What's the best PSU??

[Boom]

I'm looking for a good power supply. I want something that is reliable and quiet. My last DAW is toast becuase of a cheap PSU, I don't want to make the same mistake twice.

[habibbijan]

Antec makes great PSUs. The TruePower line is nice. I own the 430w, and it is barely audible.

Enermax is pretty good as well. But you're right, the PSU is the heart of your system, and it's one item that you don't want to skimp on.

[Boom]

Has anyone used the Antec Sonata case? It's supposed to be the quietest case made. It comes with a True Power 380 PSU.

[judoair]

Not the most silent case.. There is better out there that is more silent..

[TimZ]

I just built a new pc with the Antec SLK3700BQE, and it seems very quiet to me. I have an Enermax 430W variable fan psu in it which also helps. I am pleased with how quiet this new case is.

T

[TimZ]

oops!

[This message has been edited by TimZ (edited 01-28-2004).]

[drstringlove]

Don't take this as a recommendation because I just ordered a Super Flower PS and haven't even received the package yet...Time will tell, but I found this interesting.

"I was beginning to think the Super Flower might be made quite nearby to the Enermax, so I checked the good ol' intermanet. Low and behold, master Dan (of DansData - him again!) says in an article of his that Super Flower, Top Power and - you guessed it - Enermax are all manufactured by the same large OEM supplier. Interesting stuff, no?"
http://www.techangel.co.uk/reviews/superflower350/

[Zikes]

Boom,
Here is a recording I did using a condensor mic above and between my two systems which are about six inches apart. The recording computer has a Sonata case so I just turned the second system off and on for this test. The older system is pretty loud and this is pretty much what I hear in the studio though amplified just a bit. The Sonata is very quiet. Not the quietest from what I've read but a very nice case for someone that does not want to swap out a bunch of fans and such. The Sonata 120 rear case fan is probably the loudest component on this system but still very quiet. Quiet enough for my application anyway and I've been very happy with it. You must use a quiet CPU fan to get this kind of performance with any case of course. I don't know where the bass thumping came from in this test but it is not from inside the house and can't be heard by my ears without amplification so that should tell you something also. http://home.pacbell.net/nrmal/sonatanoisetest128.mp3

[This message has been edited by Zikes (edited 01-31-2004).]

[Boom]

Originally posted by Zikes:
Boom,
Here is a recording I did using a condensor mic above and between my two systems which are about six inches apart.


Wow, that sounds quiet enough for me! It sounded like you turned off a lawnmower when you turned that other PC off. http://www.audioforums.com/forums/smile.gif

So what CPU fan do you recommend? How is the factory AMD fan/heatsink?

[Zikes]

The CPU fan on the noisy system is a stock AMD fan as far as I know. That one is a XP1700 processor in a system I bought from nutrend.com a few years ago. That fan is pretty loud and one of the worst offenders on that system. The quiet system has a Thermalright heat sink with a Panasonic Panaflo L1A fan sitting on top. The Thermalright is an AX-7 which was discontinued a few months ago.

[This message has been edited by Zikes (edited 02-01-2004).]

[TeleCarlos]

BTW..

For my new AMD 2500XP I'm getting an Vantec Aeroflow. It's for my second DAW and recommend it. Not planning on overclocking so it is good enuuff, emphasis on quietness.

I just built a computer for a friend, fresh XP install and testing the OS with Cubase SX, it gave me a blue screen!!! yikes!!!
I'm thinking it could be the stock PSU. The parts used in this DAW were previously on an case w/ Antec 430 watt "quiet model" PSU and never gave out on me.
I really hope it's just the PSU.

I'm ordering another Antec PSU.