Velociraptor Mounting Options - differences in audibility/noise from drive?

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Velociraptor Mounting Options - differences in audibility/noise from drive?

I used to have a PC with three 15K RPM Seagate Cheetah drives. These drives were fast! However, they were also very loud (not to mention that they increased the room temperature a few degrees). After getting my Mac Pro, I've cherised how silent it is. I'd like to keep it that way, though I'm interested in a Velociraptor...

silentpcreview.com recently reviewed the Velociraptor ( http://www.silentpcreview.com/article844-page5.html). Their conclusion was that with the Velociraptor in its IcePack heat sink (the version that won't fit in the Mac Pro's drive bays), its noise is pretty loud. With the drive NOT in the heat sink, it is one of the quietest drives available. So, I'm wondering which of the following options would minimize the noise/sound coming from the Velociraptor:

1. The new backplane-ready version of the Velociraptor that is in a heat sink that will fit in the Mac Pro ( http://westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=495)

2. Get the 2.5" version w/o a heatsink and buy the MaxUpgrades sled ( http://www.maxupgrades.com/istore/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.display&product_i d=180&CFID=968976&CFTOKEN=18466287).

3. But the 2.5" version w/o a heatsink and buy a 3rd party decoupling system, similar to what was mentioned in http://www.silentpcreview.com/article844-page5.html .

I'd like to hear what others' experience have been in terms of their objective opinion on how loud the drive is.

Thanks.

Mac Pro (Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Aug 15, 2008 8:48 AM

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Answer 1

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Aug 15, 2008 10:24 AM in response to randman

http://www.barefeats.com/hard103.html first impressions vs SCSI

http://www.barefeats.com/ news on the front page about the recent new versions.

http://www.techreport.com also one of my favorites for storage reviews (and chips, graphics)

http://www.barefeats.com/harper13.html SAS vs SATA (prior to the VR)

Rob said he thought it would run cooler with the MaxUpgrade kit.

Most Cheetahs are kept in external cases to keep cool and reliable power, and that just added to the noise factor.

My Mac Pro can be very quiet, but it still boosts room temps by 3-4ºF.

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Answer 2

randman Author

Level 1

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Aug 15, 2008 7:01 PM in response to The hatter

Thanks, hatter. My main concern now is how audible is the Velociraptor using the various heat sink/mount options...

My previous PC had 3 internal Cheetah drives (15K RPM!). They increase the room temp by at least 10 degrees F. Not to mention that they're very loud, and their heat also made the PC's internal fan work much harder, increasing the noise even more! It was nice to know back when I first got this PC that I had the fastest drives (15K RPM SCSI), but I think I've burned out of all the noise and heat (no pun intended), and these days, I prefer a less noisy and heat generating rig. Thus, I was very impressed when I first got my Mac Pro how quiet it was. I'd like to keep it that way. I was concerned about silentpcreview.com's complaint about how loud the Velociraptor's IcePack was, but without the IcePack, it was one of the quietest drives they've tested. Thus, I'd like to hear from folks on what their subjective feel is for how audible the Velociraptor when connected to the MaxConnect mounting assembly. It would also be interesting if the Velociraptor with the backplane compatible mount is less noisy than the Velociraptor with the original IcePack. I suppose noone has the backplane compatible mount yet...

Thanks.

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Answer 3

Aug 15, 2008 7:02 PM in response to randman

1. The new backplane-ready version of the Velociraptor that is in a heat sink that will fit in the Mac Pro ( http://westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=495)

Are you sure it will fit a Mac Pro? The MaxUpgrades sled puts the drive all the way to one side so the connectors will line up with those on the Mac Pro. The picture on the WD site shows the drive centered.

2. Get the 2.5" version w/o a heatsink and buy the MaxUpgrades sled ( http://www.maxupgrades.com/istore/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.display&product_i d=180&CFID=968976&CFTOKEN=18466287).

I bought the standard version and removed the IcePack™ so-called heat sink. It needs a T9 Torx wrench. The IcePack™ probably makes the drive run hotter. It has a very small contact area with the drive, so cannot conduct much heat away. All it does is block airflow to the drive. It apparently increases the noise, even though there are vibration dampers in it.
I am using the MaxUpgrades sled. Its fins don't really help with cooling, either, but at least they don't block airflow. The drive is very quiet. I can hear it when it is doing a lot of seeking, but it is quieter than the 150 GB Raptor I used before. The hole in the MaxUpgrades sled did not quite align with the hole in the heat sink, so I had to use a small round file on the hole in the sled. The drive on the sled plugs into the Mac Pro drive bay perfectly.
I have it in bay 4,and since it is smaller than a 3.5" drive, it doesn't restrict the exit air holes of the case, so the computer runs slighty cooler, with slower fans.

3. But the 2.5" version w/o a heatsink and buy a 3rd party decoupling system, similar to what was mentioned in http://www.silentpcreview.com/article844-page5.html .

I don't think you need the noise reduction, and it won't plug into the Mac Pro drive bays.

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Answer 4

randman Author

Level 1

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Aug 15, 2008 8:06 PM in response to Malcolm Rayfield

If you click on the "360 View" icon in http://westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=495 and then rotate to the back of the drive, you can see that the connectors are also off to one side. It looks like the "heat sink" itself has "extension" connectors.

Yeah, seems that the IcePack is marketing fluff.... the following is a quote from http://www.silentpcreview.com/article844-page5.html :

"The IcePack has two functions, both directly related to sales and marketing:

1. It make the Velociraptor's native small size a non-factor for the potential DIY/enthusiast buyer.
2. It gives the Velociraptor a unique look and style that most PC enthusiasts, with their previous exposure to and experience with aftermarket heatsinks, will perceive as cool, powerful,and even sexy. It's for marketing appeal.

If the IcePack was engineered to be functional rather than to increase saleability, it would incorporate vibration damping. The absence of conduction for cooling is a non issue for a 4~6W drive that fits into the standard 3.5" tray in a modern PC case, because those trays are invariably just on the inside of the front vents where there is always at least some airflow. The tiniest bit of airflow across this drive (without the IcePack) is enough to keep it under a perfectly safe 40°C in a typical case. (We tried it.) As it stands, the IcePack is a joke, acoustically, adding all kinds of tonal, resonant harmonics excited by the vibrations of the drive."

Malcolm - you mentioned "The hole in the MaxUpgrades sled did not quite align with the hole in the heat sink, so I had to use a small round file on the hole in the sled." Did you mean that the hole in the MaxUpgrades heatsink didn't align with the hole in the sled? Hmmm... for the price that they're charging I hope this is not normal...

Thanks.

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Answer 5

Aug 15, 2008 10:25 PM in response to randman

If you click on the "360 View" icon in http://westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=495 and then rotate to the back of the drive, you can see that the connectors are also off to one side. It looks like the "heat sink" itself has "extension" connectors.

None of the views seem to show the connectors, but from the top and bottom views, it does seem that they have added an extension to get them to the right place. They don't show a price for the new version, or the version with no heat-sink. Even if the new one adds less than the cost of the MaxUpgrades sled, I would avoid it for noise and cooling reasons.

Malcolm - you mentioned "The hole in the MaxUpgrades sled did not quite align with the hole in the heat sink, so I had to use a small round file on the hole in the sled." Did you mean that the hole in the MaxUpgrades heatsink didn't align with the hole in the sled?

Exactly. It was not off by much. I could squeeze the sled rails and get the screw in, but the sled would then not slide into the Mac Pro drive bay.

Hmmm... for the price that they're charging I hope this is not normal...

The review I read did not mention any problem, so it may have just been mine.
MaxUpgrades now has the option of buying the sled with a drive. You could ask them to assemble it before shipping.

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Answer 6

Chris935

Level 1

0 points

Aug 22, 2008 9:19 PM in response to randman

I had the same problem with the fit, but I don't have a small round file! So I loosened the screws that hold the heat sink to the edge of the HD - I hope this doesn't impair the functionality. And I agree for ~$50 you would have though they could measure accurately!!! Also they do not have a "handle" like the Apple sleds so they are very hard to remove.

Overall am not impressed with the design.

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