As a final proof of the superiority of the drive mounting system in the P180, the two systems were reverted to their original configurations, and measurements were made with the WD Raptor hard drive under heavy use. A large file copy was set up to ensure that the seek noise remained fairly constant while measurement was taking place. The 10 dBA/1m difference between the two systems is quite telling, but the most dramatic difference can be heard in the MP3 recordings of the seek noise.
In the P180, seeks sound much as they do in free air: They are short and sharp, although the composite panels of the P180 manage to take some of the bite out of their attack. On the other hand, the SLK3000B does nothing for the quality of the seek noise: The whole case is shaken with vibration and resonance when the drive is put to work.
