Samsung 160GB Nidec SATA -doesnt seem "that" quiet
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
Samsung 160GB Nidec SATA -doesnt seem "that" quiet
I bought a samsung 160GB Nidec SATA from microcenter and its idle doesnt seem all that quiet to me. Am I just nitpicking? I guess I figured it would have been a great improvement over my WD Raptor 74 which is only slightly louder at idle. (Granted my WD is suspended on bungee cord)
The samsung sounds like an optical drive spinning a cd at low rpm and is very audible from 3" away. Its a smooth type spinning noise - kinda like air blowing at low flow rate through a wide pipe.
Is this what the samsung is like for others? Obviously I wasnt expecting it to be inaudible, I guess i was just hoping for less audible.
In other news, it is much quieter than my 400GB Seagate PATA which is louder than even my WD raptor!
The samsung sounds like an optical drive spinning a cd at low rpm and is very audible from 3" away. Its a smooth type spinning noise - kinda like air blowing at low flow rate through a wide pipe.
Is this what the samsung is like for others? Obviously I wasnt expecting it to be inaudible, I guess i was just hoping for less audible.
In other news, it is much quieter than my 400GB Seagate PATA which is louder than even my WD raptor!
I have a pair of SP1614C. They are my first so-called "quiet" drives. They are definitely quieter than the WD (some 120GB SATA drive) that came with my Dell. But I agree they are not inaudible. As confirmed by the recent SPCR article, they can vibrate. This is easily remedied by de-coupling them from any kind of hard mounting. I've got a SP1614N on foam (basically inaudible). The SP1614C pair is mounted in an Antec SLK3000B with soft EAR grommets and not really inaudible, but it doesn't matter as much because they are in a noisy living room.
i just bought the same hard drive and would agree with rtsai. it is much quieter than my old 80gb western digital drive i replaced. not silent, but mellow and inoffensive. right now it's hard mounted and it does vibrate a bit, still less than the old drive. i'm debating right now over how i want to decouple it.
I should say, since it wasn't clear, that unless they die abnormally soon (or otherwise manifest some kind of unacceptable defect), I would not hesitate to get more of them if I need more storage. They have met my expectations.rtsai wrote:I have a pair of SP1614C. They are my first so-called "quiet" drives. They are definitely quieter than the WD (some 120GB SATA drive) that came with my Dell. But I agree they are not inaudible. As confirmed by the recent SPCR article, they can vibrate. This is easily remedied by de-coupling them from any kind of hard mounting. I've got a SP1614N on foam (basically inaudible). The SP1614C pair is mounted in an Antec SLK3000B with soft EAR grommets and not really inaudible, but it doesn't matter as much because they are in a noisy living room.
-
- SPCR Reviewer
- Posts: 8636
- Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2002 6:33 am
- Location: Sunny SoCal
The noise signature I was hearing was not vibration related. It was solely bearing/spinning "stuff" inside the drive.Ralf Hutter wrote:Don'tcha think that placing the drive on top of a cardboard box may possibly exacerbate it's vibration?Tiamat wrote:Thanks for your replies. I was running the drive on a cardboard box i had lying around so I could effectively stick my head near it to listen.
I placed the drive briefly on 4 pieces of sorbothane and the noise characteristic did not alter at the slightest bit.
I've had a nidec SP1614C since november 2003, so it was one of the earlier drives. I dont know if the newer drives are different or something, but if properly decoupled with a closed case, I can't tell if the drive is on or off *unless* my head is just a few inches from the case. In open air, at a distance of 3" (who on earth can say that is their normal computing position) the drive is audible, and makes a very nice whoosh noise, its not intrusive or annoying at all. Considering I paid $130 for it over 1.5 years ago, it's decent storage capacity, and very low noise signature, I think its a great drive. Suspending the drive is mandatory if you want it to be quiet though, even soft mounting is not good enough. Anyway I hope that helps you out...
I have a s-ata 120Gb Spinpoint nidec, whatever the model number is, and i dont find it that quiet. Its inside an enclosure inside an acoustipacked case, but its still the noisiest component in my system! Though the only other component making any noise is a 120mm nexus fan at 600rpm.. Is the p-ata SP1614N Nidec any quieter? I have one of these but i´ve never used it, dont ask me why...
I'm very happy with my SP1614N on foam. It is quieter than my 2 x SP1614C with soft grommets in a cage. But given that you already have one, I don't see why you don't just install it and see for yourselfnici wrote:I have a s-ata 120Gb Spinpoint nidec, whatever the model number is, and i dont find it that quiet. Its inside an enclosure inside an acoustipacked case, but its still the noisiest component in my system! Though the only other component making any noise is a 120mm nexus fan at 600rpm.. Is the p-ata SP1614N Nidec any quieter? I have one of these but i´ve never used it, dont ask me why...
Ill probably have to do that... its 2:40AM here, and i feel dead tired. Ill leave it for tomorrow.. The testing i mean.
Ok so i tested it now, plugged it to a molex and listened to the idle. Its not quieter than the 120Gb..
I think ill have to get something like this Asetek WaterChill thingie, and submerge the whole thing in concrete or something.. Ok now its almost three AM.. Yeah...
Ok so i tested it now, plugged it to a molex and listened to the idle. Its not quieter than the 120Gb..
I think ill have to get something like this Asetek WaterChill thingie, and submerge the whole thing in concrete or something.. Ok now its almost three AM.. Yeah...
I wouldnt know, sorry, i unplugged it after a couple of minutes.. Though i assume i could plug it back in and let it idle for a few days and report back... just have to figure out where to mount the bugger, the only place i can think of in top of the enclosed drive on a piece of foam. Cant see any problem with that though so ill probably just do that.