture... I believe only the Sonar beta can currently do this using 64 bit Windows.