Product Reviews

While there are all sorts of upgrades and tweaks you can perform on an already-assembled PC to reduce the noise it makes, if you really want a quiet computer you have to look at the basics. The case in which a PC is built is crucial to its acoustic performance.

However, once you combine a traditionally designed case with modern high-performance hardware, you quickly end up with a PC that, while fast, is also very noisy. The steel AcoustiCase C6607 aims to stop the rot by providing a chassis specifically designed with noise reduction in mind. The C6607's generic appearance is an instant clue that it isn't engineered to go to the lengths of noise-reduction zealotry that marks out the Zalman TNN500A (see opposite). So although it doesn't offer total silence, the C6607 does a surprisingly good job of reducing PC noise. This is because it dispenses with one of the main acoustic culprits: the venerable 80mm fan. A fast PC requires a group of 80mm units to provide adequate cooling; and when in groups, they're only slightly less noisy and annoying than football fans on their first lagers of the day.

Instead, the C6607 has mounts for two 120mm fans - one at the front, and one at the back. These fans are much larger than their 80mm counterparts, shifting more air at slower speeds and thus greatly reduce the level of noise. Unfortunately, the case isn't actually supplied with any fans; just the mounts. You'll need to pick the fans to go with the case very carefully to avoid negating the benefits of the case; Acousti Products' own AcoustiFans (see issue 112, p298) should fit the bill, but remember that you must have two fans. If you only fit one you'll get a pressure differential inside the case compared

In addition to the mounts for quiet 120mm fans, the C6607 features other weapons for dealing with noise-related hooliganism. The five internal 3.5in drive bays all feature rubber grommets in their screw holes, helping to deaden any vibrations from fast-spinning hard disks. Quiet PC also bundles the case with a pack of 'acoustic material'.

This comprises pieces of acoustically opaque foam in two varieties: 10mm-thick sheets, which can be used to line the innards of the case, and thicker blocks of foam, which can be used to fill empty drive bays. The idea is that the foam soaks up any extra noise that might be skulking around with ill intent, and while it can help get rid of high-pitched noise, ultimately the foam can be a double-edged sword. As well as insulating the system acoustically, it acts as a thermal barrier. And too many of the bay-filling blocks will have a negative effect on airflow. The result, if you're not careful, is an increase in the system's temperature, making thermally controlled fans work harder and noisier.

Space-wise, the C6607 is above average: in addition to five internal 3.5in drive bays, there are two front-panel 3.5in bays and four front panel 5.25in bays for optical drives. The 3.5in bays are grouped into two cages, removable to make construction easier, although the C6607 lacks a removable motherboard tray, so it's not all good news. Also, despite the water-cooling-friendly 120mm fan mounts, fitting a reservoir and pump would be a tough job, as the C6607's main internal cavity is quite compact.

While the insides are relatively well thought out, the exterior barely ventures beyond the functional. At least it's black, rather than the once ubiquitous beige, and while the plastic fascia is visually dull, a small pop-up flap at the bottom provides access to two front USB 2 ports and a FireWire port, plus headphone and microphone jacks.

Although the C6607 looks unassuming, there's a lot here. It's relatively inexpensive and it's well designed, with plenty of features that will have you on the road to a blissfully quiet PC without stumping up for the enormous expense of a TNN500A case.