[booboo]

• If the noise on the analogue audio outs has been fixed on any of the speedbumped revisions?

• I don't need the highest performance from a graphics card, I just want silence. Which is the quietest option?

• Has the sluggish FireWire been fixed? (This may be particularly relevant to me as I will be using the G5 - as I'm using my now under-specified G4/533 - as the centre of an mLAN studio - that's audio and MIDI data over FireWire 400 (to my Yamaha 01X) and I obviously want the best performance . . .)

If all these items are fixed on all revisions, I'll probably have to go with the Dual 1.8 - but with a RAM upgrade to start with. 2 x 128 MB sticks is even more of an insult in a 4-slot machine and it's obviously worth paying apple prices and getting 2 x 256 MB sticks put in BTO, and then getting another IGB from elsewhere . . .

[SpanishFly]

These are exactly the things I need to know before I take the plunge too.

I have heard that the Geforce 5200FX is fanless, so that is a good start, but if anyone knows any details about the audio/firewire noise - and general noise level of the fans on the machine, and the powersupply chirping issues - please let us know!

Cheers
SF

[reader50]

The FireWire 800 write speed issue has not been fixed yet in the new dual 2.0 (scroll down to the June 12 entry #3)

No one knows yet if it is fixed in the dual 2.5, no units available for testing.

[OzarkMtn]

Originally posted by booboo:
• If the noise on the analogue audio outs has been fixed on any of the speedbumped revisions?

Was never an issue on my Dual 2.0 GHZ that was purchased in mid March. I think was a random problem on some systems. The current 1.8 & 2.0 system's are the exact same machines as the original G5's with really the only change being the video card selection. The 2.5 is the only new machine.

• I don't need the highest performance from a graphics card, I just want silence. Which is the quietest option?

If they don't have fans they will be real quite. I would think the 9600XT & below will be fanless.

• Has the sluggish FireWire been fixed? (This may be particularly relevant to me as I will be using the G5 - as I'm using my now under-specified G4/533 - as the centre of an mLAN studio - that's audio and MIDI data over FireWire 400 (to my Yamaha 01X) and I obviously want the best performance . . .)

This has not been fixed. End of story.

If all these items are fixed on all revisions, I'll probably have to go with the Dual 1.8 - but with a RAM upgrade to start with. 2 x 128 MB sticks is even more of an insult in a 4-slot machine and it's obviously worth paying apple prices and getting 2 x 256 MB sticks put in BTO, and then getting another IGB from elsewhere . . .

Looks like you won't be buying a new machine unless the 2.5 has all of the issues that are still outstanding resolved...

[Link]

The dual 1.8 utilizes the 1.6 g5's board except a second socket was soldered on

[booboo]

Originally posted by Link:
The dual 1.8 utilizes the 1.6 g5's board except a second socket was soldered on

This is what I thought. The 1.6 GHz never had the analogue audio noise issue, so that's something.

however, on another board someone - who claimed to have credentials - was saying that the new 1.8 is most definitely NOT the same board.

I'm still waiting for someone on one of the pro-audio boards to report on these new revisions . . .

[Turias]

Originally posted by reader50:
The FireWire 800 write speed issue has not been fixed yet in the new dual 2.0 (scroll down to the June 12 entry #3)

No one knows yet if it is fixed in the dual 2.5, no units available for testing.

Is this a pure hardware problem? Or can it be fixed later with an OS/Software Update patch?

[booboo]

bump

Has anyone received a new dual 1.8 yet?

[SafariX]

Many people have.

[fiesta cat]

Originally posted by booboo:
bump

Has anyone received a new dual 1.8 yet?

I have, as a matter of fact. I don't have any FW800 devices so can't give you a rundown on that, however normal FW400 is fine (as far as I can tell - I've done a lot of video importing from an Analog/DV converter over the past few days and haven't had any issues. Granted it's only been VHS and HDTV - others maybe dealing with heavy duty video/audio that might tax the system).

It's incredibly quiet, even when converting/encoding DV & working with DVDs.

I've got the GF5200 and was happy it's fanless. I don't play any games that need anything more than that, so I'd have hesitated to get a better video card at the cost of more noise.

It does look like a 1.6 board with an extra socket on there, which from what others have said, it is.

[Mafia]

i got a new dual 1.8,
the analog sound has not been fixed as far as i can tell, i often have to turn my speakers off when i am not listening to music or watching a movie. hopefully this will be fixed soon or i'll have to drop some money on optical speakers.


mafia

[StevenWRX]

i have a rev b dual 2.0


fire wire: i dont have any fw devices so i cant tell u


audio humm: my g5 is hooked to a denon reciever and when the machine is on or fully off, there is NO humming or any feedback noise, i can crank the receiver up, no probs. but when the machine is asleep and only when alseep, there is a tiny unobtrusive hum.


overall noise: my system is very quiet.

[booboo]

Originally posted by Mafia:
i got a new dual 1.8,
the analog sound has not been fixed as far as i can tell, i often have to turn my speakers off when i am not listening to music or watching a movie. hopefully this will be fixed soon or i'll have to drop some money on optical speakers.


mafia

This is really worrying. you have my sympathy.

Could you describe the noise?

What I was experiencing was a general 'digital' background noise punctuated by louder chirps and squeaks related to moving the mouse, pulling down menus, etc. and too obtrusive to allow use of the Mac's analogue outputs in even a low-end 'hi-fi' capacity, and certainly ridiculing the fact that these outputs are supposed to be 24bit!

StevenWRX, your G5 is hooked up via analogue to the Denon? If you were to turn up the volume as loud as you were ever likely to listen, but with no sound playing, what is the background noise like, and how does it compare with another input on your Denon receiver?

The Mac should not be adding any more noise than a cassette deck, switched on but not playing. In fact it should approach the levels of a cheap CD player - also switched on . . .

Your report would be greatly appreciated.

Also, what is the video card in your Dual 2.0 GHz, and does it have a fan?

Thanks.

[hmurchison2001]

I expect the analog outputs to improve on the next generation but not by much. I plan to simply buy an outboard audio interface that hooks up via Firewire. The interior of a computer chassis is just too poor an environment to ensure clean audio. Having a huge power supply in the unit doesn't help things at all.

[york28]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't mLan use Firewie 400, and the speed issue is with 800? So is there an actual problem?

I will get my new Dual 1.8 tomorrow, and will report back about any audio out noise.

[vmichaelsf]

i have a rev. b dual 1.8 and the machine itself is VERY quiet; my small air cleaner is at least 5x as loud. i honeslty can not hear the g5 on at all- the fans only rev up when i take it out of sleep. otherwise, it's absolutely silent. i had to plug in an old pc to clean/install in order to sell it and i was surprised at how loud it was! this was a recent p4, btw. anyway, as far as the analog sound humming, i have a pair of logitech z2200 speakers connected and when the machine's not outputing sound, there is no noticeable "humming." if i turn the volume up on the mac and the speakers and nothing is being sent to the speakers, there's a slight "hiss" but i think that's normal. this is the quietest machine i've ever owned. i hope this helps.

one more thing; i ordered my machine with the default 256mb ram and immediately stuck in 2 512MB sticks that i bought from datamem, bringing the total to 1.25GIGs. this is plenty of ram, i think and i know that i can sell the two apple 128MB sticks for $20 each should i want to free up two slots and add another gig. just a thought. peace.

[Mafia]

Originally posted by booboo:
This is really worrying. you have my sympathy.

Could you describe the noise?

What I was experiencing was a general 'digital' background noise punctuated by louder chirps and squeaks related to moving the mouse, pulling down menus, etc. and too obtrusive to allow use of the Mac's analogue outputs in even a low-end 'hi-fi' capacity, and certainly ridiculing the fact that these outputs are supposed to be 24bit!

StevenWRX, your G5 is hooked up via analogue to the Denon? If you were to turn up the volume as loud as you were ever likely to listen, but with no sound playing, what is the background noise like, and how does it compare with another input on your Denon receiver?

The Mac should not be adding any more noise than a cassette deck, switched on but not playing. In fact it should approach the levels of a cheap CD player - also switched on . . .

Your report would be greatly appreciated.

Also, what is the video card in your Dual 2.0 GHz, and does it have a fan?

Thanks.

its def. a quiet hiss, its hard to notice when i got my tv running, but when i'm sitting in pure silence its noticable. but i hear that if speakers have a toslink hookin then the idling speakers are silent, i am most likely going to buy an external sound card, or buy some optical hook up speakers, but only becuz i'm a sound fanatic.


mafia

[booboo]

Originally posted by Mafia:
its def. a quiet hiss, its hard to notice when i got my tv running, but when i'm sitting in pure silence its noticable. but i hear that if speakers have a toslink hookin then the idling speakers are silent, i am most likely going to buy an external sound card, or buy some optical hook up speakers, but only becuz i'm a sound fanatic.


mafia

'quiet hiss' makes me feel optimistic, and possibly a fix over the cauldron of digital frogs and geese that I heard coming out of a Rev1 G5 1.8DP.

[booboo]

http://discussions.info.apple.com/we...@.688f76ee/166

[tonywong]

Originally posted by Link:
The dual 1.8 utilizes the 1.6 g5's board except a second socket was soldered on

I thought all G5s used the same motherboard socket connect to the CPU daughtercard, regardless of number of CPUs.

[d.fine]

Rev B DP 2.0 GHz (new since yesterday) :

- no noise problems when shut off or in sleep mode through analog output

- external Lacie FW HDD works just fine, as does the iSight, FW Target mode works fine, don't know about FW800

- Ati 9600 XT is fanless, very quit and great