Old 04-26-2020, 02:43 PM   #1
Cableaddict
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Default Best CPU for my new build?

Yes, another "which PC?" thread. What fun !

I'm building a new pc this month, and still on the fence about what to use.

Money is no object. Massive dsp power is not critical (no film scores, etc) whereas lowest possible latency is absolutely critical. (My rigs are used for live performances, plus studio work.)

I understand all the tech, including the need for single core speed, etc etc.

FWIW, I'll be using a Lynx Aurora(n) connected via Thunderbolt II.

Oh, and I really can't wait another 6 months for the next gen of Ryzen, though I could certainly build a new machine at that time. (So upcoming cpu's can definitely be discussed.)
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I've been planning on using the AMD 3950x, even though a few Intel cpu's can run faster, because heat is also an issue in my case. (Small rack chassis, and it might have to be air-cooled.) I wouldn't go with more cores than that, since the all-core max speed would suffer, plus I doubt I'd even need the extra cpu cycles.

On the Intel side, I'd probably go for the i9–10900KF, or a KS if they release one soon. Only ten cores, but it does an all-core boost of 4.9 GHZ, which means maybe 5.2 with a careful overclock.

I could also opt for the Ryzen 3900, for a little more speed, but at some point I might not have enough cpu cycles, so....

- But the problem is, I STILL haven't found enough real-world benchmarks to know how a 3950x stacks up against the "similar" Intel chips, specifically for DAW use, and most specifically in terms of HW buffer size. First, An AMD core and an Intel are not equal in performance for a given speed, since the architecture is so different. Second, what if they ALL can allow for my Lynx system's lowest HW buffer? In that case, I'd much rather go with Ryzen, for more overall cpu cycles and much less heat.
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OK, so I'm hoping to hear from some of you guys who already have rigs in this range. What HW buffers are you able to achieve? What kind of sessions before maxing out, etc.

Any and all thoughts / recommendations are welcome.
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Old 04-26-2020, 03:32 PM   #2
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In your case, I think memory speed will be the main factor. Also, how quickly you get your audio inside your computer will be important and depend on the mainboard and its connections, but I don't know much about that.

For the CPU, look at the cache sizes (bigger is better). Having more cores will also reduce the likelihood of your audio processes getting interrupted.
For RAM, look at the clock speed and the CAS Latency and get a mainboard that's compatible. Make sure you've set the appropriate values in the bios.

An SSD with low latency certainly won't hurt.

You could also read up on how to reserve a core for your program here. But I'm not sure if it'll help. You should probably measure it.
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Old 04-27-2020, 10:04 AM   #3
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Thanks for the response, but none of this is what I'm asking about. (I'm far from a beginner.)

For clarity:

" I think memory speed will be the main factor."
With Ryzen, this is indeed important, as you want memory speed to match the internal fabric speed. (It's a non-issue with Intel cpus.) - But again, not what I'm asking about here.

"Having more cores will also reduce the likelihood of your audio processes getting interrupted."
But more cores typically means a lower all-core maximum boost, which is the main factor in this thread / question.

"An SSD with low latency certainly won't hurt" Actually, the speed of your drives does not affect performance, only boot times. (Apps run 100% in ram.)

"You could also read up on how to reserve a core for your program here."
- That does not apply to apps that run on all cores. You raise an interesting possibility, though, which is that it would be very helpful if DAWs could somehow assign the realtime audio thread to the core of your choice. YOu could then at least see which core runs the fastest, and possibly get a small performance cushion that way.
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Old 04-27-2020, 04:00 PM   #4
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Go here :

http://www.scanproaudio.info/tag/dawbench/

Read and study it. It can depend on what you want to do. Kontakt users may possibly be better off with an Intel CPU, depending on the budget. Everyone else can likely use more cores and go AMD Ryzen.

Then the choice of mainboard is important. It might be prudent to check for any compatibility issues of a chipset with your current audio interface. A low DPC latency is paramount and shitty drivers can spoil that. Look for the problems and rely on tested setups if possible.
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Old 08-17-2020, 03:50 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cableaddict View Post
Yes, another "which PC?" thread. What fun !

I'm here pondering the same thing however (I'm not going to attempt to build it myself) wondering what you might want to share what you might have come up with on this if anything.

I'm pounding Kontakt in Reaper in real time with extremely heavy (perhaps hundreds of) kontakt instances,voices and track counts from several midi inputs and channels.

For what it's worth, I'm not running commercial sound libraries in Kontakt - They're mostly custom built sounds/ maps & layouts.

My template is also laden with a lot of midi processing,routing and necessary real time control requiring hundreds of Reaper
tracks.(it's a long story)

I want to run everything from one central system if i can.

I was trying to narrow the Intel options down and rule out AMD, specifically because people seem to give Intel an egdge with heavy instances of Kontakt

Not absolutely sure this is any longer the case. That Ryzen 3950X keeps coming up.

Now I wonder if I should be thinking AMD.
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