Still offering Win 7 Pro

[1961TC4ME]

I'm on their email list and just received this. Micro Center is still offering Win 7 Pro on some of their house brand machines. I purchased an i-5 equipped computer from them back in 2013 with Win 7 Pro and it's still going strong. Like mine, this one would probably make a pretty nice Hauptwerk computer for reasonable money and you can still get Win 7 Pro.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... c2e6719f30

Marc

[engrssc]

And it can except up to 32 GB RAM. 480 GB SSD will hold quite a good sized sample set organ.

Rgds,
Ed

[magnaton]

That is a good deal and would make a nice standalone HW computer! I paid about the same for a similar unit a couple years ago but with an i5, 500GB Samsung EVO SSD, and 2nd 7200 HDD. Depending on your sample set requirements, the 32GB limit on the MOTB might be of a concern.

Danny B.

[1961TC4ME]

One other thing to consider is you would have to spend at least another couple hundred bucks to upgrade from the 'out of the box' 16 to 32 GB of memory, but I've certainly heard of folks investing much more for a good Hauptwerk computer. As far as 32 GB goes, it really does give you a good platform. You can own a lot of very nice organs and make them work within the 32 GB constraints without issue, some depending on what bit rate you use. I'm loading Armley Schulze @ 20 bit for both Chancel and Nave, 16 bit for the surround, I don't use the tremmed ranks as it's just not something I do much with anyways and I have around 5 GB to spare after it loads, and the set sounds awesome.

Marc

[magnaton]

Hey Marc:

I agree with your post. The computer I mentioned is my personal, dedicated HW computer. I was able to purchase the additional 16GB several months after the build but before the price hike at $90.

I'm loading Armley Schulze @ 20 bit for both Chancel and Nave, 16 bit for the surround, I don't use the tremmed ranks as it's just not something I do much with anyways and I have around 5 GB to spare after it loads, and the set sounds awesome.
Marc

I can't give enough accolades to this sample set! I too was able to fit it in my 32GB RAM space. At risk of going off topic, I detuned the Zart Flöte (sharp) in the Echo to celeste with the Dolcan for some extra lush factor.

Danny B.

[engrssc]

A competitive offering:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Elite-8300-Intel-i7-3770-3-4Ghz-32GB-RAM-120GB-SSD-500GB-HDD-2x-NVS310-Win7/123181592971?hash=item1cae31f18b:g:c-MAAOSw5VtZvHPU

Cheaper with 32 GB RAM included

HP Elite 8300 Intel
i7 3770 3.4Ghz
32 GB RAM
120GB SSD
500GB HDD
Win 7 Pro

You would need to remove the 2x NVS310 monitor cards. They interfere with Hauptwerk.

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB SATA V-NAND SSD New

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-860-EVO-500GB-SATA-V-NAND-SSD-New-Sealed/173358225073?hash=item285cf496b1:g:CFIAAOSw-0RbFydG

Rgds,
Ed

[magnaton]

Hey Ed:
No doubt you are the bargain hunter! These computers seem to be off lease units? The HP case looks dated (who cares) but the specs look great.

Danny B.

[engrssc]

Duplicate post deleted

[engrssc]

I ended up buying are total of 4 of those computers (so far) and all work as per spec. No problems. I added in one of them a 500 GB SSD as the C drive and it is fast. Runs Marc's favorite sample set easily. Removing those video cards is no problem. I'm sure they were used in a leased situation, but all of them look and operate as new units. Originally, the seller had them with DVD drives installed and then they sold for $50 more. But you can get external DVD drives cheap. I asked the seller if he could provide a disk with the original HP factory operating system in case I needed to change the HDD and he provided the disk at no charge. Very good guy to deal with. The computers were shipped in original HP packing and arrived in perfect condition. I would call them commercial/industrial quality perfect for a small to mid sized Hauptwerk sample set.

I mounted them vertically and they then have a small foot print. At first I was very leery of mounting such a computer inside a console. After now 6 months of heavy use, no issues. In fact the over sized CPU cooling fans continue to run at the low speed with no over heating. I think the term is industrial hardened. I really like Win 7 Pro as well.

Rgds,
Ed