Quicksilver MDD Why is it called WINDTUNNEL?

Discussion in 'Buying Tips, Advice and Discussion (archive)' started by SPACEKID, Apr 29, 2004.

  1. SPACEKID macrumors newbie

    Mar 25, 2004
    Ive read a few things about these being noisy?

    I used my MDD dual 867 G4 and its not loud at all? The only time is when I turned it off, then turned it on again, it kinda sounded like a hoover for a few seconds, then fine again...

    Whats the deal then?

    Are my fans broken lol, are they supposed to stay on all the time? Or is that noise thing not as bad as people make out?
  2. Counterfit macrumors G3


    Aug 20, 2003
    sitting on your shoulder
    First off, Quicksilvers and MDD's are two different PowerMacs, the Quicksilvers have a very smooth front, while the MDD's have, surprise surprise, Mirrored Drive Doors.

    As per your question, when they originally shipped, the MDD's were very very loud. After some pressure, Apple offered to replace the offending power supplies with quieter models. I would assume that any tower bought on, after, or near the announcement of that would have the quieter power supply.
  3. SPACEKID thread starter macrumors newbie

    Mar 25, 2004
    Oops sorry I thought it was still a quicksilver! My mistake :)

    Ah ok, so its more than likely got a quieter power supply in, excellent :)

  4. jonnyblobby macrumors member


    May 25, 2003
    Aus, Sydney
    Dual CPU's are loader.

    I have the "Windtunnel" (Dual 1Ghz MDD G4)
    I was offered and received a replacement Power Supply and CPU Fan from apple to lower the noise level of the machine (That could be heard from ANYWHERE in my house, even with doors closed. And all the time... Startups and Big FCP renders sucked for noise)
    After the Replacement gear, yes the noise level is lower, but it is still one of the noisiest machines I have even en-counted.
    Because it has 2 CPU's in it... SOOO, its just as if it where 2 Machines in there, there are twice as many components to cool, so the fans need to cool twice as much heat from that of a Single CPU unit.
    I have en-counted a single CPU MDD G4 and surprise surprise, its no were near as noisy as mine.

    I swear I can even hear my G4 even when its off, the noise has been burned into my brain....

    I now have a Dual CPU G5 at work that I use every day, even with my ear up close its almost silent :)
  5. cyks macrumors 68020


    Jul 24, 2002
    Westchester County, NY
    I too have the Dual 1Ghz MDD... and thankfully- the replacement was offered and made a huge difference...but I will admit- the noise is burned into me as well- as I have a hard time sleeping now with it off... got really used to the "white-noise" of the fans...

    Before the replacement it was really bad... consider the "hoover" sound you hear when you turn it on- to be constant...and worse if you ever had to boot into OS9 (it would be "stuck" on high gear when it was in OS9).

    I'm glad to see that Apple did the right thing by offering the replacement fans (at a huge loss to them, I'm sure)...but can't help but wonder why nobody in their testing dept found fault with it first. I can understand most problems get overlooked since they can't test everything before release- but I would have thought just one of thier workers would have had issue with the 747 coming out of this thing.

    Oh well- hopefully they've learned from this mistake...and will watch volume levels from future machines.
  6. MoparShaha macrumors 68000


    May 15, 2003
    San Francisco
    I have one of the newer FW800 dual 1.25 MDD's, and it's loud. These were the models that supposedly were reworked by Apple to be quieter. Now, it's not unbearably loud. I have heard some of the "wind tunnel" machines, and they make this unbearable humming sound. My machine is just loud. I used to try to leave it on at night, but it would invariably wake me up at 3 AM because I couldn't take it anymore. It's most noticable when it's shut down. The silence then is deafening ;). The thing's a beast though, so I don't mind :).
  7. Awimoway macrumors 65816


    Sep 13, 2002
    NW corner of California
    I have one of the first MDD's that appeared on the shelves (a DP 867). It has never had noise problems. I'm using the original power supply.

    And I have no idea why I was so lucky. I'm unlucky in everything else in life. Actually that's not true. I also have a G3 iBook and it's running fine with the original logic board.

    Nevermind. :D
  8. caveman_uk Guest


    Feb 17, 2003
    Hitchin, Herts, UK
    I've got an dual 1GHz DDR MDD with the PSU upgrade and although it's nowhere near silent it's much quieter than the athlon PC I had before it. The ambient temperature is around 20 centigrade (70F) so maybe that's why it doesn't bother me. When it got hot (well for the UK anyway) last summer the ambient was 35C (95F) and it was definitely a lot louder then.

    Then again if I want to hear REALLY loud...I burn a CD....

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