"Silent" indiscrepancies - clarificiation please?

[toiletduckuk]

just how quiet\silent is the definition of "silent" being used here? I'm really struggling with this discrepancy from other sites.

I bought a Seagate st3160023AS based on the assumption Seagate drives are the quietest avalible, but soon discovered its lowest pitched permanent idle noise is audible (not seek, or i assume idle, jut the hdd being turned on). Even after suspending it with cable clamps and shock cord as per a fantastic article on this site, no joy. Further research says that older Seagates had acoustic management, and a lawsuit got rid of this or somehting.

So, my question is - are Samsung SP's literally inaudible when suspended in a closed case? Is this even possible?

Cheers

Dave

[Chunker]

I was looking forward to suspending my Seagate in hopes of getting rid of the clicking noise that it makes when not in use.

Didn't the suspension make it quieter?

Thanks

[aphonos]

just how quiet\silent is the definition of "silent" being used here? I'm really struggling with this discrepancy from other sites.

Have you read Noise in Computing: A Primer? This should be a good starting point for learning what is meant around here by quiet and silent. SPCR does have a higher (quieter?, lower?) noise standard than what I have seen anywhere else....and that's a good thing!

I bought a Seagate st3160023AS based on the assumption Seagate drives are the quietest avalible, but soon discovered its lowest pitched permanent idle noise is audible (not seek, or i assume idle, jut the hdd being turned on). Even after suspending it with cable clamps and shock cord as per a fantastic article on this site, no joy. Further research says that older Seagates had acoustic management, and a lawsuit got rid of this or somehting.

So, my question is - are Samsung SP's literally inaudible when suspended in a closed case? Is this even possible?

Cheers

Dave

Samsungs SPs are quieter than the newer model Seagates..though I don't know if that answers your question. I had 2 SP1614Ns in my very quiet case/computer and never really heard them, even when trying to. Have you already read these reviews on the site? Review: Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 HDD by Dru and · Review: Quiet HDDs by Samsung, Hitachi & Seagate??

btw, glad you liked the suspension idea/article.

[SometimesWarrior]

So, my question is - are Samsung SP's literally inaudible when suspended in a closed case? Is this even possible?

It depends on the case, listening environment, and individual drive. My Samsung Spinpoint 160GB has no whine unless I put my ear up to it. However, its broadband idle noise is audible to me when no one else is making noise in my apartment. The idle noise isn't unpleasant, and I can't hear it if I'm playing any music at all.

The drive is partially suspended at the bottom-front of my Antec SX840 case, which doesn't provide a substantial bezel to keep the sound from escaping out the front of the case. The case is sitting next to me on the floor, perhaps 3 feet away. Perhaps the drive would be inaudible if I did a better suspension job, put more baffling at the front of the case, or moved the case somewhere else. Maybe a 1-platter version of the drive would be too quiet to hear. Maybe an always-open window would mask any hard drive whoosh.

If you really need a drive that is 100% inaudible, check out Copper's silent PC. He takes a very quiet laptop drive, puts it in a Smart Drive enclosure, uses rubber feet to isolate the enclosure from his desk, and fills up the extra enclosure space with more foam. That drive is honest-to-God, can't-hear-it-at-all silent. Personally, I'm happy with my very quiet, unobtrusive Samsung. My 9-volted Panalfo L fans are much louder than my hard drive.