intel or AMD ?

kammajaega · Jul 3, 2005, 08:25 PM

good evening,

I'm building a DAW and want to know your opinions about whether to use an INTEL cpu or whether to choose an AMD processor?

the KX issues note that there is a HyperThreading compatibility problem, what sounds like a "buy AMD" call.

Considering the benefit of 1mbyte of secondlevel cache, an intel cpu seems to be a better choice.

the new generation of AMD processors has a high 2nd level cache, too, but the prices are higher.

also the front side bus is higher on an intel machine.

and finally theres is the 64 bit vs 32bit issue.

i won't install longhorn. so I don't need 64 bit. but 64 bit cpus support 32 bit OS.

so I'll be running win XP Pro on the new machine.

software:
-cubase sx
-adobe premiere pro
-alot of direktX stuff (plugins)

What would you suggest? which CPU will do the best job?

I'm an addicted kx user, so i won't change my soundcard. KX drivers will be a must!
-> is this the knockout for INTEL?

If you read this and think, that you have the best combo (motherboard + cpu) please post your combo here. If you also can provide knowledge about the different chipsets, don't hesitate. your suggestions are welcome.

kind regards

KJ

JGSF · Jul 3, 2005, 10:15 PM

AMD all the way. Get an A64 (Venice or Sandiego core, the last one has 1mb cache). You won't be sorry.

**dj_stick** · Jul 4, 2005, 02:27 AM

please read the previous thread(s) regarding this. Quite alot of discussion has taken place about this

nitrousoxide52 · Jul 4, 2005, 02:30 AM

Get an AMD A64 X2 4800+!!!! Sure it's over 1k, but that's what I'm gonna get when I upgrade, but by then people will have 48000+'s.

adi111p · Jul 5, 2005, 12:54 PM

well, get an AMD ...

better stability because of lower freq, 64bit

, 40% lower power consumption, lower heat dissipation, quieter, etc, etc

use mobos based on NForce chipsets

Judas · Jul 6, 2005, 04:30 AM

the X2 4400 (2mb cache) are sitting are a reasonable price considering there preformance..

my gaud....

MY FREAKING GAUD...

damn they are nice

**dj_stick** · Jul 6, 2005, 04:35 AM

before the release of the AMD dual core CPUs i would be tempted to say intel, as many audio applications (especially) can make use of, and benefit greatly from more than one logical cpu

but now it's pretty much an even field. Atm none of the major software packages are 64bit, nor am i personally aware of any such plans to go

plus kX is 32bit only

so the decision now is yours

fvi · Jul 6, 2005, 06:23 AM

You can check and see what you can expect at FiveTowers.
AMD seems to rule for that kind of Cubase project.

kammajaega · Jul 7, 2005, 03:26 PM

thank you very much for your answers. i found a manufacturer of DAWs and video workstations:
www.adkproaudio.com
they are building DAWs on demand. They also explain why they choose severel components.
a good place to get some inspiration. but there is still one issue, that bugs me a bit:
which chipset is recommandable?
adi 111p recommends nforce chipsets, but which version (3 or 4) ? Someone else in this forum didn't like the nforce chipset (can't remember which post, sorry). And what about actual high speed AGP graphic accelerators? iss it possible to turn off their busmastering? do they harm recordings by adding clicks? I have a matrox g450. At first I experienced clicks in my recordings and gone MAD! but then i found out that i can turn off busmastering and everything works fine. what about the new GFORCE or ATI cards? Are they harming recordings in any way?

thank you fvi for the tower link. it is a nice comparement, espacially when comparing benchmarks.

DJ Stick, I thhink there has to be a category in thiss forum called
"compatible hardware"
a place where people are able to post their systems and take the FiveTower Benchmark as reference. So everybody can "compete" , because I didn't see any kx based DAWs on fivetowers

JGSF · Jul 7, 2005, 04:17 PM

I have a nforce2 chipset (single channel) and I can play with 2.67 ms latency rock solid (using 3538h), but I had to make a stripped instalation of Windows XP with APIC deactivated and some extra stuff left out too.

Never tried any VIA chipset, but I suppose that in A64 the HyperTransport bus must help a lot, as also the integrated memory controller, therefore making the chipset maker somewhat irrelevant (assuming it doesn't mess with these components).

**dj_stick** · Jul 7, 2005, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fvi

You can check and see what you can expect at FiveTowers.
AMD seems to rule for that kind of Cubase project.

note that it seems to be the dual cores/cpus performing well

Jul 3, 2005, 08:25 PM	#1
kammajaega DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Berlin Germany Posts: 25 Rep Power: 0	intel or AMD ? good evening, I'm building a DAW and want to know your opinions about whether to use an INTEL cpu or whether to choose an AMD processor? the KX issues note that there is a HyperThreading compatibility problem, what sounds like a "buy AMD" call. Considering the benefit of 1mbyte of secondlevel cache, an intel cpu seems to be a better choice. the new generation of AMD processors has a high 2nd level cache, too, but the prices are higher. also the front side bus is higher on an intel machine. and finally theres is the 64 bit vs 32bit issue. i won't install longhorn. so I don't need 64 bit. but 64 bit cpus support 32 bit OS. so I'll be running win XP Pro on the new machine. software: -cubase sx -adobe premiere pro -alot of direktX stuff (plugins) What would you suggest? which CPU will do the best job? I'm an addicted kx user, so i won't change my soundcard. KX drivers will be a must! -> is this the knockout for INTEL? If you read this and think, that you have the best combo (motherboard + cpu) please post your combo here. If you also can provide knowledge about the different chipsets, don't hesitate. your suggestions are welcome. kind regards KJ __________________ LPR KJ

Jul 4, 2005, 02:30 AM	#4
nitrousoxide52 Driverheaven.com err .net Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,722 Rep Power: 0	Get an AMD A64 X2 4800+!!!! Sure it's over 1k, but that's what I'm gonna get when I upgrade, but by then people will have 48000+'s. __________________ AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+ XFX Geforce 7800GT ABIT AN8-SLI BFG Tech 650w

Jul 6, 2005, 06:23 AM	#8
fvi DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Paris, France Posts: 48 Rep Power: 0	You can check and see what you can expect at FiveTowers. AMD seems to rule for that kind of Cubase project. __________________ Asrock 939Dual SataII / A64 x2 @ 2600Mhz / 2Gb PC3200 / Emu APS / Kx3538h

Jul 7, 2005, 03:26 PM	#9
kammajaega DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Berlin Germany Posts: 25 Rep Power: 0	thank you very much for your answers. i found a manufacturer of DAWs and video workstations: www.adkproaudio.com they are building DAWs on demand. They also explain why they choose severel components. a good place to get some inspiration. but there is still one issue, that bugs me a bit: which chipset is recommandable? adi 111p recommends nforce chipsets, but which version (3 or 4) ? Someone else in this forum didn't like the nforce chipset (can't remember which post, sorry). And what about actual high speed AGP graphic accelerators? iss it possible to turn off their busmastering? do they harm recordings by adding clicks? I have a matrox g450. At first I experienced clicks in my recordings and gone MAD! but then i found out that i can turn off busmastering and everything works fine. what about the new GFORCE or ATI cards? Are they harming recordings in any way? thank you fvi for the tower link. it is a nice comparement, espacially when comparing benchmarks. DJ Stick, I thhink there has to be a category in thiss forum called "compatible hardware" a place where people are able to post their systems and take the FiveTower Benchmark as reference. So everybody can "compete" , because I didn't see any kx based DAWs on fivetowers __________________ LPR KJ

Jul 3, 2005, 10:15 PM	#2
JGSF DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 450 Rep Power: 0	AMD all the way. Get an A64 (Venice or Sandiego core, the last one has 1mb cache). You won't be sorry.

Jul 5, 2005, 12:54 PM	#5
adi111p Sound Quality Freak Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 51 Rep Power: 0	well, get an AMD ... better stability because of lower freq, 64bit , 40% lower power consumption, lower heat dissipation, quieter, etc, etc use mobos based on NForce chipsets

Jul 7, 2005, 04:17 PM	#10
JGSF DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 450 Rep Power: 0	I have a nforce2 chipset (single channel) and I can play with 2.67 ms latency rock solid (using 3538h), but I had to make a stripped instalation of Windows XP with APIC deactivated and some extra stuff left out too. Never tried any VIA chipset, but I suppose that in A64 the HyperTransport bus must help a lot, as also the integrated memory controller, therefore making the chipset maker somewhat irrelevant (assuming it doesn't mess with these components).