Review of the Spondoolies-Tech SP10 „Dawson“ Bitcoin miner (1.4 TH/s)

[ShadesOfMarble]

I've been selected as a reviewer by Spondoolies-Tech for the SP10 miner.

Here is a link to their official thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=521520.0
And the website: http://www.spondoolies-tech.com/

I received the unit today and as I was not prepared for that I will not be able to give a full review right away, so I will start with some impressions first

(Link to full gallery: http://imgur.com/a/kASCu#0 - Pictures are from my unit)



Note the text on the fans - "Xtreme" - that's exactly what they are. Make no mistake, this unit is loud. It's louder than my hairdryer. It offers multiple performance modes which also has an effect on the loudness. "Quiet" mode is about as loud as my hairdryer

I guess there is no doubt that Spondoolies-Tech is a legit a company, as they already have delivered regular orders. (I guess my sample unit is from April batch.)

I've been running a 3 TH/s mining operation using BitFury hardware, which was very cumbersome to setup. The SP10 is incredible easy to setup - plugin power and LAN, have a look at your DHCP server or run a network scanner (I used http://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/ ), navigate to that address using a webbrowser - done.

The hardware by Spondoolies-Tech is not for hobby mining, that's for sure. Their hardware is a professional as it can get [which also manifests in things like the loudness ]


To be continued... (I will also happily answer any questions you may have.)

[1713578591]

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[ShadesOfMarble]

Initial post:

The SP10 offers the following modes of operation (first three columns taken from the webinterface, last column added by me):

Code:

1.00Th / ~720W  / ~quiet	/ 1,39 GH/s/W
1.35Th / ~1100W / ~quiet	/ 1,23 GH/s/W
1.43Th / ~1350W / normal	/ 1,06 GH/s/W
1.47Th / ~1370W / turbo fans	/ 1,07 GH/s/W

As you can see, the slowest (or "underclocked") mode is most efficient, whereas the two fastest modes offer about 20% less performance per Watt.

Update 24.04.14:

Code:

 Mode (Web UI)                                   | Performance | In/Out Temp   | Power (Wall)
------------------------------------------------+-------------+---------------+---------------
Idle                                            |    0 Gh/s   | N/A           |        35 W
1.00Th / ~720W  / ~quiet     / 1,39 GH/s/W      |  1139 Gh/s  | 29 °C / 67 °C |  780- 820 W
1.35Th / ~1100W / ~quiet     / 1,23 GH/s/W      |  1341 Gh/s  | 29 °C / 82 °C |	1150-1200 W
1.43Th / ~1350W / normal     / 1,06 GH/s/W      |  1412 Gh/s  | 29 °C / 79 °C | 1340-1380 W
1.47Th / ~1370W / turbo fans / 1,07 GH/s/W      |  1456 Gh/s  | 29 °C / 76 °C |	1380 W
------------------------------------------------+-------------+---------------+---------------

The power measurements were done on a 230 V circuit. The numbers for every mode except "turbo" and "idle" fluctuated, so I included the lowest and highest reading. The "average" power draw is somewhere in between. In normal mode, the unit hits the advertised 1.4 TH/s exactly. "Turbo" mode does not give much more performance (about 3,1%), but decreases the temperature by 3°C. The lowest performance mode also gives the lowest temperature, whereas the other quiet mode gives the highest temperature  (3°C more than "normal") and a 5% reduction in performance compared to the standard mode.

So, as the "quiet" mode does not deserve its name (I would rather call the mode "efficient", as that is what is is - more energy-efficient than standard/turbo) - my recommendation is to either run this unit using the (slowest) 1Th-setting, which will give the best performance per Watt and also a low temperature. Otherwise, one should choose "turbo" mode over "normal" mode because you get both a lower temperature and a bit better performance at only marginal increased power consumption.

Update 26.04.14:

More pictures: http://imgur.com/a/afpMF#0

[Bicknellski]

So I take it is loud. LOL.

Waiting for a more detailed review of the unit.

Do you think there is anyway beside firmware to baffle the sound?

[jelin1984]

why simple put better quality fan

[ShadesOfMarble]

So I take it is loud. LOL.

After reading through the comments other people, who received their units earlier, have made, I was expecting something, but my expectations were greatly exceeded

why simple put better quality fan

Well, this is a 1U device, and power consumption is above 1 kW. Looking at the webinterface, there is a temperature reading:

Temp Front / Back
28 °C / 82 °C

I have not opened the unit yet (will do that, but there are already pictures of an open SP10), but I guess the thermal management is well-engineered. So I don't see any way to make this unit more quiet, at least not using air cooling. You have to dissipate the heat somehow. The problem isn't that the fans are of bad quality, but that they are spinning at (estimated) 4000-6000 rpm. Even if the fans had loud/bad bearing, air movement will always be magnitudes louder at this level. Even if Spondoolies-Tech manage to build in a better (read: more quiet) fan management, this unit will never be "quiet".

[Zelek Uther]

So I take it is loud. LOL.

After reading through the comments other people, who received their units earlier, have made, I was expecting something, but my expectations were greatly exceeded

why simple put better quality fan

Well, this is a 1U device, and power consumption is above 1 kW. Looking at the webinterface, there is a temperature reading:

Temp Front / Back
28 °C / 82 °C

I have not opened the unit yet (will do that, but there are already pictures of an open SP10), but I guess the thermal management is well-engineered. So I don't see any way to make this unit more quiet, at least not using air cooling. You have to dissipate the heat somehow. The problem isn't that the fans are of bad quality, but that they are spinning at (estimated) 4000-6000 rpm. Even if the fans had loud/bad bearing, air movement will always be magnitudes louder at this level. Even if Spondoolies-Tech manage to build in a better (read: more quiet) fan management, this unit will never be "quiet".

Exactly.  Small fans are required for the 1.25U form factor.  Basically this is a server-grade machine, and sounds like it.  It's meant for racks, server rooms, and data centres where noise is expected and not an issue.  Regular servers are loud too.

If you want to run this at home, buy a quiet rack cabinet, e.g. http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/ucoustic_active.asp
You can even get them in wood, they look like a nice piece of office furniture: http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/ucoustic_wood.asp

[bitcoiner23]

If you ever visited a real data center, you know these fans. The dB don't matter there. And that's wat this Unit is designed for: 1.25 U rack mountable for a datacenter rack.

Thanks for your review. Makes the SP30 Group buy decision even harder

[dogie]

I STILL HAVE A UNIT IN MY LIVING ROOM, YOU GET USED TO THE NOISE LEVELS AFTER A WHILE.

[TheRealSteve]

I STILL HAVE A UNIT IN MY LIVING ROOM, YOU GET USED TO THE NOISE LEVELS AFTER A WHILE.

WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY? SPEAK UP!

[Lassi]

I STILL HAVE A UNIT IN MY LIVING ROOM, YOU GET USED TO THE NOISE LEVELS AFTER A WHILE.

It is sooooo loud it affects his typing! 

[TheRealSteve]

Seriously, though, I'd still see if a cross flow fan setup would work.

[ShadesOfMarble]

Seriously, though, I'd still see if a cross flow fan setup would work.

How would that look like? Currently, cool air is sucked in at the front and blown out of the case at the back by a battery of fans (see http://imgur.com/a/kASCu#2 ). So the air is moving in a "straight line", I really don't believe it does get any more efficient than that. Also, the PSU adds some noise. Having such a small form factor  (it's really small considering it delivers up to 1.4 TH/s) just limits what you can do in terms of cooling.

[TheRealSteve]

How would that look like? Currently, cool air is sucked in at the front and blown out of the case at the back by a battery of fans (see http://imgur.com/a/kASCu#2 ). So the air is moving in a "straight line", I really don't believe it does get any more efficient than that. Also, the PSU adds some noise. Having such a small form factor  (it's really small considering it delivers up to 1.4 TH/s) just limits what you can do in terms of cooling.

The air can only move in a 'straight' (a CFD simulation would be fun to watch) line because the case is pretty much closed except at the two ends   But in terms of what it would look like - pretty much exactly what it sounds like, replace the axial fans with a cross flow fan.  Normally I'd be concerned about space, but given this shot (finally - thanks, Dogie!), I'd say the space for one is definitely there: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/13540240174_de9005ae25_z.jpg .  The main concern I'd have is whether the displacement (velocity and volume) made up for by less dead space is enough to make up for the loss of displacement from generally being less efficient.  Note that this is just wrt noise - obviously these devices are not meant to be put in bedrooms in the first place and sacrificing silence for performance is the norm

[gamersglory]

Bet i could find a way to quiet it down. I have a fuw idea's

[ShadesOfMarble]

I have a fuw idea's

Care to share?

[gamersglory]

I have a fuw idea's

Care to share?

http://www.akasa.com.tw/update.php?tpl=product/product.detail.tpl&no=181&type=Accessories&type_sub=Acoustic%20Silence%20Kits&model=AK-PAX-2

http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/acoustipack.asp

just a few

[ShadesOfMarble]

This is not going to reduce the loudness by a single dB, sadly.

[ShadesOfMarble]

Hey guys, it would be nice if you could keep this all time favourite discussion "mining vs. buying BTC" out of this thread
I would like to have this thread dedicated to my SP10 review and questions regarding this unit/review.
(I'm not saying either option is better. Everyone has to do due diligence. Then, buy mining gear or buy BTC or buy nothing.)

[JWU42]

Thanks for the review -- looking forward to more.

Could we get a video of the fan noise.  Start video, turn unit own, struggle to hear you talk over noise 

Dogie wins the price for keeping it in the living room -- diehard miner! 

[Igluenza]

Liquid submersion cooling is the next step:

http://www.grcooling.com/