Build Advice Future-proof build for Music Production and Work - - - will these parts work well together ?

[QuestionAsker2030]

I build a computer once every 10 years or so (my last one was in 2011, it died recently due to dust).

Parts list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/VM6GFZ


My main focus in on quietness when idling / everyday browsing, light tasks etc.

Another goal is building a very high-end system that will serve me well for many years to come. (And possibly down the line repurpose it as a local NAS in 5 to 10 years.)


Things I will use this build for:

1. Music recording and production with condenser / dynamic microphones, and Ableton. Possibly working with larger sample and orchestral libraries down the line.
2. CAD + General daily work tasks
3. I want to experiment with local LLMs, and possibly get more into it. Nothing too heavy.
4. Some video editing (nothing too serious)
5. Some gaming (not too often... maybe a few hrs a month. Nothing serious.)

I know this build is probably way overkill... but down the line I would like the ability to do more if I need to. I take care of my stuff pretty well usually (adding 2 HEPA air filters to my room to prevent another dust issue), so I plan on putting a lot of energy into this build now, documenting it for future reference, and having a really solid desktop that will last me 5 to 10 years before I need to worry about it again.


Besides the part list, here's a list of mods I was planning to do right away to optimize for silence / convenience:

- 3D print wheels for Define 7 XL (very heavy case)
- Replace stock fans with Noctua's (NF-A14x25 G2 PWM) for a total of 3 x 140mm inlet fans, and 1 x 140mm exhaust
- Noctua front fan inlet mod: https://www.reddit.com/r/FractalDesign/comments/1kositm/fractal_design_define_7_with_fan_inlets/
- Custom fan curves


Any parts I'm missing? Or other things I should consider or replace?

 

[Why_Me]

I build a computer once every 10 years or so (my last one was in 2011, died recently due to dust).

Parts list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/VM6GFZ


My main focus in on quietness when idling / everyday browsing, light tasks etc.

Another goal is building a very high-end system that will serve me well for many years to come. (And possibly down the line repurpose it as a local NAS in 5 to 10 years.)


Things I will use this build for:

1. Music recording and production with condenser / dynamic microphones, and Ableton. Possibly working with larger sample and orchestral libraries down the line.
2. CAD + General daily work tasks
3. I want to experiment with local LLMs, and possibly get more into it. Nothing too heavy.
4. Some video editing (nothing too serious)
5. Some gaming (not too often... maybe a few hrs a month. Nothing serious.)

I know this build is probably way overkill... but down the line I would like the ability to do more if I need to. I take care of my stuff pretty well usually (adding 2 HEPA air filters to my room to prevent another dust issue), so I plan on putting a lot of energy into this build now, documenting it for future reference, and having a really solid desktop that will last me 5 to 10 years before I need to worry about it again.


Besides the part list, here's a list of mods I was planning to do right away to optimize for silence / convenience:

- 3D print wheels for Define 7 XL (very heavy case)
- Replace stock fans with Noctua's (NF-A14x25 G2 PWM) for a total of 3 x 140mm inlet fans, and 1 x 140mm exhaust
- Noctua front fan inlet mod: https://www.reddit.com/r/FractalDesign/comments/1kositm/fractal_design_define_7_with_fan_inlets/
- Custom fan curves


Any parts I'm missing? Or other things I should consider or replace?

Look for a case with better airflow (front mesh panel).

 

[Misgar]

Unless you truly need a Gen.5 M.2 drive, I'd buy a second Gen.4 drive and spend the money saved on a more powerful GPU. Video rendering/transcoding leverages all the CUDA processing power available on modern NVidia graphics cards.

If LLM coding requires all the extra bandwidth from a Gen. 5 drive, ignore the above recommendation.

I don't see any mass storage (hard disks) to archive large files. Most of my machines contain at least one hard disk in addition to several SSDs. I couldn't manage with only 8TB. For video work I have three Gen. 4 M.2 drives. 1). Windows + apps. 2). Adobe scratch files. 3). Work in progress.

Do not buy SMR drives. Stick to CMR.

Good to see the mobo has 10Gig Ethernet. Make sure you use the latest drivers. I had driver problems with my old Asus XG-C100C cards back in 2018.

Define 7 XL (very heavy case)

I've just checked the spec for my old HP servers. With 8 hard disks installed, they're both over 40kg (88lb) and difficult to lift.

adding 2 HEPA air filters to my room to prevent another dust issue

Do the HEPA filters remove dust from inside the room, or merely prevent dust from entering the room? I perform minimal cleaning inside computers when I add new components, but nothing too drastic which might break things.

My main focus in on quietness when idling / everyday browsing, light tasks etc.

Best of luck on the quietness front when video/LLM coding. My 7950X + RTX 4070 pull 420W from the mains when transcoding (for up to 12 hours) and need high air flow.

Replace stock fans with Noctua's

Although I have many Noctua CPU coolers including NH-D14 and 15, I've never upgraded any chassis with their fans. I suggest giving the Fractal fans a chance, unless you want to keep the fans all the same colour. If you're hunting the last few dB of noise reduction for DAW work, go ahead.