Silence vs. noise in a power supply?

[Tranq]

I'm looking at the two new antec truepower 2.0 550w power supplies. One is the normal 550w 2.0 with one 120 mm fan and a huge grill on the edge. The other is the 550wEPS12v with one 92mm fan and 1 80 mm i believe. Obviously one is going to make more noise than the other but also theoretically; cool better. I'm wondering which one to get. I have a 24 pin motherboard and a pci-e x800 pro but both of them support that. They are exactly the same power supplies besides the fans. They are only 2 dollars apart on zipzoomfly.com (EPS12V being $2 more)...please help me make this decision.

TP-II 550: http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=22550

TP-II 550EPS12V: http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=22551

My specs:
Intel 3.4 ghz Prescott CPU w/ HT
EPoX EP-5EPA+ (motherboard)
Sapphire Radeon X800 Pro PCI-Ex
1 Maxtor 120 GB SATA
1 Maxtor 80 GB IDE
1 DVD+-RW
1 Thermaltake thermally controlled 120 mm fan w/ blue LED
1 Generic normal 120 mm fan
1 generic blue LED 80 mm fan

 

[RealBlackStuff]

An EPS version is normally meant for servers, where reliability is the main concern, and it will probably have been tested just that little bit more.
Their noise-levels appear identical.
The 2-fan version has that extra bit of safety built in, if one fan breaks down.
Either version will do great on your PC, as you will have plenty of reserve.
The 550w is slightly exaggerated, and is only PEAK-power, not sustained power.
As a rule of thumb, calculate your PCs powerneeds, then add at least 30% on top of that, so your PSU need not run at maximum performance.
Calculate here:
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/Power_Supply_Calculator.php?cmd=intel

Given the choice, I would go for the EPS-version.

 

[Tranq]

Yes, I'm aware of the minimum power and all but i also know this power supply is more than enough for me. I will go with your choice then, It is antec after all... "word leader in silence"

 

[Tranq]

Any second opinions for anybody? I'm about to order, I'd really like to get the right one and not have to go through the hell that I already have due to having a bad power supply.

 

[erwin1978]

I'd go with a single giant fan because I like silence. Given how crowded it is inside the ps, having two fans will create more noise. This all depends on how fast the fans are spinning. From my experience with my old Antec 300 W ps with a single 80mm fan, a lot of the noise comes from the negative pressure on the backside of the fan. It's blowing air out but all the ps components closest to the fan are blocking the free-flow of air.

You can try this experiment and hear for yourself. Connect a 80mm fan to a 12V DC source so it spins as fast as it should. If you put objects behind the fan you hear air turbulence.

I lower my fans to speeds below 1800rpm if possible so they're not audible.

 

[nein]

Any second opinions for anybody? I'm about to order, I'd really like to get the right one and not have to go through the hell that I already have due to having a bad power supply.

I don't have opinions for you. Would you like some facts instead?

 

[Tranq]

Well atm i have an Antec True550 ATX12V that i've just sold...it's not very loud...but then again im quite tolerant to noise...but id like to lessen it because im using the intel stock cooler that is EXTREMELY loud...I'd just like to know whether the 120mm one will actually cool properly with the loud coming from my setup...also, antec's site isnt very useful considering they claim both models recorded 21.3 dba which is definitely wrong...for at least one of them

 

[nein]

Well atm i have an Antec True550 ATX12V that i've just sold...it's not very loud...but then again im quite tolerant to noise...but id like to lessen it because im using the intel stock cooler that is EXTREMELY loud...I'd just like to know whether the 120mm one will actually cool properly with the loud coming from my setup...also, antec's site isnt very useful considering they claim both models recorded 21.3 dba which is definitely wrong...for at least one of them

If that's all the question you wanted for a factual answer then... No, it will not do it properly.

From this previous question and this other one of yours, what you are doing now for correction won't do much didly squad for your problem mentioned there.

Here's a tip - a real 550W power supply at full power usage and assumed optimistic nominal 75% efficiency will have to dissipate ~800W worth of heat. The same equivalent to a typical old style small electric heater for heating up the space of a 10 x 10 room.

In your particular case, since you didn't ever mention once about thermal management. I would assumed all ~800W of heat inside your computer is being discharge through the power supply, you know the typical ~3" exhaust hole in the back of your power supply?

Normal ATX standard cases and ATX power supplys are only good for maximum range ~400W of heat dissipation without modification. ~800W in the same setup will make all hardware inside die the early death, the power supply usually goes first as it would have suffered and have endured the most heat concentration going through it, a new super duper heavy duty 550W power supply will survive just a tiny wee bit longer than an El-Cheapo 550W power supply.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Tranq
Would it not be easier to replace that noisy CPU-cooler by something quiet, made by the likes of Zalman?

Nein
What a load of bollox, I have a 480w Hiper Type R PSU, supplying my PC-needs of just over 300w. That PSU has one 12cm fan (extremely quiet) and the air being blown out by it, is definitely cool on my hand.
According to your "calculations" my PSU should be dissipating ~700w, allowing me to boil an egg on my PSU!

 

[Tranq]

Yes i've done thorough research on the Zalman CNPS-7700 the problem is...it is about 0.6 inches too large for my case...though there is a space above my psu...i cant move it up...so the Zalman would be about 0.2 inches too large...I really want it...i've only heard good things about it

oh and nein...plz...i request...don't post on this thread again...im looking for help...not useless bullcrap that you obviously get a kick out of

 

[Didou]

Get the Zalman CNPS-7000Cu then, it has a 92mm fan instead of a 120mm one but the performance is still very good.

 

[nein]

Nein
What a load of bollox, I have a 480w Hiper Type R PSU, supplying my PC-needs of just over 300w. That PSU has one 12cm fan (extremely quiet) and the air being blown out by it, is definitely cool on my hand.
According to your "calculations" my PSU should be dissipating ~700w, allowing me to boil an egg on my PSU!

In your case its likely pure dumb luck the configuration allowed the power supply to stay cool without fore-thoughts and proper planning.

Conventional ATX standard are made for allowance maximum of 400W thermal dissipation possible after all without modification.

 

[nein]

oh and nein...plz...i request...don't post on this thread again...im looking for help...

No problem... I'll vacate the thread.

not useless bullcrap that you obviously get a kick out of

And no need to be an insulting *******... I don't insist others had to have what I say.

 

[Tranq]

Sorry for the insults nein...just a little angry atm...if u have read any other threads that ive created u know why...I don't get what I'm supposed to do if your scenario is correct...according to the calculator that realblackstuff referred to I only need about 349 watts...added 30% to that and it's 453 watts...so according to me 530w (which is the "TRUE" power of this psu) should be enough...

Didou...the CNPS7000 is not compatible with LGA 775 CPU socket unfortunately, I wish it were but I guess im stuck with the intel stock cooler...all the thermaltake and other ones are useless...ive read reviews on all...zalman is the only good one

 

[Tranq]

I think im saved! i didnt know that they had developed a 775 adapter for the 7000B...except for some reason it is $50...$10 more than the 7700!!!! plus the adapter is $7! i dont think ill be getting this any time soon..

 

[Tranq]

Ok I just went out and bought the CNPS7000B with blue LED with the 775 bracket...my 2.0 TP-II 550w (the one with the big 120mm fan) will be here wednesday or thursday hopefully...thanks for help peepz...BUT...expect a follow up for this thread lol...i always run into problems when i think im in good shape