Hi folks

Just about to get a new system for my Sequoia / RME HDSP 9652 rig....

Anyone had any experience with either of the following systems?

1.

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU
MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard
2 GB RAM


2.

Intel Pentium D820/D830/D840 CPU
Intel D945GCZLKR LGA 775 Mobo
2 GB Ram

(or equiv mobo? - Recommendations?)



Any other thoughts or suggestions welcome!!

cheers

Geoff

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 09:52:05 +1300, "Geoff Duncan"
trained 100 monkeys to jump on the keyboard
and write:

Just about to get a new system for my Sequoia / RME HDSP 9652 rig....

Anyone had any experience with either of the following systems?

1.

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU
MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard
2 GB RAM

Just for sheer expandability, I would run with this one.

The other reason I would avoid the Intel board is the problems that
have been reported with PCIe and PCI audio cards. New drivers have
reportedly worked on this, but...

But no, I do not have personal experience with either one of them.

--
jtougas

"listen- there's a hell of a good universe next door
let's go" - e.e. cummings

"Geoff Duncan" wrote in message
...
Hi folks

Just about to get a new system for my Sequoia / RME HDSP 9652 rig....

Anyone had any experience with either of the following systems?

1.

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU]

Is this 2 processors or a dual-core processor

MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard

I've worked with other NForce3 Ultra moteherboards.

2 GB RAM

Lots!

This is a highly incomplete list - no drives. I would recommend 2 250 GB
SATA 7200rpm drives (Seagate OK) as separate drives (not RAID). I've been
having good luck with Liteon DVD burners as all-purpose drives.

"jtougas" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 09:52:05 +1300, "Geoff Duncan"
trained 100 monkeys to jump on the keyboard
and write:

Just about to get a new system for my Sequoia / RME HDSP 9652 rig....

Anyone had any experience with either of the following systems?

1.

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU
MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard
2 GB RAM

Just for sheer expandability, I would run with this one.

The other reason I would avoid the Intel board is the problems that
have been reported with PCIe and PCI audio cards. New drivers have
reportedly worked on this, but...

But no, I do not have personal experience with either one of them.

--
jtougas

"listen- there's a hell of a good universe next door
let's go" - e.e. cummings


Thanks for the reply, this seems to be the consensus around the place....

cheers!
Geoff

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU
MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard
2 GB RAM

Did you ask over at the samplitude forum (the old one now on Kurt's NV
server (new.nv.net and samp-seq newsgroup)? Quite a few Sequoia users
there, although I haven't run into too many with 64 bit chips. I'm
currently running an AMD 64 single core on a Gigabyte K8NXP with Samplitude
and an RME 9652 and Motu 2408 and it runs just fine. I only used one MSI
and it worked, but I have no real evaluation of it with a dual core 64.
Perhaps check on www.Tomshardware.com for a review. My guess is that MSI
would be out of the board making business if it wasn't acceptable, but to
which group of users might be another thing.

For instance, my own board runs the SATA off the PCI bus so I ended up
buying a new one with two SATA, one on the PCI and one on the southbridge.
Haven't installed it yet because this one works just fine for any number of
tracks I can throw at it. Guess I'll have to splurge for another 64 to
throw on that board and have two 64s up an running.

But when you decide, let us know how it's going. The more 64 bit machines
we get out there, the more likely we'll start seeing 64 bit drivers. So far
RME only has Fireface 800 64 bit drivers, as I recall.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
"Is our children learning?"
President George W. Bush
"Geoff Duncan" wrote in message
...
Hi folks

Just about to get a new system for my Sequoia / RME HDSP 9652 rig....

Anyone had any experience with either of the following systems?

1.

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU
MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard
2 GB RAM


2.

Intel Pentium D820/D830/D840 CPU
Intel D945GCZLKR LGA 775 Mobo
2 GB Ram

(or equiv mobo? - Recommendations?)



Any other thoughts or suggestions welcome!!

cheers

Geoff

Is this 2 processors or a dual-core processor

The X2 is a dual core, Arny. Almost the only AMD you can find on Tiger, but
I haven't looked much (well single core Semprons seem to be in the
pipeline). It should look to XP like two processors.

I'd add the caveat about having a SATA bus that's off the southbridge, as
we've discussed before. Mine works fine in RAID for actual work, but under
HD Tach it just doesn't look good. That's two Seagate SATA 7200 120 gig
drives in my case, but a PCI bus SATA is just not acceptable as far as
testing. Like I said, it works for audio just fine if you ignore the
mountain peaks the testing seems to indicate.

2 GB RAM

Lots!

Lots of RAM, I agree. Just checked Tiger and 1024 MB 184 pin PC3200/400
chips are $79. Too cheap not to max out memory.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
"Is our children learning?"
President George W. Bush
"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...

"Geoff Duncan" wrote in message
...
Hi folks

Just about to get a new system for my Sequoia / RME HDSP 9652 rig....

Anyone had any experience with either of the following systems?

1.

AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU]

Is this 2 processors or a dual-core processor

MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard

I've worked with other NForce3 Ultra moteherboards.

2 GB RAM

Lots!

This is a highly incomplete list - no drives. I would recommend 2 250 GB
SATA 7200rpm drives (Seagate OK) as separate drives (not RAID). I've been
having good luck with Liteon DVD burners as all-purpose drives.

"Roger W. Norman" wrote in message
...
Is this 2 processors or a dual-core processor

The X2 is a dual core, Arny. Almost the only AMD you can find on Tiger,
but
I haven't looked much (well single core Semprons seem to be in the
pipeline). It should look to XP like two processors.

I have yet to find any audio software that significantly benefits from more
than one processor. I'm sure that it exists... ;-)

Geoff - you can check out my web site - http://www.pcDAW.net to see
what I use.

I don't have particular experience with either of those mobo's.

Mike
http://www.pcDAW.net

wrote in message
ups.com...
Geoff - you can check out my web site - http://www.pcDAW.net to see
what I use.

I don't have particular experience with either of those mobo's.

Mike
http://www.pcDAW.net


Thanks Mike!!!

I'll take a look!

cheers

Geoff

"Roger W. Norman" wrote in message
...
AMD Athlon 64X2 3800+ CPU
MSI K8N Neo2 Motherboard
2 GB RAM

Did you ask over at the samplitude forum (the old one now on Kurt's NV
server (new.nv.net and samp-seq newsgroup)? Quite a few Sequoia users
there, although I haven't run into too many with 64 bit chips. I'm
currently running an AMD 64 single core on a Gigabyte K8NXP with
Samplitude
and an RME 9652 and Motu 2408 and it runs just fine. I only used one MSI
and it worked, but I have no real evaluation of it with a dual core 64.
Perhaps check on www.Tomshardware.com for a review. My guess is that MSI
would be out of the board making business if it wasn't acceptable, but to
which group of users might be another thing.

For instance, my own board runs the SATA off the PCI bus so I ended up
buying a new one with two SATA, one on the PCI and one on the southbridge.
Haven't installed it yet because this one works just fine for any number
of
tracks I can throw at it. Guess I'll have to splurge for another 64 to
throw on that board and have two 64s up an running.

But when you decide, let us know how it's going. The more 64 bit machines
we get out there, the more likely we'll start seeing 64 bit drivers. So
far
RME only has Fireface 800 64 bit drivers, as I recall.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
"Is our children learning?"
President George W. Bush


Thanks Roger,

I have asked around, seems to be quite a popular combo so I'll take a punt
and see how I get on!!

I'll do a check on Toms Hardware to make sure there arent any hidden traps
to be aware of!!!

cheers!

Geoff

I have yet to find any audio software that significantly benefits from
more
than one processor. I'm sure that it exists... ;-)

The new Sonar does, and any application (audio or otherwise) that uses
hyper-threading extension coding will use both cores directly, which
includes video from a number of developers. And Windows itself will operate
as if it's a multi chip system (because it is), so even if an application
doesn't take advantage of it, the OS will implement dual cpu techniques and
running as many as 8 individual processes at one clock. AMD claims up to
80% performance increase clock for clock over a single core of equal speed
and they don't specify that XP64 is required to achieve this result. I'd
have to opine that I'd expect maybe half of that..

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
"Is our children learning?"
President George W. Bush
"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...

"Roger W. Norman" wrote in message
...
Is this 2 processors or a dual-core processor

The X2 is a dual core, Arny. Almost the only AMD you can find on Tiger,
but
I haven't looked much (well single core Semprons seem to be in the
pipeline). It should look to XP like two processors.

Like I said, just check to make certain that any SATA connections are
running off the southbridge. I know it's included in the NForce3 250
chipset, but I haven't looked at the particular motherboard specs for the
model you mentioned. Well, took the time. Referencing MSI's website, they
no longer produce the Neo2, so you may want to research www.msicomputer.com
before you plunk down the money. If the Neo2 is the immediate predecessor
to the Neo3, then you're looking at an AMD 754, which may be in some
pipelines, but most are 939 X2 core chips now, at least readily available
online. I haven't checked any computer shows for quite some time, so there
may be some 754s floating around. I do see one 300+ on Tigerdirect.com for
$129 but it wasn't there last week. Most 754s are Semprons these days, and
other straight single core 64s are 939 at a few hundred dollars.

So just be aware that you are at a point where a few dollars more may be
that extra which makes your purchase still viable in 18 months. I bought my
64 in Feb of 2004 and it's virtually out of it's own lifecycle now, although
it still works just fine.

Anywho, thems my suggestions on what to pay attention to.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
"Is our children learning?"
President George W. Bush
"Geoff Duncan" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
Geoff - you can check out my web site - http://www.pcDAW.net to see
what I use.

I don't have particular experience with either of those mobo's.

Mike
http://www.pcDAW.net


Thanks Mike!!!

I'll take a look!

cheers

Geoff

Oh, and Geoff, really pay attention to the cpus, because the AMD FX60 64 bit
is the last 939 socket chip to be produced. From here on it's a new socket
and die size for even more cores on one chip. Like I said, you are on the
edge of either buying the best of what's available, or the least of what's
left.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
"Is our children learning?"
President George W. Bush
"Geoff Duncan" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
Geoff - you can check out my web site - http://www.pcDAW.net to see
what I use.

I don't have particular experience with either of those mobo's.

Mike
http://www.pcDAW.net


Thanks Mike!!!

I'll take a look!

cheers

Geoff