P180 PSU recommendation

[BassKozz]

First time poster here:

I have my eye's on the Antec P180 for a new personal file server I am building, and I am looking for a PSU recommendation?
I was planning on go w/ either of the following two (but I am open to recommendations):
CoolerMaster Real Power 550W OR Antec TruePower 2.0 550w

Thanks,
-BassKozz

[theyangster]

hello to a fellow [H] member
seasonic 500 or 600
maybe an Antec neo HE 500 could benifit in the p180 (straight pass thru), but there are some issues right now
All on newegg, the seasonic have a slight rebate going on right now...
you wrote:
Antec p180 Case
Intel 955x Chipset Mobo (haven't decided which to go w/ yet)
P4 3.2ghz (dunno which one yet)
2gigs of Ram (echo...)
low/mid-range video card (I won't be playing games on this [hence file server])
1 or 2 PCI - Express Raid Controller Cards
2x 74gb WD Raptors 10,000RPM [RAID 1]
8x 320 or 400gb WD RE drives [RAID 5] (The RE drives are specific RAID drives w/ a 5yr warranty ) (p.s. I will start w/ 4 drives and work up to 8 as the $ becomes available)
2x CD/DVD burners

seriously..what kind of file server will this be?

[BassKozz]

hello to a fellow [H] member

I knew it would catch up to me someday, , J/k Hello

seriously..what kind of file server will this be?

Mostly Multimedia (I've got 2 ReplayTv's, planning on adding 1 more) and I have lots of DVD's which I rip to DivX/Xvid and stream them out to media centers (connected to TV's)...

As a side note I will also plan on running Apache or IIS, and possibly Exchange on this server, and a couple other choice programs

Now back to the PSU's, you said there were some issues w/ the seasonic... are there any other PSU's that might work (straight pass thru) ?

-BassKozz

[theyangster]

not the seasonic!
the ANTEC!


looking on newegg
link

looks like there is a fortron,sparkle, silverstone and PC power and cooling with straight thru cooling, however you shouldn't limit yourself though, you could also go with a bottom cooling (120 fan belly). I personally think that it wouldn't be as efficent though (cooling wise)

EDITED for crucial grammar

[BassKozz]

theyangster no need to get
...

The Seasonic SS-600HT got bad reviews from Computer Power User Magazine:

The Sea Sonic retail box boasts, “Support SLI PCI Express x 2.” Why no NVIDIA certification logo then? Probably because despite the specs, this PSU can’t hack a truly heavy SLI load. Shy of failing, though, the 600HT shows surprisingly steady voltage regulation, wiggling only 0.01V under load. The unit acts and prices like a performance PSU but cracks under pressure. I wouldn’t grade so harshly if Sea Sonic wasn’t promoting the PSU as something it isn’t. The spiraled power cabling was also a little messier and more difficult to work with than straight cabling.

Still, Sea Sonic throws in some white cable wrapping and a one Molex-to-three fan connectors adapter. The four SATA and six Molex connectors should cover most needs, and the single bottom intake 120mm fan keeps reasonably quiet. For modest needs, the 600HT will serve.
Update: Since this review originally ran, the SS-600HT has received SLI certification from Nvidia.

I wonder what Antec recommends for a PSU, I looked at the product page, and couldn't find any recommendations

[theyangster]

come on i was joking
now you made me sad

don't let one bad review take you down I think they were a little too harsh

actually....instead of the p180 what about the coolermaster stacker?
it'd free up you to use any power supply. If I remember though, you can actually put two PSU's inside (dunno how they'd get both to start) so may be start with one now and get another PSU once you get more drives

you would lose the sound dampening properties though...

[kamina]

theyangster no need to get
...

The Seasonic SS-600HT got bad reviews from Computer Power User Magazine:

The Sea Sonic retail box boasts, “Support SLI PCI Express x 2.” Why no NVIDIA certification logo then? Probably because despite the specs, this PSU can’t hack a truly heavy SLI load. Shy of failing, though, the 600HT shows surprisingly steady voltage regulation, wiggling only 0.01V under load. The unit acts and prices like a performance PSU but cracks under pressure. I wouldn’t grade so harshly if Sea Sonic wasn’t promoting the PSU as something it isn’t. The spiraled power cabling was also a little messier and more difficult to work with than straight cabling.

Still, Sea Sonic throws in some white cable wrapping and a one Molex-to-three fan connectors adapter. The four SATA and six Molex connectors should cover most needs, and the single bottom intake 120mm fan keeps reasonably quiet. For modest needs, the 600HT will serve.
Update: Since this review originally ran, the SS-600HT has received SLI certification from Nvidia.

I wonder what Antec recommends for a PSU, I looked at the product page, and couldn't find any recommendations

What's bad about this review? They are saying it's a great powersupply, but that it is not certified by nvidia. And no it is certified, so does that just mean it's a great powersupply?

[hravn]

As per the P180 page at Antec:

Antec recommends choosing from our SP-500 power supply or Phantom, Neo/NeoHE or TruePower 2.0 series.

The NeoHE is actually a Seasonic, and the problems with it is an incompability (in some cases, like mine ) with Asus motherboards.

[JazzJackRabbit]

As per the P180 page at Antec:

Antec recommends choosing from our SP-500 power supply or Phantom, Neo/NeoHE or TruePower 2.0 series.

The NeoHE is actually a Seasonic, and the problems with it is an incompability (in some cases, like mine ) with Asus motherboards.

What incompability? I heard that S12 series have problems with DFI motherboards but not Asus. Where did you get this info? I have Asus P4P800 motherboard and I'm considering buying S12-600 PSU.

[hravn]

Sorry, the incompabilites is between the Neo HE and Asus motherboards (primarily the A8N-SLI)

[Krazy Kommando]

i think an antec neo HE would be the best choise. either the 430 or 500w version. better airflow design, modular cables, long cables

[BassKozz]

actually....instead of the p180 what about the coolermaster stacker?

I think this might be the route to go...
Thanks

[theyangster]

better mood today? j/k

just make sure if you do go that route, get the first version, second version doesn't have a space for a second PSU

[BassKozz]

better mood today? j/k

just make sure if you do go that route, get the first version, second version doesn't have a space for a second PSU

Yes much better, thanks for asking

is there a model number or something that I should look for when ordering to make sure I get the first version ?
Are there any other changes besides "space for a second PSU" in version numbers?

Thanks,
-BassKozz

[theyangster]

COOLER MASTER CM Stacker STC-T01-UW two PSU

COOLER MASTER Stacker 810 RC-810-SSN1 one PSU

both found at newegg for around the same price 30-40 more than a P180!

This actually a tough decision...for you

A) you buy the p180, buy a high power PSU for perhaps >300 total

B) buy Stacker, buy one moderate PSU around <250 ish + add another PSU for <60
(assuming you get quality PSU(s))

also keep note that the Stacker only has 3 3.5 mounts, you either will have to buy the "adapter" kits = more $$$ or go the SPCR way and buy lots of elastic and suspend each one (wouldn't want to be you and I mean INDIVIDUALLY, nothing like doing one continous loop, putting all the drives in and having one part break = ing mass hard drive carnage )



well it's your decision

[MikeC]

Has anyone actually seen, touched, examined or worked with the stacker I or II? I have -- except work with it -- and I have to say if you can get a system quiet in there, you're da man. It's a pile of clattery aluminum ready & willing to vibrate, shake and shimmy with any fan or drive mounted in the thing. If low noise is your goal, this is not a case to go for.

[BassKozz]

ahhh man,,, No I really don't know...

Do I want low Noise
or Massive Space

I am now leaning back towards P180... I'll have to wait for another deal to come on Fatwallet to make my decision

[theyangster]

I assume these are SATA?

you could actually get any run of the mill case and when you run out of space expand out to a nice quiet place a meter way (now powering these would be a different issue )

just a thought

[crusader]

Probably I should start a new thread, but this one has exact the same topic I need ... so anyway:

I like P180 and I like ASUS A8N Premium with fanless design.
Now the problem: ATX12V at this board is at left-top position and as was indicated in great review of P180 on SPCR it makes impossible for some PSUs to reach this connector. I need PCI slot for audio card, so blocking them with the cable is not an option.

I was hoping to get S12 PSU but they all have same length of ATX12V cable which is too short.

So the question is simple: what is the quietest PSU can I buy for P180+A8N combo?

Any help will be appreciated.

[PositiveSpin]

I have a Stacker - it's OK for a server that lives in another room with the door shut It's able to hold a lot of hard drives (I have 10 in mine) but it's a pain to work on - removing the motherboard tray requires undoing 19 screws (I am NOT exaggerating - I counted them!).

I much prefer the P180.

I recommend using a PC Power and Cooling 510W power supply in it - it's a straight-through design, it uses a single 80mm fan, has sheathed cables of adequate length, and it's surprisingly quiet (not ultra-quiet, but quite good) - I think the P180 design is part of the reason.

I have also installed an Antec Phantom 500 into a P180 - not an easy task, especially if you want to have the fan in the middle of the bottom chamber, but it can be done. You do have to swap the 38mm fan for a 25mm one, but that's normal for a SPCR reader

FWIW: I just built a system in an Antec P150 - very nice indeed. Only designed for 3 (suspended) or 4 (sleds) hard drives, but with modern hard drives that can be a heap of storage (1.5Tb RAID using 4 x 500Gb - that should be adequate!). This is a really nice case, even if the white paint can be damaged a little more easily than I'd like. I have a few scratches (not every edge is rolled), but it was easier than working on a Sonata. If you are building a system where looks are important, or you'd like to build a quiet machine in a case where a lot of the work is already done, the P150 is an excellent option.

[crusader]

Hey, thanks for reply, P180+A8N should be popular combo, I dunno why ppl don't want to share some knowledge.

Unfortunately there is no SPCR review of this "Power and Cooling 510W", but thats what I dig:

http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/revi ... uxe_6.html

The fan cooling the unit does move quite a bit of air and for some users, it could be too loud. It is all a matter of preference and how much the consumer can tolerate.

And this is NOT SPCR, if its too loud for extremeoverclocking.com then I can understand why there is no review at SPCR. Are you sure that this PSU has something to do with quietness at all?

Currently I looking at Enermax Liberty ELT400AWT:

1) SPL (dBA@1m) Idle - 21, 150W - 24, 200W - 30 (It should be ranked #6 at SPCR recommended table, which is decent result)
2) LONG cables: 22", exactly what I need for P180
3) bulletproof reputation/reliability (in fact the only one left after Antec went downhill)
4) modular design, very welcomed

That would be great if someone give opinion about this PSU.

[JazzJackRabbit]

I would avoid Enermax PSUs. Yes, they are quiter than most of the PSUs, they have excellent fan controller, stable voltage, but they use globe fans which tend to rumble and growl and click. These aren't very noticable at low load when fans spin at minimum speed, but at load they become too loud. Just go to Seasonic S12-500/600 review and listen to sound samples provided. IMO enermax is an excellent PSU ruined by a mediocre fan choice.

[frankgehry]

The spl numbers for the enermax noisetaker, for what they're worth, are very close and often better than the seasonic s12 500w. At the very high end, that would seldom if ever be reached, the seasonic is better. The test conditions favor the seasonic, however. I have a 485w noisetaker and have never heard clicking. The fans rarely ramp up. The downside to both the noisetaker and s12 is that they both rely on front vents to reduce air flow restrictiveness flowing hot air back into the computer case. - FG

[JazzJackRabbit]

The spl numbers for the enermax noisetaker, for what they're worth, are very close and often better than the seasonic s12 500w. At the very high end, that would seldom if ever be reached, the seasonic is better. The test conditions favor the seasonic, however. I have a 485w noisetaker and have never heard clicking. The fans rarely ramp up. The downside to both the noisetaker and s12 is that they both rely on front vents to reduce air flow restrictiveness flowing hot air back into the computer case. - FG

The fans tend to become much worse as time goes on. 485 is the new version, maybe that's why you're not hearing any clicking. In any case the low frequency rumble is still there. Just listen to Enermax Liberty and Seasonic S12 at 150W.

[frankgehry]

The 485w noisetaker has been around for a while. It originally came out in an ATX 1.3 version. The sound recordings are made 3" away from the psu exhaust. SPL readings are made 1 meter away from the psu exhaust as are most readings in the industry. There is simply too much nearfield distortion in the spcr recordings to be of much use. There are just too many variables. They are all made in different test conditions that are critical when making such low level recordings. Most up to date testing facilities record noise and spl levels using the same microphone from the same distance at the same time under consistent ambient noise and temperature levels. - FG

Enermax makes many models of power supplies. They do not all have globes, and they do not all click.

[crusader]

I would avoid Enermax PSUs. Yes, they are quiter than most of the PSUs, they have excellent fan controller, stable voltage, but they use globe fans which tend to rumble and growl and click. These aren't very noticable at low load when fans spin at minimum speed, but at load they become too loud. Just go to Seasonic S12-500/600 review and listen to sound samples provided. IMO enermax is an excellent PSU ruined by a mediocre fan choice.

Of course, I would by S12 right now, but what the hell they were thinking putting 18" cables in them ...
I listen to the sound samples, btw great idea thanks, and you are right - Enermax is louder, but the question is - how loud it will be in real system?
I have some experience with Enermax PSUs - usual and plain, not even a Noisetakers and I can say that at low setting they are very quiet and I can't hear rumbles or clicks. And they are old, working hard for about two years, they do.
So could it be that Liberty series is not so bad? Enermax positions them as quietest solution from all model line:

Liberty(Lowest Noise)

http://www.coolergiant.com/products/power_supplies.html

Anyway, what other choice do I have for PSU at P180+A8N ?

[frankgehry]

The best buy out there is an antec smartpower 2.0 500w. In the p180 fan ramping will not be a problem and the inline fan configuration is ideal. It is frequently recommended at www.extremeoverclocking.com, the cables are long enough from what I've read - plus they are detachable. - FG

A number of spcr readers are using the sp 2.0 + p180 combination. The sp 2.0 450w made the recommended list even with the worst test conditions of any spcr psu test.

A new psu, the silverstone st56 looks really good although it will most likely be noisy. It does have a nice sanyo denki fan, and maybe ok in the p180. There will be a review soon.

The liberty actually reviewed as pretty good, just not the quietest at higher output.

[MikeC]

...The sound recordings are made 3" away from the psu exhaust. SPL readings are made 1 meter away from the psu exhaust as are most readings in the industry. There is simply too much nearfield distortion in the spcr recordings to be of much use. There are just too many variables. They are all made in different test conditions that are critical when making such low level recordings. Most up to date testing facilities record noise and spl levels using the same microphone from the same distance at the same time under consistent ambient noise and temperature levels. - FG

There's a lot of misinformation here.

1) The acoustic test conditions are virtually identical. The recording mic is always in the same position, in the same room. All the recording gain (and other) settings are identical for all the recordings.

2) Most acoustic testing facility do not make sound recordings. To compare SPCR's acoustic testing resources to that of a full blown anechoic chamber and lab is... silly. We don't compare ourselves to that.

3) There is a very simple reason why the mic is 3" away when making sound recordings. In the ~18 dBA ambient typical of our lab, the quietest sounds would be lost in background noise if the mic was a meter away. Even in all but the quietest anechoic chambers, you'd run into the same problem. The recordings were never intended to reflect the 1m SPL readings, but to give readers a chance to "hear for themselves" what we hear when we do our most critical, analytical listening, which is most often with our ears very close to the object, especially for quiet stuff like notebook drives and very slow running fans. Despite your claim that these recordings aren't of much use, there's much evidence to the contrary, with sophisticated readers analyzing the sound files for detailed frequency spectrum analysis. In the thread about the Seagate 7200.9 500GB article, for example.

How much detail/insight you get out of the recording MP3 files depends quite on bit on the fidelity of your audio playback system. If you are using $10 speakers and a cheap sound card, you're not going to hear much. If you use a good sound card and a pair of accurate, high end headphones, you will be able to hear through the recording to the original sound, and easily hear small differences between them.

The one thing we would like to have tighter control over in the PSU test environment is the ambient temperature. In cooler (or cold) weather, it's not difficult to keep the ambient to 21~22C, which is a narrow enough range to give us very consistent, repeatable results. But when the weather gets warm, there is no way for us to keep the ambient temp from climbing up. When the ambient temp is 25C, some PSUs do ramp up a little sooner (lower load) that they might in cooler temps. Which is why the caveat about the effect of ambient temperature is always posted in the PSU test results table. The ambient temp affects the "intake temp" inside the thermal test box less than you would think -- just check this number at a couple of load points, say 90W and 150W, for a bunch of reviews. You will find that they're fairly close, despite variances in ambient temp. The airflow provided by the PSU fan affects it about as much as ambient temp.

I suppose we could move the PSU test rig to a more enclosed room, install an airconditioner, and turn it off (to keep ambient noise low enuf) before testing... I am not sure that we want to take this step. It's far from a perfect solution, and there are many complications & expenses involved.

BTW, the Liberty tested quite well, and the fans in our two samples were OK, but not great. As we wrote in the review, if you want the quietest performance, these aren't the PSUs to go for. The fan is not as good as the Adda ones used in any of the S12s, the sleeve bearing Yate Loons in the Nexus (and some FSP models), or the Adda 80mm fan in the NeoHE. Some would say the differences are subtle, others would say they're big. To me (and Devon), it was plainly audible; the fans in the Enermax were not as smooth or as quiet. As usual, it depends on who is listening and what your usual ambient noise is like.

[JazzJackRabbit]

The 485w noisetaker has been around for a while. It originally came out in an ATX 1.3 version. The sound recordings are made 3" away from the psu exhaust. SPL readings are made 1 meter away from the psu exhaust as are most readings in the industry. There is simply too much nearfield distortion in the spcr recordings to be of much use. There are just too many variables. They are all made in different test conditions that are critical when making such low level recordings. Most up to date testing facilities record noise and spl levels using the same microphone from the same distance at the same time under consistent ambient noise and temperature levels. - FG

Enermax makes many models of power supplies. They do not all have globes, and they do not all click.

MikeC covered a lot in his reply already so I'll just say, distortions or whatnot, the sound samples allow me to evaluate the noise pattern, the character. My 470W noisetaker (which came out 6-12 months before 485) exhibits exactly the same low growl as noisetakers reviewed by SPCR, that's not surprising because most of the new enermaxes DO use globe fans. The only difference is both of the fans in my PSU started to click after 6 months of use, sound samples at SPCR do not exhibit any clicking, most likely because they were new. Also since the testing conditions do not change from one review to another, sound samples allow me to evaluate their relative loudness. Sound samples are a great idea, one sound sample may provide more information than a whole paragraph describing the sound pattern.

Of course, I would by S12 right now, but what the hell they were thinking putting 18" cables in them ...
I listen to the sound samples, btw great idea thanks, and you are right - Enermax is louder, but the question is - how loud it will be in real system?
I have some experience with Enermax PSUs - usual and plain, not even a Noisetakers and I can say that at low setting they are very quiet and I can't hear rumbles or clicks. And they are old, working hard for about two years, they do.

. . .

Anyway, what other choice do I have for PSU at P180+A8N ?

Ahhh... you are referring to the 4 pin axiliary power connector. Phantom 500 has slightly longer power connector, but only by one inch and it's rather costly. I'm not sure about your other options. Is it possible to get a 4 pin extender, do they sell those at all?

How loud enermax will become in a real system? Depends on the overall ambient noise and the noise produced by your other PC components. I couldn't normally hear my enermax at idle or near idle, my four hard drives and clicking Arctin Silencer 5 were louder than PSU, but PSU was the loudest thing under the load when I was playing games.

Also it seems the early enermax whispers used different fans, I have heard quite a few of those, the fans on those spin pretty fast and are pretty loud compared to noisetakers, but they do not click and they do not have that low rumble. Like I said, it's a pity enermax chose to use such poor fans for otherwise good PSUs.

[frankgehry]

When spcr publishes sub 20db(a) spl measurements, many readers compare them to measurements from manufacturers made according to published standards, in anechoic chambers, under tightly controlled environmental conditions, and with up to date test equipment. I agree that it is silly to compare the accuracy of spcr readings made in a room with reflective surfaces, variable test conditions, and uncalibrated equipment to what are essential legally binding specifications and documents. As long as spcr floating test conditions are published, and readers are aware of the difficulties of obtaining accurate low spl readings when the ambient room db(a) level is often within a db(a) of the target source, readers can make any comparison they want. - FG