Enermax Noisetaker PSU... ¿How much Power?

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:31 pm

Well, I want to buy a new PSU. I was thinking on BeQuiet, but I have read the recommended PSU list and I have discard this idea and go for an ENERMAX Noisetaker.

¿Am I doing well?

Then, if I buy it, which model should I buy? 320W, 370W model, how much power do I need? I ask this as 320W costs 63€ and 370W 85€.

I currently have:
P4 3.0GHZ LGA775
ASUS P5GDC DELUXE
KINGSTON DDR2 533 512Mb x 2
SEAGATE 160 GB SATA
ATI X600 PCI EXPRESS
SOUND BLASTER LIVE 7.1
12CM FANS x 2

I will buy another HD soon for RAID purposes. How much power do I need to support everything and to have enough power for future upgrades?

How silient is noisetaker? Any first hand experience?
Anyway, if Noisetaker is not silent enough, which other should I look for?

Thanks for your help.

stromgald · Post by **stromgald** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:55 pm

The 320W should be fine with your system plus a few extra hard drives and maybe another optical drive. Now if you're going for dual video cards, 5 or more HDD/Optical drives, or filling up your PCI slots, I'd go for the 370W Noisetaker.

My only caveat is that I'm unsure on the power consumption of a Sound Blaster Live 7.1. I'm assuming it has, at most, 1.5 times the power consumption of the average PCI card.

jjr · Post by **jjr** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:52 pm

Agree with stromgald : 320w will be more than enough for your current set-up.

I have first hand experience with the 370w to power the following set-up and I am very satisfied with it. Fans at the min at any time and noise much lower than my not (yet) suspended IBM HDs ...

Asus A7V600-X
Athlon 2000+
Zalman 6000 CNPS Cu with Zalman 92mm fan
Matrox G400
2 x 512Mo DDR
1 x 200Go Seagate 7200
2 X 80Go IBM 180GXP
1 x LiteOn 42x CD-RW
3Com 100Mo Ethernet
Hauppauge Tuner
Promise Ultra 133TX2
Chieftec Mesh series extended medium tower
Enermax Noisetaker 370W PSU
2 x 92mm fans for HDs (variable Enermax and Chieftec)
1 x 120mm exhaust NoiseBlocker S2
1 x PCI slot blower
1 x Cooler master stacker module with 120mm intake fan
Zalman multi-connector and fan-mates for all fans but Staker

mr_plow_king · Post by **mr_plow_king** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:56 pm

The Noisetaker series is pretty silent if you adjust the dial behind the power supply to the slowest speed. Unfortulatly, that only adjusts the speed of the 80mm fan, the 92mm fan is automaticly adjusted with the temperature.

Overall it's good power supply but it's the noisiest component in my rig. The fact that they have a 80mm and a 92mm under it fan produces more noise than the ones with only 1 fan (80mm on back or a 120mm one under it)

I have the Noisetaker 2.0 485W version. I know, it's too much for my needs but I bought it before I knew SPCR. If I had to buy a new one right now, i'd probably go with a Seasonic S12 330W

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:48 am

Oh, I forgot the optical drives: DVD reader and DVDRW
I also own an Avermedia TV Capture, but I rarely use it.
Don't think these make a big diference.

About Seasonic PSUs, like other stuff in my country, are difficult to find (For example: I will have to buy Nexus fans in Netherlands... if the shipping is cheap enough).

I have managed to find the Enermax Noisetaker only in 2 internet modding sites located in Spain. I have been looking for Seasonic but I haven't find any yet. I will continue looking for it.

Thanks for your answers.

jjr · Post by **jjr** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:04 am

De nada Patxi ...

shanizar · Post by **shanizar** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:22 am

I'd get this one... The site has several other seasonic psu's on sale as well, and they're supposed to be very good...

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:40 am

Patxi is not my name jjr

Shanizar, have you ever bought in that shop? Shippment would be 20 euros. Not too much. I will look it carefully.

S12 line ones aren't better than the line you choose?
I ask this as de S12 line is the one recommended in SPCR article.

Thanks again.

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:48 am

The noisetaker will exhaust hot air back into the case through the front panel vents. I originally thought the exhaust fan pulls air through those vents and out of the case but in my 3000b a pocket of hot air was always present between the psu and optical drive. The seasonic s12 does this as well. http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... roblem+s12

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:56 am

Well, PSU is placed in the bottom of my case, but anyway that's a BIG problem. I will wait a little bit more to buy the PSU and continue reading.

Is there any silent PSU with no complaint?

Thanks again

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:06 am

What kind of case are you using? The antec neo he will be good as soon as the compatibility problem mentioned in the neo he thread is fixed or if there is no issue with your mb then it should be ok. - FG

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:18 am

Aerocool mastige. The PSU has no air duct, but I have planed to build it.

You can see the case here:
http://www.aerocool.us/p-case/masstige/masstige.htm

By the way frankgehry, I have noticed that my system is quite similar to yours. Could you give me any advice on silencing it? Are there any pics of your system in the forum?

Thanks for all.

ultraboy · Post by **ultraboy** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:41 am

Jagpatxi Looking at your case, I guess PSU with one bottom fan mounted like S12 will not work well in your case simply because PSU fan will be blocked by the case partition, unless you have a way to remove that Hdd holder above it.

On the other hand, I think your case will work well with PSU with one fan mounted at the back of PSU like this Antec Neo - and if you extend the partition to give PSU its own air channel it will be plenty cool. If you want to have more fun look at this Antec Smartpower 2.0 with 2 fans in push-pull configuration - though I douubt you'll ever need that much air with the PSU duct.

With some simple mod i.e. the PSU duct, your case will work similar to the famous Antec P180 case (for the PSU channel).

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:08 am

The hard drive location in that case seems to be right right over the psu. I guess you can also mount them in the front bays. If you are building a psu duct to bring in air from the front of the case, similar to the p180, you could use an antec smartpower 2.0 500w, seasonic ss460, or antec neo he.

My system is very simple. I occasionally switch power supplies from an fsp530-60gna to a smarpower 2.0 500w as I'm making some changes to the fortron. I replaced the xp90 in the original system with an xp120. I also replaced a noisetaker 495 as soon as I realized it was recirculating heat into the case. You won't have any problems with a p4 3.0. - FG

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:17 am

Antec Neo looks great, but I have only been able to find a 480W model in Spain. I think that is too much power for my system. I would prefer a less power model if it exists as the 480W one costs 110€.

I will read some reviews of the Antec Neo.

I will post as soon as posible some pics of the place where PSU is mounted inside the cage so you can advise me better.

frankghery, My current CPU heatsink is a Thermaltalke Sonic Tower, whit a Papst 26dB on it. I will replace it with a Thermalright X-120 soon. (Temperatures with sonic tower are pretty impresive but I prefer the XP).

I will also buy nexus 120mm fans soon. But, becouse I have to buy them out of my country, I am waiting to finish the remainig configuration of my rig.

I have the HD suspended in a front bay, but I want to improve HD silencing as when it works I hear it a lot.

Thank you all.

stromgald · Post by **stromgald** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:49 am

If you can only find a 480W Neo HE, I would recommend getting a SmartPower 2.0 350W or Seasonic Super Silencer 350W (make sure it is Rev 3). It will save you some money, and I think the noise levels are about the same. The Neo HE, does have higher efficiency, but the Seasonic SS series is no slouch when it comes to efficiency.

Why are you replacing your fans with Nexus fans? An undervolted Papst is much better IMO. Its only slightly louder, and you have the ability for more cooling if needed.

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:20 am

Well, I will finally turn mad.

I have read in some topics of the forum that Nexus were really better than Paspt, and that paspt "clicked" when undervolted. Im pretty pleased with my fans but I want the best ones (more silent). I cannot compare with Nexus as I don't own any. I have also noticed when looking for silent rig photos in the forum that Nexus is the most used. Should I go for Nexus or Paspt are OK?

It's important to me to know this, as If I go on with Nexus I have to buy them out of Spain.

About the PSU, I prefer a cheaper one, as only the 480 v Antec Neo is avaliable in Spain. With seasonic I have the same problem: I would have to buy It in other country (but they are cheaper than Antec Neo).

I would finally have to post another topic with pics of the system and the ideas that I have for It.

Thanks for all again.

wainwra · Post by **wainwra** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:47 am

Remember that most of the reviewing done on this site happens in North America, and it's probably just as hard for the reviewers to get hold of European products as it is for you (and me) to find US ones here in Europe.

On the other hand, there are some very good quiet products available here in Europe. The Papst fans are one example. (I've bought some based on comments here in the forums. There are many people who have them undervolted and who don't have any clicking - I'l only be able to tell you personally in a couple of weeks, when the rest of my kit arrives.)

The Be Quiet! PSUs are another example. There are many stories here in the forums posted by Europeans who rave about them.

I suggest you do some searches in the forums, and see what other people in Europe have used.

(If I were a little less married, I'd buy a BeQuiet PSU and a few Papst fans and ship them over to Vancouver for testing. Two things stop me. It's rather rude and presumptuous to think one can dictate Mike's priorities like that. I think I'd take the risk though, were it not for the fact that my wife would kill me if she found out.)

Whatever you decide to do - please let us know how you get on!

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:16 am

Be Quiet is another option. Indeed it was my first option.

I know where to buy them here, aren't too expensive and seem cool but I have no referece about them. I would buy one of these but I don't wanna risk with this things. I'd rather prefer to buy one that I know that will be silent and will work well. So, any references of BeQuiet PSUs?

As I said, my Paspt fans work great. I also own a 8cm 12dB Pasp and when I mounted it on my old 300W PSU and turned it on alone I had to put the hand over the fan to now if the PSU was on. I don't think this kind of fans are made for been undervolted (I mean 12dB 8cm) as they don't provide high airflow.

wainwra · Post by **wainwra** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:48 pm

Well you can either click on the Search button yourself ...

... or you can ask one of us kind folk to do it for you!

From http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... equiet+bqt comes

I read up on cases and PSUs and decided to go for the Antec SLK3000B and a be-quiet! BQT P5-420W S1.3 PSU. Actually I wanted a Seasonic S12 430W PSU, but I couldn’t find it in Germany (any tips?). The be-quiet! PSU was tested against the Seasonic over here (http://www.alltests.de/hardware/reviews ... 1/nt_1.php - for those of you who can read German), and performed quite well. It IS really quiet indeed.

You probably want to read all of this one, which contains a link to this comparison (in German) of a BQT and a SeaSonic PSU.

here's someone else who was in your position.

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... t=60#80480
is rather glowing, though if you read on, you'll find that Mike is sceptical.

This post speaks of a review of PSUs in German's leading computing magazine.

Here's someone who had an older BeQuiet PSU which wasn't up to the job. Has some useful information anyway.

Lastly you might want to take a look at Retailers that ship in/to europe

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:27 pm

bequiet review -

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/ ... l-psu.html

jagpatxi · Post by **jagpatxi** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:38 am

Well, after more research I think I will go with my first idea and buy a 370W P5 BeQuiet PSU (73€ in a spanish modding shop). When I get it I will post my opinion.

Thanks again.