Best CPU for quiet computer

[crazyox]

Of all the current pentium and amd 64x2 CPUs, which barnd and model is the best for running silent ie. least heat produced thus less cooling needed. I don't need huge power, but centrinos and semprons are not going to do the trick for a DAW computer.

[Felger Carbon]

I don't need huge power, but centrinos and semprons are not going to do the trick for a DAW computer.

Let me ask that you educate me, CrazyOx: is a video card required for DAW, or can integrated graphics suffice? What % of the time will be spent in DAW use? Will any dual-core CPU work (the lowest-clocked versions) or is more needed? What is your minimum CPU requirement, performance-wise?

This information is at least as much to educate me as it is to inform me so that I can provide useful suggestions.

Just to be perfectly clear, this is a 0% gaming computer, right?

Intel has just announced that it's coming out with a dual-core Celeron FYI.

[crazyox]

I don't need huge power, but centrinos and semprons are not going to do the trick for a DAW computer.

Let me ask that you educate me, CrazyOx: is a video card required for DAW, or can integrated graphics suffice? What % of the time will be spent in DAW use? Will any dual-core CPU work (the lowest-clocked versions) or is more needed? What is your minimum CPU requirement, performance-wise?

This information is at least as much to educate me as it is to inform me so that I can provide useful suggestions.

Just to be perfectly clear, this is a 0% gaming computer, right?

No gamng...just audio workstation, but that will require me to have approximately the twice equivalent cpu power as my current Athlon XP1700+

Onboard Video only. Nothing but a soundcard is added to the board. Will be two or three harddrives in computer.

I will be using 2 Gb of memory, unless someone informs me that I need more, but for Windows XP (neither Vista nor 64 bit OS will be used), I have the impression that more than 2Gb has diminishing returns.

[seraphyn]

I will be using 2 Gb of memory, unless someone informs me that I need more, but for Windows XP (neither Vista nor 64 bit OS will be used), I have the impression that more than 2Gb has diminishing returns.

I believe XP32 bit allows up to 3,5Gb of ram.

Don't think you'll need more then 2 though.

[The dman]

IMHO

I just built a DAW and did a ton of research and the Q6600 seems to be the choice right now. I built a rig with a Q6600, Thermalrite Ulta extreme and a Sythe 120mm fan, very quiet and powerful. It kills my old AMD 2.4

The DAW does need a lot more power than than a typical computer, running multiple audio files with plugins and edits takes a lot of juice.

I will be using 2 Gb of memory, unless someone informs me that I need more, but for Windows XP (neither Vista nor 64 bit OS will be used), I have the impression that more than 2Gb has diminishing returns.

I've heard arguments back and forth about that but 2 gig will do you fine. XP 32 bit is the best way to go IMHO

[yaler]

but that will require me to have approximately the twice equivalent cpu power as my current Athlon XP1700+

Well, 1700+ x 2 is 3400+ haha. So get an X2 4000+ or whatever. Better yet get a BE2350 or BE2400 like I did

[crazyox]

IMHO

I just built a DAW and did a ton of research and the Q6600 seems to be the choice right now. I built a rig with a Q6600, Thermalrite Ulta extreme and a Sythe 120mm fan, very quiet and powerful. It kills my old AMD 2.4

The DAW does need a lot more power than than a typical computer, running multiple audio files with plugins and edits takes a lot of juice.

the q6600 is more than I was planning on spending...I'll have to buy a different motherboard and heatsink than I had intended, but that maight make no difference in price. please tell me why it is the best? is there a less powerfull version with the same amount of heat produced. I have been mostly satisifed with the CPU power of my current system (XP1700+), even using various intensive VSTs and using Kontakt with all 16 slots used, so I think any of the current pentiums or athlons will have enough power...but corrupt harddrives (maybe from heat) and noise ahve forced me to concerder a new system, so heat reduction and quiet cooling are the most important factors it seems.

[The dman]

I wasn't saying that's the only choice, Intel Amd whatever. What convinced me was a benchmark project on the Cubase forums (what I use) my AMD2.4 was at 90% on resources and after I got the Quad I'm at 22% at 6 ms latency. My AMD would have crashed at 6 mshttp://www.inthebox.dk/cubase.html

I opened up a project today with a lot of audio tracks, Vsti's and plugins. On my old machine I was at 70% on my new one I'm at 12% and I can go down to 1.6 ms latency Now that's power.

From what I've read the Q6600 G0 does not run hot and is easy to overclock. The duo cores are powerful too.

[crazyox]

I wasn't saying that's the only choice, Intel Amd whatever. What convinced me was a benchmark project on the Cubase forums (what I use) my AMD2.4 was at 90% on resources and after I got the Quad I'm at 22% at 6 ms latency. My AMD would have crashed at 6 mshttp://www.inthebox.dk/cubase.html

I opened up a project today with a lot of audio tracks, Vsti's and plugins. On my old machine I was at 70% on my new one I'm at 12% and I can go down to 1.6 ms latency Now that's power.

From what I've read the Q6600 G0 does not run hot and is easy to overclock. The duo cores are powerful too.

What version of Cubase are you using. I'm not sure if 3 can use quad, especially using XP 32bit, but I am not upgrading Cubase, probably not till 5 is invented, maybe not even then. I am happy with what I have, have had no latency issues and only occasional crashed (mostly memory issues)...but my harddrive problems are what pushed me to build a silent computer since I did not want to invest more money into Pata drives and an aging copmuter. I use M-Audio 24/96 by the way, and usual at 44.1 kHz, so that may be part of it if you record at higher rates.

[The dman]

What version of Cubase are you using. I'm not sure if 3 can use quad, especially using XP 32bit, but I am not upgrading Cubase, probably not till 5 is invented, maybe not even then. I am happy with what I have, have had no latency issues and only occasional crashed (mostly memory issues).

I'm using 4.1,Cubase 3 is awesome too.

I use M-Audio 24/96 by the way, and usual at 44.1 kHz, so that may be part of it if you record at higher rates.

I use a RME HDSP9652 24 bit 44.1 but I run a full time studio so I deal with a lot of big projects, recording many tracks at one time etc. some songs many are many gb.

BTW. I didn't notice a performance going from C3 to C4 maybe like 1-2 % not enough to notice.