Antec EDGE 550

PSUs: The source of DC power for all components in the PC & often a big noise source.

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xen
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Antec EDGE 550

Post by xen » Fri Dec 02, 2016 5:09 am

So I got the long-awaited Edge 550 that I really just wanted to have or at least see.

It is a huge unit it's really very big.

The cables feel much better quality (better plastic) than the Corsair RM units, that's all I can say. Very happy with the cables although they "look" almost identical. I'd say the Corsair cables (RM 550, RM 650 i) are also harder to use.

It's just the fan.

Even at its lowest speed it makes a ticking sound. It's a little background ticking sound. I mean it is beautiful with the blue glow.

But when all else is quiet you can easily hear it from 2 meters away.

Now I tried to torture test my system just now, using OCCT and Furmark for that; I hate to use Furmark, I don't know why, so forget I did ;-).

But I can only manage to push my system up to 70/70 degress (CPU/GPU) and no instability whatsoever but the only fan spinning in the system (apart from the GPU) is the 200mm antec fan doing a very low speed.

So my CPU is basically passively cooled with very little airflow.

My GPU fan I have undervolted to 8V and it does about 1200 RPM.

Max.

And the PSU, the Edge, it basically does not even get warm to the touch. Okay, so this is only about 200W right. Maybe 250W total. What else can I do, it is already a 95W CPU and it should be a 125W GPU but probably doing much less ?

I just don't have the system to draw more than 250W from my PSU.

The backside of the PSU always remains cool, the sides are just lukewarm to the touch. But. I have obstructed the fan so in all of this the fan does not spin.

That's actually what I meant: I have stopped the fan and now stress-tested my system and I cannot get the Antec (PSU) (fan) (fan PSU) (PSU fan) (whatever) to get warmer than something that actually feels little more than pleasantly warm to the touch. Basically, it doesn't need the fan at all.

I'll probably be opening my unit to turn it off but then I lose the nice glow as well :(.

And I lose warranty so... I think I'll complain to Antec first (about the fan noise). (About the fan).

I mean I kinda suspected something like this would be the case but this is worse than what I expected even. It's impossible to consciously hear it right now as I live in a shopping street and there are kids screaming outside.

But there is a different reverb in the room now and it actually feels pleasant -- now that I have allowed the fan to spin again.

But once it gets quieter you will hear the tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.

So bad score on Antec's part, for my part.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Antec EDGE 550

Post by quest_for_silence » Fri Dec 02, 2016 6:53 am

xen wrote:So bad score on Antec's part, for my part.

IIRC there should be a few disappointing warnings about the Antec Edge here on the forum, but I guess you haven't read them, right?

Another drawback is that those PSUs uses 135mm fans and it's not granted (TTBOMK it's not allowed) to swap them with 140mm fans.

xen
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Re: Antec EDGE 550

Post by xen » Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:11 am

Of course I read them and I expected a noisy fan but not one making a ticking noise. Cause.... I have enough soldering equipment and tools and cables and whatnot to be able to reduce the voltage on it if I need to.

What I cannot change, however, is ticking.

So I don't know if the unit itself is faulty (the fan) or that the ticking should be expected.

It costs about 37 euros to order a replacement (of exactly the same type) from Taiwain :P.

But if I order say 5, the cost goes down to ... 18 euro per item.

They use the same fans in some XFX models, I believe. I cannot imagine that the ticking is meant to be part of it?

xen
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Re: Antec EDGE 550

Post by xen » Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:50 am

The AnandTech review says the unit is quiet.

The TechPowerUp review says nothing spectacular.

This is a comment by a reader:
I bought one of these. AND IM IMPRESSED
I don't know why Johhny or whomever reviewed it said the operation is noisy. It isn't!
This is a comment about the 650W version but it should have the same fan.

Then the next ones says:
yeah it's not noisy at all testing full power with oct, you sure guys your sample was not faulty?
NikkTech says:
With just 42.8dBA even at load the EDGE 550W is one of the quietest PSUs we've ever gotten our hands onto.
Which is a bit weird, but okay. But still. A Dutch review mentions that he can hear the sound of the bearing (by which I assume he means a ticking noise) even when airflow is inaudible (which is like what I have).

So I am just going to assume that either half of their fans have the ticking noise and the other have don't, or Antec picked a really bad product, or the reviewers don't care, or whatever else may be the case. I still cannot conclusively say anyhing about this ticking noise being "part of the deal" or "part of the package".

Thus far I have not seen more than 2 people other than myself mention the ticking noise. Even if 10% of fans would be faulty, and there are more fans that are faulty some units and not faulty other units, or faulty some times and not faulty other times....

Two people complaining and one reviewer mentioning is not a great sample to pick from.

I am just going to assume they are fans that are not always good, not every unit is good.

Not every exemplar ;-). The last place you can go to get a lot of reviews is Amazon.

There is one person on the list of some 61 reviews that I can find that mentions noise as a detriment.

The other 3 negative reviews are units that broke down. Not a single one has mentioned the ticking noise, only general noise level, apparently (that one person).

So it is rather hard to assume that this is "to be expected".

One of these reviewers mentions using the blue light as a night lamp. I cannot imagine such a person not mentioning or hearing or complaining any ticking noise in an otherwise dead silent room.

So even if 10% is faulty, there is a reasonable chance at least one reviewer would come across it, but not the others, and on these forums, it is more than expected that the complainers would come. (Such as myself).

So complaints = not good sample.

quest_for_silence
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Re: Antec EDGE 550

Post by quest_for_silence » Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:22 am

xen wrote:Of course I read them and I expected a noisy fan but not one making a ticking noise.

No, IIRC here on SPCR I myself should have pointed out the bearing chatter, linking to a specific thread on jonnyguru.com

xen wrote:So I don't know if the unit itself is faulty (the fan) or that the ticking should be expected.

They tick, always: some badly, some so-and-so.

xen wrote:It costs about 37 euros to order a replacement (of exactly the same type) from Taiwain :P

I guess you'd better to look around for a 1200rpm be quiet Silent Wings 3 (NOT the retail one, but the one used on their heatsinks).

xen wrote:They use the same fans in some XFX models, I believe. I cannot imagine that the ticking is meant to be part of it?
It's the same fan used onto the new Seasonic Prime: I don't like them, but TBH the Antec version is different from any other one.

xen wrote:The AnandTech review says the unit is quiet.

The Anandtech reviewer in his first PSU test said that dBA means dB"Acoustical", so... I don't trust him on about anything.

xen wrote:The TechPowerUp review says nothing spectacular.

Aris just measure SPL, he doesn't check noise signature.

xen wrote:This is a comment by a reader:
I bought one of these. AND IM IMPRESSED
I don't know why Johhny or whomever reviewed it said the operation is noisy. It isn't!

Does it worth?

xen wrote:NikkTech says:

Not exactly a trusted source.

xen wrote:or the reviewers don't care

This, mostly.

xen wrote:So it is rather hard to assume that this is "to be expected".

Quantitative-wise your sample was not a good one. But OTOH people are not the same, I often thought that here on SPCR we share sort of (good) common knowledge (prejudices?).

Anyhow, why don't you just re-sell your PSU and pick a quieter one? ;)

xen
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Re: Antec EDGE 550

Post by xen » Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:59 am

If I had a replacement PSU I would probably already be sending this one back.... let them deal with it, you know.

The units main selling point is silence. So, you can send it back if it is not.

Although I would be more than eager to replace the fan myself, that's not how it works, apparently.

I am currently buying a used Antec VP350P for 5 euros. Just so that I can have something if I send this one back :p.

At this point I don't notice the fan and I was planning to mod it anyway, but... in reponse to your post.


I guess you were the one that was trying to replace his fan :p.

You make it sound as if you never fell for it yourself :p.

I have never had a fan in any PSU that was this noisy.

It is just incomprehensible to me that this would be the truth.

I have had a Tagan 330 something with 2 80mm fans.
I have had a Corsair 350W something. With a 120mm.
I have had in my hands at least a RM550 and RM650i.

I have a Nexus 480W Value something.

I have had an AOpen thing for some 350W that was noisy as hell (just vacuum cleaner quality) but it didn't tick.

I have never had a ticking PSU before.

I have one that does tick (Seasonic) but it was a 2nd hand purchase that I got for free.

(With a case). Basically it is an S12II that is meant to be dead quiet too, but it started ticking.

So I think I am going to send it back anyway just to bug them if nothing else.

They'll have to replace it and then at least I would have another sample.
Anyhow, why don't you just re-sell your PSU and pick a quieter one?
I saw you extended your post. So.

I have had a CS550M in my possession. I just couldn't care for it, I sent it back even without opening it.

I wanted to buy a €15 Antec VP350P but called myself unsure and then went looking on and I found the same item branded as "Fintec" (by the seller) (probably by accident) for €5 but I regret it anyway I can't get myself to buy the €15 one now so I will probably have a €5 Antec in my home within a few days :p.

Typically I won't be able to RMA the Edge based on quality now for cancelling the purchase, I can only RMA it for technical defects seeing that I have already put it to use.

Selling it then would be rather pointless, turning off the fan would be an equal choice, seeing as that I cannot....

You know WHY THE HELL would I need a fan in a system that is impossible for me to overheat no matter how hard I try?

All it takes to turn it off is to open it up and disconnect the connector. That's it. I like the woosh of a fan but not this. I think I can live with a non-spinning fan ;-).

Once it is opened up I can probably think of something to replace it if I wanted to.

I mean you are the expert at that but.

Or you seem to be ;-).

It is just a bit silly to have a blueish glowing fan that is not spinning. Anyway.

I really want to open it up :p. Fuck warranty! But I'll send it back first to complain. Maybe they can test a replacement, which they won't, so they'll just send me a new one.

If nothing else Antec (that's probably reading too) would get a "defect" sent back to it. If all of these units are faulty they should at least have lowered the cost or issued a new version, which they haven't. "Silence Defined". Yeah, my ass.

So why doesn't antec report on whether all of the units they've made are like this?

I understand very little of this.

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