Please check my i7 build

enginurd said:
I thought we settled on the CM HAF already? :confused:

What are your doubts?
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Well I don't see how that is possible since I just found the HAF today. My friend upgraded from his twelve hundred and he said he gets like 5 Celcius better and I was a little sketchy at first but now I think the HAF looks and performs better than the twelve hundred. Not to mention a lot quieter.
 
istrike said:
Well I don't see how that is possible since I just found the HAF today. My friend upgraded from his twelve hundred and he said he gets like 5 Celcius better and I was a little sketchy at first but now I think the HAF looks and performs better than the twelve hundred. Not to mention a lot quieter.
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It also greatly depends on the system setup and ambient temperature. I'm almost 100% certain that your friends air setup and ambient conditions are not identical to yours.

And yes, Danny mentioned on several occasions that the Cooler Master is probably the better of the two:
Post #110
Post #117
 
Ya I think I will go with the HAF, but the sound card. I would wait to get one, but when you are looking at high end sound cards they don't change that much. Not anything worth to sell my "old one" and rush right out to buy the new one. My friend built his computer four years ago and his sound card still hangs with some of the best in today's world. Besides I don't know how much better these cards can get and it is not like I have a recording studio in my room. I am not too much of an audiophile, but I do appreciate good lossless music. I am deciding between the ASUS Xonar D2X and the STX Essence. The STX is only $10 more and I heard it was a better card. but someone told me if I was going to listen through speakers that the D2x would be a better choice. Thoughts?
 
istrike said:
Ya I think I will go with the HAF, but the sound card. I would wait to get one, but when you are looking at high end sound cards they don't change that much. Not anything worth to sell my "old one" and rush right out to buy the new one. My friend built his computer four years ago and his sound card still hangs with some of the best in today's world. Besides I don't know how much better these cards can get and it is not like I have a recording studio in my room.
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Still no point whatsoever to get a sound card if you're not gonna take advantage of them. What's the point of spending money on something you don't need right away? Even if you are right about sound cards not advancing that fast, what's the point then to buy a high-end sound card if it's still gonna be available several months from now? What's the point of getting a sound card right now if you're not an audiophile? Just save your money for better items or when you afford the sound card and speakers at the same time.
 
Well what would you recommend as far as speakers to put this sound card to good use? If they aren't too much then I can get them right now.
 
istrike said:
Well what would you recommend as far as speakers to put this sound card to good use? If they aren't too much then I can get them right now.
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Speakers and sound cards are not my area of expertise. But it does depends on the following factors:
- Whether you want a 2.0, 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1 setup
- What's your max budget for the speakers themselves are
- What's the primary audio source will be for the speakers (movies, gaming, TV, HD content, are "sources") Speakers for gaming as a primary source differ from speakers for movies as a primary source. And then there are speakers that are jack of all trade, master of none.
 
Well I would get like a $50 set of speakers for music and movies. That is why i wanted to get the speakers later, but if there is a cheap set around that price that will do the job, then let me know.
 
istrike said:
Well I would get like a $50 set of speakers for music and movies. That is why i wanted to get the speakers later, but if there is a cheap set around that price that will do the job, then let me know.
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Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a $50 speaker set (unless extremely lucky with a used set) that would justify a $175 or even $50 sound card purchase.
 
Well I'm sure a really good sound card could make even crappy speakers sound decent, but that is why i want to get the speakers later so i can save some money for them.
 
M-Audios man hehe. I love my AV40s. It's not no 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system but, for a 2.0 speakers, they really sound terrific whether listening to music or watching movies. You pair this with a subwoofer and it's going to slam. Actually, just the AV40 speakers alone have a good balance of highs, mids and lows. I think my M-Audio AV40 speakers sound overall better than my brothers Logitech Z-5500 speaker system.
 
Check to see if you have a MC (MicroCenter) nearby. You can get the 920 for just 229+ tax + the gas money. I live about a good 40 mile and that added up CLOSE to 250 with tax and then addictional 10 bux for gas. That's 260 compared to 280 from newegg with free shipping but without the tax. The down side is they carry the C0 stepping, or at least the one i went to.

Danny Bui said:
Still no point whatsoever to get a sound card if you're not gonna take advantage of them. What's the point of spending money on something you don't need right away? Even if you are right about sound cards not advancing that fast, what's the point then to buy a high-end sound card if it's still gonna be available several months from now? What's the point of getting a sound card right now if you're not an audiophile? Just save your money for better items or when you afford the sound card and speakers at the same time.
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+1

I personally hate computer speakers in term of sound quality for music but it is sufficient enough for gaming. You have to ask yourself where you stand. Do you game more or do you listen to music more...if you even listen to music A LOT. Honestly, I believe that gamers and audiophile-rs are the only ppl that needs a sound card. If your a gamer, go with a X-FI card. If your a TRUE audiophile, I'll get something like the Xonar Essence or STX to power your 300+ headphones...but then again you'd rather spend that money on a portable amp or a amp for better DAC! In other words to majority, the onboard sound is sufficient enough for most ppl. Most people, or that I know, cannot tell the difference unless they are exposed to HIGH HIGH END speakers, which are NOT computer speakers. I don't think you should buy a sound card unless you feel that it is "necessary". If you game, go ahead and get the most experience out of surround sound...but only if you getting like 100+ speakers at minimum. If your audiophile, buy it because it makes a difference when you hook up your expensive headphone or home theater RECEIVER. Just my two cent...
 
istrike said:
Well I don't see how that is possible since I just found the HAF today. ...
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Sorry, I was confused. I mixed up your thread and someone elses. :p

HardwareGuru said:
M-Audios man hehe. I love my AV40s. It's not no 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system but, for a 2.0 speakers, they really sound terrific whether listening to music or watching movies. You pair this with a subwoofer and it's going to slam. Actually, just the AV40 speakers alone have a good balance of highs, mids and lows. I think my M-Audio AV40 speakers sound overall better than my brothers Logitech Z-5500 speaker system.
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I agree, and I don't even own the AV40s, lol. I listened to them at a local store, though. The Z-5500's have poor audio quality -- but they have a lot of it! :p If you want good, high end speakers, avoid logitech, creative, and altec lansing.
 
Danny Bui said:
Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a $50 speaker set (unless extremely lucky with a used set) that would justify a $175 or even $50 sound card purchase.
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Danny, we should just forget the sound card issue and let the OP get it. There's no point in convincing him otherwise. He's already set on it despite the fact that on-board sound will actually be more than enough for what he needs and the speakers he will be using.
 
PC_User said:
Danny, we should just forget the sound card issue and let the OP get it. There's no point in convincing him otherwise. He's already set on it despite the fact that on-board sound will actually be more than enough for what he needs and the speakers he will be using.
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I am not "set" on anything and I realize that you are annoyed with all my questions but I am just trying to get what I need. And I don't want to spend more than $100-$150 on speakers, so if you guys dont think I need the best sound card for those speakers and a $50 card will suffice, then I will step down to a $50 card. I'm not convinced on anything.
 
istrike said:
I am not "set" on anything and I realize that you are annoyed with all my questions but I am just trying to get what I need. And I don't want to spend more than $100-$150 on speakers, so if you guys dont think I need the best sound card for those speakers and a $50 card will suffice, then I will step down to a $50 card. I'm not convinced on anything.
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We understand that you're trying to get what you need. But when you keep on persisting on a plan that's bit yonkers, you see posts like PC_User's above post.

Anyway, $50 sound cards aren't worth it oddly enough AFAIK. To get a sound card that's worth its price, you need to spend some cash. For your needs, the Asus Xonar DX will be enough (the DX2 is meant for audiophiles):
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-Xonar-DX...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244492657&sr=8-1

Speakers wise, a quick search through the computer audio confirms Enginurd and HG's recommendations: The AV40s are fantastic speakers for the money:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/TM097ZM/A?afid=p210|frgl&cid=AOS-US-SHOP-Froogle

However as PC_user said, onboard audio and whatever speakers you have now might be enough for your current needs. Try them out FIRST and then decide if you need new set of speakers and sound card.
 
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Ya I guess I'll do that then. i can get a good set of speakers and a good sound card for about the same price as one essence stx sound card. Sounds good. Only, if I get these speakers, I wont "need" a subwofer. They will have good highs and good bass?
 
I have those M-Audios AV40s speakers. I absolutely love them more than any of my computer hardware. I don't care if my whole PC breaks, main thing nothing bad happens to my AV40s lol. I keep them covered from collecting dust. It has a bass boost in the back. It's not your typical 2.0 speaker system. I bought my AV40s at CompUSA before they closed down and it took me several visits to CompUSA playing with the AV40s on display before I decided to buy it already. The speakers actually perform better as the amplifier warms up. These 2.0 speakers obviously won't have the thumping bass of a seperate 10" subwoofer but, overall it delivers rich sound and adequate bass. I normally don't turn on my 10" subwoofer when playing games or watching moves. I think it's too loud and there's too much bass. Hmm.. maybe I should do a Youtube video on these speakers hehe.
 
Ya and i noticed they are only 40 watts. Isnt that kind of low? Someone explain the wattage please. and HardwareGuru, PLEASE put these speakers on youtube. Play some music and show me how they perform.
 
Don't be fooled by the 40 watts. Just because a speaker has high wattage does not mean it will sound good. I paired my M-Audio with a Logitech Z-2300 subwoofer and it was really pounding. Unfortunately, the Logitech subwoofer crapped out for some reason. Damn Logitech. LoL. Most cases though, the AV40s have enough bass for most applications. Unless you want the deep low bass that shakes your room, then you need a separate subwoofer for that. But, for me I want rich stereophonic sound with decent bass. I don't find myself listening to low end bass that often. It sounds dull. Need the highs and mids to balance it out. You know I have several speakers at home and I also have the Philips MMS32 I bought from Walmart locally for $68 a few years back before I got my M-Audios. I was pretty impressed with those Philips MMS32 speakers for its size. It had a nice sound to it. But, after I bought my M-Audio AV40s, it just drowns the Philips speakers in bass output. My Philips speakers is now tucked away in my drawer. Here's someone else youtube video of the AV 40s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHcayKFKlIQ

Provantage sells these for $119.62
 
Seems like a better buy cause your getting more speakers. But, does not mean they sound better hehe. My brother has several speakers, Logitech Z-5500 5.1, Logitech Z-2300 2.1, Altec Lansing 2.1 speakers. Quite frankly, I don't think any of his speakers are comparable to my M-Audios and my speakers are only 2.0. Plastic speaker housing just doesn't produce the smooth bass as a wooden cabinet speaker.
 
As I mentioned earlier, if you're an audiophile, you'll want to stay away from Logitech, Creative, and Altec Lansing. If sound quality isn't that important to you, don't waste your money on expensive sound cards and speakers.
 
M-Audios man hehe. $119 at Provantage.com is a good price. I paid $150 upfront with a $20 MIR before. If you look at Logitechs, Altec lansing speakers, they look like toys. I listened to the Creative Labs Gigaworks T20 2.0 speakers and they don't sound soo impressive. The Swan M200s 2.0 speakers looks pretty good.
 
Alright I think I am ready to post up my semi final build. Feel free to make suggestions...

Motherboard: EVGA E758-A1 3-Way SLI (x16/x16/x8) LGA 1366 Intel X58
Power Supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
CPU: Intel Core i7 920 w/ D0 stepping
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA
Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
CPU Cooler: Prolimatech Megahalems CPU Cooler
with two Scythe DFS123812-2000 120mm Case Fan
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 Channels PCI Express Interface Sound Card - Retail
RAM: OCZ Platinum 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory - Retail
Optical Drive: Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD/CD Rewritable Drive - OEM
Monitor: ASUS VW246H Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
Speakers: M-Audio StudioPhile AV40 Desktop Speakers
Video Card: EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
 
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HG needs to change his nick to ComboGuru.

istrike said:
Well when you spend $2000, it should be right.
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... but it doesn't have to take 2 weeks... it could take 4, or even 1... :p The typical time is usually a few days around here, but taking longer is understandable. ;)
 
Well I live in Cali, so i don't want to pay loads of tax so i won''t be buying from newegg. Those deals don''t really apply.
 
istrike said:
Well I live in Cali, so i don't want to pay loads of tax so i won''t be buying from newegg. Those deals don''t really apply.
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Actually that Coolermaster and Corsair combo link from Newegg is exactly the same price as getting the Corsair and Coolermaster case from Amazon.com, even with CA tax and shipping factored in. At least you'll get three day shipping with Newegg whereas Amazon's Free Super Saver Shipping would take 5-7 days. As a Cali resident, I'd buy those particular items from Newegg.
 
Well amazon typically raises their prices so the shipping is not exactly "free." ts factored into the price of the item. But if you come across any sites that have great prices and arent situated in cali, let me know. I was gonna buy most stuff from tigerdirect but they just did away with the $1.99 shipping. I could of gotten like 5 items and only paid 1.99 shipping. i guess I'll have to wait until that deal is back.
 
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