My first race rig build, I have the disease :-)

[DesKane]

Hi All,

I have been doing a lot of research recently and loving it, and have had sleepless nights over it, getting more and more into iRacing and many other race sims out there, so I thought F**K IT I am gonna take the plunge get involved and invest in a bit of a race rig to give that more immersive experience, I have want and have read about. I AM VERY EXCITED.
I have 2 computers I have built over this last year, 1 more of a gaming build, a small form factor, based around a MiniITX Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe with i5-3570k, but I have also built a bit of a workstation Rig which I think is what I going to sit on this race rig build !! I would just like to see how well it powers the monitors and generally just copes with some of the more recent Race Sims out there at the moment. I think I am happy with my choice of hardware combinations, EVERYTHING is on order with some of the kit I already have and on its way, so as it comes I will share with you guys who are interested !?!? just to see how they play with my combination !!!
All in the name of science of course.

Please let me know what you think!? All feedback very welcome

So RIG Ideas and Computer Specs Plus Other Peripherals So Far:-

RACE RIG BUILD
Obutto Revolution Rig……….. NOW rseat RS1 ;-)
Triple Monitor Mount
Articulating Keyboard/Mouse Tray
Acrylic Tabletops

RACE RIG HARDWARE
FANATEC
ClubSport Wheel Base V2
ClubSport Pedals V2
ClubSport Shifter SQ V 1.5
ClubSport Steering Wheel BMW M3 GT2
Clubsport Steering Wheel Formula Carbon
CSR Elite Pedal Inverted

SIM RACING HARDWARE (SRH)
TACH STAND - Tachometer Max 11.000 rev range
GI-MAX - Digital gear shift indicator
SPI-D - Digital Speedometer

SIMXPERIENCE
x4 Buttkicker Mini LFE SE
SimVibe Software License (Sim Commander 3)

COMPUTER RIG
MOBO - ASUS ROG Rampage IV Extreme
CPU - Core i7-3930K
RAM - 24GB DOMINATOR Platinum Memory Kit 2133MHz
PSU - Corsair CMPSU-850AXUK Professional Series Gold 850W
GPU - x2 EVGA 3GB GTX780 Classified - (CURRENTLY)
new GPU - MSI GTX 980 GAMING Twin Frozr V 4GB (Maxwell)
MONITORS - x3 Acer Predator XB270HA 27" G-Sync 144Hz
SOUND CARD - Asus Xonar Essence STX PCI-E (for Corsair SP2500)
SPEAKERS - Corsair SP2500 Gaming Speakers Audio System 2.1
SOUND CARD - Asus Xonar DGX 5.1 PCI-E Sound (for x4 ButtKicker Mini LFE SE)
AMPLIFIER - Behringer EPQ304 300W 4 Channel (for x4 ButtKicker Mini LFE SE)

This could be fun !!

 

[Gary Horneck]

Glad they sorted out that mess. I had one of the first GTX 980's they shipped. It would not boot with 3xDisplay for me.

 

[MrPix]

@DesKane
I run slightly over your resolution (6.3MP vs your 6.2MP) with a single GTX 980. Sure some of the ultra settings have to be turned down on the newer (and not yet released/completed) racing sims, but I run almost flat out graphics settings in AC and get 70-90 fps in a full field of AI or MP racers. To get 144hz across all screens you probably will have to get a second card... but isn't that why you bought 3 G-Sync capable monitors.... for the times when you don't push the envelope to 144? 70-90fps is still buttery smooth, but I am running 60hz and happy with that.

For games outside of the sim racing genre, I run even higher resolution (4K = 8MP) and run close to the maximum settings in all my games. Only Elite Dangerous requires me to drop some settings or run at a lower resolution.

If I was a FPS gamer as a first priority then I'd probably want a 144hz / 144fps experience for sure and for a 4k monitor or 3x 1080p Monitors, then a second 9x0 would be required if I wanted max graphical settings, but as it is for my sim racing experience and immersion, I'm happy with just the single card.

 

[DesKane]

cheers MrPix, i love to hear about what other peoples rigs/setups they are running

I am happy with my lot, I have just sold my IPS 2.5K monitor and that was lovely, crisp with x2 GTX680s.
So could you say I am taking a step back, with 1 GTX980 running x3 monitors @ 1920x1080p………..you could say that, AND I can definitely see the difference, they are not quite as good I am feeling BUT I haven't tried a proper FPS yet or bedded iRacing down properly, so I must make the time to test it just to see how good 144hz @ 144fps really is. So I am coming back off the resolution but I was hoping to get a bit of a kick with the 144hz and Gsync combo !! Reading the fuss about 2 or 3 GPU 980 to accommodate triple 4k screens I though I would stay clear of that investment for now. That said I can see another 980 card on its was soon

 

[MrPix]

No probs, I have quite a bit of the Fanatec gear you have listed too, I'm a bit disappointed with the QR on the Porsche Rim, it rattles side to side on the CSW v2 quite horribly, but Fanatec support have told me that it is within tolerance, so hey ho. My advice would be to avoid it if you want it to feel real... despite that though, it's my favourite wheel, apart from the QR, it is finished to perfection and feels great... until it rattles in my hands of course. The BMW rim suffers the same rattle, but they are fixing that currently. The Formula Carbon is the best 'feel'... no rattle on the QR hub and it looks awesome too, which confirms that the CSW v2 hub is OK. I love the CSP v2's now I have addressed the throttle squeak and have had no issues when plugged in to the wheel base and the CSS SQ v1.5 is just a piece of engineering delight.

Good luck and have fun with your rig man.

 

[DesKane]

@MrPix - Thanks for the feedback and Frikkin A dude I can't wait, it is beautiful gear, I am just lucky to have a number of different units on order just to tie them in with the different marques cars etc. it will be great fun.

TBH I cannot wait to get my hands on the SQ v1.5. Everything is in just high demand and I must be at the back of the que !!

 

[DesKane]

Well Holy **** Christmas Came early
Fanatec estimated all or most of the kit to arrive End of March….. but I aint complainin !!!
Some Pics to share, I know most you guys and gals most likely have this kit and have seen it all before, but for me being a bit of a late comer to finally taking the plunge and embrace my hobby properly……...this gear is beautiful and will do me !!


Also purchased my Obutto R3volution Rig beginning of January for an end of March delivery but wasn't completely happy with my purchase the R3v Rig is awesome bullet & bomb proof but I cancelled it and after much deliberating finally went for the rseat RS1 with all the trimmings, this will be with me beginning of March.
https://www.rseat-europe.com/rseat-rs1/rseat-rs1-black-simracing-cockpit

IT still can be a bit of a workstation with articulating keyboard and mouse tray BUT for me the RS1 just looks with the triple monitor stand …... more RACEY !!!!!! what do you guys think !?!?!
as the rig is a pretty important purchase and I only want to do this once………….. maybe

 

[David B]

Very nice des, I love the look of the RS1!!
I got my setup all up and working now
Managed to get my class C in Iracing.
Nice to see your setup is coming along.

 

[DesKane]

Cheers David, how you doing by the way !?!? Glad to hear you are getting things sorted and now in class C !! well done. I had to come away as you are just not competitive with a hand held controller and was damaging my irating !!!
Had a bit of a test run Sunday and yeah the kit is great, very responsive, had genuine races and held position, you can't do that with an Xbox controller ….. well I can't anyway.
Rs1 and x4 buttkickers hear end of February.

The next challenge now is where to attach 4 buttkicker mini lfe's, 2 under the seat as i have purchased a device that fits under the seat nicely so can accommodate 2 but where and how do i stick the others !?!?!?

 

[DesKane]

Finally got my Buttkicker LFE's from simxperience. Big thanks guys, these have been on back order for 5 weeks, clearly very popular device. Now have to find the best solution to get these bad boys onto my rseat RS1 when that finally arrives

 

[Gary Horneck]

Nice. I might have to upgrade, even though my eBay tactile transducer works ok.

 

[DesKane]

Make it happen Gary, these came highly recommended, looking forward to getting them installed, but god knows yet how I install them on the front of an RS1 rig ?!?!?! shall have to wait and see when the rig arrives !?

 

[Moxley6969]

Never could get much shake from a Stock mini LFE.

 

[DesKane]

Hmmm I thought these mini lfe's from simxperience were modified !!
There are 4 of them so hopefully there should be some balls in this setup ;-)

 

[Moxley6969]

In my personal experience, 2 mini LFE's couldn't match what a single Gamer 2 could do

 

[DesKane]

I shall check em out Moxley, I have 4 of these bad boys now and they are not going back …………... the show must go on ! I shall turn amp up and simvibe to warp factor 9

 

[David B]

Hey Des just wandered, how the sim racing is coming along? have you got all your gear yet?

 

[DesKane]

oh my good god YES ! let me get some pics sorted Kit all here, lets just say I have got a bit carried away with testing !! testing and more Testing

 

[David B]

Here is mine,with your Th8a you sold me

 

[David B]

Waiting on this pictures I am curious to see your setup

 

[DesKane]

Hey Dave, sorry this has taken an absolute age but seemed to have far too much on this year !?!?!!?!?
Anyway had a bit of a regig recently and so far the rig is looking like this, still some more mods to come such as a carbon fibre finish over all of the desk surface, this should be with me this week, will share more pics ……. SOONER THIS TIME !
Have 4 buttkickers now in place with the AMP behind the monitors with most of the wiring boxed away below the monitors as well but yeah all great fun, especially with the volume booming.