Just got my Antec Sonata

[NervousNovice]

First of all, I have to admit that I'm dumb.

I've bought an Antec Sonata today. After I've unpacked it and took away the 2 screws at the back of the case. I had a hard time figuring out how to actually take away the side panel. It didn't slide out. It didn't pop out. I have no idea why there's no user manual to tell me how to take it out. After 5 mins of struggling, I figured out that there's a "handle" (the shape is too nice that it doesn't look like a handle) that I need to pull it in order to take away the side panel. Yeah!

Then I found that the user manual was inside the case. (How great!) They should have some instructions on how to take away the side panel for dumb people like me. It reminds me how essential those Logitech user manuals that teach you how to plug in a keyboard is. (They foresee the existence of dumb people) Anyways I read through the user manual and it said nothing about how to open it. (I guess that's why it's inside the case at first.)

I knew that the Sonata has room for a 120mm front case fan. Then I started searching for that "room". The user manual said there's an air filter at the front of the case. I found it. Common sense told me that the space to mount a fan should be close to it. I read the user manual and it didn't say where to put the front case fan. I stared at the case for 2 mins and suspected that it's inside the black plastic front bezel. Then I spent another 5 mins figuring out how to take it off. The user manual didn't say anything about that either. It had a mechanical drawing showing for each part aligns with the other. (OK?!)

After some hard work, I took off the front bezel and found that there's nothing there to hold a case fan. (!!!) So I put the front bezel back and searched again. After another 5 mins, I finally found that the "front" case fan is designed to be mounted behind the HDD rack. (There's only 4 holes on a pieces of metal. There were so many holes in the case. How should I know?)

Conclusion:

1. The user manual covers those cables connection more than anything and is not suitable for dumb people.
2. They should have an "inside" manual and an "outside" manual.
3. They should have a picture showing me where to mount the front case fan.
4. Besides those, I still like the case.

By the way, the case was sold for $139cdn and I said to the salesperson that I didn't want the PSU. He took it off and I saved $50. I thought it was a good deal. When I went back home, I checked that they sell the Antec 380W for $100. (LOL)

 

[Sid59]

wow. good luck =D

 

[mdcrab]

You can't be too dumb.

First, you're here at Anandtech.
Second, you bought an Antec, Sonata.

Antec makes nice pratical cases, that look nice, have good cooling and don't have any of the fancy glitzy stuff.

Just MHO.

Good luck and post any other problems you run into.
These forums are the best to get answers.

mdcrab

 

[cubanx]

Here's some Sonata idea's for you.

Here's a daylight internal shot of my Sonata.

Some Internal UV shots.

 

[Jester666]

don't know if you have firewire ports on your mobo, but the sonata labels on the wiring for the front firewire port is wrong see here for how to hook it up

 

[NervousNovice]

Thanks a lot guys.

By the way, do those UV cables glow by themselves? Or glow in dark?

 

[cubanx]

Originally posted by: NervousNovice
Thanks a lot guys.

By the way, do those UV cables glow by themselves? Or glow in dark?

They require UV lights to illuminate them. I use 4 cold cathrodes of varying sizes.

 

[johnz452]

Originally posted by: cubanx
Here's some Sonata idea's for you.

Here's a daylight internal shot of my Sonata.

Some Internal UV shots.

Where did you get the window side panel?

 

[Gravity]

I mounted my HD's in my sonata the revers of that photo. I like easy access to the cables.

 

[magratton]

Originally posted by: Jester666
don't know if you have firewire ports on your mobo, but the sonata labels on the wiring for the front firewire port is wrong see here for how to hook it up

Huh... that must be why I just watched sparks fly out of my PSU that came with the Sonata. Scared the sh!t outta me! :Q Thank goodness Newegg is sending me a new one. Excellent tip, thanks!

For anyone else reading this: if you have everything plugged in properly, just like the manual says, and hit the power button and get nothing, turn the switch off on the psu. The problem is likely this faulty wiring issue (unless you fried something which is what I had thought happened).

 

[AntecCSR]

The manual should be oustide the case. We've been pushing that for a while but sometimes the folks in the factory don't get it.

In the manual under Set up:

4. Remove the screws from the panel with the latch. Unlock the side panel,
swing the panel out, and remove it. Set the panel safely aside.
Note: Please don't try to use your fingernails to pry or lift the panel.

For the front fan I believe we've already made some clarifications in the next rev of the manual. I'll double check that though since it's not clear anywere in our current documentation.

AntecCSR

 

[Gravity]

Gee, an antec service rep here? Oh my, just another reason that Antec CAses are populating my workplace and home!

 

[NervousNovice]

Originally posted by: AntecCSR

For the front fan I believe we've already made some clarifications in the next rev of the manual. I'll double check that though since it's not clear anywere in our current documentation.

AntecCSR

My suggestion to Antec is to let some dummies setup the case and they will know what's missing in the user manual. Someone up there in a message told me about the FAQ link and the instruction on how to install a front mounted case fan was there. That's not good. If I'm building a new pc, how can I expect to go online to check those stuffs while my pc is only an empty case?

After all Antec service rep here indicates some good customer services.

 

[cubanx]

Originally posted by: johnz452

Originally posted by: cubanx
Here's some Sonata idea's for you.

Here's a daylight internal shot of my Sonata.

Some Internal UV shots.

Where did you get the window side panel?

I got it from Koolpcmods. I highly recommend them.

They have alot of design's and will custom etch one with your photo. I bought the 12"x12" size which is a very very tight fit becuase of the side panel handle. No room for a cutting error with that size.

 

[AntecCSR]

We try to get less experienced (computer building) people to read our manuals before going out. In this case we totally missed the bit about the fan placement. However we often run into deadlines that can force a manual out the door before it's had enough revisions.

The FAQ is designed to cover things we miss in the manuals and we try to include them in later revisions.

AntecRep

 

[WobbleWobble]

I popped open my front bezel as well thinking the fan would fit there :beer:

 

[magratton]

The Sonata case I just got from Newegg discussed all of the things at issue in this post (except of course for the wiring issue), including placement of the fan.

 

[Rellik]

Not wanting to upset the first poster, but that PSU that comes with the Sonata is a modded version of their Smart power 380. It is way more quiet then the one you can buy in stores and comes only with the Sonata, so maybe you can get it from the store where you "left it". It is really a decent PSU.

 

[GLeeM]

I want to install a second fan. What is the best fan to put in the front?

And the cheapest place to buy one?

I like my Sonata. Rubber hard drive mount, can't hear 10,000 RPM Raptor at all.

OT
Do memory cooling kits for DDR help much?

 

[mdcrab]

Do memory cooling kits for DDR help much?

Based upon what I have read, they do very little at all. Unless the memory comes with them, I would not bother installing them. I use too, until I read up on them. They look nice, but that is about all they do.

May actually not be good due to dead airspace around substrate.

mdcrab

 

[NervousNovice]

Originally posted by: Rellik
Not wanting to upset the first poster, but that PSU that comes with the Sonata is a modded version of their Smart power 380. It is way more quiet then the one you can buy in stores and comes only with the Sonata, so maybe you can get it from the store where you "left it". It is really a decent PSU.

Will it be more quiet than the Zalman 300W "B" model ?