Torn between Dual/Quad = Experience with DAW's

[Jono8]

I am currently torn as to whether to upgrade to an E8400 or a Q9550/Q9650?

I would be overclocking whichever one i get to hopefully around the 3.6 - 4.0ghz mark using a scythe infinity + 3 120 mil fans

However there are so many factors that are confusing me.

Which one would overlclock to that sort of speed the easiest on air?

Would they both be as fast as each other core for core?

Would the Quad make a big difference compared to the Dual when used in a Digital Audio Workstation using Cubase and VST's e.t.c.?

Will i see a big difference going from an E6320 @ 2.8 ghz?

Also there is the question of price. Say i was able to obtain an E8400 for just over £100 would this make it the clear choice seen as the quad is likely to be over £200?I am also considering building an I7 build in 2010 so this won't need to last for ages.

really need advice.

Cheers

 

[Jono8]

They both should be able to clock into the region you're looking for fairly easily.

Core for core they're pretty similar as far as I'm aware and you'll only see a difference between the two in apps that make use of the quad. With regards your VST's if you're using a LOT at one time then the quad would be the better choice, but by a lot I mean 10+ Z3ta's running at full whack.

Because of the price difference I'd say you're better off with the E8400 over the quad especially since you'll only be using it for around 12 months.

You'll see a very nice improvement over your current CPU

Cheers. I may well just go for the E8400 then (still got that nagging feeling that i should go for a quad though!). Is the architechture that much better in the 45nm penryn than in my current cpu? All i can think of that is better is the increased cache.

 

[Jono8]

Yer I second the E8400. Got one myself for a mastering rig in my live room albeit under water though. Got 4.4Ghz out of mine @ 1.345v so I was really lucky with the chip itself. I just built a production rig for a school armed with a Q6700 and the performance meter in Cubase 5 on a student's project NEVER went more than I'd say 20%. Pretty impressive considering students don't understand busses/stem mixing! She had convolution verb as an insert on 10+ tracks LOL!!!

EDIT: Jon just noticed youre in Banstead mate! I'm in Reigate myself and drive past Banstead to get to the school I built the rig for haha! Music student to eh? Just finished a production degree myself and run a recording studio now! lol!

Ha

yeh i'm in my final year of music at Chichester University. I'm not hugely versed on the production side of things but because I compose film/media music using big sets of orchestral samples e.t.c. i've had to learn a fair bit about it!

It wasnt the Beacon school was it that you built the rig for because i live on one of the roads right next to it!?

Agh i'm still stuck on what to do.

I can't push the cpu ive got now fair past 3/3.2 ghz. But I think thats due to the multi on the cpu (only 7x) and the fact i cant push my FSB much further.

I would have thought i would see a fairly big performance hike going from 2.8/3ghz to 3.8/4ghz aswell as more cache.

 

[Jono8]

oh cool man I tried to send you a PM but can't work out how on this! I built one for Sutton High School but I know of the beacon! Have you heard of Spectrasonics' Omnisphere? I am aboot to purchase that for my studio I heard its little brother Atmosphere on a friends setup a couple of days ago and was impressed with the strings sounds. When combined with something like garritan or East West I think it's entirely possible to recreate faithfully the full sound of a string section! What sample library do you recommend? I need a hot string sound for a new song I have written!

Send me a PM if you can work out how you are more than welcome to come check out the studio!!!!!

In regards to clocking remember that you are using a Gigabyte board! Although they are greta bang for buck they don't clock as high as the likes of ASUS/DFI/Abit. Although do prove me wrong if you can!!

You've got to enable trust in your user cp or something to pm i think. I can't remember how i did it, but i think its in a thread FAQ somewhere

I'm using a mix of East West stuff and Vienna symphonic Library. For the sound of a real performance and long legato passages/strong melodies Vienna is immense. Coupled with a good reverb (which i cant afford at the moment!) it sounds amazing.

I've heard of omnisphere, it think my tutor uses it (he writes the music for blimey games : GTR2,Ferrari challenge e.t.c.)

In terms of Clock from my motherboard Ive managed to get the fsb up to 460ish i believe as I had my cpu at 3.2 (7x 458). So as long as i can replicate that with the Q9550 ( 8.5x460 = 3.9 ish) or the E8400 ( 9x 460 =4.1 ish) i should be ok with my expectations. I think ive got that right anyway!

 

[Jono8]

Ok guys. What about a Q6700. big difference between that and a Q9550 if they were clocked the same?

 

[Jono8]

Q9550 that are out now have a good chance of clocking to 4GHz too (E0 stepping)

Is this from anywhere or just at overlcockers? How can I be sure

 

[Jono8]

Its a revision that usually follows the revisions upon release. From past experience, they tend to overclock a whole lot better.

4ghz should be easily from 2.8ghz with an E0 and half decent cooler.

How do i know its going to be an E0 stepping? just ask the retailer?