Introduction

We all know about the bothersome noise that accompanies fans of almost any sort. With overclocking and case-modifying as our prime pursuits, we've almost been forced to endure the whine of the ever-present collection of fans that adorn our case. While we may not always notice it, (for example, when listening to music or playing games), it is always present, waiting for nightfall to descend to deliver its stinging blow. Over time, we may get "used to it", but that is almost akin to getting used to the quirkiness of a less-than fully functional appliance: We *can* put up with it, but we'd much rather that it'd go away. There have been many attempts by manufacturers and end-users alike to cut down on noise while still maintaining the capacity for cooling that is a necessary counter to the heat generation of PC's. The advent of thermally-controlled fans that varied their RPM depending on temperature was one, but such a fan usually took the temperature reading near the fan itself, rather than from an area where cool air was needed. One can also not forget the fanbus/baybus devices that debuted several years ago. Such devices were warmly greeted by the overclocking/modifying community because they gave users the ability to such off specific fans when they were not needed, reducing the idle noise of a computer. However, such devices, while very useful, were not fully automated. This is where the Pyramid II Fan Silencer hopes to make its mark.

Specifications

The Pyramid II is a very small device by any means. With a base of only 1.5" x 1.5" and a height of only 1.1", it's not likely that you won't be able to find a spot for it within your case.

• Operating Temperature : 32° F to 122° F (0° C to 50° C)
• Relative Humidity : 5% to 95% (non condensing)
• Power Requirement : 12 V
• Dimensions : 1.5" X 1.5" X 1.1" (W X L X H)
• Power Rating: 2.0 Amps (24w)

The Pyramid II can only be used to supply and control power to 12V DC fans, and with a rating of 2.0A (or 24w of power), it should be able to power many fans! (Cobalt3 states that it should be enough to handle 3-6 fans.) The Pyramid II is also available in two different packages, one where the entire pyramid is translucent, and one where just the base allows light through. I'll be reviewing the former model today. Another feature worth noting is the "fail-safe" mechanism of the unit. If, for some reason, the internal processor of the Pyramid II fails and the unit can no longer report a reliable temperature reading to determine fan speed, the unit will automatically begin to deliver full power to your case fans, ensuring that no overheating occurs. The light in the unit will also go off, indicating that there is a problem. However, there is no audible alarm to accompany this, so unless you have some way of viewing the Pyramid II, like through a case window, you may not notice this.

What is also included is an excellent instruction manual that details how to properly use the Pyramid II and what its operating limits are. The manual also gives you some recommended positions to place the unit, which is good if one is unsure. An isopropyl alcohol swab is supplied to clean the surface that the Pyramid II will attach to. The unit has a piece of double-sided tape attached to its underside to hold itself in place when installed.

What's included.

Closeup.

The Pyramid II is designed to work this way: When the thermal sensor at the top detects a higher temperature, the microprocessor within the unit will then begin to supply more power to the fans attached to it, thereby increasing the fans' RPM. This should hopefully reduce the noise generated by your case fans to what is necessary in a given situation. However, for this to work, the Pyramid II must be placed in a reliable position in your case. You wouldn't want to place it near any intake fans, as then the temperature near the sensor would always be cool, and therefore your fans would always be running at a decreased speed. Luckily, the manual gives several good positions, such as near the CPU or near an exhaust fan. It's best to judge the average case temperature by the hottest spots in one's case rather than by the coolest spots.

Underside with adhesive backing.

Closeup of thermal sensor.

There are two connectors coming out of the Pyramid II; one connects to a PSU connector to receive power while the other connects to your case fans. You will have to make sure your fans have pass-through connectors so that you can hook up more than one fan, or else you will need to get a splitter. In any event, you may have yourself quite a mess of wiring if you hook up a lot of fans to the unit. The previously mentioned adhesive on the back of the Pyramid II is visible in the above picture. As a final note, the Pyramid II should NOT be used to control the fan on your CPU's heatsink. I personally would always want my CPU's fan running at full speed. (I usually don't use super-loud fans on my heatsinks, anyways.)

Installation

Installation is a breeze. Simply pick a good position to adhere the unit to, (I placed mine near the ATX I/O panel, which is near the CPU) and then plug all your fans into the connector. As mentioned before, you'll need Y-splitters if your fans don't have pass-through connectors/cables. I found this to be a bit cumbersome, having used a fanbus/baybus for some time. After that, you're ready to power up your PC.

The male molex will attach to a PSU connector while the female will be connected to your fans.

It's alive!

You'll immediately notice the nice blue colour that emanates from the base of the unit. As mentioned before, this also serves as a warning of sorts, as if the Pyramid II fails, the light will go off. (But your fans will continue to run at full speed. )

Testing

I tested this unit in an Antec SX1030 w/ four Panaflo 80mm "L1A" fans; two were for intake and two were for exhaust. All fans were hooked up to the Pyramid II. At first, when I powered up my computer, I didn't notice much of a difference in noise. This was somewhat expected as the "L1A" Panaflo 80mm fans are already quite quiet. However, I did notice that idle case temperatures were close to 1C above what they would have been without the Pyramid II. However, max case temperatures reached when stressing the CPU did not exceed the max temperatures reached without the use of the Pyramid II. To confirm these results, I set up the Pyramid II with a louder fan, a Sunon 80mm "PTBX" fan that is rated around 50cfm. As I put a cold object on the temperature sensor, the fan speed and subsequent noise decreased and when the sensor was allowed to heat up, fan speed increased again. The changes in fan speed/noise were not abrupt but were rather somewhat gradual.

Conclusion

Overall, the Pyramid II did not have much of an effect on my setup, with the low-flow Panaflo fans. However, if one is using several loud, high-flow case fans, this automated unit will be of much value to them. For those of us who are lazy, this is a much-wanted feature, as fan noise/speed will automatically adjust to the current needs of the system. If you like your high speed fans, but are growing tired of the noise, this is one product you won't want to pass by. The only gripes I had about it were the somewhat cumbersome wiring that requires pass-through or power cable splitters, and the lack of an audible alarm when the unit fails.

Pros

• Automatically control your fans' speed
• Detailed manual
• Doesn't take up a lot of space
• Supports up to 2.0A of fans
• Fail-safe mechanism: When unit fails, fans continue to run
• Looks pretty :)

Cons

• Doesn't have much effect on low-flow fans
• May make for a cumbersome wiring job
• Somewhat pricey at $31.95USD (as of 2002.07.30)

I'd like to thank Percy over at Cobalt3 for sending me this unit so quickly. If you want one, check out ZXMods or Directron for a complete list of Pyramid units.

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