Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

Ok, one last post.

I was under the impression all the newer Antec lines were much better now. Earthwatts were good and all that.

They're a little better on the low end, to a lot better on the high end. Personally, I don't think I'd buy any of the Seasonic or FSP built ones and stick to the Enhance and Delta stuff. Preferably Delta.

I guess the whole problem I'm having here is that I review these things for a living, which means I can't afford to be biased when I review a new unit. I have to give them all a shot, no matter what my past experiences were. If they review poorly, then I can go after them. If not, suddenly I'm talking to lawyers. And the simple fact is, Antec units have not been reviewing that poorly lately (even though the Neopower Blue didn't do that well and I couldn't wait to get done with it).

Anyway, I try to do my best with that. Not sure I'm always successful, but I try.

bgavin - I've seen primary caps fail. Had a Topower unit do that once, though those were Viva brand crapola (the secondary side was a mess).

[Wizard]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

Yes, primary capacitors DO and will fail if capacitor is subpar. I had some happen, not just for computer, TVs and Monitors.

Cheers, Wizard

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

Well if Antec keeps that up for oh, say, 10 years...
I might buy one.
If it's on sale.
For 80% off.
Has all Jap caps.
And a full 5 year warranty.
I'd just won the Lotto.
And someone is twisting my arm real hard.
.

[i4004]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

>And the simple fact is, Antec units have not been reviewing that poorly lately

i think we didn't contest that(ok some did put too much accent on past experiences with antec) but it was the price that surprised us most.
surely, few corsair psus are better deal than one antec, even though it's a pretty solid build and performance....ie you get few corsairs for one antec...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...TabStoreType=0

example; i can get 4 corsair 400w supplies for the price of one antec(don't need that extra 250w of antec 650w model).
ie i gotta wonder why would i buy one good psu, when i get get 4(four!).

[willawake]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

yes i am buying in the 70-100 euro range not higher.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

it was the price that surprised us most.

Yeah, that's the one thing they still need to work on with the high end stuff. I was hoping the Signatures would be coming down in price more than they have.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

There a big difference between looking at brand new PSU's and those with miles on them.

Miles are a better indicator than reviews of the new parts.

The old Antecs got glowing reviews in their day.
Yet it was proven repeatedly that despite the good reviews they couldn't handle the miles.

I'm not saying reviews are worthless, but they don't do what people seem to think they do.
They don't show you which ones are definitely good.
They only which ones are definitely bad.

.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

That's a whole other kettle of fish... most of the time, it took a year or more for some Antec models to cook the caps enough to start showing problems. Some of them could go several years before it became obvious. I still haven't been able to figure out a viable way to test for that in a review that needs to get done in the space of one week.

About all I can do is call it like I see it, and maybe toss out a warning or two that some of these caps aren't known for quality. Like last week's Hiper 1kW unit and its "Trec" caps in the secondary. I just hope the name isn't short for "train wreck."

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

"train wreck."

I'm not saying there's anything can be done about it.
Just that that's how it is.


It's like those PSU quick checker gadgets.
They don't tell you a PSU is good.
They only tell you if it's bad.

.

[i4004]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

>The old Antecs got glowing reviews in their day.
Yet it was proven repeatedly that despite the good reviews they couldn't handle the miles.

a lot can be said just by looking interior pix(if you see enough good units and enough of crap units).
looking at internals, this is sweet psu, and i mean really neat and good.
i would expect them to last 10 years for most users....(good components, good cooling)

but the price...i can assamble a pc for less....

anandtech sums it up well
"Antec states an MSRP of $249 for the 650W version and $299 for the 850W version. Both of the prices are quite high as there are 850W power supplies for much less than that, but the price will most likely drop once availability improves. The Signature series definitely left its mark today with very good performance and high efficiency. Now all we need is a more reasonable online price - it really needs to be under $200 and under $150 for the 650W model - and we'll be happy."

btw. pcbonez, they DO have 5 year warranty you like so much..hehe...

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

Now all we need is a more reasonable online price - it really needs to be under $200 and under $150 for the 650W model - and we'll be happy."

To be fair, Antec's not the only one out of touch on the pricing either... PC P&C's Turbocools are very nearly as bad. And don't get me going on that Topower/Epower 2kW monstrosity...

[i4004]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

btw. what are the other brands one can find delta under?
esp. models under 500w

delta made stuff seems REALLY neat....
i mean their pcb layout is art all in itself...

[acstech]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

I'm still not buying Antec. Old memories die hard. Besides, I'm still running these things in most everything that doesn't require a PCI-E connector:

http://www.hypermicro.com/itemdesc.a...SAB001&eq=&Tp=

Sure, it's got OST's. But it appears to be well designed, has good cooling, and appears to be lasting from what I've seen. And hey, for $19 at least it's priced right!

If I'm selling a new PC that requires a PCI-E connector, it gets a retail Seasonic unit. Antec can go pound sand.

[i4004]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

do we have pix of the acbel's guts?

how can 550w psu be 20$?

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

btw. what are the other brands one can find delta under?
esp. models under 500w

delta made stuff seems REALLY neat....
i mean their pcb layout is art all in itself...

Chieftec uses them, but they have nothing like the Signatures I don't think. Their high end stuff is Channel Well. Owltech is another name, but I don't know a lot about them.

[i4004]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

oh yeah, about corsair loose silicon
( http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...=print&reid=62
search that page for "transistor leaning away")

what part exactly is it?

it was never bolted, ok, but is it getting hot?
dimensions suggest it's power transistor.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

Not 100% sure on that, but every CWT PSH unit I've seen had that transistor leaning away from the heatsink.

[bgavin]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

It will also snow in Hell before I buy a PC Power & Cooling supply. I contacted them with an inquiry about the caps in use. The guy on the phone was both evasive and pretty snotty.

I couldn't get an answer out of him, so to them also.

I wish I had so much business that I could be an asshole and stay in business. Think of how much better I'd do, by being responsive to my customers...

[Silentbob]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

I guess I can relate to that a bit. I was unfortunate to get some real turkeys from Thermaltake back in the days when they used HEC and Sirtec for their units and they all failed within 6-12 months. After that I've sorta sworn to stay away from them, even though I think their current CWT units are much better than the craptastic stuff they sold in the past. I'd like to give Antecs Signature a try, but then it's pretty pricey and now I'm a a bit of a Corsair wh*re. ;P

[sLowEnd]

Re: Antec advertises top quality Japanese capacitors in Signature Series PSUs

Yes, primary capacitors DO and will fail if capacitor is subpar. I had some happen, not just for computer, TVs and Monitors.

Cheers, Wizard

I dunno man

I've had an old generic PSU with YC caps in the primary and they were still fine even when the PSU died after 4 years due to the fan