Antec Sonata Power Supply
 

Was wondering if anyone else has the Sonata with the TruePower 380 PSU. I
built a system recently and put it in the computer room about a week ago. I
have noticed that it's not quite as quiet as I would have liked. I mean,
compared to my previous PC, it's quite hushed, but the noises tht do emanate
are a bit annoying.

My setup is:
Intel 2.8 w/factory heatsink and fan, 2 optical drives, 1 GB RAM, 2 Seagate
120 SATA's, 250 Zip and floppy. I have the standard 120MM Sonata case fan
connected to the fan-only connection, so as to be RPM regulated by
temperature.

Questions for anyone, but especially those that own the Sonata:

1. That running refrigerator sound..."rrrrr..." that has a sort of high
pitch. Is that the sound of the power supply, hard drives or processor fan?

2. Major complaint: the power supply fan: it emits a sort of ticky sound as
it is spinning. Not hugely noticeable but there just the same. Not a smooth
whooshing noise but a plasticky spinning noise that I have never heard from
a regular vanilla power supply fan. This noise is annoying to me because of
the otherwise quiet aspects of the box. To my ears it is highly irritating
because I would have expected Antec to MAKE SURE, it being a puportedely
"quiet" power supply, that the fan would not make any noise beyond normal.
Now, when I look closely at the thing, it seems to be spinning unimpeded so
I don't think it's defective, but just the design. The fan blades are little
tranluscent plastic things and seems smaller than other PSU fans I have
seen. Can anyone else that has a Sonata put their ear right next to their
PSU fan and see what kind of noise this makes? I'd really appreciate it
because if it's almost entirely silent and devoid of any noise beyond
whoosh, maybe I got a slightly out of specs PSU and need to be considering
trying to get a replacement, although since the PSU and the case came
together so that could be problematic. I just can't see them going to great
lengths to create a silent case (OK, "80%" quieter) and putting in a PSU fan
that is audible more than the normal sound of air movement.

Thanks for any comments.

Bob