Enermax Liberty EL500AWT & EL620AWT power supplies

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MP3 Sound Recordings of the Enermax Liberty EL500AWT / EL620AWT Enermax Liberty EL500AWT @ <90W (21 dBA@1m) Enermax Liberty EL500AWT @ 150W (24 dBA@1m) Enermax Liberty EL500AWT @ 200W (30 dBA@1m) There was no need to make recordings at higher power levels; it's simply too loud.

Sound Recordings of PSU Comparatives Seasonic Tornado 400 @ 65W (19 dBA/1m) Seasonic S12-430 @ 150W (19 dBA/1m) Antec Neo HE 430 @ 150W (21 dBA@1m) Enermax Noisetaker 600W (2.0) @ 150W (27 dBA/1m) Nexus 92mm case fan @ 5V (17 dBA/1m) Reference

HOW TO LISTEN & COMPARE These recordings were made with a high resolution studio quality digital recording system. The microphone was 3" from the edge of the fan frame at a 45° angle, facing the intake side of the fan to avoid direct wind noise. The ambient noise during all recordings was 18 dBA or lower. To set the volume to a realistic level (similar to the original), try playing the Nexus 92 fan reference recording and setting the volume so that it is barely audible. Then don't reset the volume and play the other sound files. Of course, tone controls or other effects should all be turned off or set to neutral. For full details on how to calibrate your sound system to get the most valid listening comparison, please see the yellow text box entitled Listen to the Fans on page four of the article SPCR's Test / Sound Lab: A Short Tour.

CONCLUSIONS

Enermax has made a good effort to make sure there are "No more Limits" on cable clutter or confusing cable configurations. The plentiful and intelligently designed modular cable system is the best feature of the Liberty. Freedom from noise is also available, at least up to ~150W output, which may be plenty good enough for many systems. The overall acoustic performance is similar to that of the Enermax Noisetaker series, which made our Recommended PSU lists. The acoustics are good, but not ground-breaking, due partly to the somewhat complex sonic signature of the fan.

There are plenty of nice touches, notably the storage case for spare cables and tasteful aesthetics. Efficiency is also excellent, although not in the champion category. The high efficiency and active PFC help keep the Liberty environmentally friendly.

When it comes down to it, the Liberty is a good all-round power supply that raises the bar for how cables should be managed and does a good job of everything else. There is always room for improvement, but the Liberty doesn't have any obvious weaknesses. Of course, this is SPCR, so we'd improve the noise level first...

Much thanks to Maxpoint and Coolergiant for samples of this power supply.

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