My new studio upgrade - Superior 2 coming!!

[SuperPuss]

Hi guys and girls

I have just finished building a brand new computer as a studio upgrade for my Protools rig and for mobile recording and I am blown away by the performance boost compared to my AMD64 3200 PC.
My new PC is based on the following components -

* Asus P5Q motherboard
* Intel Q9450 quad core CPU with aftermarket silent cooling
* Asus dual head graphics card
* 4GB Corsair RAM
* 320 GB Western Digital Sata2 hard drive partitioned to dual boot and for general data storage (stereo bounces, sound libraries etc)
* 750 GB Western Digital Sata2 hard drive partitioned into four Audio recording drives
* SilverStone 500 watt power supply and Media Center case
* 2 x Pioneer 115 dual layer DVD burners

In the studio, I boot this into my Protools partition and for live recording of gigs, I boot into another partition with Reaper and drivers for my Mackie Onyx.
I have three LCD monitors with the middle one connected to a KVM switch. This switch toggles my keyboard, trackball and the middle monitor between my new audio PC and my internet PC so I can have both running together. They are also networked so I can easily upload new music to my website.

I loaded up a big Protools session which has a ton of plugins and stretches my AMD3200 to it's limits and on the new PC, the CPU meter barely moves!!!! I was expecting a performance boost but this is WAY beyond what I was expecting! Needless to say, I am VERY happy!

I must say that a very large part of my decision to build this PC is to have something that will enable me to use my whole drum kit with Superior 2.0. I have two gigs this weekend which will give me the funds to purchase S2.0 next week and I can't wait to get it running on this new PC!!

Here's a couple of new photo's of my studio with the triple monitor setup and my new PC...

The heart of the SuperPuss Studio


....and the new PC

[Hercules]

Hi SP,

Very nice looking setup - I guess this is the start of the Studio Thread.......are you able to do a shot showing your studio, kit, keyboard etc? It would look impressive all in one shot.

fyi - my PC is so similar to yours that I think you must have been looking over my shoulder.......- I went for 3 x 500GB drives rather than partitioning, I run everything on one instance (I got sick of booting and rebooting years ago) and I put 8GB of RAM in anticipating that I'll move to Vista 64 bit as soon as PT takes the leap (RAM is cheap at the moment) - I use the KVM switch to toggle between my "work" laptop and MTR as you do too.
- also I went for a 42" screen (television) rather than a dual graphics card - so I can sit behind the drum kit and still control PT on the big screen using the mouse from across the room.


I'm moving house this week but I'll post a pic of my new place with dedicated studio in about 2 weeks so we can compare notes.

[o-([:])]

watching the photo, now we get why we can't reach you over the phone...
nice setup

[nucjd]

Cool studio. I am running a similar setup as you and have been very pleased with my performance with pro tools. Been using BFD2 instead of the sounds on my TD lately and am blown away. Interfaced real nice with my kit. Anyway, very impressive setup. Just curious, Are those monsters your studio reference monitors?Well, while we are showing pics, here is my tiny little recording area. Not nearly impressive as yours SP.

[Pimenta]

Super set up .... congratulations !!! Nice PC specs

Pim

[SuperPuss]

Hi SP,

Very nice looking setup - I guess this is the start of the Studio Thread.......are you able to do a shot showing your studio, kit, keyboard etc? It would look impressive all in one shot.

Cheers Hercules. I did a panorama of my previous studio from about four years ago so it is probably time to put together another one

fyi - my PC is so similar to yours that I think you must have been looking over my shoulder.......- I went for 3 x 500GB drives rather than partitioning, I run everything on one instance (I got sick of booting and rebooting years ago) and I put 8GB of RAM in anticipating that I'll move to Vista 64 bit as soon as PT takes the leap (RAM is cheap at the moment) - I use the KVM switch to toggle between my "work" laptop and MTR as you do too.
- also I went for a 42" screen (television) rather than a dual graphics card - so I can sit behind the drum kit and still control PT on the big screen using the mouse from across the room.


I'm moving house this week but I'll post a pic of my new place with dedicated studio in about 2 weeks so we can compare notes.

Awesome stuff. I bet you're loving that 42" screen!! Good luck with the move and I look forward to seeing your new pics.
About the dual boot thing.... The only reason for that on my new rig is that I'll be using my Mackie Onyx for mobile recording and the Mackie drivers do not live happily alongside the Digi drivers for Protools so I am completely separating the two with their own operating systems. It is a simple menu selection to choose the boot partition anyway and I'll have it set to default to auto select Protools within ten seconds.
This PC is a dedicated DAW PC and will not be used for anything else (other than audio).

watching the photo, now we get why we can't reach you over the phone...
nice setup

LOL
My phone is always off the hook when I'm creating. I have educated everyone to either text me or call me on my mobile which I put on silent when I'm working

Cool studio. I am running a similar setup as you and have been very pleased with my performance with pro tools. Been using BFD2 instead of the sounds on my TD lately and am blown away. Interfaced real nice with my kit. Anyway, very impressive setup. Just curious, Are those monsters your studio reference monitors?Well, while we are showing pics, here is my tiny little recording area. Not nearly impressive as yours SP.

Cool to see another 002r user here Nucjd Protools ROCKS
Yes, those are my main monitors. The top boxes (12" and horn) are my own design and the bottom boxes are Crown ES212 sealed subs from a pair of Crown Electrostatics. The system is bi-amped with the tops fed from my Yamaha amp and the subs fed from a dedicated sub amp I designed and built.
I also have four Auratones (also bi-amped with the Crown subs) set up as surround speakers running from another Yamaha amp and the whole rig is arranged for 5.2 (stereo subs) monitoring.

Super set up .... congratulations !!! Nice PC specs

Pim

Cheers Pim
I can't wait to get Superior 2.0 running on this rig

[csnow]

You need a lava lamp to go with that carpet and wallpaper

[SuperPuss]

You need a lava lamp to go with that carpet and wallpaper

LOL
True that! .... I should get one anyway. I had two of them in my old studio but my ex has those now.

[daveybabes]

SP ya fab!

Hi SP, how are you?

When i look at your gear i'm thinking what does that do? what does that other thing do? and what are those? etc ha ha but as an experienced song writer/musician and studio technician i can understand why you need them as it's your living.

I'm like erm Td12 - Edirol UA20 Midi/audio interface - Laptop with vista and Ableton - small Behringer mixer and 2 x event TR5's (bi amped, flat response nearfields) S100 matching powered sub. (that's my lot he he) (may get EZ Drummer but to be honest the Vex kits after a Dave tweak sound fantastic and of course have the added benefit of positional and interval detection)

I think you are in the next dimension ha ha so well done babe ya doing fab and these posts about your studio are unique and interesting xxx

(u should write a book on recording etc)

[nucjd]

Hey SP. I agree with you. My 002 rack is just awesome. I can record midi with triggering of my BFD2 or I can mic out my acoustic kit for old school recording (which I rarely do anymore). Or I can be running my BFD2 and recording while the bassist, and lead guitarist (running Guitar rig 3 on my PC) record simultaneously. Could not be happier.

Wow, impressive reference monitor setup. Sounds like you spent a lot of time creating your playback speaker setup. I think I have reference monitor envy.

[thebaron]

Wow superpuss, I'm so envious! What a great set up!

What do you have mounted above the digi 002?

I've been having major problems with my computer lately...it's definitely time for an upgrade (athlon 3400 with digi 002r).
Could you do us a HUGE faver and post a thread with your exact parts? (computer parts I mean ) I'm semi literate with computers but my roommate will be doing most of the work. I was hoping I could find someone with a great set up (computer set up I mean), that didn't have a lot of trouble getting running on protools and duplicate theirs.
I go to the digidesign forum and they're still specing a dual quad 6600 and a lot of the links to parts are discontinued...plus the only people that post their setups are the ones having problems.

Of course I'll be setting for one computer though.

One last question, how do you transport your computer to the gigs for recording?

[weldman]

Very nice setup. I've seen dual monitors before but never a tri-monitor rig before, any details on how that is setup?

[SuperPuss]

Hi SP, how are you?

When i look at your gear i'm thinking what does that do? what does that other thing do? and what are those? etc ha ha :-) but as an experienced song writer/musician and studio technician i can understand why you need them as it's your living.

Technology is much like Vdrums when it comes to GAS Dave!!!
Seriously though, the tools we have available to us today are just incredible. To build a studio 15 years ago with similar capabilities to what even a modest setup today is capable of would easily cost six figures.

I'm like erm Td12 - Edirol UA20 Midi/audio interface - Laptop with vista and Ableton - small Behringer mixer and 2 x event TR5's (bi amped, flat response nearfields) S100 matching powered sub. (that's my lot he he) (may get EZ Drummer but to be honest the Vex kits after a Dave tweak sound fantastic and of course have the added benefit of positional and interval detection)

I agree about the VEX kits. They ROCK.
I also now have Superior 2 and that is also mind blowing. If you are thinking about EZDrummer, spend a little more and get Superior. Never mind the interval detection either, it isn't needed with Superior and positional detection on the snare DOES work with Superior.

I think you are in the next dimension ha ha so well done babe ya doing fab and these posts about your studio are unique and interesting xxx

(u should write a book on recording etc)

Cheers Dave
I might write a book or two (or three or four!!) one day. I have plenty of ideas for books

Hey SP. I agree with you. My 002 rack is just awesome. I can record midi with triggering of my BFD2 or I can mic out my acoustic kit for old school recording (which I rarely do anymore). Or I can be running my BFD2 and recording while the bassist, and lead guitarist (running Guitar rig 3 on my PC) record simultaneously. Could not be happier.

Wow, impressive reference monitor setup. Sounds like you spent a lot of time creating your playback speaker setup. I think I have reference monitor envy.

lol
Seriously though, I have spent a LOT of time refining my monitors. They came into my life almost 25 years ago when my uncle gave me the 12 inch drivers and I built the boxes for them. The boxes are specifically built to suit the tech specs of these drivers. I have since done much work internally to the boxes to reduce resonances and have added the horns and the Crown subs with extensive designing and redesigning of the active crossovers and amplification.

Wow superpuss, I'm so envious! What a great set up!

What do you have mounted above the digi 002?

Cheers Baron
The device above my 002r is a CM Labs Sixty Four programmable router and is an absolute godsend. Literally everything in my studio is plugged into it and I can patch any input to any output and do level level matching on a per input and per patch basis. I also have a CM Labs MotorMix and MotorMate linked to it and to my Protools rig. I can program the Sixty Four from the MotorMate and can also control the surround balance of my monitors with it too. I can even solo individual speakers if I need to check something in a surround mix.
U2 and Cirque Du Soleil use Sixty Four routers in their live rigs too.
The MotorMix / MotorMate combo is a motorised control surface and transport control for my Protools rig.
Carl Malone, the owner and designer and the 'CM' of CM Labs is a good friend of mine. He is also a very talented musician and painter. The painting above my right monitor is one of his (oil on canvas) and he played acoustic guitar on a couple of the tracks on my debut album which will be released very soon.
He also happens to be a very talented physicist and worked for NASA JPL helping to design the Voyager space probe.

I've been having major problems with my computer lately...it's definitely time for an upgrade (athlon 3400 with digi 002r).
Could you do us a HUGE faver and post a thread with your exact parts? (computer parts I mean ;-) ) I'm semi literate with computers but my roommate will be doing most of the work. I was hoping I could find someone with a great set up (computer set up I mean), that didn't have a lot of trouble getting running on protools and duplicate theirs.

lol about the 'computer parts'
The list in my first post is pretty much everything in my new PC. Keep in mind too that to get optimal performance from any PC, you will need to do a little tweaking. My new PC didn't work perfectly at first. I had to do a few tweaks to get it running nicely but they were well worth the investment in time.

I go to the digidesign forum and they're still specing a dual quad 6600 and a lot of the links to parts are discontinued...plus the only people that post their setups are the ones having problems.

Of course I'll be setting for one computer though.

One last question, how do you transport your computer to the gigs for recording?

I really need to build a good rack case for this rig but for now, I transport it in a very well padded box.

Very nice setup. I've seen dual monitors before but never a tri-monitor rig before, any details on how that is setup?

Actually, the three monitors are spread over two dual head computers with the middle monitor and the keyboard and trackball switched between the two PC's with a KVM switch. I can have both PC's running together and simply switch the middle monitor, keyboard and trackball between the two while they are running with a couple of keystrokes. Simple and convenient.

[rentadrummer]

In the photo it shows the monitors on the floor, on either side of the desk. Do you sit at the desk when mixing, or further back?

[SuperPuss]

Both positions actually. This room is far from ideal space wise. I will be moving soon and will make sure the next place I'm in is chosen specifically with recording and performance in mind.
The position at my desk is actually much better than you'd expect though. My monitors have quite a wide horizontal dispersion and the top end drop at the desk position is minimal. The thing I notice most is the image. As one would expect, it is optimal when I'm further back.