I can't hear you... too much noise :(

[Paddy]

I’ve been building a couple computers over the past few months and during that time, cannibalising parts for my new rig. This particular machine will be used for high performance gaming and multimedia.
The problem with my existing setup is that far too noisy. See sig for details.

The noise comes from two parts:
1) The $hit load of 80mm fans which are cooling the SCSI drives and reducing the ambient temp to below 32’C.
2) Horrible, whiney Coolermaster heat pipe HSF

I am going to offload the SCSI drives to a server as they require a fair bit of cooling. I will probably replace them with a 80GB+ Seagate Baracuda IV or another high performance, but quiet IDE drive. This should vastly reduce my need for fans.

I also purchased a Zalman Flower cooler but was not really impressed by either its performance or volume as I had to set the fan on normal rather than quiet. Even then my CPU temp stays at ~50’C.

What’s the point of this post??? I want to make a quiet computer. There is nothing worse that watching a DVD in Dolby Digital with a hurricane in the background.

Using the Asus Probe software, my CPU temp is always below the range for the alarm. What temperatures should I be aiming for? What is acceptable?

Water cooling looks pricey, but is it really the way to go? How portable is it? I would want to use it for LAN parties…

Any ideas on how I should proceed?

[CHHAS]

Replacing the SCSI drives with 'Cuda IV's is a really good step, getting a quiet CPU fan would be the next.

I'm using this one, but I'm not sure if it's up to the task of a XP 1800+, it keeps my Athlon 1200 nice and cool.

EDIT:

Just checked the thermal specs on AMD's web site
The XP 1800+ has a max power dissipation of 66W and a typical power dissapation of 59.2W
The 1200 Classic has a max power dissipation of 65.7W and a typical power dissapation of 58.9W
Almost identical.

[Nuno]

Hey, 50º C isn´t that bad, really, if you have no stability problems or if you don´t intend to do extreme overclocking.

Asus boards also are know to exagerate temperature readings quite a bit, maybe to keep it on the safe side.

Thermaltake Volcano7 with a adaptative speed 80 mm fan is maybe the best solution for silent decent cooling.

And I agree that a Seagate Barracuda IV is an excelent choice, very very quiet and fast.

[Bursar]

You could try running your fans at 7v instead of 12v. That would cut down a fair bit of noise, at a cost of slightly increased temps (but no more than a couple of degrees).

Other options include trying to tidy up the case as much as possible. By not having bundles of cables just hanging about, you should be able to improve the air flow quite considerably.

As mentioned, the temp sensors on most AMD based mobos are not particularly reliable. They can be out by quite a way (usually the probe registers a higher temp than the core actually reaches).

One test is to simply touch the heatsink and see how hot it is. If the heatsink is hot to the touch, then it isn't really capable of cooling your CPU properly.

If it is cool/warm, then there are two things to think about. The first is that the heatsink is performing fine, and there is no point changing it. The second is that maybe the heatsink isn't in contact with the core properly and so isn't doing its job as well as it should. If the heatsink has a rough base, it won't be connecting with the core properly. Get some wet and dry paper and sand it down so it is falt. Don't use the rubbishy TIM on the bottom of the heatsink. Remove it and get some Arctic Silver II or other quality thermal compound. You only need a thin layer. Using too much will actually cause your temps to increase.

Water cooling can be pricey, but it is ever so slowly starting to become more popular. This should drive down prices and increase the availability of the kit. I bought some water cooling stuff for around £150. This included the pump (bought from a UK based supplier), and the water block, rad and tubing (from DangerDen in the US).

Portability does take a hammering though. If you have a large case, and can fit everything inside, your machine should still be portable (but heavier). If you have a midi case, you might have problems fitting everything inside, so might need an external rad/res. This would obviously cause problems if you want to carry the machine around.

And then there's something like the Vapochill case. Pretty ugly to look at, and at £600, not cheap. But for near silent operation and a CPU temp of -5°c, you might the cost bearable

[Paddy]

Thanks for the reply

The fans are opperating at 7v and the case is as clutter free as i can get it (SCSI ribbons taped to the case etc...).

Thermaltake Volcano7 with a adaptative speed 80 mm fan is maybe the best solution for silent decent cooling.

Do you have any more info on this?

Bursar: As I am also based in the UK, could you tell me which supplier you used?

[Nuno]

Actually yes

http://www.dansdata.com/coolercomp.htm

More heatsinks&fans that you could ever dream of

Here´s a direct link for the V7 http://www.dansdata.com/coolercomp_p3.htm#ttv7

And here´s the cooler I´m using now

http://www.dansdata.com/coolercomp_p3.htm#5E34B3

Pretty average performance with stock fan, but silent. With a XP1600+@1540Mhz it does peak at 51-52ºC after 15 min full-load, but as I said I feel rather confortable with it. Anything over 55-60ºC full load I would start to worry. Anyway, if I need better cooling I will get a bigger fan, as it wents from 0.71°C/W to 0.60°C/W with a YS Tech screamer.
So that´s it, if you need extreme cooling you must take the noise from a big fan. There´s no way around it.

[Bursar]

Originally posted by Paddy [MU]
Bursar: As I am also based in the UK, could you tell me which supplier you used?

My pump (Eheim 1250) came from www.aquatics-online.co.uk

As I said, the actual block and rad came from DangerDen, but there is now a UK supplier of some of their kit. Take a look at www.tekheads.co.uk They have a selection of water cooling gear. Last time I checked, they only had the blocks with 3/8" fittings and not the 1/2" ones that I bought direct from DD. The 1/2" fitting will give you a much better flow rate through the block.

www.case-sensitive.co.uk are also due to be stocking water kit soon.

[Guru]

This is what I use to cool my cpu! http://www.dansdata.com/coolercomp_p3.htm#v77l


For a good case cleaning guide have a look here http://www.viperlair.com/articles/ha...tidyantec1.htm

[Sasq]

I keep dropping hints, gimme a few more weeks guys and i'll hopefully have something to help with the cooling/noise control

Dan

[Technoid]

Use a Thermalright SK6 and a quiet 21 CFM fan.

I used one on my AT 1333!

45~49 degrees celcius on full load!

but I have uppgraded to a thermaltake 31cfm fan and a shroud (?!?) and gotten it down to 40~42!

[RichL]

Re: I can't hear you... too much noise

Originally posted by Paddy [MU]
There is nothing worse that watching a DVD in Dolby Digital with a hurricane in the background.

Any ideas on how I should proceed?

Easy. Dont watch any DVDs on your PC apart from "Perfect Storm" or "Twister". Problem solved

Seriously though, look at where your case fans are mounted, and see how much obstruction they have to pull air through. The intake fan at the front is usually a culprit. Case makers seem to think pulling air through a lot of little holes is a good idea, never mind the unholy racket it creates thanks to turbulence.
If you can, cut the perforated section out entirely and leave it open - or fit a grill if you fear for your fingers.

The most noisy fan in my case is the 80mm YS-Tech intake fan which pulls through the manufacturers perforated intake port (I havent got around to modding it yet), and the identical YS-Tech at the exhaust port is practically silent thanks to better airflow.

[Paddy]

easy. Dont watch any DVDs on your PC apart from "Perfect Storm" or "Twister". Problem solved

LOL

If you can, cut the perforated section out entirely and leave it open - or fit a grill if you fear for your fingers.

I have a grill... I fear my toes, although it would save cutting mytoenails!

I have six 80mm un-obstructed fans running at 7v ambient temp is 27'C / CPU is 50'C idle! The computer is in a warm room...
My four SCSI drives run very hot as the case is too small to house them with adequate room for airflow

[Wombat]

You want a quiet system with all that gear? Forget it.

Give up. Get a cheap mini-tower, a highly-integrated MB, cheap Duron, sound card and maybe a DVD card. Use VNC or x to run the machine.