I wouldn't go mini ITX for a recording PC. You have to keep it quiet and cool - a balance difficult to achieve in a small case. If you really must have the mobile "road ready" aspect, go rack (and bigger on your budget).

Regardless of format, go with Antec for your case, Intel for mobo (or ASUS), Seagate for HDD (and no "green" drives. WD only the Blue series), Thermaltake for cooler (forgot cooler didn't you? Stock coolers are usually abysmal for noise) and PSU, Nexus for fans (pref all 120mm).

Is your budget wholesale or retail?

Hehehe Alan you oom.

Do you know much about PCs? It's often worth looking at underclocking CPUs in cases like this..

The more recent Asus mobos are pretty terrible with hdd compatibility and stability. Check out Gigabyte or the Intel series.

In terms of staying cool and quiet, look at the low profile coolers from Thermalright and Noctua, I suppose the most important thing (if you do go m-itx) is finding something that's compatible. You'll be shocked at the size of the current range of Intel coolers, almost anything is an upgrade.

The WD green isn't so bad, but they are quite slow. I suppose it's worth getting a low-heat and low noise hard drive like the green though. How much are you paying for it? A 1tb should be only around R100 more.

Also, beware of the dreaded psu. It's possible that some PSUs cause capacitor whine (I had an Antec 850watter that did it). And also make sure that it's quiet. No use having a silent pc otherwise and then having a noisy psu you can do nothing about. Best way is just to ask around and see if anyone has experiences with it being noisy.

MikeM wrote: Hehehe Alan you oom.

It shows? ? From hardware choices? It changes so fast, I don't bother keep up until I need to build a new one. Then I start by looking what guys like Sweetwater and www.endpcnoise.com are using for their builds, take a look at all the latest reviews at Silentpcreview and take it from there.

The more recent Asus mobos are pretty terrible with hdd compatibility and stability.

Really? ? I usually go Intel myself, not the fanciest, but usually solid, reliable and durable.

Thermaltake went out of fashion somewhere between 5 and 7 years ago ?

Asus are usually solid, but for some reason their latest intel chipset boards... I have had 3 and ALL have given me hassles

But you're 100% Intel boards are rock solid ?

Thanks guys ?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: I wouldn't go mini ITX for a recording PC. You have to keep it quiet and cool - a balance difficult to achieve in a small case. If you really must have the mobile "road ready" aspect, go rack (and bigger on your budget).

I suppose mobility isn't essential, but it would make life much easier - I think rack's going to be too much $$$ for me, like I said, 8K is already pushing the budget!
I'd think with the low power CPU and HDD the heat should be ok?

Regardless of format, go with Antec for your case, Intel for mobo (or ASUS), Seagate for HDD (and no "green" drives. WD only the Blue series), Thermaltake for cooler (forgot cooler didn't you? Stock coolers are usually abysmal for noise) and PSU, Nexus for fans (pref all 120mm).

Antec don't really have a comparable small form factor case that I've seen?
Was going to go with stock cooler for starters...

Is your budget wholesale or retail?

Wholesale.

MikeM wrote: It's often worth looking at underclocking CPUs in cases like this..

Not sure I understand you here Mike? would the 2400s be considered underclocked?

You'll be shocked at the size of the current range of Intel coolers, almost anything is an upgrade.

I was concerned about clearance in the case for the stock cooler - difficult to find conclusive info on this... ok found out it should fit - tight, but it'll fit.

The WD green isn't so bad, but they are quite slow. I suppose it's worth getting a low-heat and low noise hard drive like the green though. How much are you paying for it? A 1tb should be only around R100 more.

Can't remember off hand - don't have prices with me now - but think the 1Tb was around R200 more. Jis man when doing stuff like this its easy to say "oh well its only Rx more for that and its better" and then next thing you've got this gigantic quote! ? ? Trying to find the best place to draw the line!

Also, beware of the dreaded psu. It's possible that some PSUs cause capacitor whine (I had an Antec 850watter that did it). And also make sure that it's quiet. No use having a silent pc otherwise and then having a noisy psu you can do nothing about. Best way is just to ask around and see if anyone has experiences with it being noisy.

The corsair cx500 is a more budget series "80plus" PS, so it definately won't match the more high end PS's for noise. IIRC the price is R550/600.

I don't know that I'm overly concerned about the noise level of the machine, the PC will mostly be away from the mics (seperate room), but it will obviously be in the "control room" area. As long as it's not too loud - but I'm a noob with this stuff so dunno?

Heat wise, from what I've read it should be fine - only one low power HDD, low power CPU, no GPU?

I'm trying to find the sweet spot between $$$ and mobile/quiet - it's harder than I thought it would be. So many little things, like the Apple Glen motherboard doesn't take a standard ATX 2x12 power connector, but has some DC socket???? crazy. have to switch to the DH67CF (Clear Fork) rather I think... The more I look the more I confuse myself. :-[

BUMP

Any more/other opinions?

MikeM wrote: Thermaltake went out of fashion somewhere between 5 and 7 years ago ?

Sorry - Thermalright and if they are out of fashion too, fashion be damned, they make the most efficient heatsinks out there. I just fitted a ultra-120 extreme to a machine in my studio and with a Nexus fan you can't hear it plus it's cooler than the stock fan doing convincing takeoff imitations.

kayDUB wrote: I'd think with the low power CPU and HDD the heat should be ok?

As long as you don't mind your machine running slow. Multitrack recording is one of the most demanding applications you can run on a machine (second only to video editing). Every bit of processing power and disk throughput is valuable when you start running plugin effects like reverbs and sampled softsynths at low latency. So I don't believe you should skimp on performance for sake of form factor. First and foremost it needs to be able to do the job...

Was going to go with stock cooler for starters...

The stock Intel coolers are about as bad as you can find. Trust me, you don't want the processor stepping down in the middle of a take.

Jis man when doing stuff like this its easy to say "oh well its only Rx more for that and its better" and then next thing you've got this gigantic quote! ? ? Trying to find the best place to draw the line!

I know. But for an ATX tower and at wholesale prices, R8K can make for a pretty decent machine without any serious skimping where it matters.

The corsair cx500 is a more budget series "80plus" PS, so it definately won't match the more high end PS's for noise. IIRC the price is R550/600.

That actually looks fine. I like the models with intake rather than exhaust fans - helps with CPU and mobo cooling and keeps noise down.

Heat wise, from what I've read it should be fine - only one low power HDD, low power CPU, no GPU?

All of which make for worse recording machines...

Thanks Alan. I think you're right. Going to put a more "normal" form factor quote together.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:

MikeM wrote: Thermaltake went out of fashion somewhere between 5 and 7 years ago ?

Sorry - Thermalright and if they are out of fashion too, fashion be damned, they make the most efficient heatsinks out there. I just fitted a ultra-120 extreme to a machine in my studio and with a Nexus fan you can't hear it plus it's cooler than the stock fan doing convincing takeoff imitations.

Ah, yup biiig difference between them and Thermaltake. I am also using a TRUE 120 atm. It's fantastic.

Hi just some ideas
Sad drives are really fantastic the speed is really noticeable, the trick is to install windows on it and a few programs keep all your samples ect On a secondary hdd. Do take into mind the the speed of the hard drive 5400rpm are a little slower than your 7200rpm drivers.

Intel coolers run quieter than amd's ones, mid tower cases are better for cooling. Gaming cases normaly come with fan speed controllers.

If you are going to be doing any post production a graphics card will be needed, pro tools dose not support ati(from what I've heard)

For all my pc need I go through Pryor computers(cape town), best pricing I've found and the guy who runs it is very helpful.

I've built my last 6 studio machines from scratch, but to be honest, when I see somebody in Gumtree selling a 2 year old PC with Intel Q6600 cpu and a decent mobo plus 4Gig of Ram and a 500Meg HD in a decent case...all for R2000... I think...yeah. Just add a second 500G HD and a decent in/out audio card, maybe something made by Delta.
..and don't even THINK about a HD slower than 7200rpm.

As far as cooling goes...at least 2x 120mm fans...one intake, one out. and get the 25mm thick ones from Communica...bigger blades. So you can then slow them down with the Zalman in-line resistor. Super quiet....
You don't mention which recording package you're using . I'm as happy as a pig in Palestine with SONAR 8... I think Alan R will back me up on that....