Which Case for DAW

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gvdv

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Hi,
I've been considering cases for my new DAW, bearing in mind that I'd like to be editing video as well (that means a total of 3 HD's I think, and the attendant heat and noise issues).

I've read good things about Antech and Thermaltake, but am confused about several issues and would like some help.

For example, do I need a +400W power supply? And what about firewire connections (since I'll be using an RME Fireface 400 for audio, and will also want to download miniDV from my video camera): many cases seem to come with only one firewire port.

Tower or mini-tower? I'm planning on using the asus P5W DH Deluxe MB, with at least 2GB's RAM Corsair or Kingston and starting with 2 X Seagate Barraccuda 7200's, each 250 GB.

I understand that the maximum 'size' of motherboard is an ATX and that full towers will accommodate this size, am I correct?

I'm sorry if these are basic questions, but I have searched around here and haven't found any answers.

Thanks,

GV in Toronto
 
I would get at least 500-600w power supply, and just get a regular mid-tower, keep it cooled with fans, and put it into a compartment so that sound doesn't excape.
 
Yeah,
A monster PSU is never a bad thing. Get a good one though, a PSU is not something you want to skimp on. I have a 600w Seasonic and it is very quiet, stable as a rock, and carries a good warrenty. Seasonic has been having quality problems and ppl have been getting duds apparently however my experience has been flawless with mine. The other good one is PC power and cooling (I used one before and it was very nice)

I would save some money and pass on the deluxe motherboard. The ICH7 is an older chipset and unless you need raid and SLI (which you should not in a DAW), you will probably be better served with a 965 chipset which will probably have more 1x PCIE lanes instead of 2 16x ones

There are tons of quiet ATX cases out there so just read up some reviews and see what suites you (http://www.silentpcreview.com/) . Everything will fit unless its "micro atx"
 
There are some pretty decent fanless power supplies out there.
 
Thanks for the answers,
I'm not very up on putting computers together so forgive me if my questions are rather naive.

Punkin, can one put a fanless p.s. in any case?

GV
 
I am, as some may know, a bit of a fan of the iStar D400L Storm rack mounted case when fitted with removable HDD drive bays. This bad boy has three 120mm fans, one 80mm fan, and if you pop in the removable HDD drive bays then each of those can add up to three 40mm fans, per bay.

Absolutely you want a 600watt PS. Be very very careful with this as the connectors will determine how many HDD and high powered video cards you can use. I got burned by a Antec PS lately and no longer like them very much. Currently using CoolerMaster.

Google is your friend.
 
I just finished a build with the famous Antec p180.
It's mid-range in case costs, but EXTREMELY efficient when it comes to noise dampening. This case was made with quiet and cooling in mind. It's handle all you require and more!

It is a rather difficult build though, as wires are routed in an "unorthodox" fashion. The PSU is housed at the bottom for better heat dissipation.

I've worked with 5 or 6 mid to high end cases (Antec, Lian Li, CoolerMaster, etc.), and the P180 STOMPS them all as far as noise reduction. When you thump the side of a normal conputer case, you get a metallic click or snap. When you thump the side of the P180, its a dead bump noise. Hell, you could even buy some special noise reduction material to paste to the inside of the case and offer the utmost in quiet performance.

I'm not an Antec Fanatic, but I'm exstatic at the bang-for-the-buck the P180 offers. I'm gonna be transplanting my system into one before long!

Also, fans and the Power Supply play a big factor in the noise. Here are some basic rules for cooling a PC.
1. The bigger the fan, the quieter the fan
2. The bigger the fan, the more air moved.
3. The use of a fan controller or Rheobus will allow you to adjust the speed and "noise"
4. The more you pay for a fan, the quieter it usually is.

I myself, use ONLY 120MM Fans, these have become the standard for high-performance air cooling.
The p180 has plenty of space and mounting options availible for multiple 120mm fans.
Fans to trust:

Vantec Stealth (120mm, it's a bit louder, but moves a LOT of air)
Akasa Amber Series (120mm)
Scythe S-Flex (120mm)
SilenX iXtrema (120mm, VERY quiet)
Yate Loon (120mm)

Power Supplys, as mentioned earlier, are very important.
Think of it this way; you buy a brand new Porche but put a set of discounted 200 dollar re-treaded tires. You'll ruin your new investment. If you DONT skimp on anything, let it be the PSU. It can mean the difference between a case full of beaty or a case full of junk.

PSUs to trust:
(I would expect to spend 80+ bucks on a PSU alone)

OCZ GameXstream Series
PC Power and Cooling (mentioned previously, VERY high-end)
Antec (middle of the road)
FSP Group FX600 or 700 (very reliable)
Silverstone SST 600W
Tagan (high-end)

I'd recommend 550W or more. More is better in the PSU. Heck, I would opt for a 700w+ PSU if I needed one today.

Good Luck!
 
Hi JaykeMURD,
Just wanted to say a quick 'thankyou' for the very valuable information included in your post.

GV
 
I would recomend either the Antec Sonata II or Solo. The solo is smaller and looks better, but has no Power supply. The Sonata is bigger, slightly, and has a power supply, but they seem to be horrible for crapping out (Antec Smart Power 450). I personally would go with the Solo, on looks and the lower price of the two. Both are super super quiet. For a power supply I would go with either an Antec Phantom 500 fanless for quietness, or go with the antec NEO550 which has the option of only using the cables that you need for your system, keeping the inside of the case neet and clean. This is also a reasonably quiet supply. Both can also be further insulated with foam insulation kits. Both also have quiet fans. I would also recommend attenuators for rear fan, and depending on CPU, an attenuator for its fan, or even a different fan. Thhe Zalman9500 moves a ton of air and can be super quiet with an attenuator.

Hope this helps.
 
Antec P180 with a Seasonic PSU.

The loudest fan in your case will probably be your videocard fan.
 
I also have a P180 and it is sweet, but as the D400L is no longer available at a reasonable price (insofar as I can find) I think my next build is going to use one of these.
 
whattaguy said:
Antec P180 with a Seasonic PSU.

The loudest fan in your case will probably be your videocard fan.
Click to expand...


Unless you want it for games or video apps in which case you would need better, you should be able to get a fanless 6200 nvidia card for cheap, like 50bones. I recomend XFX, seem to have the fewest issues.
 
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