The Last P150

Show off your quiet rig.

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joe123
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

The Last P150

Post by joe123 » Sat Oct 13, 2007 7:23 pm

After lots of research, i've finally built this quiet PC. When i saw Ralf Hutter's P150 , I wanted one. Apparently, the P150 is discontinued and the Sonata designer 500 is to replace it. I had trouble finding one in Australia, but after ringing round about 10 shops i found one :D ! Hence, the name of the topic.
I did my best with cable management, but it can be improved. Im using Scythe Kamakaze 2 fans. I haven't seen them here on SPCR, but they are very good flexible and quiet fan. While the fan controllers are nice on kamakaze fans, Im getting some nexus fans later on next week. Heres a pic of a 92mm fan:

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Specs:

Seasonic S12 Energy+ 550 Watt PSU
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 with Thermalright XP-120
Gigabyte P35 DS3P
ADATA 2X1GB 800MHZ DDR2 Memory
Asus 640MB 8800GTS with Thermalright HR-03
Antec P150 Case
Western Digital 750GB Hard Disk
Creative X-Fi Audio Card
Logitech Z-2300 THX speakers
Logitech MX3200 Keyboard and Mouse
Asus 22 Inch Screen
Scythe Kamakaze 120mm X2 (Cpu and Case fan)
Scythe Kamakaze 92mm X2 (HR-03 and Intake)

Pictures:

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Comments are welcome :) . Joe

HueyCobra
Posts: 217
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:16 am
Location: Australia

Post by HueyCobra » Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:25 pm

Hi joe123, nice system :) Which stores did you use?
joe123 wrote:Apparently, the P150 is discontinued and the Sonata designer 500 is to replace it.
Are there any substantial differences between the P150 and Sonata Designer 500? I presumed they are the same case just with a different PSU, different name and possibly some minor updates on the Sonata Designer (e.g. the front bezel colour options).

Edit: 3dGameMan has a video review of the Sonata Designer 500.
joe123 wrote:Im using Scythe Kamakaze 2 fans. I haven't seen them here on SPCR, but they are very good flexible and quiet fan. While the fan controllers are nice on kamakaze fans, Im getting some nexus fans later on next week.
Do you think there will be a very noticeable difference going from the Scythe fans to Nexus fans?
Last edited by HueyCobra on Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

joe123
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:10 pm

Hi HueyCobra,
Which stores did you use?
All the main PC Hardware was bought from [url=http://www.msy.com.auMSY in Clayton. Fans and heatsinks were from [url=http://www.nexus.com.auNexus. The P150 was purchased from [url=http://www.eyo.com.aueyo

Are there any substantial differences between the P150 and Sonata Designer 500? I presumed they are the same case just with a different PSU, different name and possibly some minor updates on the Sonata Designer (e.g. the front bezel colour options).
Yes they are fairly the same but at the time of purchase, the Antec sonata designer 500 was not avaliable. Suppliers were getting them in about 3 week times, so i had to sniff out if anyone had any p150's left, which i was lucky to find.
Do you think there will be a very noticeable difference going from the Scythe fans to Nexus fans?
Most likely not, but Nexus fans can be controlled automatically through bios or speed fan. With the summer months coming up, it would be handy to have.

HueyCobra
Posts: 217
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:16 am
Location: Australia

Post by HueyCobra » Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:29 pm

joe123 wrote:Suppliers were getting them in about 3 week times, so i had to sniff out if anyone had any p150's left, which i was lucky to find.
Ah, I see :) All other things being equal, I think I'd prefer the P150's NeoHE 430 to the Sonata Designer's EarthWatts 500 (apart from the fact the NeoHE 430 has modular cables), but I have to admit I like the latter's touch of colour on the front bezel. Must be my feminine side ;)

vizzle
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:25 pm

Post by vizzle » Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:37 pm

Nice build....what fan controllers did you use there (brand/model)?

Thanks

joe123
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:34 pm

Hi vizzle, The fan controllers come with the Scythe Kamakaze 2 Fans, along with the backplate. Here's where i bought them from:

http://www.nexus.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=75_79

vizzle
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:25 pm

Post by vizzle » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:50 pm

Thanks for the follow up here Joe123.

If anyone is interested, SunBeam sells a PCI Slot fan controller without the fan, similar to the Scythe one used in this build by joe123.

http://www.sunbeamtech.com/PRODUCTS/coo ... fc/fc.html

tdotcbc84
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Location: Toronto, Canada!

Post by tdotcbc84 » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:02 pm

does the new Designer 500 enable you to hide cables in the back like the P150 ?

I didn't even know that the P150 could do that :S

mattthemuppet
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Post by mattthemuppet » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:04 pm

where'd you put your right foot?

nice build though, very tidy. If you want a fan with more head room, I'd recommend a Yate Loon DS12SM-12 - very quiet at minimum volts (similar to the low speed model) but push and enormous amount of air at full speed (1600rpm). Funnily enough, I have one spare for sale if you're interested :)

is that a razor mouse mat? I'm looking around for a decent mat as I'm having trouble getting enough control with my Logitech cordless mouse just on the desk and I saw these online. Still, that'd be one less excuse for getting creamed in BF2142 :)

joe123
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Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:21 am

tdotcbc84 wrote:does the new Designer 500 enable you to hide cables in the back like the P150 ?

I didn't even know that the P150 could do that :S
I would say yes. The Designer 500 is basically the same chassis, though it has a slightly different front bezel (more colour) , and comes with an Antec Earthwatt 500 PSU.

where'd you put your right foot?

nice build though, very tidy. If you want a fan with more head room, I'd recommend a Yate Loon DS12SM-12 - very quiet at minimum volts (similar to the low speed model) but push and enormous amount of air at full speed (1600rpm). Funnily enough, I have one spare for sale if you're interested :)

is that a razor mouse mat? I'm looking around for a decent mat as I'm having trouble getting enough control with my Logitech cordless mouse just on the desk and I saw these online. Still, that'd be one less excuse for getting creamed in BF2142 :)
My legs are fairly comfortable there, i might shift the sub if it gets kicked too much :P .

Somehow i think the the nexus fan will keep the CPU chilled enough. At the moment, my CPU is idling at 25*C @700RPM . Thanks for the offer though.

Yep sure is, it has a control side ( rough surface for precision) and a smooth side (for speed) . Also comes with that wrist rest gel pad. But after using it now for about 1-2 weeks, I've noticed the logo on the wrist rest gel pad is scratching off. Doesn't worry me, but i thought it would of stuck there a bit longer :o Pic:

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ryboto
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Post by ryboto » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:16 am

the problem I have with my Exactmat, is that twofold. The wrist pad now has a dent in the middle, where I usually rest my wrist. Also, my Logitech G7 doesn't read well on the control side, only the speed side. And my secondary mouse that I use when not gaming leaves marks on the control side because it doesn't have the same teflon feet as the G7. Just means I have to keep swapping the pad around when gaming/not gaming.

SilentShoe
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Post by SilentShoe » Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:26 pm

nice clean build!
i didnt realize the back could fit cables like that and still close i was trying 2 jam everything in that small pocket on the side of my solo. :lol:

just a tip though, if your not using the suspension mount and have extra drive bays with no HD on them, best to remove them to improve the air flow :D

how r u hiding the wires for your fan controllers though.
i thinking they would be going from the front all the way to the back :shock: but i dont see anything :o

joe123
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Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:12 pm

SilentShoe wrote:nice clean build!
i didnt realize the back could fit cables like that and still close i was trying 2 jam everything in that small pocket on the side of my solo. :lol:

just a tip though, if your not using the suspension mount and have extra drive bays with no HD on them, best to remove them to improve the air flow :D

how r u hiding the wires for your fan controllers though.
i thinking they would be going from the front all the way to the back :shock: but i dont see anything :o
Thanks for the tip, more airflow for the same noise is always a plus. Yep, you can route the cables on the back of the P150 MB tray, as along you keep the cables flat.

Ahh yes, i hid the fan controller cables in between the MB tray and motherboard. While you can't see the USB /firewire headers, i did the same thing with them. As well as LED header cables.

deprenyl
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Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:45 am

Post by deprenyl » Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:45 am

i love ur build!, the speakers, the case, thee components, the desk! all so nicely arranged and clean. convinced me to get an antec p150/designer 500!

joe123
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:35 pm

deprenyl wrote:i love ur build!, the speakers, the case, thee components, the desk! all so nicely arranged and clean. convinced me to get an antec p150/designer 500!
Glad you like it ;) . Just yesterday, i opened up my PC case to find my rubber suspension bands broken. I forgot that my P150 was not the revised one, but my hard disk had landed on the next set of rubber bands so no physical damage has been done.

Doryn
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Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:10 pm

Post by Doryn » Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:15 pm

You could send an email to Antec and ask them to give you a replacement for your broken part. Anyway nice build you have there.

joe123
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Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:02 pm

Doryn wrote:You could send an email to Antec and ask them to give you a replacement for your broken part. Anyway nice build you have there.
That's an idea, but i think i'll leave the hard disk mounted on the rubber grommets, that way it won't go anywhere!

mohbana
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:28 pm

Post by mohbana » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:37 pm

do you think the logitech keyboard is a bit loud pressing the keys down makes a quiet a loud noise (or this could be me cuase i've been using a laptop for the past 2 years), i think the keyboard and the dvd drive make the loudest noise, and have you noticed holes on the back of your keyboard?

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joe123
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Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:09 pm

No i don't think it's too loud, compared to my LX700, is sounds dampened. The DVD drive isn't very noisy, you can control the speed of your drive using Nero Drive Speed . Yea i noticed those holes, not sure what they are there for. Maybe if you spill coffee on the keyboard :lol: ?

HiFi
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2004 11:55 am

Post by HiFi » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:00 pm

i like the setup. i have something similar and i noticed when i installed my 8800gts, there is this notch in the back of the case that prevents the card from sitting completely flush against the back. i was only able to get one screw in. did u notice this as well?

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joe123
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Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:05 am
Location: Australia

Post by joe123 » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:04 pm

Hi Hifi,
No, that notch wasn't a problem for me. I managed to screw in both screws without a hitch.

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