As you all know, I'm not inclined to replace equipment for trivial reasons.
I built my first Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) at the end 2004/beginning 2005.
Back in the day it was a very powerful computer. Now everybody's mobile phone has more power.
My children named it "Death Star" and the name stuck.
It was built round the most powerful dual core Intel processor of the day. It ran Windows XP. The recording editing software was WaveLab 5 soon updated to Wavelab 6 as WaveLab 5 was a little buggy.
The sound card/DAC was the RME Fireface 800.
The above system has a done a tremendous amount of work in the last 13 years. That is a pretty long run for a PC based system.
Neither the computer or RME could run with Windows 10.
XP has not been supported for over three years now. Browser support is about to withdrawn from XP.
Finally errors had started cropping up in the hard drive.
Visiting engineers were certainly wishing from a more up to date system.
So it was time to design, build and install "Death Star" II.
So my eldest son David and I built "Death Star" II last weekend. He did a superb job of installing and setting up the software. It was up and running by early afternoon last Sunday, five days ago. I finished the final installation and trim panels by the end of the afternoon.
The equipment all arrived.
The assembly.
The sound Card/DAC is the RME Fireface 802.
The operating system is Windows 10.
WaveLab 6 was upgraded to WaveLab 9 pro.
Death Star II installed and working
The unit is built round the 7th generation Intel i7 processor. Steinberg say i5 is minimum but strongly recommend the i7.
The unit is in a rack mounted case.
My object was to design a powerful state of the art DAW. This unit is powerful enough to keep on top of at least 100 tracks. It run two rooms of a major recording studio with full facilities including talk back, multiple phones and speaker systems.
It has advanced editing, processing and mastering facilities.
Now I have to get used to it all. I'm still early in the learning curve. The WaveLab user manual is 834 pages long! Unfortunately there is no book version of the WaveLab manual like previous editions. 834 pages on pdf. is not a joy. I think I will have to have a custom book printed. Steingerg's excuse is environmental protection!
The fidelity is superb. The functionality is a massive upgrade from the 14 year old "Death Star"I.
My design goals apart from state of the art facilities and performance was reliability and longevity. My son David, did mention that now I'm 70 I might need to be less concerned about equipment longevity! I did want a totally quiet unit.
Here is the equipment list to achieve that goal.
WaveLab 9 pro.
RME Fireface 802 purchased from Sweetwater as was the WaveLab upgrade from 6 to 9 Pro.
This is the case, which is heavy and built in the US. It is the best case I have ever owned.
The Mother Board.
The processor.
The SSHD.
The RAM
The Disc Drive/Burner.
To avoid noise this
fan less video card was selected.
This over specked
power supply was selected, as it will never deliver enough power to make the fan come on and it does not.
The large fan in the front of the case was
replaced with this one.
The fan on the rear panel was disconnected.
This is the
CPU cooler, an ultra quiet variable speed double fan. There are fans one on top of the other and you do not hear it even doing the stress test.
The
Fireware Card. This RME unit does support a USB 3.0 connection also.
This is the new
computer monitor.
And of course Windows 10.
The PC is dead quiet.
Normal use CPU temp is dead steady at 61 C. Under max stress it slowly rises to 72 C. On stopping stress it goes back to 61 C. Even at maximal stress you don't hear a sound.
Interconnection is digital output SPDIF via Toslink to the Marantz AV 8003. There is analog in and out to the studio switch Bus.
There are four front panel connectors on the RME, which are the new very clever Neutrik universal connectors. They offer XLR, TRS and high impedance balanced line in one connector. 48 volt phantom powering is available.
I submit this here so anyone wanting to build a state of the art DAW is welcome to copy the design.
I did remove the handles on the case as they stuck too far out in the room.
It is early days, but at this time I'm very happy with this unit.
Now I do have the old RME Fireface 800. It works perfectly and does not have a scratch. As I understand it, it will work with Windows 7 and 8 which is still supported. If any member in good standing wants it you can have it for the cost of shipping.