Anybody built a fanless system?

[JPS]

I recently moved and my computer is really too noisy to record in the same room. I use to have my computer in the next room which was great, but I don't want to do the "next room" thing this time. I just want to quiet down my computer, which is a 2800 P4 with an Asus MB.

I am thinking about a fanless powersupply and a fanless heat sink for the CPU. Anybody doing this?

[albee1952]

Just my 2 cents here as I am not going fanless. There are several quiet cpu coolers out there(Zalmann, Arctic) as well as water cooleing setups. The power supplies that use the large fans that fill the entire top(bottom) panel can run much quieter than the small rear-mounted fans. Some have both and you can disconnect the smaller(noisier) fan. My computer sits in a rack close by and I record vocals 6 feet away without noise issues. If you do go fanless, let us know how it works and what you bought as I am interested.

[The Weed]

Try one of these or one of these.

Cheers,

[JPS]

Well, I just beginning to look more closely at the sound issues. I found that there are fanless PSUs, and here is an interesting fanless PSU .

I also realize that quiet is not always fanless. It appears that the recent rage is the Noctua fans. Silent PC Review tested 6 120mm fans and the Noctua came out on top.

I am also looking at a heatpipe cooler for my cpu. But it seems that even the fanless componets often rely on some other componet's fan to keep air moving.

I am hoping to get info from other DUCer who have already fought this battle.

I am leaning toward a fanless CPU cooler, with a fanless PSU, and one 120mm Noctua case fan to keep the air moving for the other fanless items. Anyway, I'm going to do something pretty soon. I got use to using my computer in complete silence when it was located in the next room. So, now these fans are annoying me whenever I use the computer. Just want to quiet things down... a lot!!!

[sunburst79]

My expirance with quieting things down goes like this. I put a water cooler on my P4 and even using several low RPM case cans without the "Propwash" of air from the CPU fan the AGP slot died due to the nortbridge getting over heated.

You can buld something VERY quiet but I wouldnt recomnd fanlesss as much as quiet components.

Some good stuff.

The Noctua 120 Fans, I got some coming next week to test, I have Nexus 120 Fans, Nexus 80mm fans and they are excellant. The Noctua are supposed to move more air for a given RPM so i'll try 'm

The Corsair PSUs listed at SPCR. I can tell its on but I can't actually "Hear" the fan. Having a fan in the PSU helps vent the case.....

Nexus Drive- a Way HHD silencers work well and much to my suprise did not seem to run ant hotter than the bare HDD.

The Thermalright Ultra 120-the current king off cooling by a big margin-You may actually be able to run this passively depending on your case. airflow and proximity to fans

Build a system with a Ultra 120 and a couple of Noctua fans (case and CPU) a Corsair 520w and you have just maximised the quietness with a fair amount of air flow.

You cannot let the air "stall" in your computer you need fans to keep other components cool, north bridges, voltage regulators and the like. you may not acheive silence but you can get darn near inaudible with no major cooling penaltys.

Also the north and southbridges in newer computers do a lot more and run WAY hotter than in the past. The motherboards heatsinks should actually be one of your major criteria in picking out a MoBo for your new DAW.

[JPS]

Sunburst,

Thanks for the good info. It would be nice to know what you think of the Noctua fans. I have read that some people say they are dead silent. I would be very happy with "barely audible." I'm hoping to just do the "one big super-quiet fan" thing and use other fanless items. I figure if the PSU has the heatsink outside the case you are a lot further along in removing heat and will end with a final quieter solution.

So, is your computer in your recording space and are you happy with the sonic characteristics (noise)?

[sunburst79]

Well the Noctuas are supposed to be as quiet or quieter than the Nexus's and move more air. We will see

Truthfully everything that I have bough that was a winner of Silent PC reviews accoocldes has been pretty darn quiet.

I LOVE the Corsair 520w PSU

I am somewhat less thrilled with my Zalman CPNS 9700 I can hear a little bearing noise. Its not bad but I will probably try the ThermalRight Ultra 120 at some point with a Noctua.

Where are you at in the Buckeye?

[JPS]

Where are you at in the Buckeye?

Northwest Ohio, near Lima. I moved here from San Francisco and started a business.

Concerning my noisy computer,I've evaluated my Lian Li home-build system and I have 6 older fans that are not so quiet. 2 input fans in the front, I exaust in the back, one exaust in the top, one CPU fan and one PSU fan.

I think I can take this system down to one Noctua 120mm fan and cool the whole system efficiently and quietly. Since my Lian Li case is an older one, there is no room to put a 120mm fan in the rear, but I can put one in the top. I am leaning towards the Thermalright Ultra 120 and use the single Noctua top-mounted fan to draw air passively across the cooler and to keep air moving out of the case. Then I can pick up a passive PSU, and remove the other intake and exhaust fans. That should make an exceptionally quiet system. If it is still a little too toasty, then I would just add a second Noctua fan someplace to double the air movement.

I figure it will take a week to get the stuff in and make the changes. I'll let you know how it goes.

[bladesg]

Sunburst is right about the Corsair HX520.

I ca also vouch for the Noctua NH-U12F, it is virtually silent at full speed without the fan speed controller and it does an waesome job of coolin the CPU even with a 30%+ overclock.

Scythe and Coolink also make low rpm 120mm fans that'll go nicely with a Thermalright U120 Extreme or a Noctua NH-U12

[sunburst79]

Northwest Ohio, near Lima. I moved here from San Francisco and started a business.

Concerning my noisy computer,I've evaluated my Lian Li home-build system and I have 6 older fans that are not so quiet. 2 input fans in the front, I exaust in the back, one exaust in the top, one CPU fan and one PSU fan.

I think I can take this system down to one Noctua 120mm fan and cool the whole system efficiently and quietly. Since my Lian Li case is an older one, there is no room to put a 120mm fan in the rear, but I can put one in the top. I am leaning towards the Thermalright Ultra 120 and use the single Noctua top-mounted fan to draw air passively across the cooler and to keep air moving out of the case. Then I can pick up a passive PSU, and remove the other intake and exhaust fans. That should make an exceptionally quiet system. If it is still a little too toasty, then I would just add a second Noctua fan someplace to double the air movement.

I figure it will take a week to get the stuff in and make the changes. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sounds like the old PC7 type Lian Li. you might try 2 Nexus 80mm in front turning slow, a 120mm Noctua in the top mounted "Blowhole" You should be able to add a Noctua directly to the Ultra 120 using a clip. I also have a Lain Li VC1000 and adding some type of noise damping to the aluminun side panels is going to help.

Before I cut a hole in the case I would try the Ultra120 with a Noctua on it.

Simply replacing the 4 case fans with newer quiet fans might do the trick. You have lots of options

If you were closer the the land of Cleve's I would stay stop in and check out the PSU. Blade knows if you have a top mounted PSU I would definately consider one of these. I will post back on the Noctuas next weekend.