Intel Alternative to the Anitec SPCR Designed System

dom · Post by **dom** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:00 am

I was about to buy one of those PCs from Anitec ( http://www.silentpcreview.com/article782-page2.html ) , but the e8X00 are now available, and it seems they could be a significant improvement over the AMD Athlon X2 BE's in the Anitec PCs. I'm wondering if it's possible to make an intel version of them. It could go like this:

* Antec NSK3480 MicroATX Case
* Asus P5E-VM HDMI instead of the Asus M2A-VM
* Intel C2D e8400 instead of the AMD Athlon X2 BE-2350 (2.1 GHz)
* Corsair VX Series 450W Power Supply
* WD GP750GB
* Scythe Slipstream 120mm (800rpm) Fan
* Scythe Ninja Plus Rev. B
* Asus DRW-2014L1T (Black) 18x SATA DVDÂ±Writer
* Some RAM

Would that work? In his test, Mike found out that only 22 dBA were coming out of the Anitec computer at full load when the ambient temperature was 21Â°C, could I expect the same thing from the config above?

It seems it could work, as on the AMD comp, at full load the computer was using 87W, and the P5E-VM with an e6400 was drawing on the test http://www.silentpcreview.com/article785-page5.html a max of 99W at normal voltage, and only 79W when undervolted. With the e8400 generating much less power than the e6400, things should be really smooth, shouldn't they?

Post by **MikeC** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:49 am

Your proposition sounds reasonable. Just get Anitec to make one the same with those 2 component changes, and keep your fingers crossed.

dom · Post by **dom** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:53 pm

I doubt Anitec would make that change in their configuration. They wouldn't replace the motherboard of the AMD configuration with the HDMI version and the 2x1GB sticks with 2x2GB sticks, as they explained to me they have a deal on their specific configuration. The only way to make the modifications I wanted was to buy the parts separately from them. I completely understand and respect this, but this made the computer significantly more expensive.

I also tried to see how much it would cost me to get the above Intel configuration with 2x2GB sticks and a flash card reader, and it adds up to 1095 CAD before tax and shipping from Anitec, while the same configuration bought from their main competitor would cost 900 CAD. I would love to support Anitec and SPCR for that great initiative, but that's too much of a price difference.

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:50 pm

i'd skip on

* Corsair VX Series 450W Power Supply

if you have a silent system, that thing is a tornado.

dom · Post by **dom** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:04 pm

mcoleg wrote:i'd skip on

* Corsair VX Series 450W Power Supply

if you have a silent system, that thing is a tornado.

Really? That power supply is on the recommended power supply list, near the top, with a noise rating of 8+, the highest for a PSU with fan: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article699-page1.html .

What would you suggest? A fanless PSU?

Post by **MikeC** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:14 pm

mcoleg wrote:i'd skip on

* Corsair VX Series 450W Power Supply

if you have a silent system, that thing is a tornado.

OK, I think we've got a real difference of opin about what a tornado sounds like... having scanned a program last night on TV about them, including the >300mph velocity at ground level on some.

Seriously, so other than fanless PSUs hand picked not to buzz, what have you heard, pray tell, that's so much quieter? The thing measures 21 dBA @ 1m. It could get a dBA or 2 better, but in reality, other stuff (in your PC or otherwise) will drown it out.

Seriously, what do you suggest as an alternative? The PCP&C 750 in your microscopic sig?

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:38 pm

hehe, i thought you'd be the one to reply

hi Mike

you are right - tornado is probably too strong a word. i'd better say "an annoyance".

somehow, it's the noisiest piece in the system i am playing with.

here's the spread. i've got two slipstreams inside nsk3480 controlled through bios. the board is P5E-VM HDMI, thanks for the review, btw, that's a nice board, i got it as high as 520+ fsb stable.

those two fans run at around 400 rpm + when system is idling and at low loads.

the power draw is at low hundreds at the wall practically all the time (105w idling right now, i went and checked).

the fan in the psu literally drowns out the air woosh from the case exhaust, hard drive noise, any other sounds from the case.

won't be too bad if the sound signature didn't have a "motory", if you will, component to it. double ball bearings, the old enemy

so, subjectively is quiet, i'm sure. it would be pretty darn good inside a regular case, i'd imagine. used as i have it, in nsk3480 where the sound from the psu escapes through the top, it's hecka of annoying.

Post by **MikeC** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:13 pm

ah, so.... tornado is not quite what you meant.

I agree that if the rest of your system is silenced (appropriate term for 400 rpm silpstreams, imo), then yeah, the 6-700rpm (or so) speed of the Adda in the Corsair will dominate, especially if you have the top of the case exposed directly to line of ear (in contrast to line of sight).

If you're at that stage, why not do an 800 rpm slipstream fan swap in the Corsair? That'll make it start around 500 rpm... or since you can see it, if it doesn't start, just give it a little help with plastic wire tie.

mcoleg · Post by **mcoleg** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:34 pm

just what i am planning to do, actually.

i decided to try the 500 rpm model first though. considering the loads and the build of the psu, it won't need all that much cooling to begin with. also, no one has tried them in psu's, as far as i know

i know that start-up voltages could be a problem. i do have a 1200 slipstream left-over; i'll use it if i have to.

i also played with fan-swap on ea380. i used NMB 80x25; it's the 1200rpm version. interestingly enough, even if it doesn't start spinning right away, it will kick in with higher loads later on.

dom · Post by **dom** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:49 pm

I finally ordered and received all of the above and put together the computer. It's amazingly quiet! Coming from my shuttle athlon xp mini pc, it's night and day. Everything seems so noisy in my apartment now

I have no means of measuring noise or power consumption, the only thing I can post is the how the bios change the fan speed as the system heats up, if that's interesting to anyone.

However, now that it has been a couple days I'm using it, my ears must have become more sensitive, because I agree with mcoleg, I can hear that "motory" sound he describes coming from the power supply, and it's a tad unpleasant. I'll have to look into fan swapping.

But more strikingly. I can clearly hear the seek noises of the hard drive from 3 meters away with the case closed. Do I have a defective hard drive? Would doing some sort of suspension improve things over the silicon grommets of the case? It is not a WD GP 750GB but a 1TB one, if that matters.

Blue_Sky · Post by **Blue_Sky** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:20 pm

There are a vast quantity of posts with hard drive suspension mods here. It is what comes to mind when you mention an noisy HDD. If that doesn't work, there are a number of HDD cases that are for cooling and/or quieting hard drives. Your milage will vary a lot, so I think it would be a good idea to have a look at what SPCR members have said.

One thing that I tried once was using an old WD external HDD case (made of thick aluminum and plastic) and cutting holes for the cables in the front. It worked extremely well. Unfortunately temps got a little high for my liking (high 40s), especially after 5 or 6 hours on, so I got rid of it.