Got the seasonic SS-660XP

PSUs: The source of DC power for all components in the PC & often a big noise source.

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karkee
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Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:32 am

I just got the 660XP deliverd, I havent mounted it yet into my PC but already started it up once.

If you listen closely you can hear an electronical noise, its not THAT bad so I will have to make up my mind once its in the PC if its a problem at night or not. I mean its ok if it buzzes a little aslong as it isnt hearable at night.

So far from all the PSU's ive seen there is only one that did not have buzzing and that was the superflower golden king 550w.

edh
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by edh » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:02 am

karkee wrote:If you listen closely you can hear an electronical noise, its not THAT bad so I will have to make up my mind once its in the PC if its a problem at night or not.
Some PSUs make a noise when jumpwired like this for testing as they have no significant load. Interesting to see if you find the same when it is in a system.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:27 am

I am about to assemble the system now.

If it is annoying during night etc, I will replace it with the superflower.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:36 am

Small update:

The PSU makes a little squealing noise if you listen up close. Its a diffrent sound connected to the mobo (asus gene V), then when you would just jumpwire it on (makes a diff sound, like buzzing).

I will have to test at the evening/night with panels closed to see if this is a keeper or not.

Otherwise I will end up sleeving my Superflower golden king instead.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:38 am

Update:

When it gets a little bit load it starts to even sqeel more, worst PSU ever.

The fan doesnt come on that much though, but damn this noise from electronics is just to much.

The only PSU for a silent rig I can recommend so far is by far the Superflower Golden King 550w platinum, it did not have any electronical noise what so ever. I guess I will have to sleeve this one then.

baobeiiii
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by baobeiiii » Fri Feb 01, 2013 4:31 pm

I posted a very similar topic yesterday. A seasonic x560. Jump starting it and not connected to the mobo, there is only a buzz and no whine. After connecting it to my asrock z77e itx there is a slight coil wine and a repeating 'beep' sound every 2 or 3 seconds.

You have to be really close to hear it though, even under prime 95 load. Are you sure your psu is defective? I'm still on the fence about it, on the one hand seasonic themsevles say that some mobo's induce this noise in the psu (but the psu is operating normally) and on the other hand no-one's replied to my thread yet lol.

We both hear the same thing maybe it's just normal for the seasonics, i'd like someone to reply who has a seasonic which has zero coil whine and then let me know what mobo they are using ;)

edh
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by edh » Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:31 pm

baobeiiii wrote:i'd like someone to reply who has a seasonic which has zero coil whine and then let me know what mobo they are using ;)
I have zero coil whine with the system listed in my signature. This is even with the PSU pretty much open to the air through the side panel.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:37 am

The PSU is not defective, it is really hard to find a Seasonic model that does not have coil whine. And all the bs about its a combo and some mobo/gpu effecting it is pure bs.

If you don't want coil whine get a superflower.

b00mer
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by b00mer » Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:36 pm

I'm new here and thought I would chime in with my 2 cents. I have purchased 3 seasonic psu's from newegg this past year. All have worked without any coil whine and on hybrid, fanless mode.

I've had the X series x750 in my daily rig pushing a [email protected], 670gtx sli, and components for over a year. My htpc has had the X Series X650 KM3 in a grandia gd05b case, for the past couple of months, and it's the main reason heat and noise are kept in check.
My brother's silent FT02 rig, is running 1000w Platinum, with crossfired 7950s with no issues.

All 3 builds have different motherboards, asus, asrock and gigabyte, and none have any coil whine. So, no, it isn't hard finding seasonic psu's without coil whine.

Roger Wilco
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by Roger Wilco » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:54 pm

Hi, I just upgraded my old Seasonic S12-430 with the Seasonic SS-660XP and it is very quiet. I listened with my ear next to the unit and in Windows I hear no noise at all.

I have a MSI GTX 660 (which is also very quiet) and when I run the Windows Experience Index with the Direct3D tests, I can hear a faint trace of coil whine, but it really is only noticeable when I have my ear right next to it.

My older S12-430 made more noise with the GTX 660 and I still found it be quite acceptable since it was inaudible from where I sit and the system is under my desk.

I also purchased a Corsair AX760 for another system and it has no coil whine either. That one replaced an older Corsair TX650 that had pretty bad coil whine when I upgraded from a GTX 550 to a GTX 660. It was fine until I got the GTX 660, apparently the GTX 660 must be creating some load patterns that induce coil whine. I thought it was the video board at first, but the noise clearly emanated from the PSU when listening through an empty roll of kitchen paper towels.

I could hear that coil whine easily across the room, at least 5 or 6 feet away from it.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:38 pm

Under idle/low loads the Seasonic only emits a little buzz indeed.

But in games that can handle high fps it will make your GPU squeal like mad.

I bought another superflower and for people wanting one, they have changed there golden king 550w. It now comes with a red button to switch for normal or hybrid mode. It does exactly the same as the seasonic, annoying squeal under load.

I asked superflower for another model without the new stuff and that one does not make any coil whine, neither does the GPU/PSU/mobo under load.

For the people saying it is possible to find a Seasonic or whatever brand without coil whine, yes probably but with Seasonic less likely. In my opinion after having tested 10 seasonic PSU's that make my GPU squeal like this I find it a fail product. And don't get me wrong here im not boycotting seasonic, other brands have the same problem.

Im pretty sure if you get one of those PSU's and you change all the caps with high quality it probably won't do that, and I am gonna try it to this seasonic 660 since I am to lazy to return it.

Also all the bs that its a mobo/gpu/psu thing no its not, its only the GPU/PSU with the reason being the PSU. A today's mobo should not squeal at all and neither should a decent GPU.

Greetz

tim851
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by tim851 » Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:30 am

From my (limited) experience Seasonic does have more of a coil whine problem than Enermax or Silverstone. Of the 5-6 Seasonics I have build into systems, all but 1 whined. And if you look through the web, of brand name PSUs, they are the most frequently complained about.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Thu Feb 14, 2013 6:03 am

Yep but thats not the only problem, basicly if you have a squealing PSU it most of the time makes your GPU squeal aswell.

My Seasonic does that when playing a game.

Its not high pitched its more just a static electrical sound, wooshie sound its weird to discribe.

Its really hard to find a PSU that doesnt do that, well so far I only owned superflower and seasonic. Maybi its time to try a diffrent brand.

If anyone has suggestions on a really silent PSU that doesnt make your damn GPU squeal like a pig let me kno;) So far only the superflower 550w didnt do this, but since they updated them with that on/off button for fan they do the same thing!

Roger Wilco
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by Roger Wilco » Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:16 pm

I did a test again with my computer under full load. I ran prime95 and the rhtdrbl tool which load both the CPU and GPU and I can hear only a faint trace of high pitched noise when I place my ear right next to the PSU. This is the same trace I heard when I am idle in Windows, there is no buzzing.

When I played Borderlands 2, I noticed no difference in the noise either. Regarding the GPU, Asus uses a super alloy design that should avoid the coil whine on the video board, they state: "Unlike traditional chokes, Super Alloy Chokes run 35°C cooler* and eliminate buzzing noise under load.", see: http://www.asus.com/News/1SEPpyJktCfBBHEj/

The MSI GTX 660 that I have does not state it has those special chokes like the Asus, but I hear no coil whine from it.

I understand you are disappointed with the coil whine you currently experience, but the Seasonic SS-660XP uses high quality 105C Japanese capacitors, why would you even try changing those and voiding your warranty? You can now RMA it and try for a new one that may not have any buzzing. Also, I doubt that the capacitors are the source of your issue, Seasonic already replied to silentpcreview as they identified the source of the coil whine in one power supply that was recently reviewed:

"Apparently, it is the quality of the winding process for the transformer that affects the noise I found, and this issue has been identified and corrected, with continuous monitoring assured for the future."

If anything, I'm impressed they are actively trying to minimize it.

karkee
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by karkee » Fri Feb 15, 2013 12:38 pm

I have 3 superflower golden king 550w, non of them make coil whine/buzzing. I have mounted about 20+ seasonics (old and new models), I had one that actually made a little buzzing only. All of the rest made buzzing that is annoying.

For anyone looking for a PSU not making a buzzing noise, buy a 550w golden king. I really don't care what people buy, I liked seasonic alot to untill I bought a supreflower model :p I almost dare to say, ill buy you a new one if your superflower makes buzzing noises!

As for the GPU, its a funny one from asus.

@Rogerwilco, what GPU do you have and PSU? You state you have no coil whine / hissing coming from the GPU during borderlands2? I don't know that game but what FPS you are running during that?

All of the asus direct cu 2 will make a hissing sound when they reach 250FPS+ (I mounted and tested around 30+, from gtx 660 to gtx 680's :) I have not seen one that does not make hissing sound at 300FPS.

Roger Wilco
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Re: Got the seasonic SS-660XP

Post by Roger Wilco » Fri Feb 15, 2013 6:52 pm

You have definitely tried more Seasonic models than me. I have always gotten Seasonic made PSU's and only one had coil whine bad enough that I felt I needed to replace it. However, I did not observe this coil whine when I had a GTX 550, only when I upgraded to a GTX 660 it started to do that and I could hear it from 5 feet away.

The Seasonic S12-430 that I used for 7 years had no to very little coil whine but when I tried it with a GTX660 it became more noticeable. Since the case is under my desk and I could not hear it from where I am sitting it was still acceptable to me.

When I put my ear right next to the case at the level of the video board I do actually hear a faint bit of "chatter" from it when I am in Borderlands 2. Borderlands will automatically frame limit the game to 62 max, but I generally always play with vsync on to avoid tearing and reduce power consumption. The PSU remains the same with only a faint trace of high frequency noise.

The GPU I have in my current system is the MSI Twin Frozr GTX660 2GD5/OC, see: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/N660-TF-2GD5-OC.html

The PSU is the Seasonic SS-660XP. My findings so far are that more powerful video cards seem to create load patterns which create a higher risk for coil whine. The S12-430 had virtually no coil whine with an AMD Radeon 7750 that I had previously.

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