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I've been to Head Fi. I lusted after the Burson HA-160D amp, and that site turned me on to the Westone ES5's I ordered up with custom artwork. But I decided to pass on that $1100 Burson Amp for now. Too much coin. And I like the idea of it more intergrated into PCIE Slots for better remote controlling options. I also considered the DACMini/DACPort and the Grace amps. And the LCD-2 headphones. But I think I will just stick to the Westone ES5's, the HD Titanium/Xonar Essence STX cards, and the Corsair SP2500 speakers. That's still like $1300 on sound, but that's the best combination of portable, private, and loud speakers for the money and my anticipated needs/priorities. Been a fan of the FT02 for a while, I keep coming back to it. Even though I say I want the Cosmos II, I will come back to/stay with the FT02 most likely if I don't like the Cosmos II for any reason. The FT02 is still the best case around right now. But I'm always looking :)
 
Idef1x said:
imag0168pi.jpg


Just wanted to show off my new watercooling in FT02. Since it was my first waterbuild, I am really quite pleased with the result.
Click to expand...

You've just provided me with a shopping list of parts for WC'ing my rig. Your rig looks awesome btw, would love to see a front shot.
 
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Newegg took my graphics card back with no restock fee and free shipping back. Just like you said. Now the question is which 1 should I get to replace it?
 
these white cases are really beautiful. i am buying one as soon i have the cash. it looks like a mac pro case, but better.
 
I was think more like i7 920 ;) Hmm maybe i should test with 1055t.
It already is very cool with 500rpm fan.
 
aerial- said:
Nice and clean build. How is XSPC dual bay laing reservoir, no problems with pump vibrations? Also a photo of front would be interesting, how well does it match to the case.
Click to expand...

It matches nicely. I had it and it worked just beautifully. If you want it, let me know because I already have a Koolance RP-402X2. I only bought this because I have all Koolance parts and I just wanted to keep things consistent. But in no way is the Koolance better than the XSPC Dual Bay/Dual Pump Res. The Dual Bays even had enough gap to fit a 3 LED UV light set on each side to shine from the bottom up. I'll even include the UV LED lights. It definitely brightened things up a bit to show off the UV coolant. It's in excellent condition, properly cleaned and dried out, packed and ready to be shipped to be used again. Let me know what you think from the pics and PM your info and number if you want it. I use PayPal and I'm reasonable in my price. Again, great unit. Later... PNugg... :)

machakpro4.jpg

By punknugget at 2011-09-10

machakpro1.jpg

By punknugget at 2011-09-10

machakpro11.jpg

By punknugget at 2011-09-10
 
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USMCGrunt said:
You've just provided me with a shopping list of parts for WC'ing my rig. Your rig looks awesome btw, would love to see a front shot.
Click to expand...

Aye, same for me. I wonder if I wouldn't better off placing the rad on top of the 180mm fans on the bottom, instead of taking them out and using 3x120mm. Anyone have any ideas/advice they can lend to this theory?
 
A couple of things as I go about building my FT02 system:

1. There has been some nice water cooled FT02s here. What is the best method of water cooling? There seems to be a number of ways to go about it. I don't have a good grasp on the parts needed, if anyone would care to lay that out for me. If I do it, I would want to buy parts that maximize the water loop seal quality over aesthetics (no leaks on my ship!) and cooling power (quiet running, quality parts, strong pumps, etc). So which types of parts and brands should I use? I would also like as maintenance free as possible. And I would stick to the 120mm 1850rpm GTs fans and/or the three stock Silverstone APs fans. I would want to water cool the i-5 2500K CPU, the Mobo, and one GPU. Then there is the Corsair H100 option as always...

2. I've narrowed my GPU search down to the Evga GTX 570 Classified and the soon to be released Evga GTX 580 Classified. Not sure if the 580 is worth all that coin, I game at 1080p. And not to mention, the 580 classified is not quite out yet, but it will still cost $150+ more when it does come out. It's like $360 for the 570 vs $500 for the 580.

3. HD Titanium vs Asus Xonar Essence STX, I still need help on that choice. It seems to come down to software on this dilemma. I'll be using fairly efficient Westone ES5s and Corsair SP2500 speakers.

4. I still have that issue with the ever so slightly loose FT02 aluminium panel. The very back where the wires comes out near the power supply area. It needs tightening. So what am I looking for/at? Rivets or screws? Not worth returning, but I want it fixed nontheless.

5. I thought I was set on the Asus Maximus IV Extreme-Z Mobo, but now EVGA has a new Z68 FTW Mobo. 1st, will the EVGA even fit the FT02, and how does it compare to the Asus?

6. For those that care, I will now be posting under a new nick, NeoDiNardo. SylarPowers was a nod to the TV show Heroes, and that 1st season was indeed awesome. However, after seeing just how stupid fast that show became an epic fail, I've lost all love for the nick, its time to phase it out.
 
TheOneKnownAsMe said:
Aye, same for me. I wonder if I wouldn't better off placing the rad on top of the 180mm fans on the bottom, instead of taking them out and using 3x120mm. Anyone have any ideas/advice they can lend to this theory?
Click to expand...

Yes, my Mac Hak Pro right here:

machakpro9.jpg

By punknugget at 2011-09-04

Go back a few pages to see all the pics of my Mac Hak Pro.

You'll EASILY fit not only the Koolance 3 Rad (29.6mm thick), but also 2 x 38mm thick fans. But make sure the GPU isn't more than 10.5" long so you can stick a 12mm fan underneath it. Hope this helps... Later... :)
 
My FT02 is sitting in my basement right now, but sadly my build will be delayed a week or two as I'm still gathering parts and waiting for returns.

For my dads birthday, I'm going to upgrade his long in the tooth Lian Li V1000. How does the cheaper-to-gift Corsair 650D compare to the FT02? Seems good enough for his non gaming rig. Plus I would get to play with it as I rebuild it for him. Corsair is a brand I've yet to sample, mostly due to air flow concerns. The 650D seems much improved on that front. Plus it has the ONE thing THEY DON'T HAVE ... Gromets!!

I'm happy with the FT02, however I can't wait to compare it to the Cooler Master Cosmos II. Silverstone needs to make an FT04 with handles and double the room behind the mobo (you can never have enough :) ). And gromets!! I've just imagined the perfect case I think :)
 
I've decided to eliminate that loose FT02 unibody back panel after all, I'll just have them send me a replacement.
 
TheOneKnownAsMe said:
Aye, same for me. I wonder if I wouldn't better off placing the rad on top of the 180mm fans on the bottom, instead of taking them out and using 3x120mm. Anyone have any ideas/advice they can lend to this theory?
Click to expand...

It would require a much smaller radiator than the one I am using due to height clearance. I guess it is a matter of looks. Dunno about the performance.
 
USMCGrunt said:
would love to see a front shot.
Click to expand...

imag0171b.jpg


Here you can see both the side and front of the case. In my opinion the looks of the reservoir and 5.25" bays are quite similar. I guess you could eliminate the tiny gap underneath the reservoir - I just haven't gotten to it yet.
 
Idef1x said:
imag0171b.jpg


Here you can see both the side and front of the case. In my opinion the looks of the reservoir and 5.25" bays are quite similar. I guess you could eliminate the tiny gap underneath the reservoir - I just haven't gotten to it yet.
Click to expand...

Nice, expect to see a trifire clone of your setup in the near future...soon as I get the coin for it...
 
Yes, I would very much like a complete list of parts used on this build. Or any good FT02 water cooled build.

I have narrowed down the GPU to the EVGA Classified 570/580 cards. The 580 one has that bad ass external exhaust fan, but I don't really need all that GPU power for 1080p single monitor. Pricing will be the deciding factor I'm sure. For the mobo, I just ordered up the Asus Maximus IV Extreme-Z. My new FT02 is shipping. I already have the LG 12x Blu-Ray Burner, WD Caviar Black 2TB HD, Corsair Vengeance LP Black 16GB RAM Kit, Creative Labs Titanium HD Sound Card, Intel i-5 2500K CPU and Seasonic X850 PSU. Progress. I will be rocking an Intel 510 250GB SSD purchase eventually. Slowly my parts are coming together to form Voltron. Ah, that just what I need, a mechanical cat theme! Glowing square eyes! Project Voltron! Here is a video of my progress on Project Voltron:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uS5b8aQ6z8

The FT02 forms the head! It was very nice of Optimus Prime to lend his voice to the narrative for me!
 
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I have one of three routes:

1. Custom water cooling the Maximus IV Extreme-Z/i-5 2500K CPU/EVGA 570 Classified (GT and/or Silverstone AP fans).

2. Air cool via a Super Mega with an EVGA 580 Classified (GT and Silverstone AP fans).

3. H100/H80 and the EVGA 580 Classified (GT and Silverstone AP Fans).

Any thoughts? I game at 1080p single monitor, single GPU.
 
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NeoDiNardo said:
Decided to buy the H100 and EVGA GTX 580 Classified (with that awesome looking EE Fan) over custom water cooling. Maybe next time for water.
Click to expand...

I think you made the right decision. Water takes a bit of planning and patience. It took me perhaps a year to make the decision to go into water cooling - but it is definitely not for everyone.

But it sure does sound like a nice build you got going there. Good luck with it! :)

NeoDiNardo said:
I'm going to go ahead and try a water cooling build.
Click to expand...

Haha - exactly my point with the first quote. Sometimes it can be an idea to sleep on it.
 
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I like everyone's watercooled FT02's.

I would go water also, but my temps now are very low on air. It would be more cosmetic than actually having a purpose.
Noise is unnoticeable with the H60 and DCUII cooler.
 
Sorry Idef1x, a bit of editing on my part. I can't even make up my mind what to post! I might just go back to the H100 or the Super Mega. I might water cool. Who knows, I can't really pick right now.

For noise factor, which would win, the H80/H100 or the Super Mega? Both options using GT Fans.
 
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WorldExclusive said:
I like everyone's watercooled FT02's.

I would go water also, but my temps new are very low on air. It would be more cosmetic than actually having a purpose.
Noise is unnoticeable with the H60 and DCUII cooler.
Click to expand...

So true. Water is for the most part for cosmetic purposes - especially when it comes to CPU cooling. There might be a bit to gain on the graphics cards, but still cards with Asus DCII and MSI TwinFrozrIII does a great job too.
 
NeoDiNardo said:
I decided against the H80/H100. I'm going one of two routes:

1. Water cooling the Maximus IV Extreme-Z/i-5 2500K CPU/EVGA 570 Classified (GT and/or Silverstone AP fans).

2. Air cool via a Super Mega with an EVGA 580 Classified (GT and Silverstone AP fans).

Any thoughts? I game at 1080p single monitor, single GPU.
Click to expand...

I had the Mega which was great, but the H60 allows more room around the mobo at similar temps.
I think WC is better for the FT02 since in keeps the internals uncluttered.

The second option is better if you're willing to try a H60, less noise than Mega.
I wouldn't buy a slower gpu if you're using the left over cash to WC.
Idef1x said:
So true. Water is for the most part for cosmetic purposes - especially when it comes to CPU cooling. There might be a bit to gain on the graphics cards, but still cards with Asus DCII and MSI TwinFrozrIII does a great job too.
Click to expand...
When my GPU idles @ 29C and my CPU @ 32C, load on gpu @ 55-58C and load on cpu @ 75C/5Hz (I run 4.2GHz during normal use, mid 50s) it's hard to justify the extra cost.
The smaller the die size become, the less exotic watercooling is needed. Unless the user stays in a very hot area.
 
Idef1x said:
So true. Water is for the most part for cosmetic purposes - especially when it comes to CPU cooling. There might be a bit to gain on the graphics cards, but still cards with Asus DCII and MSI TwinFrozrIII does a great job too.
Click to expand...

If that's true, I guess that's not worth custom water cooling for me. I don't care about the looks and I really don't want to do the work to be honest. I just want silence.

But should I go Super Mega or H80 or H100?
 
Idef1x said:
imag0171b.jpg


Here you can see both the side and front of the case. In my opinion the looks of the reservoir and 5.25" bays are quite similar. I guess you could eliminate the tiny gap underneath the reservoir - I just haven't gotten to it yet.
Click to expand...

so elegant. i want the white one.
 
WorldExclusive said:
I had the Mega which was great, but the H60 allows more room around the mobo at similar temps.
I think WC is better for the FT02 since in keeps the internals uncluttered.

The second option is better if you're willing to try a H60, less noise than Mega.
I wouldn't buy a slower gpu if you're using the left over cash to WC.
Click to expand...

Why the H60 over the H80 or H100? You usually have a method to your madness :)
 
Well never mind, I just ordered the H100. I'll give that a whirl. I'll place it on the bottom against the Silverstone AP Fans, I'll put two GT fans on top of that for a push pull effect, and I'll do another GT for exhaust. I'll grab that EVGA Classified 580 when it comes out later this month. Done and Done. Thanks for the last minute help guys. I needed that extra push to decide.
 
NeoDiNardo said:
Why the H60 over the H80 or H100? You usually have a method to your madness :)
Click to expand...

Cost vs Performance

I don't think the H80/H100 offers a good performance at the current cost.
Anything over $80, I rather buy a XSPC kit for $120-140 that will outperform and look better than the H100.

I bought my H60 for $47AR from Newegg. A lot better than paying more than double for something that will get beat by the XSPC/Swiftech kits.

Read up on XSPC:
http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/882408-official-xspc-rasa-750-rs-rx120.html

H100 $120 vs XSPC $120-140
 
WorldExclusive said:
Cost vs Performance

I don't think the H80/H100 offers a good performance at the current cost.
Anything over $80, I rather buy a XSPC kit for $120-140 that will outperform and look better than the H100.

I bought my H60 for $47AR from Newegg. A lot better than paying more than double for something that will get beat by the XSPC/Swiftech kits.
Click to expand...

That's OK, I'm not going to fret over $50, I'll do the H100. If nothing else, I'll have the ease of install with a bit of water in my system. I've read good things on the H100 and I've been pretty good on catching deals, so it all balances out.
 
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Idef1x said:
But it sure does sound like a nice build you got going there. Good luck with it! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll post some pics in about 4 weeks. I can't wait to flex my Cable-Fu! Plus I was thinking of hand painting a red stripe at the edges of the aluminum unibody piece, where that accent groove runs like.
 
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I've been thinking about painting the internal area of my case white (like the limited edition red, and the blue one a few pages before), painting the blades on the fans white. Then I was going to get a WC set-up going, with white tubing and a black CPU/GPU block.

Obviously choosing the actual parts will be far more involved than that, but that was the overall style/look I think I'm going to go for.
 
Long time reader of this forum, particularly this thread, Recently picked up a FT02 for my latest build. Great case and although I was expecting the tight cable management at the back, I was surprised by just how little room there is back there. I'm using the pictures posted in this thread as a guide - they're proved very useful!

Only thing I've found different is that the hard drive cages have mounting holes for 2.5" SSD's - I've not seen this mentioned before in any post/review. Has anybody else found the screw threads in the 5.25" aluminium drive covers a little prone to stripping?
 
Although I'm not entirely convinced of the merits of the H100 over the H70 still, I would love to see some screenshots of how it looks installed in the case.

I've really been eyeballing the epic 180, but I simply cannot find enough on it right now. I just feel like the 180mm radiator is just a better fit for the FT-02.
 
Reworker, I've found that the space behind the FT02's mobo tray was not big as the Cooler Masters I've had, but was much better than any Lian Li I've worked with. At least with the FT02 you have decent room to route cables effectively accross different paths. I've found that screw in 1/2 inch cable saddles to do the trick, and zip ties finishes the deal. You can use the unused motherboard screw ins to place them on the back of the tray. The only sticking point cable wise is that you need some Sata power extention cables. Here is some pics of my last FT02 build:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1605261&highlight=ft02+sylarpowers

That was back in my SylarPowers days, and yes, I regret selling that now. That's why I'm building a better one :)

I believe Silverstone was created via former Cooler Master workers and looks aside, my case preferences always comes down to these two companies. Funny how that works.
 
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Anyone received an FT02 with the USB 3.0 already included? No mention in Newegg from user comments yet though.
 
I decided to go the Super Mega route again after all. I keep wanting to like the Corsair Hydro Coolers, but they just don't tick the boxes I care about like the Super Mega does. It's the one I always come back to, the Super Mega is built extremely well, has great performance, and is the perfect size. Imho, the Super Mega has the potential to run more quiet and stay out of the air flow paths more than any Corsair unit in the FT02. I simply forgot that for a while. And the mounting system is the best I can imagine.
 
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