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WizOSX · Dec 18, 2005, 09:21 AM

How loud were the last MDDs? Compared to the first 1.6 G5 especially. I'm looking for a second PM for my office for under $900. There are some of the final 1.25 SP models around for about $850. How did this model sound compared to the Quicksilvers?

chefpastry · Dec 18, 2005, 02:01 PM

The Quicksilvers are much quieter.

I use an MDD on a daily basis and I think it has gotten louder over time. If/when a CPU upgrade comes out for it that uses cooler running G4s, I'll definitely purchase it and try to quiet this thing down a bit.

awcopus · Dec 18, 2005, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by WizOSX

How loud were the last MDDs? Compared to the first 1.6 G5 especially. I'm looking for a second PM for my office for under $900. There are some of the final 1.25 SP models around for about $850. How did this model sound compared to the Quicksilvers?

The dual 1.42 G4 is extremely loud by comparison to just about any Mac ever made. I have one in the same office as a dual 2.5G5 and whenever the G4 is off, the room is deliciously silent.

Lateralus · Dec 18, 2005, 05:17 PM

It's luck of the draw.

I've had three MDDs. Two Dual 1.25s and a Dual 1.42, they were all some of the quietest machines I have ever owned, the Dual 1.42 especially, since it had a copper heatsink that did a better job at heat dissapation.

MacMatt · Dec 19, 2005, 11:44 AM

I have the single 1.25GHz CPU and am very pleased with its relative quietness.

Matt

angelmb · Dec 19, 2005, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by MacMatt

I have the single 1.25GHz CPU and am very pleased with its relative quietness.

Matt

Ditto. I don't find mine (same model) being that loud.

OreoCookie · Dec 19, 2005, 03:29 PM

However, I wouldn't advise you to get a single-cpu G4. I guess for the same price you could also get a single-1.6 GHz G5 or even an iMac G5 (if noise is really a big deal for you).

WizOSX · Dec 19, 2005, 03:49 PM

Thanks, all, for the replies. Angelmb and macmatt, have you had a chance to compare your machines to a Quicksilver on noise?

WizOSX · Dec 19, 2005, 04:17 PM

Originally posted by OreoCookie
However, I wouldn't advise you to get a single-cpu G4. I guess for the same price you could also get a single-1.6 GHz G5 or even an iMac G5 (if noise is really a big deal for you).

Current ebay prices seem to go about like this:

1.6 G5 $950
MDD SP 1.25 $860
QS Dual 1.0 $730
QS 933 $500

In the end any of these would fill my needs for what I want right now but the G5 will probably be useful the longest.

Just to put the noise issue in perspective, I bought a Dual 867 MDD new in Nov 2002 but the noise was hard to take so I sold it 6 months later.

My main machine for the last 18 months has been a 12" 1.33 PB. A great machine. However, I picked up an 867 sp QS about 6 weeks ago and like it a lot better than the PB for daily work (noisier, obviously, but barely tolerable). It definitely is more responsive, even with the old Rage video card that it came with. I want to fill the gap fairly cheaply between now and next fall when I'll probably get some form of Intel Mac. So I thought of getting one of the above. I move machines around between my real office, home office and other computer using members of my family.

MacMatt · Dec 19, 2005, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by WizOSX

Thanks, all, for the replies. Angelmb and macmatt, have you had a chance to compare your machines to a Quicksilver on noise?

My MDD single was probably one of the last to be manufactured, and although I haven't compared it to anything other than a 6500 and a G4 Digital Audio, it's most likely to be as quiet as(or quieter than) the Quicksilver...It's certainly quieter than either the 6500 or G4 DA.

Matt

chefpastry · Dec 19, 2005, 06:54 PM

Maybe part of the reason my MDDs are noisy is because I've got them packed with 4 hard drives, 2 optical drives, Radeon 9800s, and 2 PCI cards each. Plus, both my MDDs are dual processors...

iREZ · Dec 19, 2005, 07:37 PM

i hate to say it...but if quiet is really what you want, and you're lookin at the single mdd 1.25...why not go for the 1.42 mini? it's dead silent, and if you're lucky and end up with the upgraded mini (1.5ghz 64mb 9200vram, and 5400rpm HD that apple hasnt announced but many have received), you'd have a machine that's quiet, tiny and responsive, but this is only my opinion.

angelmb · Dec 20, 2005, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by WizOSX

Thanks, all, for the replies. Angelmb and macmatt, have you had a chance to compare your machines to a Quicksilver on noise?

Being honest I can only compare it with a B&W G3, it is a bit louder, but not that much having in mind all the stuff the MDD has inside. On a funny side and just for the records, it is almost silent if you compare it with a SGI Octane2

WizOSX · Dec 20, 2005, 09:43 AM

Originally posted by iREZ
i hate to say it...but if quiet is really what you want, and you're lookin at the single mdd 1.25...why not go for the 1.42 mini? it's dead silent, and if you're lucky and end up with the upgraded mini (1.5ghz 64mb 9200vram, and 5400rpm HD that apple hasnt announced but many have received), you'd have a machine that's quiet, tiny and responsive, but this is only my opinion.

That's very logical advice and I've thought along those lines. But, for some reason, whenever I play with a 1.42 mini it seems about the same or slightly slower than my 1.33 PB. And about the same or slower than the 867 SP Quicksilver. This is partly backed up but the quick comparison that someone did in the last week or so (on xlr8yourmac or lowendmac I think) that concluded that the 1.42 mini and a DP 800 QS were just about neck and neck.

Zubir · 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by WizOSX

That's very logical advice and I've thought along those lines. But, for some reason, whenever I play with a 1.42 mini it seems about the same or slightly slower than my 1.33 PB. And about the same or slower than the 867 SP Quicksilver. This is partly backed up but the quick comparison that someone did in the last week or so (on xlr8yourmac or lowendmac I think) that concluded that the 1.42 mini and a DP 800 QS were just about neck and neck.

The reason the Mini seems as fast as your Powerbook is that they both use the dog slow 4200rpm hard drives. To remedy that, you can do 2 things:

1) Replace the internal 2.5" hard drive with Hitachi's 60gb 7200pm 2.5" hard drive.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ubmit=Property

or

2) Use an external 7200rpm drive in a usb2 or firewire case.

http://www.micronet.com/General/minimate.asp