Search found 77 matches

by Placid
Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:30 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Best silent case to choose from?
Replies: 11
Views: 10359

Re: Best silent case to choose from?

My Define R5 was very prone to HDD vibration when two or more installed. Really defeats the purpose of having multiple internal 3.5" bays. Every removable part would resonate: the side panel, the ModuVents, the drive cage, the front panel, the front door. That's the drawback of full modularity and t...
by Placid
Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:23 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

I've been pretty busy so I haven't had a lot of gaming sessions. Some serious coil whine reared its ugly head a few times, but when it does, its high pitched whine is extremely loud and annoying, and it also emanates from the speakers for a two-pronged assault on the ears. I've got a 5.1 setup; it's...
by Placid
Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:29 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3
Replies: 5
Views: 7660

Re: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3

I no longer have the P183 for testing. Before I began the wind tunnel test, I tried it with the top fan mounted; temps were the same. Since there were no apparent change, and it might disrupt the front to back airflow, I eventually blocked it off. Taking out the top fan also gave me an extra 120mm f...
by Placid
Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:46 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3
Replies: 5
Views: 7660

Re: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3

I've been back on the R5 for awhile now, but prior to moving the rig back, I tested the P183 some more. I also find that as I add more cabling, cable management requires more ingenuity to get around, but coming from an Antec Solo which I loved, it was not difficult at all, though I wish it was as go...
by Placid
Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:32 pm
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Which cooler for s1151? Will my Scythe Ninja SCNJ-1000 work?
Replies: 15
Views: 9697

Re: Which cooler for s1151? Will my Scythe Ninja SCNJ-1000 w

Coolerguys is offering free shipping for orders over $50. With the Ninja 4 at $47.95, you're only $3.06 away. Even at that price, I went with a Kotetsu for my own build, thanks to CA_Steve's advice, and I also prefer to have less weight hanging off the motherboard. SuperBiiz is selling the Kotetsu f...
by Placid
Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:27 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3
Replies: 5
Views: 7660

Re: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3

Yes, that's a fan in the middle, with the drive cage removed to fit. In this position, it's not an intake anymore. The video card spews hot air in every direction, so this fan is configured as a push/pull to ensure enough pressure to overcome the counter flow and exit out the back. For the lurkers w...
by Placid
Mon Sep 07, 2015 2:45 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3
Replies: 5
Views: 7660

Tested the Define R5 and Antec P183 V3

After completing my new build on the Define R5, I still wonder just how this case compares to the Antec P183 V3. As I always wanted a P183 prior to the introduction of the R5, I temporarily bought one just to scratch that itch. Yeah, I'm OCD like that. The cable management on the R5 may be better, b...
by Placid
Mon Aug 24, 2015 11:11 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted

After having worked on the R5 for a week, here are some initial impressions. I find the build quality to be mediocre. Unlike the Solo, you don't want to sit on the R5. Tap the case and it rattles due to the numerous modular parts. Placing an external optical drive at the top of the case amplified th...
by Placid
Mon Aug 24, 2015 3:54 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

Finally stressed test the heck out of it. Yep, it's got a little bit of coil whine, slightly audible on idle with my ear next to it. On load, it makes a sizzling noise, audible with the case open, and inaudible from where I'm sitting with the case closed and under the desk. The 7200 RPM HDD's noise ...
by Placid
Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:58 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

I decided on getting the GTX 970, despite its flaws. If I was going to spend that kind of money on a 980, I should really be looking into a Quadro and building a full blown workstation, which was not my overall goal. So far, I just lost the PSU lottery. Once I get all the components together, I'll b...
by Placid
Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:43 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

I never had to deal with squealing myself and only read about ppl putting glue on PSU coils, but I guess putting anything on those closed, cube coils won't help much? I had forgotten that the coils of a graphics card are not the same as that of a PSU. I suspect that putting anything on it, be it a ...
by Placid
Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:18 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: G-Sync article
Replies: 16
Views: 13942

Re: G-Sync article

This wasn't a problem back when we had CRTs. It took a decade to finally bring rudimentary G-sync and Freesync into the table at a significant cost premium, but there's still a long way to go. I'm still waiting for the day when LCDs finally overcome their fundamental limitations.
by Placid
Thu Aug 13, 2015 11:56 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted

Most of the parts have rolled in, with a few more in transit. Finally got to test the Seasonic G Series 550W by jumpering the connector. There's some high pitched coil whine even before anything is connected. Even after power is cut to the PSU, it continues to whine for a minute. I'll see if that ch...
by Placid
Sat Aug 01, 2015 3:19 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted

Moving on to the case. I basically look for P180-type quiet cases. As mentioned in the first post, I like to have a door to keep closed during idle and opened on load. My choices are down to the remaining two: Antec P183 V3: This case comes very close to my desired size. It has solid build quality, ...
by Placid
Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:08 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted

Why under clock? At stock speed while on load, the i7-4790K's temps has the biggest jump and also the hottest in the Haswell line. That takes a lot of cooling power. Noisy cooling power. It's not so much the underclock. The key is to undervolt, which makes the most difference in temps. I know it's ...
by Placid
Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:18 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted

Spent some time double checking the thermal performance of the i7-4790K. Temps seem low enough that a big hunk of metal isn't necessary, although TechPowerUp showed that it can reach up to 74º C on load even at stock speed, and that was with water cooling. Even though that was the result of an artif...
by Placid
Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:47 pm
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: Extreme Sound Damping
Replies: 8
Views: 5521

Re: Extreme Sound Damping

Rubber (or silicone) grommets by themselves are much more effective at decoupling the fan. Gaskets can serve another purpose in this case; I use them to seal the gap around the fan created by the grommets.
by Placid
Wed Jul 29, 2015 3:14 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: i7-4790K build, underclocked and undervolted

I am reevaluating the CPU heatsink, and wondering from my usage if the DH-15 will perform any better than the Ninja 4 or the smaller Kotetsu. There are no plans to overclock throughout the life of the system. A few years down the line, when extra speed is needed to keep up, I will return it to stock...
by Placid
Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:24 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: Moderate performance build for work and play

Thanks for the replies. I'm am a little closer to finalizing the build and have already ordered some parts. The case is the next thing to consider. When I come back tomorrow, I'll continue in this thread so as not to break the flow.
by Placid
Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:12 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: Moderate performance build for work and play

I'm quite drawn to the idea of the NH-C14 for a bit of extra motherboard airflow, but that's more of personal thing rather than a practical one. I had that preference as well; all of my CPU coolers have been the down-blowing type until now, when I finally need the performance of a tower cooler. The...
by Placid
Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:39 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

Re: Moderate performance build for work and play

- sound card: Creative still makes me shudder. If you end up with s/w based EAX, consider the Asus Xonar cards. - PSU: be quiet! Straight Power E10 500CM would be a good alternative. Skylake intro's in August. Figure the bug fixes, UEFI and driver updates will settle down by November if you can wai...
by Placid
Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:09 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted
Replies: 18
Views: 8401

i7-4790K build, Underclocked and undervolted

I am working on a new build. I came from a very low power, very low heat rig in an Antec Solo. Very quiet, but it was slow and outdated. With current hardware being more efficient, it's time to move up in performance. The intended use is graphic design, some gaming, some video editing, and some 3D r...
by Placid
Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:33 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

Good to know. There certainly won't be any combos of Zotacs or Seasonic passive PSUs for me. I've read about people using super glue and even epoxy on noisy coils. A last resort if the manufacturer refuses to RMA, though I'm not sure if I can be adventurous enough to risk such a mod. I do have a kne...
by Placid
Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:40 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)
Replies: 12
Views: 8314

Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

The SLI config wasn't me... it was the op. I just happened to be interested in the same cases. Man, we're all coming from the venerable Solo. Getting back to korsch's build... For cooling, I can see the R5 as being well-suited for how you plan to use it. You can run it quietly for the first several ...
by Placid
Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:27 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)
Replies: 12
Views: 8314

Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

The Solo II is compared to the R2/R3, but the revisions to the subsequent models (and current Editor's choice) suggest it has marginally gone in favour of the newer Fractal model overall. You're right. The Solo II depends entirely on the lone 120mm rear fan to exhaust the heated air. The R5 with ev...
by Placid
Sat Jul 18, 2015 11:03 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)
Replies: 12
Views: 8314

Re: Solo II vs R5 (specific questions)

I'm on the same boat as I'm coming from a Solo, and looking for a case for my new build. The Solo II and R5 are also two of the several candidate cases that I'm contemplating. SPCR's reviews show that the SOLO II and R5 have similar cooling performance. The R5 might be cooler if the additional fan m...
by Placid
Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:15 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

There's only a 20W difference in TDP between the two cards. That won't make much difference in temps and noise in a well ventilated case. The crux of the matter is whether the extra $175 buys you extra performance you need now for your tasks and/or gaming. Expecting a video card to last 5 years w/o...
by Placid
Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:10 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

Keep in mind that many 970s suffer from disturbing levels of coil whine. This seem to be much less prevalent with 980s since those have better power circuitry. You can find a list of good and problematic 970s at the bottom of this topic: http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=680...
by Placid
Fri Jul 17, 2015 11:51 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Re: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

What's your monitor setup and resolution? I will be getting a new Dell Ultrasharp U2413, 24 inch, 1920 x 1200, entry-level professional IPS monitor. It has 6ms overdrive, so it can decently game as well. I'm staring with a single monitor setup, with the possibility of a second monitor but I don't h...
by Placid
Thu Jul 16, 2015 3:29 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980
Replies: 19
Views: 13298

Choosing between a Geforce GTX 970 and 980

For my new build, I am trying to choose between the MSI NVIDIA Geforce GTX 970 and 980 with the Twin Frozr V. It will be used for graphic design, gaming, some video editing, and some 3D rendering. My intended life-cycle for the video card is 5+ years, so I would like to keep overall temps low enough...