Looking for a nice 9 bay case

[Rajahal]

Well, I just sold my 20 bay Norco 4220, which means it is time to build myself a new server.  I've decided that I want to build a 9 bay server using 9 of these.  I've already got 2 of them, so I just need to buy 7 more.

 

I know what you are thinking - why not buy three 5-in-3s and build a 15 bay server instead?  Three reasons.  One, been there, done that.  Two, after analyzing my usage patterns over the past 1.5 years that I've been using unRAID, I've decided that 9 drives is perfect for me: 1 parity, 7 data, and 1 cache.  That gives me 14 TB of storage if I packed it with 2 TB drives.  By the time I use that up, there will likely be 3 or 4 TB drives available.  Or, if I really needed more space sooner, I could upgrade to 5-in-3s easily.  Three, these are cheaper than 5-in-3s.  9 of these single hot swap units will cost me around $150.  That's about $17 per bay.  Three 5-in-3s will cost me $350+.  That's about $23 per bay.  The single hot swap units also run decently cool without dedicated fans, since they give each drive plenty of breathing room.

 

So now I'm looking for a 9 bay case to accommodate all those single hot swap bays.  Of course I could just go with the tried-and-true Cooler Master 590 and be done with it.  But where's the fun in that?  Also, WeeboTech did it ages ago.  Weebo's build is the basis of my inspiration.  My other source of inspiration is tabish121's gorgeous server.  I love the clean lines and blue accents of that Lian Li case.  I also kind of like the fan-filled door that covers the hot swap bays, though I could live without that (and I expect it might be a bit louder than internally-mounted fans).

 

In the past, my builds have always focused on being cheap and practical.  Well, I'm changing that this time around.  For once I want to focus on form over function (though of course it also has to function well).

 

So, help me choose a case that has the following features:

• 9 external 5.25" bays
  
• no drive rails (rails don't work well with the hot swap bays I've chosen)
  
• looks nice
  
• good quality
  

 

I'm also open to suggestions for better quality hot swap bays, though I really have no complaints with the cheap units I've chosen.  Still, if you find me something that is a bit more stylin', I'll consider it.

 

For now I'll set my budget at $150.

 

Here's what I'm looking at so far:

Thermaltake V5 Black Edition Mid-Tower Gaming Chassis With Embedded Handle VL70001W2Z

- Looks decent, but nothing exciting.  This case gets a 'meh' from me.

Sunbeam AC-9B-HUVB Blue Clear Acrylic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

- I can't decide if this is really cool or really dumb.  I think I would have to see one in person.

Sunbeam AC9B-T Transparent Clear Acrylic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

- The clear sibling of the above transparent case.  I think the blue looks a bit better than this, but I guess with this one you could make it whatever color you like with some LEDs

Three different Lian Li cases

- These all look quite nice (though I think the dragon one is a bit cheesy), but I don't think I could justify spending $200+ on the case alone.  Still, if I don't find anything else I may come back to these.

Thermaltake VI1000BWS M9 ATX Mid-Tower Case

- Good price, looks very clean.  The case window looks decent, but I'm not crazy about the vents cut into it.  This is basically just a nicer version of the CM 590.

Antec Nine Hundred

Yes please.  Looks very clean, I especially like the side window on this one.

Antec Nine Hundred Two

- Newer version of the 900.  I think I like the looks of this one even more.  This is my top choice at this point.  Plus, I've always been an Antec fanboy, so that fits.

 

I really like Fractal Design cases, but they don't seem to have any that have a lot of external 5.25" bays.  Bummer.

 

I am open to doing some case modding, but I would rather just buy one that will work out of the box.

 

Any that I've missed?

[jmos1277]

Rajahal ... I just built an unRAID server using the Antec Nine Hundred Two.  For the price ... it really is a great case.  I do plan to post pictures in the Pimp My Rig thread one of these days ... just been way too busy.

 

Let me know if you have any questions about the case ... I'll do my best to answer them.

 

 

[jmos1277]

Just a note ... I looked at a lot of the same cases you're looking at when I built my server.

The reason I chose the Antec Nine Hundred Two was because I like the drive cages that came with it. 

  - they hold 3 drives each

  - they include a fan for some nice airflow

  - they include a fan-speed controller

  - they have built-in air filters  **this is VERY important to me.  I HATE DUST!!!**

 

The case came with 2 drive cages.  I bought a third from Antec so I could hold 9 drives.  I know you're not planning on using the drive cages that come with the case, but I thought i would let you know what drove me to select this case.  Obviously, your selection criteria are different from mine.

 

 

[GK20]

 

  - they have built-in air filters  **this is VERY important to me.  I HATE DUST!!!**

 

 

dusts will deposit somewhere, once your filter accumulate enough dust it will affect airflow hence raise hard disk temperature.

[jmos1277]

 

  - they have built-in air filters  **this is VERY important to me.  I HATE DUST!!!**

 

 

dusts will deposit somewhere, once your filter accumulate enough dust it will affect airflow hence raise hard disk temperature.

 

 

Yes, dust may deposit in the filters ... but isn't it nice that we can monitor the temperatures of our hard disks through the unRAID interface?  :)

 

 

 

[GK20]

Yes, dust may deposit in the filters ... but isn't it nice that we can monitor the temperatures of our hard disks through the unRAID interface?    :)

 

Well, i though you hate dust because you hate to do cleanup. 

it is rather easy to blow air through case internal than remove filter at disk cage then clean them one by one, right?

i remove filters on all my CM 4-in-3 cage.

[Rajahal]

Thanks for your thoughts on the Antec Nine Hundred Two, jmos1277.  I would definitely love to see your pictures!  I do have a few questions:

 

1) Are the fans loud?  I doubt they are, but I figure it is still worth asking.

2) Are the blue fans visible through the front of the case attached to the case or to the drive cages?

3) How are your drive temps?  Also, do you use 5400 or 7200 rpm drives (or both)?

4) Does the plastic molding on the top of the case collect a lot of dust?  If so, is it hard to clean?

5) What speeds do you set the fans to?  How does that affect noise levels?

6) Where are the dust filters located?  Are they attached to the case or the drive cages?

7) Finally, how much did you pay for it?  Do you feel it was a fair price?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I really like the dust filters on my Antec p180, they work great.  I just clean them out with water once a month or so, definitely easier than blowing dust out of the whole case.

[Rajahal]

Here's a few others I've found, though they are all either out of stock or deactivated:

 

iStarUSA 9 Bay Storage Server Tower (S-9000)

Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

 

I'm still thinking that the Antec Nine Hundred Two is my best bet.

[kizer]

Heres a 9bay.

http://www.xoxide.com/sunbeam-9bay-acrylic-clear.html

[Rajahal]

Yeah, I looked at that one (check my links in the first post).  Personally, I think the blue one looks better.  I'm trying to imagine it packed with components, specifically the hot swap bays I've chosen.  I'm just not sure if it will look good or just really stupid.  What do you think?

[kizer]

Sorry didn't catch it.

 

The only problem with See-thru is you either go all out or go simple and very clean. Kinda of a challenge to hide things in a see through unless you get really creative wrapping your wires. I'd probably never do it, but others have and will.

 

I've been really tempted to grab some sheet metal and make own case after I build a desk I've been putting off for a couple of years. Of course it wouldn't be super nice, but in the end I'm thinking of how far am I really going to go. I have 5 drives in a Cooler Master 590. I don't think I'll make the capacity.

[Rajahal]

Well, I was able to answer many of my questions about the Antec Nine Hundred Two just by reading Newegg reviews.  I'm confident in the case's cooling abilities based on previous experience with Antec cases.  It seems that I will be sacrificing the dust filters and the front fans by removing the included drive cages, but oh well.  Hopefully all the rear fans will move enough air to keep the drives cool (I expect that they will).  It seems that a lot of people bought the case for $64 after a MIR, so it is too bad I don't have time to wait around for the next sale.  $120 seems like a fair price for this case, though, as it seems to be a very good quality and well designed case.

 

I'm going for it.

[kizer]

I almost bought the 900 as well. It was a toss up between the 900 and the Cooler Master 590.

[poofyhairguy]

You know what I am gonna say:

 

Antec Nine Hundred (Two)!!!!

 

You know from experience the airflow in an Antec case rocks, and you need that without front fans. If I could do it again my 300 build would be in a 900.

[WeeboTech]

So now I'm looking for a 9 bay case to accommodate all those single hot swap bays.  Of course I could just go with the tried-and-true Cooler Master 590 and be done with it.  But where's the fun in that?  Also, WeeboTech did it ages ago.  Weebo's build is the basis of my inspiration.

 

My 9 Bay case is idle. I've grown to a 20 drive case in a Stacker Coolermaster 810 tower with 4 Supermicro 5in3's.  You know what that means. Hint hint.

 

I also have a Thermaltake M9 9 bay case I want to sell (still in box). If you are interested hit me up.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133058

[jmos1277]

Ok ... I posted some pics over in the 'Pimp My Rig' thread.  Will post a couple more here and try to answer your questions.

 

 

1) Are the fans loud?  I doubt they are, but I figure it is still worth asking.

2) Are the blue fans visible through the front of the case attached to the case or to the drive cages?

3) How are your drive temps?  Also, do you use 5400 or 7200 rpm drives (or both)?

4) Does the plastic molding on the top of the case collect a lot of dust?  If so, is it hard to clean?

5) What speeds do you set the fans to?  How does that affect noise levels?

6) Where are the dust filters located?  Are they attached to the case or the drive cages?

7) Finally, how much did you pay for it?  Do you feel it was a fair price?

 

 

1) The fans are not that loud ... and they all have fan-speed controllers.  I currently have all my fans running at the slowest speed.  Since you aren't going to use the drive cages, yours will be even quieter than mine.  You may want to add some additional cooling.  I don't think the remaining case fans will produce enough negative pressure to keep your drives that cool.

 

2) The blue fans are attached to the drive cages.  If you remove the cages, you lose the the fans.

 

3) I currently only have 5 drives, 3 of which are 7200 RPM ... 2 are 5400 RPM.  My 2TB WD Black runs at 30 degrees during parity check.  My 2TB Hitachi 7K200s run at 29 degrees during parity check.  My 2TB WD Greens run at 28 degrees during parity check.

 

4) I've only had the case for about 1.5 months.  So far it doesn't appear to have collected much dust.  I guess the amount of dust it accumulates is probably dependent on how much dust you have floating around your home    I blew on the top of the case just now, and what little dust was their blew off very easily.

 

5) I am running all of my fans at their lowest speeds.  They still keep everything cool.  At the lowest speeds they are pretty quiet.  The do get a bit louder at higher speeds.  The noise is not much of a concern for me ... I plan to locate my server in my basement once I've finished configuring everything.

 

6) The dust filters are attached to the removable drive cages.  See the two pics below.  It does suck a little bit that you must unscrew the drive cages and slide them out a bit to get at the filters for cleaning.  But, it's not something that has to be done everyday ... so it's not too bad.

 

7) I paid $99 for mine after rebate from MicroCenter.  At the time that I purchased it, I was able to finder cheaper online.  However, the case would have gotten into the hands of UPS if I ordered it online.  I have a MicroCenter nearby where I live in St. Louis and was willing to pay a few extra bucks to avoid any UPS abuse.

 

 

Overall, I'm very happy with this case.

- Keeps my system nice and cool (and clean)

- Plenty of room for upgrades

  - I can easily expand it to 9 drives as needed.

  - I can support up to 15 drives if I go the 5-in-3 route... however, I think it's actually cheaper to pick up a nice Norco case than to purchase 3 5-in-3s.  If I ever get to a point where I need 15 drives, I'll probably get a Norco.

  - I can support a larger motherboard if I ever decide to repurpose the case for a more powerful system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rajahal]

jmos: Thanks for the pictures and the review.  I ordered my case yesterday, I should have it soon.  Can't wait.

 

Weebo: So you have a 9 bay server based on the CM-590 and a Thermaltake M9 for sale?  Definitely tempting, but I just ordered the Antec Nine Hundred Two, so I'm probably good for now.  Still...how much for them?  Also, would you be willing to sell me the hot swap bays out of your 9 bay server, or do you want to sell it as a whole?

[wsume99]

6) The dust filters are attached to the removable drive cages.  See the two pics below.  It does suck a little bit that you must unscrew the drive cages and slide them out a bit to get at the filters for cleaning.  But, it's not something that has to be done everyday ... so it's not too bad.

My unRAID is currently in an Antec 300 case.  I only have fans installed in the rear and top locations.  I covered the side vent with tape so that air would only enter through the front of the case.  There are two benefits to this.  It draws more air through the front of the case which makes my drives cooler and it ensures that the air entering my case is filtered which keeps it cleaner.  Rather than remove the filter for cleaning I have found that using the hose attachment from my vacuum cleaner applied to the front face of the case does a wonderful job of removing any dust that accumulates on the filter.  With this setup I have found that the inside of my case stays clean and cool.  I see no reason why you could not do the same with a 902 case.

[jmos1277]

6) The dust filters are attached to the removable drive cages.  See the two pics below.  It does suck a little bit that you must unscrew the drive cages and slide them out a bit to get at the filters for cleaning.  But, it's not something that has to be done everyday ... so it's not too bad.

My unRAID is currently in an Antec 300 case.  I only have fans installed in the rear and top locations.  I covered the side vent with tape so that air would only enter through the front of the case.  There are two benefits to this.  It draws more air through the front of the case which makes my drives cooler and it ensures that the air entering my case is filtered which keeps it cleaner.  Rather than remove the filter for cleaning I have found that using the hose attachment from my vacuum cleaner applied to the front face of the case does a wonderful job of removing any dust that accumulates on the filter.  With this setup I have found that the inside of my case stays clean and cool.  I see no reason why you could not do the same with a 902 case.

 

 

Hmmm ... thanks for the tip wsume.  I'll give the vacuum thing a try.  Much easier than removing the cages to get at the filter.  If it works out, I might just have to add vacuuming my media server to my wife's list of chores    Oh ... she'll love that.

 

 

 

[WeeboTech]

Weebo: So you have a 9 bay server based on the CM-590 and a Thermaltake M9 for sale?  Definitely tempting, but I just ordered the Antec Nine Hundred Two, so I'm probably good for now.  Still...how much for them?  Also, would you be willing to sell me the hot swap bays out of your 9 bay server, or do you want to sell it as a whole?

 

The M9, Make me a fair offer via pm. It's still in the original box. I abandon it's use in favor of a high end laptop.

 

The fanless, trayless sata removables. It's not worth it for me to remove them and sell them alone.

I have a CM-590 box I could drop the whole system in and ship it that way.

If I go the otherway I have to remove, package, wrap find a box, pack and ship.

I only mentioned it because you hinted at it a few times.