Pc Noise !!

[atma]

i'm running a 1 ghz intel III processor, and the noise level is simply not acceptable. there's 3 fans running-the processor's, the power supply unit's and the chasis'. i've seen a couple different sites offering specialized fans for specialized applications like a musician might need, but i'm not sure what works and what would be a waste of cash.

for those of you with the faster speed PCs, how do you deal with the noise if you can't put the computer in a seperate room?

[everett_chris]

Go to www.tomshardware.com (http://www.tomshardware.com) and find the review they did on CPU coolers. One of the things they tested was noise level.

Look around at local electronics stores for other fans, quality of construction makes a big difference. See if they will let you run them, and pick the quitest one for the chassis.

***warning****

Do not open the power supply unless you really know what you are doing.

If you do, it is usually a pretty standard fan, and you can just drop in a replacement, as with the chassis fan. Another option is to drop a resister in, and slow the fans down, of course, this is at some expence of cooling ability.

Also, put some accousital absorbtion material on the inside of the case. A lot of the noise your hearing is probably the case resonating. ( the stick-on stuff they use in car audio works pretty well)

[Clay Stahlka]

Here is a point you'll want to make a note of. The loudness of the fan is most always not related to the fan motor, but rather to the volume of air the fan is moving. What you really are hearing is a high volume flow of air. If you get fans that are much more quiet, then you are most probably moving a lot less air. Of course, that's okay if your computer and other gear with fans are running cool. Check the temperatures. If they're running warm, then you must move and circulate more air. That means a noisier fan sound. Try isolating your computer, away from open mics, in an enclosure where the opening for air-flow is away from the mics. Dampen the enclosure with acoustical foam products, but do not block the air-flow. At the rear opening of the enclosure, create a baffle with foam so the noise is directed downward and place additional foam in that area. Remember, heat is the biggest enemy of electronic components, so make sure you give the air a place to come in and go out. You will find that in order to do this most effectively, you will end up using several fans along the way. But, with foam and the baffle that you built, noise will no longer be a problem. If you are not handy building your own, Raxxess distributes an isobox called IsoRaxx. It is not cheap, but does a better job than anything else on the market. -cs

[everett_chris]

Originally posted by Clay Stahlka
Here is a point you'll want to make a note of. The loudness of the fan is most always not related to the fan motor, but rather to the volume of air the fan is moving. What you really are hearing is a high volume flow of air. If you get fans that are much more quiet, then you are most probably moving a lot less air. Of course, that's okay if your computer and other gear with fans are running cool. Check the temperatures. If they're running warm, then you must move and circulate more air. That means a noisier fan sound.

ummm.......no. The amount of airflow through a fan is determined by RPM, fan diameter, and shape of the blade. The only noise a fan produces, related to actual airflow is what is generated from turbulance on the leading edges of the fan blades. A properly built fan, running at a predetermined RPM, can move a lot of air and be very quiet. Take a typical ceiling fan for instance. It's moving a lot more air that your computer fan, but runs very, very quietly. The interaction of the air on other components, (the fan cage, mostly), and noise from the fan bearings, are the other factors that generate noise.


Try isolating your computer, away from open mics, in an enclosure where the opening for air-flow is away from the mics. Dampen the enclosure with acoustical foam products, but do not block the air-flow. At the rear opening of the enclosure, create a baffle with foam so the noise is directed downward and place additional foam in that area. Remember, heat is the biggest enemy of electronic components, so make sure you give the air a place to come in and go out. You will find that in order to do this most effectively, you will end up using several fans along the way. But, with foam and the baffle that you built, noise will no longer be a problem. If you are not handy building your own, Raxxess distributes an isobox called IsoRaxx. It is not cheap, but does a better job than anything else on the market. -cs

This will certainly work, and work well. I have to move my computer frequently, and so that solution does not work for me. By carefully constructing my case, and carefully choosing components, I was able to make a whisper quiet system that runs cool. I don't record much stuff in the same room as my system, but when I do, I don't have any signifigant bleed.

One other hint. Avoid push-pull fan combinations. They don't help airflow much at all over a single fan, and will double your noise.

[lapshoe]

i'm running a 1 ghz intel III processor, and the noise level is simply not acceptable. there's 3 fans running-the processor's, the power supply unit's and the chasis'. i've seen a couple different sites offering specialized fans for specialized applications like a musician might need, but i'm not sure what works and what would be a waste of cash.

for those of you with the faster speed PCs, how do you deal with the noise if you can't put the computer in a seperate room?

Of course it will be noise because you install 3 fans in processor.
Now you can change with core2duo which not noise and calm.
Of course the speed will up.

[dpd]

Lots of info on building silent PCs around the net. One thing I'd add is that fans can be acoustically isolated from the PC case to greatly minimize the vibration from the fans. That can help and the gaskets and mounts are inexpensive. Don't forget to consider the CPU cooler. Plenty of low noise power supplies to choose from.

Take a look at the Noctua brand fans - they seem to be the current leader in quiet for a given amount of airflow.