[Quiet Earth]

Can anyone recommend a firewire 400 compatible drive that is quiet enough to sit in the same room with? Like within 6 to 8 feet? If you own one and use it this way, then that would make your recommendation even better. 

I'm looking for 1TB of storage, and I will use it with a MacBook Pro.

[Atlplasma]

I just tried an OWC dual drive device (two 2.5 drives in RAID configuration). It was fanless, but the drives made a noticeable racket when spinning. (The Firewire 800 connection was also DOA.)

I decided to get another tray and drive for my Icy Dock enclosure. I've been using one to back up my iMac, and it is pretty quiet with a WD Green drive. Drive choice is important. The WD Green drives are not rated as super fast, but they do seem to be quiet. 

[analognut]

Sure, that's easy. So you haven't bought a drive in a few years, eh? All of the new designs are quiet and make NO SOUND whatsoever. Here' a link to a very respected drive maker. I have used many of their drives and find them to be very dependable, lasting a long time:
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10330   

[Mass. Wine Guy]

The LaCie line suggested is among their best-built drives and are well wrthwhile. Sadly, LaCie also makes cheaper, shoddier drives these days.

[richidoo]

Glyph: http://www.glyphtech.com/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GT050Q1TB/

[Russell Dawkins]

I bought a 1TB WD Caviar Green in an Acomdata enclosure with USB2 and Firewire 400 interface about a year ago and was amazed by how quiet it is - almost silent, even at a distance of 2 ft.

[Quiet Earth]

All of the new designs are quiet and make NO SOUND whatsoever

Hmmmm..... I remember reading that the last time I bought a drive. I already have a Lacie firewire drive and it's very noisy. If I put it on foam pads and place a bunch of junk on and around it, then its tolerable when the music is loud. Mine is a couple of years old, are they made better now? Mass Wine guy says they're worse. Who is right? I don't want to buy the same problem again.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GT050Q1TB/

I had my eye on that one, but look at the two reviews on the link. Both reviewers say the drive is too noisy. Is yours quiet richooo?

Atlplasma and Russell,

What do I need to know to successfully put an internal drive inside of a kit enclosure. Is there a link where I can learn how to do it, or is it just plug and play?

I appreciate everyone's help and suggestions. Thanks!

[Atlplasma]

It's very simple, but you need to buy the correct drive for the particular enclosure. Most of the newer enclosures require eSATA drives. But verify whether that is I/II or III. From what I've read the slower spinning drives are usually quieter. I don't think speed is such a big issue with music playback, but someone else may have a different opinion.

[richidoo]

Is yours quiet richooo?

I don't have one, just making sure you knew about that one. The reliability and build quality is excellent.

I personally use a NAS which is extremely loud so I put it in another room.

[Berto]

My 1tb G drive is pretty darn quiet and has from what I hear a reliable Hitachi drive inside, built well with a nice aluminum enclosure as well.  It makes some audible noise but from 8feet away I doubt you will hear it. I have it 3 feet away but in a closet.

[jrebman]

I like my Oyen Digital 1 tb mini-pro fw800, which also supports usb 2.0 (3.0?) and fw 400.  It's quieter than my OWCMercury on-the-go 2.5 fw/usb/esata drive.  It does need some shock absorbtion though as it can vibrate at a low freq.  I tuck it behind the rack and can't hear it at all, unlike the OWC, which is pretty quiet, but still audible between cuts and quiet passages.

Both aso use the oxford 934 chip set, which seems to make a sonic difference.

I also have a WD passport elite 500gb, and that's fairly quiet as well, but also needs some vibration damping to be it's quietest.

HTH,

Jim

[Quiet Earth]

Thanks that does help.

I noticed recently that the SMPS that powers my external drive is starting to act up too. It makes a constant (loud) high frequency hissing/buzzing sound as soon as the drive starts spinning. Sounds like a baby rattle snake warning you to back off, if you've ever been that close to one. 

I don't know if I can buy a replacement SMPS for it, but maybe I should just get a new drive like the Oyen mini-pro anyway and relegate the old one to ordinary back up duty on the family computer.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[jrebman]

The oyen is also bus powered if you want, so save the extra noise of the smps.  If you want an external supply, you have to buy that separately from thde drve -- both oyen and OWC.

Good luck,

Jim

[rpf]

Second the Oyen mini-pro 1TB drive recommended by Jim. It's very quiet.

Does anyone know of a quiet 2 TB drive that has the Oxford 934 or 936 chipset?

Oyen's DataTale 2 TB is quiet but has a different chipset and doesn't always come on when it hasn't been shut down properly (unlike the Oyen mini-pro and Lacie drives I have) due to power interruptions or forgetfulness.

[bunnyma357]

Thanks that does help.

I noticed recently that the SMPS that powers my external drive is starting to act up too. It makes a constant (loud) high frequency hissing/buzzing sound as soon as the drive starts spinning. Sounds like a baby rattle snake warning you to back off, if you've ever been that close to one. 

I don't know if I can buy a replacement SMPS for it, but maybe I should just get a new drive like the Oyen mini-pro anyway and relegate the old one to ordinary back up duty on the family computer.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

I've got about a dozen LaCie drives and probably 8 of them have had the power supply die, with the hissing, and sometimes a clicking sound that makes you initially think the drive has failed - rather than the power supply.

Fortunately, it is just the power supply and only costs about $20 to replace.  I think LaCie has started using more reliable supplies, but their continued use of these defective supplies for many years and their lack of support for them means I'll probably never buy another LaCie drive.

Replacement PS's for LaCie drives:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=LaCie+supply&N=0&InitialSearch=yes


Jim C

[Quiet Earth]

I've got about a dozen LaCie drives and probably 8 of them have had the power supply die, with the hissing, and sometimes a clicking sound that makes you initially think the drive has failed - rather than the power supply.

Fortunately, it is just the power supply and only costs about $20 to replace.

Thanks man, I just got my new power supply today and all is well again. The new supply looks just like the old one, it even says Lacie on it. Maybe it's new and improved or maybe its just another one of the same poor quality, but I don't really care right now.  I'm up and running again and it gives me some more time to figure out my next move.

Anyway, thanks big time for the help. Much appreciated!!!