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Addtronics 6896-120-90 (ET6896A) Addtronics calls this case size a "fulltower", but it might be best to consider it a 'taller' midtower made for floor installation. Its design is identical to the 7896 with the exception of three less 5.25 bays, no APS fan, and no DRPS option. The versions and variants are identical to the 7896 cases. It has the full-sized bottom end of the 7896, an identical intake system, and one the one-less possible fan mount in the back. If you build lightly-resourced systems and want an excellent case for an on-the-floor setup, this case has the best ergonomics. The same comments about performance potential apply here, with the following caveat: SIZE: 20.3" actual case height, 8.5" wide x 17.7" deep.; Height overall on standard casters is about 22.5" and on luxury casters, about 23.5" with a width of 14" at maximum swivel. DRIVES - exposed: one - 3.5; three - 5.25; hidden: two - 3.5 standard, one 5.25, and room for another 2 or 3 on a second HD hanger. FANS MOUNTS - lower front: one 120x25 fan mounted in LCH/fan cage, one 80 cage at HD hanger. 5.25 drive column: one 80 mm. fan cage on each side. Backboard: on the 6896-80, 60mm; on 6896-120, 60 or 90 mm. direct mtg. on both. CPU fan bracket: one 80 mm. direct mount. In other words, a total of seven mounts on the 6896-80, and six on the 6896-120. The 6896-80 will probably be the quietest roomy case you can use when you equip it with Panaflo L1A fans. This version and and setup is the one I recommend for musicians. The 6896-80 and the 6896-120-60 were shipped to me with NO cpu fan bracket fan, and the 6896-120-90 comes with one. MODIFICATIONS Modifications make it possible to set up a 6896 as a well-cooled but extremely quiet system on up to a real hotrod. As you might suspect, the list of mods is virtually identical to the 7896 list. Modifications that are good payoffs initially include direct mounting (with or without punching) and using grommets. A VERY good modification to include is to punch out the HD 80 lower front intake fan with a 90 or 120 punch and install a 90 or the JMC 120. That will noticably increase the airflow in the lower section as well as increase cooling capability. 1. Lower Front Panaflo 120 Fan installation: To install a P120 in the lower front the factory LCH/Fan Cage has to be abandoned, mounting holes have to be drilled, and a 120 Fan Guard installed. In the last catalog I specified a 'basic' upgrade that consisted of drill mounts only (no punches) for the LF120 and HD80. However, that expense really didn't have as good payback as it could have, since drilling mounting holes is $5.00 but punching and drilling mounting holes is $10.00. In other words, for $10.00 more and the fan price changes, one could have holes punched as well. Further, the 80 drill mount at the HD fan cage doesn't work very well--there are simply too many holes for the Addtronics fan cage there to drill 80 holes neatly. The current 'drill only' mod for the HD80 is to drill mtg. holes for a 90--the factory 80 grill is a bit small but it still works ok. 2. HD80 fan upgrade: This fan mount can be upgraded to a 90 or a 120, and we have even sorted out a dual-80 upgrade here for multiple HD installations---punch out the factory grill, drill mtg. holes and install grommets, and install the fans complete with finger guard. Cost varies by fan size and model. 3. Grommet installation: all needed mounts--the lower front (LF) 120, LF HD80, above-PS (APS) 80 on the 7896, and the backboard (BBd) 60 or 90--$3.00 ea, $12.00 total. 4. Punch all three factory chassis grills: drill mounting holes as needed. 5. Remove 5.25 drive column fan cages and drill 90 mounts: This modification does away with the fan cages, thus eliminating one of four 'layers' of obstruction for good airflow. Generally recommended as a way to cool the 5.25 devices or to set up the case well for positive pressure. Grommets are no longer offered here, but metal mesh filters are. Note that the MMFs will make the door bulge slightly--it still latches, and IMHO is not sufficiently noticable to ignore the benefits of a filter on another intake fan. 6. Cut out the vent in the floor in the Upper Back 5.25 HD mount and install a TT-900 there. The TT-900 is an exhaust-only dual 90 fan package in a 5.25 form factor box; it has an exhaust grill on the front, and twin 90 intakes on the bottom. Here's a link to a review of it: The use of a TT-900 in that upper back 5.25 HD mount is the key to making these cases into a high-powered hotrod--with its nominal 70+ cfm exhausting, one can go to high-output fans in the lower front and/or on the drive column and still have balanced airflow and/or positive pressure. About 260 cfm is possible using only low-noise fans! 7. Install HD extensions on the 2HD hanger for internal expansion in the lower section. This is a second approach to HD expansion that gets around the use of the back HD hanger for more HDs. These extensions are about to be prototyped, and will be available in the near future--you will be able to install up to FIVE HDs in that lower front hanger. 8. Punch blowholes, intake or exhaust, in the left side or top. As you may know, we don't recommend these, but they do look just as sexy as dice on the rearview mirror or raccoon tails on the antenna. We'll do them if you want them, but only after I argue with you about it. 9. Windows - coming soon! |
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