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Rack Fan

Middle Atlantic 1U Rack Fan Panel (Quiet)

The Middle Atlantic QFP-1 is a quiet 1U fan panel designed for audio racks where fan noise could be picked up by nearby microphones. The four fans with adjustable speed control let you balance cooling performance against noise level, and the quiet design makes it suitable even for stage-side rack positions. Active cooling is recommended for racks with dense equipment like multiple wireless receivers, computers, and digital mixers.

Compare
QFP-1
Documented outputs
00 destination connections
Documented inputs
1Based on documented inputs
Rack space
1UBuilder checks available rail space
Power draw
20W25W documented maximum
Catalog estimate
~$89Use retailer rows for current price and stock

01 · What it does—and what that changes in your rig.

Product overview

Start with the payoff, then work through how it functions, where it fits, and the details that change a real build.

The payoff

Rack Fan decisions, organized around the whole rig.

Heat is the quiet enemy of a dense rack, and the QFP-1 is Middle Atlantic's answer for stage-side positions where you can't just throw a loud blower at the problem. It fits a single rack unit, pulls its own IEC power directly, and moves air across four fans that you can dial back when silence matters more than maximum airflow. It's not a glamorous purchase, but a wireless rack packed with six or eight receivers, a distribution amp, and a laptop-based playback rig generates real heat — and thermal throttling or unexpected shutdowns mid-show are far worse than spending $89 in advance.

Documented outputs
00 destination connections
Documented inputs
1Based on documented inputs
Rack space
1UBuilder checks available rail space
QFP-1
Middle Atlantic product panel1U · 20W
Function

How it works in the path

The 20-watt nominal draw is low enough that it won't stress any reasonable power conditioner, and the 40mm depth means it won't fight you in a shallow road case. The adjustable speed control is the practical headline here: during soundcheck you can run it faster to bring temperatures down quickly, then back it off before doors when the room gets quiet and stage bleed matters. At 1kg it's not adding meaningful weight to a fly rig. The IEC input is straightforward — patch it into a spare outlet on your power conditioner and it's done.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the rack

The QFP-1 earns its place in any IEM or playback rack that runs hot and lives within mic range — think stage-left or stage-right positions where open condensers or choir mics are in the same zone. If your rack lives at FOH in a full enclosure and noise is irrelevant, a cheaper high-volume fan panel will move more air for less money. If you're in a fly rig where rack space is at an absolute premium, audit your thermals first — you may not need active cooling at all. But if you've ever had a wireless receiver drop out in the second act because the rack turned into an oven, this is the fix.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

  • Mount it above the densest heat-producing gear — wireless receivers, computers, and power supplies — so it's pulling hot air away from the equipment that needs it most.
  • Run the fan speed up during load-in and line check, then trim it down to the lowest setting that keeps temperatures stable before the audience is in the room; check your receiver RF and audio meters for any noise correlation as you adjust.
  • Plug it into a switched outlet on your power conditioner so it powers on with the rest of the rack automatically — one less thing to remember at show time.
  • In a shallow tour case with minimal rear clearance, confirm there's at least a small gap behind the rack for exhaust; 40mm of fan panel depth is nothing if the case lid is sealed tight against the back of the gear.

02 · Know the whole path before you buy.

Signal path

Learn the route as a block diagram: source, product function, transport, and destination. Select any block to see what enters, what changes, and what leaves.

Interactive block diagramAuto-looping · hover, focus, or tap to hold a stage
Port-type signalProduct functionSystem boundary
Follow one signal from source to destination

Each block answers the same three questions: what arrives, what changes here, and what leaves.

01 · Source · selected
01 · Source

1 documented input

IEC C14

Arrives as
1 documented input
Connector
IEC C14
Signal
power

03 · What this product asks of the rest of the system.

Compatibility

Treat connector names as the start of the check—not the answer. These are the boundaries that determine a complete working path.

Best fit · Rack Fan

Use it when 1U and 40 mm of depth fit the case.

Plan the companion path

Complete the path with upstream and downstream gear that matches connector, direction, signal type, protocol, and wiring standard.

Connector boundary

Documented connectors: IEC C14. Match connector, direction, and signal type—not shape alone.

04 · Every connector, grouped by job.

I/O ports

Switch the product view and the documented port inventory updates with it—hardware and data stay side by side.

Every connector, grouped by job.

Switch panels to keep the hardware view and the documented port list in sync.

Front panel
QFP-1
Rear panel
Middle AtlanticQFP-1
All documented ports for Middle Atlantic 1U Rack Fan Panel (Quiet)
PortPanelConnectorDirectionSignalChannels
Power (IEC)rearIEC C14 inputpower—

Showing 1 of 1 documented physical ports.

05 · Compare the decision, not just the price.

Alternatives

The rows are organized around fit, power, I/O, and system role so a cheaper unit cannot hide a more expensive workflow.

Compare
78F ≈≈
AC INFINITYCloudplate T978F ≈≈
Fit📐 1U📐 1U📐 2U📐 2U
Power⚡ 20W⚡ 15W⚡ 40W⚡ 25W
Weight⚖️ 2.2 lb⚖️ 2.6 lb⚖️ 4.4 lb⚖️ 4.0 lb
I/O🔌 1🔌 1🔌 1🔌 1
Estimate💵 ~$89💵 ~$69💵 ~$149💵 ~$99
Deep diveCurrent selectionFull comparison →Full comparison →Full comparison →

06 · Resolve the questions that can change the purchase or build plan.

Planning questions

Short, source-backed answers surface rack fit, power, cabling, and connection details before they become surprises.

How will the Middle Atlantic 1U Rack Fan Panel (Quiet) affect rack fit and case depth?

It occupies 1U. Its documented depth is 40 mm.

How much power does the Middle Atlantic 1U Rack Fan Panel (Quiet) draw?

Typical draw is 20W and documented maximum draw is 25W.

What connections does the Middle Atlantic 1U Rack Fan Panel (Quiet) have?

1 documented physical ports, including Power (IEC).

07 · See this unit inside a real rack plan.

Builder preview

Placement is only the start. Builder checks space · depth · weight, power headroom, dependencies, and compatible signal paths around this exact catalog item.Open in Builder
1U Rack Fan Panel (Quiet) positioned in a rack planA simplified plan shows the unit taking 1 rack units, with its documented connection path continuing to a planned destination.Middle AtlanticQFP-1CONNECTED GEARnext signal destination1U · 40 mm deep

08 · Related gear, in the order you may need it.

78F ≈≈

Rack Fan

AC Infinity CLOUDPLATE T7 Rack Fan

1U · 1 ports · ~$69

Rack Fan

Middle Atlantic 2U Rack Fan Panel

2U · 1 ports · ~$149
AC INFINITYCloudplate T978F ≈≈

Rack Fan

AC Infinity CLOUDPLATE T9 Rack Fan

2U · 1 ports · ~$99

Planning guides for rack fan systems.

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