ok, to wrap this thread up, here is what I ended up with - -
this is with keeping core cpu temps under 70C degrees while running Intels Thermal Analysis Tool for over an hour and around 65C while running stress tests like Sandra and Orthos.
I have a rock solid stable overclock of 3.2ghz per core on my E6700.
Ram has been overclocked and latencies lowered.
I could have gone higher - probably to 3.4ghz, but would have had to lower my mem speed and up my vcore voltage = higher core temps under stress.
100% stability was an absolute requirement (don't want weird bit level issues while make new songs
Pretty happy with it. Will start loading the os tonight.