A Closer Look - Inside

To gain access to the chassis, simply remove the hex screws with the supplied tool and pull off the entire cover. I was a bit surprised to see such a simple layout inside a high-end HTPC case. The case is essentially empty as the drive "bays" are formed by a metal plate stretched across the front area of the chassis.


By taking off this plate you can get a clear view of everything. There are three PCBs embedded into the front. The afore mentioned Soundgraph controls, the VFD and the PCB of the card reader - which is the exact same one you will find in the DH series of HTPC cases from Thermaltake.


Turning the case around, we have the four expansion bays, individually covered by metal guards which also allow air to enter or exit the chassis. The 120 mm fan features a black Molex connector. It would have been nice and to some degree expected to have a mainboard header with a possible adapter to use with Molex, but Thermaltake has decided to only allow you to run it at full speed - increasing the overall noise of the system. The PSU bay is nothing out of the ordinary, but allows you to place the power supply so that the 120/140 mm fan either faces the CPU or the case wall. I would suggest the former, as this creates a beneficial air flow for the CPU and allows for unrestricted air flow to the PSU.


Before diving into assembly, let us take a quick look at the cables. These are nothing out of the ordinary and being a Soundgraph exquipped chassis, you also get the set of ATX power, USB and power lead cables which we have seen numerous times in the past.