Antec P180 Mini Silencing Tips?

Enclosures and acoustic damping to help quiet them.

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Enzo_FX
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Antec P180 Mini Silencing Tips?

Post by Enzo_FX » Tue Feb 16, 2010 4:13 pm

Just read the spcr review and it's great as usual, but I felt it basically approached this case as intended for extreme gamers only. So I'm looking for tips on how to completely silence this case. The only thing the review really added was a slipstream fan for intake.

The update on the article states you could undervolt the 200mm fan, but seems a bit out of reach for me to target 10/11 volts, even then it wasn't completely silent. Would it make sense to cover the top exhaust? I would think it'd be bad for acoustics just as it is in the p180/182/183.

Also, where would it be best to mount the hard drives? Considering that I would like to add 2 fans for intake. According to the review it is impossible to mount the fans if either of the drive cages behind them are being used. Or is one intake fan enough even with the rear 200m fan covered? Would it help to mount the drives in the PSU chamber? These are a few things I am curious about and am wondering if anyone tried this.

JamieG
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Post by JamieG » Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:40 pm

What components are you planning on putting in there?

If your components are not too powerful, covering the top hole is definitely an option. I don't see how covering the top hole is bad for acoustics - it would actually help stop noise escaping from the fans in the rest of the system, particularly if you are using this case on the ground.

If you only have one or two HDDs, you could definitely try suspending them in the PSU chamber.

Depending on your components again, one fan may be enough.

LM741C
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Re: Antec P180 Mini Silencing Tips?

Post by LM741C » Tue Feb 16, 2010 9:12 pm

Enzo_FX wrote:Would it help to mount the drives in the PSU chamber? These are a few things I am curious about and am wondering if anyone tried this.
Unlike the P182's the P180 mini lower bay cannot be used to mount hard drives without an adapter of some kind. The kind that ships with the kit are for mounting CDRom drives and one for what appears to be for a 3.5 floppy(?). You may be able to use this (I did not try) but it will have to be without the silicon gromets and they only give you one of those adapters.

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edit: fix formatting

Enzo_FX
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Post by Enzo_FX » Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:35 am

Well I would think it'd be bad due to it being closer to you, and it being not so quiet, 23db. I am fine with not pushing tons of air, the components won't be anything like the systems spcr uses to test this thing. It'd be a midrange quad, and a midrange gpu, not SLI or any OC'ing. Hard drives, well only 2-3. I also think it having positive pressure would be better.

Anyone see if it's possible to mount both intake fans and somehow still use one of the hard drive cages? Prob not =/

I don't have the case yet, so I can't see if I can rig something in the lower chamber. Thanks for the replies.

PudinPops
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Post by PudinPops » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:01 pm

Enzo_FX wrote:Well I would think it'd be bad due to it being closer to you, and it being not so quiet, 23db. I am fine with not pushing tons of air, the components won't be anything like the systems spcr uses to test this thing. It'd be a midrange quad, and a midrange gpu, not SLI or any OC'ing. Hard drives, well only 2-3. I also think it having positive pressure would be better.

Anyone see if it's possible to mount both intake fans and somehow still use one of the hard drive cages? Prob not =/

I don't have the case yet, so I can't see if I can rig something in the lower chamber. Thanks for the replies.
You could probably do that if you drill some holes on the sides of one of the cages to attach rubber bands and use a 2.5" HDs.

The fan would have to be mounted on the cage, and routing cables would be tricky, but look like they might fit through the front side of the cage.

If you really want to use both intake slots, you'd probably be better off getting a 5.25" HD bracket, sticking it in the upper slot, and remove the HD cages.

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