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Killer Specs for High End PC in 2006

I have read several different threads re iPods for audio and video, as well as various suppliers for the custom PC of my Audiogon dreams.

However, when speaking to PC builders, I have been caught surprisingly off guard when asked for the specs - I would have thought I knew what I wanted, but I am not yet clear enough to place the order.

In fact, I was practically flamed in another forum, by simply saying that I wanted the fastest, "best" PC with tons of memory and disk space for audio and video applications.

Given that PCs are not very expensive, and are not room dependent like audio, I still dont understand the mystery of building a cost no object, Windows based PC.

I would guess Alienware or other high end gaming PCs might be a good rough draft. But I dont want geeky hobbyist cases, gaming will not be my primary focus and I would like the audio and video to be even more sophisticated.

So I would greatly appreciate any advice and perhaps we can collectively design the ultimate, multimedia PC?

Here are my initial, perhaps frustratingly vague thoughts:

Maximum memory and hard drive space for audio/video
Capacity for additional, stackable hard drive modules
Ability to read and "burn" both CDs and DVDs
Fast "boot up", lean mean OS
Is component output for video possible?
Digital output (WAV files?) for external DAC?
Multiple monitors - at LEAST 3 - in "hydra" configuration
Video sufficient for video, gaming, but not necessarily CAD or molecular research
High end PC, or HTPC cases, as linked in other threads
Keyboard also "high end" build quality, preferably wireless
Robust, reliable build quality (dont want tweaky cooling systems for overclocking etc. if that reduces reliability)

I realize these few points may barely begin to solve the puzzle here, but perhaps this might inspire some thinking for others who plan to build a PC.

And any ideas, suggestions, personal experiences or vendors would be greatly appreciated.

PS

Extra Credit I

I thought it might be interesting to also design the ultimate "nearfield" audio system to go with this concept.

Powered studio monitors? Electrostatics for low level clarity? Surround sound perfectly oriented to the desk chair of this computer?

That could be another thread all by itself but please let us hear your ideas here too.

Extra Credit II

Another idea - could this system also be the hub of a LAN?

Could I log onto this system remotely, using it as a server, and accessing my files? And connect to a wireless router so send music around the house?
cwlondon

Showing 3 responses by ultraviolet

ultraviolet
105 posts
 
My guess is you were nearly flamed on another forum for suggesting alienware...one of the biggest ripoffs in the computing world (it's so bad, it almost reminds me of high end audio). The other reason is probably because you may not realize that the playing of audio is about the least intensive task you could find for a computer. As long as you heed Rhing's advice to bypass XP's kernel mixer, nearly any computer will do.

Point in case: I'm currently running a 2tb RAID-5 server off of a very old dual 450mhz Dell. I'm using ASIO drivers and an external soundcard and dac. Excluding the hard drives, the current value of that computer is less than $20. If spending $6k on a POS Alienware computer makes you feel good, by all means, go for it. But it won't sound a bit better.

I have several other computers of varying vintages. My ripping is all done on a 3.2ghz machine with a Plextor drive and then moved to the server. Any games played are likewise done so on a fast machine. All machines are wireless, the server is both. I VNC in from a laptop on my couch to the server in my basement to stream the music to my stereo.

I don't see the point in a cost no object PC unless you are just into wasting money. I have 6 computers in this house right now, the combined total is less than 1 Alienware computer and they each do their respective task at least as good as what an Alienware could do if not better. There's certainly no need for this number of computers, but I would suggest you get 2. Anyone that thinks they're going to put a server in a listening room and actually be able to hear the music is either planning on some very serious and expenive custom work, or is completely deaf. You're going to want a server in a basement or attic and you're probably not going to want to trek down there to play games or rip discs. That's where the second "fast" machine comes in.

As far as actually listening to nearfield music while sitting at the computer (not laptop). I've tried several pc soundsystems, went up to about the $600, and had it all sound like crap. I'm sure there are monitors out there that could sound very good, but the amount of money I would have to spend to make me not want to get up and walk 20 feet to where my main stereo is, is simply not worth it.
ultraviolet
105 posts
 
I agree with some of your points. Alienware, and the whole flashing neon light crowd, is simply juvenile. Then again, the only people (barring the video editing crowd) that require the ultimate performing computers are generally the juvenile gamers, so the marketing is pretty spot on.

Personally, I hate plastic. I particularily hate the look and feel and noise of today's plastic computers. That's why I am mid way through an absolutely monstrous project. I am putting together a 8 drive, RAID-5 400gb SATA Seagate server. This server will be a 0 decibel passively watercooled beast (with the exception of 3 very quite pumps). Every heat producing item will be watercooled, PSUx2, hddx8, RAM, MOSFETS, Chipset etc. Some waterblocks were purchased, I'm making the hard drive cooling blocks and I've had to had others machined for me. All of this will be output to a large, but beautiful, copper radiator. There will not be one fan in this entire system. And just to add to the challenge, as I also do woodworking, I'm enclosing this entirely in a cherry end table. The pumps and hard drives will be further sealed in mdf and foam enclosures to block the small noise they do create.

This will be my first watercooled setup to this extent, but I've been building wooden cases for my computers for years. Currently I have a nice beech wood dual 2ghz machine that I'm typing on with a single wine holder and 15 disc rack built in.

The total cost of this computing project looks like it's going to be pushing 3.5-4k. It's using really the finest products made today for computing. However, this machine will not make my music sound even the tiniest bit better than my $20 machine in the basement. This project is simply about the aesthetics, silence and the challenge of attempting something that I believe is unique. I completely understand your desire for something beautiful--there's no shame in that and I obviously share that too. Unless you have need for all those cycles (and a desire to deal with the extra heat and noise from fans), I would skip the "fastest" cost no object audio pc as, in my opinion, it creates more problems than it solves. I highly recommend finding a slower (i.e. cooler processor) computer and building an enclosure to your liking.
ultraviolet
105 posts
 
Nope, 2007 is exactly the same as 2006. 2008 will bring more of the same too. Some important points:

-"high end video card" and "silent computing" is like trying to mix oil and water. You can have one or the other, but not both. Hence my original suggestion to get two computers with a total cost of far less than the one you are thinking of (which will perform their respective tasks better too).

-"Maximum RAM". Why? Great if you're a gamer. Utterly useless for music.

My system is constantly morphing. Currently I have a screamingly loud 8 Seagate 750gb in RAID-5 in the basement. I wired the house with cat-5 and have two workstations in the house. Additionally, I have my dead silent, single hard drive, fanless "music machine" on my audio rack which plays through my main system. The video runs through my HDTV. I use a bluetooth keyboard with integrated mouse functionality from my couch. It is used solely for playing music.

From past experience, if you want to put a computer in your listening room, your first and foremost concern needs to be silence. You'll find that limits your choices so much, decisions become rather simple. Then go for the big monitor, video card blah blah blah, whatever you want in another machine in another room.
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