Duel Optical system

[caesar]

I'm a first time pc builder and would like to follow Ron's recommendations for a computer. I have a few question I'd like to ask first before I start to order.I would like to install two optical drives.
Beside the Asus bw-12BIST/BLK/G/AS what other drive would you suggest,could it be another dvd burner .
What do you think about one of the Pioneer burner's over the Asus. I've looked at the Pioneer BDR-208DBK and the Bdr-2208
I'm ordering the Intel core i53570k processor .I don't intend to overclock,will the cpu fan that comes with it be okay or should I order a coolermaster hyper212+ ,would it be difficult to install and crowded on the board for my rams.
One last guestion I'd would like to order another case fan for the Antec Sonata III ,would it be a120mm and where would I order from.

Thank you ,Caesar

[zburns]

Beside the Asus bw-12BIST/BLK/G/AS what other drive would you suggest,could it be another dvd burner .

According to the Newegg specs on the Asus Optical drive you specify, the device 'interfaces' with the motherboard via a SATA connection. Your mobo (you do not mention a mobo) should have at least six SATA female (?) connectors. You can add a second optical drive (with burner). For whatever devices you think you want, make sure they are 'name brand' and look for reviews on them on the 'net'. Name brands like Asus and others are trustworthy -- but current reviews, particularly several different reviewers(ie. two separate review articles) would be the best confirmation. You may or may not be able to find two reviewers -- on a name brand product you should always be able to find at least one reviewer, not sure you can always find 'two' tho !! Do not buy based on low price -- buy based on features and 'reviewer opinions'.
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I don't intend to overclock,will the cpu fan that comes with it be okay or should I order a coolermaster hyper212+
The cpu fan will or should work; after all, the cpu manufacturer is supplying that fan; however, try to find some reviews on the Intel OEM fan (comes with cpu). The temps may be a little higher, probably and you should see a review that states that fact (if correct). The Hyper 212 should cause lower temperatures but again, look for a review. Regards the 212 and RAM, I checked it once and I was convinced it would work and not interfere but it may depend on where the RAM physically lies on the motherboard relative to the cpu socket -- but your comment or question 'will it work' sort of sounds like rumor! Once you have decided on a motherboard, put the part # on this 'your forum Thread (this page). I can scale the distances off the motherboard picture and say for sure if the 212 will clear the RAM, etc. . I have done before -- fairly easy.


One last guestion I'd would like to order another case fan for the Antec Sonata III ,would it be a120mm and where would I order from.
Go to this url to see the Sonata III on the Antec website: http://store.antec.com/Product/enclosure-sonata_family/sonata-iii-500/0-761345-15137-5.aspx Look at the specs on that page, you will see Antec states this: 1 middle 120mm case fan (optional) I have a Sonata case myself. A very attractive case in all respects.
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Note: I wrote a fair amount of detail above. I will review it in the morning and make any corrections then. But feel free to ask questions.

EDIT: Just thought of this. I suggest you look at the Zalman fans since you are not overclocking. I would only use the Hyper 212 if you overclock; it is too much cooler and way to large unless you really need it, and, no OCing, a Zalman should work just fine. Had one going on five years now -- very quiet. Final note on the Hyper 212 -- not sure you can get it into the Sonata case -- I can check the dimensions tomorrow and tell you if it will fit. Plenty of folks use the Hyper 212, but it is a tall cooler which means it has more 'torque' put on the cpu if the case is mishandled and 'dropped'.

[zburns]

Note: This is Caesar's post dated 3-12

reply to duel optical drives
Zburn,getting back to my first thread .My motherboard will be a GA-Z77xUD5H with a Intel core i5-3570k Quad . I thought about the Zalman cpu fan ,found one that might fit . The Zalman cnps9500 ,like to know what you think .Will it do the job on the processor and fit in the Antec SonataIII case, if you think I need one . The optical drive ,I'm going with a Pioneer BDR-207MBK and a Asus DRW-24BIST,like your thoughts on this. Last my sound card ,either the Asus Xonar DI PCI or the Asus Xonar DX PCI -Express. Which one would work better with the motherboard .
I would really like to thank you for your help,this will be my last PC so I would like to do it right .
EDIT:I was looking online at the manual for the Antec Sonata III case ,it states max. lenght for the video card 10.50The card , msi nvidia ge force gtx660 2gb gddr5 pci-express 3.0 graphics card ,that I would like to use according to it's spec. is 10.750 .Is this correct,will it work?
Thanks ,Caesar
Last edited by caesar; 03-14-2013 at 03:16 PM.

[zburns]

Zburns post dated 3-12

Just saw your post. I will be back to you noonish after I have looked at the components.

[zburns]

Caesars post dated March 19 2013

Zburns , Haven't heard from you on my message sent on 3-12. I was wondering if you had time to go over it .

Thanks, Caesar

[zburns]

Zburns reply dated today, March 19 2013.

Hi caesar,

You are certainly due an apology. I am not sure what happened to cause me to mess up. Anyway, I will be back shortly with some detail regards your 3-12 post.
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I have a Zalman CNPS 9500 AM2 and I imagine that is the same fan assembly that fits the Intel cpu.

Regards the case and the video card. I have the Sonata III case. The metal to metal clearance on the inside measured 'left to right' is 11" clear. But you have to be careful in using this information. My video card printed circuit board measures 'about' 9 inches in length measured from 'inside case metal' on the left with apx 1 7/8 inches from the right side end of the PCB to the 'inside case metal' on the right. This 1 7/8" clear space is partially used up by the plug plus 'clearance for the wires to bend' before hitting 'metal'.

So I will take a look at your video card dimensions and do an edit of this post with comments on the video card clearance, by 5 or 6 pm EST.
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Video Card, MSI N660 TF 2GD5/OC measures 235mm x 125.2mm x 35.8 mm; convert to inches and we have the following: 9.252" length, 4.9291" height x 1.409" thick. Go to this url: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/2023/3/ Go to the fifth picture down from top, and, you can see the single power plug mounted pointing 'upward'; this means the 9.252" will fit in the Sonata case or said differently, will fit inside the max clear dimension of 11 inches horizontally.
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Optical Drive Choices: Pioneer BDR-207MBK or Asus DRW-24BIST .

For Pioneer, this Newegg URL and read the reviews: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827129073

For Asus, this Newegg URL and read the Asus reviews: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827135204

Looks like a huge price difference between Pioneer and Asus, so that 'warps' the reviews, as far as I am concerned; same product usability but huge price discrepancy
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Sound Card Choices: Asus Xonar DI PCI or Asus Xonar DX PCI -Express One review 2008 and the other 2009. It is better to look for 2012 Sound Card Reviews; you look, see what you can find; I will do the same.
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In the case of the Pioneer Drive, try to figure out why its cost is so high compared to Asus.
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Back later on the sound cards and the optical drives!!
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Optical Drives: Sound cards should be easy to find, and, there should be plenty of good ones available, but you have to search until something makes sense; meaning what you buy should be a late model design and there should be some, hopefully 2012 reviews to back it up. The same theory is true for Optical Drives.

I did find this site dated 2012 on optical drives; it is a 'creditable' site and I believe what the writer says. So take a look at this url for optical drives: http://compreviews.about.com/od/cddvd/tp/BlurayDrives.htm The date on the article is Nov 7 2012.

I will get to the sound card tomorrow am. Again, I apologize for the delay. I will say it once more. About the best you can do on the Optical drives and the sound cards is look for 2012 'review' articles that talk about the components -- it is the way to hopefully get a late model version, therefore, 'later technology', etc..

[zburns]

Good Morning,

From the initial post at the top regards the 'extra Antec fan': Try to order the Antec Sonata III case and the extra fan direct from Antec. I am pretty sure I ordered my Sonata case from them direct; I have also over the last five years routinely called them regards their products when recommendations were being made on this forum. I do not ever remember the Antec rep(s) telling me that 'consumers' could not order direct from them. I would emphasize it is much better to 'order direct' from Antec because you get 'straight answers direct from the manufacturer from trained representatives.
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Sound Card: Go to this URL for a sound card I would recommend based on the specs only: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=29354 Scroll down to PRODUCT DETAILS, keep going to you see Specifications. Under 'Specifications' look for this spec on 'THD' (Total Harmonic Distortion) It is virtually 'zero' on the 'headphone' inputs. This probably means it is likewise 'effectively 0' on an amplifier input that feeds speakers (any speaker will have some distortion, depending on price, large high fidelity speakers are expensive). My point is that at the beginning of the sound generation or input stage, this card has virtually almost zero harmonic distortion. You pay for this 'spec', but it is not a huge price, and the audio signals from this card will feed your entire 'sound system (however simple or complex)' that originates from the desktop computer.

If you want to go cheaper on the sound card, you can use these specs as a standard to measure other less costly sound card specs; however, I imagine, you will observe many, or some, sound cards do not have 'full disclosure specs' on distortion, or they show no specifications at all. Specs on frequency response are also important.

If you contemplate larger speakers fed by additional amplifiers, that system must have an 'input signal'. It is the specifications on this sound card that 'represent the input signal' to an amplifier (multi channel) and then to the larger speakers.

(If the above is confusing, break it down like this: headphones require almost 'zero' power or energy to make sound, therefore, the very small signal from the sound card with no distortion; if instead of 'headphones', a amplifier/speaker system is used, the sound card still delivers the same 'distortion free' signal to the amplifier, but now the amplifier and also the speakers 'introduce distortion' into the sound. But the point is that the 'sound card' which is the 'originator' of the sound (in effect) has essentially zero distortion. So on the sound system as a whole, the more dollars spent on the amplifier and speakers, the lower the distortion. (In speaker design and amplifier design, reducing distortion to 'minimal levels' is proportional to the ultimate price of the components).
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A high quality or quality sound card will have its outputs going out the rear of case, so that the user has direct access to the 'outputs' of the sound card. If you take the output for sound off the front audio port for example, this is liable to be a low quality output; therefore, it is best to use a sound card and take the headphone inputs or in the case of an 'amplifier/speaker system', get the inputs direct from the sound card (at rear of case).
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Just found a 'Guru 3D' review on this card, good recommendation, take a look: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/sound_blaster_x_fi_titanium_hd_review,1.html Please note, the Guru 3D review states that this card is a 2010 product; in general I was looking for a little later date, 2011 or 2012. In all fairness, high fidelity sound quality and how to get it, was a known quantity 'decades ago', so 2010 is a 'fair year' for a new sound card intro.

[zburns]

Asus Xonar DI PCI -- this card does not show up on Google.

Asus Xonar DX PCI -Express -- this card is listed available in 2008 and while may still be in use today, it does not qualify as a late model card.

I will look some more for current cards developed and made in 2011 or 2012; the theory being that semiconductor chip models for audio advance every several years, as well as circuit design ideas -- both concepts or new chips benefit the end user from a technology viewpoint and in the sound card case, presumably, better or higher quality 'listening'.

The card I wrote about last nite is a late model card with very good audio specifications and a good review. Although it may appear expensive relative to other sound cards, if you want to listen to music over the computer system, and you want 'quality sound' you need to buy a card for which minimum specs are what I showed you last night. You can probably find sound cards that cost a good deal more than $ 165. Any company making a 'music listening product' who does not print a range of specifications that any audiophile can look at and tell that the product is indeed a good audio card from a spec and listening viewpoint.
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Here is a multi sound card review from Top Ten Reviews for 2013 of the top cards: http://sound-cards-review.toptenreviews.com/ I have not looked at them yet but will tonight.

[zburns]

Wrapping up the 'sound card' comments:

The 'Top Ten Card Reviews . . " at this url: http://sound-cards-review.toptenreviews.com/ has an 'important' statement at the bottom of the first page: 'Sound Cards: Are They Worth It?' --- Click on this topic !! It will take you to the next page which has a discussion about the title: 'Sound Cards: Are They Worth It?' Go to the fourth para, the last sentence which states: "Purchasing a mid-range card will give you little to no noticeable difference and will still end up costing you a lot of money."

This is a short duplicate of what I explained. A very good sound card is only necessary if the 'sound system' beyond the 'desktop computer' is a high end system which can take advantage of the 'quality sound signal coming from the 'sound card'. This would include 'high end or high quality headphones' as well as 'high performing speakers driven by a quality amplifier'.

The concluding statement of the article clearly states use of the 'desktop computer sound circuitry' is equivalent to 'lower quality sound cards', etc..

However, I would point out that there is 'high end' sound equipment that gives very high quality and 'in between reasonably decent quality' before one gets to the 'basement' and very low quality.
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The manufacturers of 'combination sound systems' (speakers plus amplifiers or speakers with 'built in amplifiers'), can tell you if the computer 'built in sound circuits are good enough for their speakers' or they can recommend a mid range sound card with better specs than the computer desktop built in circuitry. Said differently, a low cost speaker/built in amp system (apx $ 300) will or will not have an improved sound with 'an added sound card'.

Summing up, one can go very low cost and use the 'desktop internal audio circuit', or one may purchase a mid range quality card to run 'not very expensive speakers' or use a 'high end' card with 'speakers that produce high quality sound provided a high end card is used'. There is a 'dilemma' for the purchaser who wants something in the 'fair middle cost range'; one has to know from the 'card supplier' that the combination of the sound card and speakers will be better than the 'desktop' onboard audio circuitry.

The card manufacturers should know via 'testing' which cards work well and which manufacturers of speakers work well with their sound cards. The term 'very high quality sound' has it's own cost range of 'low, mid, and high' quality.