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64 or 128 gb RAM?

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dcaton

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64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 9:34 am

I'm getting ready to build a new computer for my upcoming HW project. Are there any sample sets out there that require (or could be configured to use) more than 64gb of ram? Or would such a sample set be unusually large and/or impractical?

Another thought is that 64 gb could be used for a ram drive rather than getting a SSD. Of course, it would have to be refreshed if the computer was shut down, but as long as it was on a UPS and configured never to power down or hibernate, normally that wouldn't happen.

Any thoughts?
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montyjnc

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 10:15 am

I have been pondering the same question myself, and afraid I wont be much help... However, I will tell you my own plan and perhaps that can help.
- my plan is to use a motherboard/processor (i7-5820k/ Asus x99a) that can handle 128gb of ram EVENTUALLY
- then I can start with 64 gb of RAM, eventually upgrading to 128 gb
BUT, if by the time I want 128gb, several years (aka centuries in technology-speak) have passed and it makes sense to buy a new computer, I wont have wasted the money on 128gb

Also, the other trick is to just pick the 5 organs you want the most... are any of them over 64gb? If they are, can you handle trimming some of the organ so it fits on your available ram? VERY FEW organs need 128gb.

Also, if youre not using surround sound, you will NEVER need 128gb.

Hope I was helpful! If not, it was at least helpful for me to summarize my own thoughts for myself as I am about to purchase my next computer :)
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johnh

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 10:35 am

montyjnc wrote:Also, if youre not using surround sound, you will NEVER need 128gb.


"640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- somebody famous...

---john.
Last edited by johnh on Wed Apr 26, 2017 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dcaton

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 10:46 am

montyjnc wrote:Also, the other trick is to just pick the 5 organs you want the most... are any of them over 64gb? If they are, can you handle trimming some of the organ so it fits on your available ram? VERY FEW organs need 128gb.

Also, if youre not using surround sound, you will NEVER need 128gb.

I really don't know what organs I'll eventually purchase. Yes, I do plan on using surround. I have a 24 channel interface and hope to use most of it eventually.
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Eric Sagmuller

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 11:14 am

I started with 64 on my computer build last year, then saw that the RAM was on sale, so opted to jump to 96. Looking over the sample sets I might be interested in, 96 seemed like a safe figure. I thought it would be good to not wait too long to add more RAM, as I don't think it's good to mix it if the same wasn't available later.

Eric
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mnailor

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 2:55 pm

I'd go for 128 or 96 GB if it's affordable. I have several surround samplesets where I don't load all the ranks to fit in my 64 GB.
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NickNelson

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 3:16 pm

montyjnc wrote: ...my plan is to use a motherboard/processor (i7-5820k/ Asus x99a) that can handle 128gb of ram EVENTUALLY


This is exactly my approach too. Specify a motherboard which can handle 128, but initially only lay out for 64.

Nick
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jerrynazard

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostWed Apr 26, 2017 5:54 pm

I just built a machine with 128 GB. This allows me to load Rotterdam or Goerlitz in 24-bit and leaves plenty of room. The difference between 64 GB and 128 GB was $400. Hopefully this computer will last me for a few years.
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MrNhanduc

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostFri Apr 28, 2017 1:14 pm

With 128 GB of RAM you can load all sample sets uncompressed, which gives you higher polyphony and faster loading times (especially true when using a PCI-E x4 SSD like the Samsung 960 EVO). The con however is that RAM prices are very high at the moment and will probably not go down soon :(
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Eric Sagmuller

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostFri Apr 28, 2017 2:28 pm

Yeah you're not kidding. When I added 32 GB more it had dropped to $159. Now it's $239. Strange, I would have thought it would just drop or at least level off as time went on. Thought about getting another 32 GB just so I'm at the limit, but probably will wait a bit now, it's not that I really need it.

Eric
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mumblecake

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostTue May 09, 2017 5:55 am

MrNhanduc wrote:With 128 GB of RAM you can load all sample sets uncompressed, which gives you higher polyphony and faster loading times (especially true when using a PCI-E x4 SSD like the Samsung 960 EVO). The con however is that RAM prices are very high at the moment and will probably not go down soon :(
Probably correct for most. Won't work for Goerlitz though. It requires 85GB with lossless compression. It has been reported that it will not fit into 128GB RAM uncompressed.
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dhm

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostTue May 09, 2017 8:49 am

mumblecake wrote:[It [Goerlitz] requires 85GB with lossless compression.

Only if you want to load it in full surround with all six channels (meaning you need at least 3 pairs of speakers).
If you just want to load a "wet" version (using only 2 of the from channels), it will need about 24GB of RAM.
Douglas Henn-Macrae
Authorized Hauptwerk Reseller
http://www.midi-organs.eu
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jerrynazard

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostTue May 09, 2017 9:35 am

mumblecake wrote:
MrNhanduc wrote:With 128 GB of RAM you can load all sample sets uncompressed, which gives you higher polyphony and faster loading times (especially true when using a PCI-E x4 SSD like the Samsung 960 EVO). The con however is that RAM prices are very high at the moment and will probably not go down soon :(
Probably correct for most. Won't work for Goerlitz though. It requires 85GB with lossless compression. It has been reported that it will not fit into 128GB RAM uncompressed.


That is correct about Goerlitz and 128 GB. I could not get it to load uncompressed.
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josq

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostTue May 09, 2017 10:20 am

dhm wrote:Only if you want to load it in full surround with all six channels (meaning you need at least 3 pairs of speakers).


The multichannel technique does not requires a pair of speakers per pair of channels. Rather, it might be used to tune the balance between direct organ sound and ambient sound for a single pair of speakers. At least, that's how I mostly use it. For Goerlitz, I send direct and diffuse to front speakers, and rear to rear speakers. I use the slider between "direct" and "diffuse" to change between a very direct pipe sound and a very distant pipe sound, or anything in between, depending on my mood.

For a near dry sound like a home pipe organ I have loaded the direct samples with truncated releases (saves a lot of RAM too), and I move the slider completely towards "direct" and mute the rears. Only recommended for small registrations ;)
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Antoni Scott

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Re: 64 or 128 gb RAM?

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 8:41 am

Last year, circumstances were such that I thought it necessary to have a "back-up" computer for my Hauptwerk set up. It wasn't so much the fact that my old 2008 Vintage MacPro was too small, (it had eight 3.00Ghz cores and 32 GB RAM) but the fact that no one at Apple would look at it (too old, vintage they said). The fact is that there are fewer Mac computers and fewer Mac technicians than there are for PC's. In my case the problem was a bad memory module that just crashed the entire computer.
Since my 32 GB computer (it started out as a 16GB) was supposed to be "future proofed" for what I correctly predicted would be bigger and bigger sample set requirements, I had a large sample set (the huge Esztergom) that was even to big for my 32 GB (so much for future proofing).

I found a place in California (IBuildMacs) that only uses the older MacPro's. He built me a 12-core (3.33GHz) 96GB Ram which operates flawlessly at a fraction of the cost of a new one. I recommend them highly. Excellent service. Jon, of IBuildMacs, siad I didn't need 128GB but the price difference was minimal. I would definitely go to 128GB since 64 GB is close to the capacity of some larger sample sets. 128 GB should future proof you Hauptwerk needs for some time.
Antoni
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