Tech Info: Tweak and Configure nForce2 Chipset

Updated information on DAW performance & compatibility with motherboards/chipsets featuring PCIe

These chipsets and related motherboards may work sufficiently well for DAW purposes (click-free Thonex stress test results down to 6 ms latency setting) if combined with low-powered PCIe video cards such as ATI X300 or Nvidia 6200. With increasingly more powerful PCIe cards installed, the PCI sub-system including Firewire, will be taxed at the expense of effective PCI bandwidth and streamed audio I/O.

It is recommended that users install the latest Intel Matrix Storage Manager Intel Matrix Storage Manager with improved SATA/RAID/AHCI support if you are using Intel 9xx Express chipsets and experience pops/clicks in playback mode.

There are user reports of “Task 330 errors” with Intel 915GAV/945 chipsets and Sydec soundcards.

Compatible laptops based on DAW user recommendations: Acer TravelMate 8104WLMi, Clevo M560, Toshiba Satellite M60-164, Toshiba Satellite M40x-126(129), Samsung X20 XVM 1600 III, Sony VAIO vgn-s3xp, etc. (check DAW hardware forums and the RME forums recurrently for latest users’ inputs).

The Intel 915 PM Express chipset (Sonoma) with 533 MHz FSB, PCI Express x16 and DDR2 support, Centrino @ o/c to 2.4 GHz, PCIe 6600 go video, and M-audio 410 FW soundcard, is reported to run the Sonar 3 test down to 1.5 ms at 55% CPU load. The same laptop and hardware configuration is stated to run the Thonex/Nuendo 3 stress test without pops/clicks down to 128 samples latency setting at 90% CPU load. This chipset with integrated PCIe support does not seem to differ in stress test performance whether high-end or low-end PCIe video cards are used or not.

945GM

This represents the latest mobile chipset from Intel. It adds 667 MHz FSB, DDR2-667 support, and improved power saving technology compared to the previous Sonoma chipset. It further adds support for the Yonah dual-core mobile CPU based on 65 nm process technology. For DAW users on the run or dependent on mobile solutions, the 945GM chipset plus Yonah dual-core CPU represents a very promising step forward in technology.

As of this writing, it is too early to elaborate on performance results and any compatibility-related issues as the first Intel Core Duo powered notebooks have just been released. Irrespective chipset and/or CPU technology it is principally recommended to search for notebooks featuring compatible CardBus technology ( PCMCIA type II) if you use the RME Digiface, Multiface or RPM as there are no current plans by RME to support the ExpressCard interface.

Nvidia chipsets

The single-CPU, desktop versions, of the nForce4 chipsets, in combination with single-core AMD 64 CPUs, are still reported to have the original PCI to PCIe interconnectivity issue by which minimum latency settings without pops/clicks in Thonex audio stress tests are significantly increased and/or number of VSTi/samples reduced compared to the nForce3 @ socket 939 chipset.

However, it has recently been demonstrated via audio stress tests that the single-CPU nForce4 chipsets perform almost as good down to some 256 samples latency setting (Thonex/Thonex II) when used in combination with dual-core AMD 64 X2 CPUs. At lower latency settings this combination still cannot run the Thonex test without pops/clicks and/or have higher CPU loads than the nForce3.

One way to eventually overcome the PCI to PCIe interconnectivity issue with present incarnations of single-CPU nForce4 chipsets would be to connect soundcard Firewire interfaces via a FW to PCIe card. By doing so, the Firewire soundcard is separated from the PCI bus and I/O streamed audio data is rather channeled via the PCIe bus. Some user reports indicate promising results (see here).

The Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI, with AMD 64 4400+ X2 and RMD HDSP 9632 PCI soundcard, is reported¹ to not run the Thonex II/Cubase test below 256 samples latency setting without pops/clicks. Other user reports suggest that the desktop nForce4 plus AMD 64 X2 combination (e.g. Asus A8N-E, Asus A8N SLI, Gigabyte GA-8N-SLI, Tyan K8E S2865) can run the Thonex stress test equally well down to 256 sample latency settings but showing increased performance penalties at lower latency settings vs. the nForce3/VIA K8T800 chipsets.

It is noted that single-CPU nForce4-Sonar 3 stress test data, with less demand put on the DAWs sub-systems, show good latency setting vs. CPU load performance (see here).