Quiet CPU and Case Cooling

[Daryll]

Yo,

Got an Antec Sonita case (Truepower 380w PSU) with a Stock P4 LGA775 Cooler on it (it's a 530/3.0Ghz CPU) and the 120mm Fan that came with the case on the back.

I have a wierd thing where I (for some reason) pick up high frequency and low pitched (like the humming of a hard-drive for example) quite easy and it's come to the point where it's doing my head in, most significantly the high pitched '****e' from the fans.

I've already got a fanless heatsink on my 9800 Pro so that's fine. However if I have the computer running and quickly stop the 120mm case fan and unplug the stock CPU cooler the difference is monumental to me. Also the air turbulance at the back of the computer can be quite annoying (as the 120mm seems to push out a fair bit of air.)

Therefore good people of ntsc-uk I ask you for suggestions on cooling products (from personal experience) as too what I should get. Obviously I understand I will never get totally silent, but I'd like it to be quite dullened compared to what it is now.

So far I've looked at a Zalman CNPS7700-Cu for the CPU cooler, I had the older model version on my old 2Ghz 478 Socket and it was very quiet (apart from the fact it had a rattle on the fan...bugger) and a SilenX 120mm 11db fan (both are from Kustompcs.)

I think this should cut it down, at a guess I'd say my case fan is at a db of about 25 comparing it to my old Zalman cooler which was rated at 15 on it's lower setting rpm.


Cheers gentlemen (and ladies)

p.s. no water-cooling please, don't trust the stuff personally and it's rather expensive

[VR46]

I bought this quietening matting last week, got rid of 80% of the fan noise, might help you also

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36200&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=4&doy=30m3

[superkully]

Change/oil the case fan, I've the same case as yours and it only makes a very slight rustling noise. It also shouldn't be causing a huge amount of turbulence if you've got it plugged in right and the PSU is controlling its speed - unless the inside of your PC is a furnace that is.

Then go for the Zalman or a Thermalright with a nice big fan on top. This is what made the most difference for me and with a good fan it will make a big difference in your situatation.

Next your HDD, I've got a Samsung Spinpoint which is much quieter than my Maxtor or Seagate drives - those two both make high-pitched noises which do grate after a time. Put rubber washers between the HDD and it mounts or even consider putting it in an enclosure.

Antec make a acoustic absorbtion pack for the Sonata, it's just bits of pre-cut foam, try that.

[Hohum]

I've got a Samsung Spinpoint which is much quieter than my Maxtor or Seagate drives

Unless they're old versions, they shouldn't be doing that really. I have a Seagate drive and it's almost completely silent, no high-pitched whine at all. However, my old 40gb drive (also a Seagate) suddenly developed the noise you mention, which is why I replaced it. Methinks it's something to do with the drive bearings wearing out...

[Daryll]

Cheers fellas

Decided to get a Thermalright XP-120 and stick a SilenX 120mm fan on it, apparently it's about 4db quieter than the Zalman CNPS7700-heatsink (and a whole load lighter.)

Just got to find a place that actually has a Thermalright XP-120 now apart from newegg.com which wanted too charge me $55 shipping to get it from the states lol

[Freddo]

http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

Definitly worth investigating, capable of controlling fan behavior in response to temperatures, I use it on my watercooled rig to spin my fans right down at idle, which makes using the computer a pleasure

(need your fans on 3pin headers though)

[Freddo]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Thermalright_120.html

not the best place to buy computer stuff, just the only place that even vaguely stocks thermalright stuff (which always seems to be in short supply for some reason)

[Daryll]

Found a xp-120 and adapter..now, Nexus or SilenX fans? SilenX fans are rated at 14db but I've read that it's lies in certain places and apparently lab tests show that the Nexus are quieter...nothing can be simple can it?

[Iron Z]

Just go with SilenX...they are bloody incredible.

you have to get them shipped from norway as the UK supplie in Glasgow just keeps saying yeah..in 2 weeks....yeah...another 2 weeks...(Basically he cant be bothered and is a bit Scottish)

[Valken]

I have this sort of problem with with my videocard fan... I've been caning WoW for hours at a time lately and a lot of dust's getting stuck in the grille covering it's cooler and in the enclosed fan area of the card.

The result was that you'd hear this high pitched whine kinda like doing vacuming and the suction gets blocked for second.

Basically I've ended up having to clean it out weekly now which is a ****ing pain in the arse esp since I keep the room pretty clean.

Erm... my point is that maybe a good cleaning is needed since if dust is in the fans you'll have a sim problem to me.

Incidentally I have the same case... thought it was great at first but now I'm not so sure...

[Taurine]

I've got an Antec Sonata too, and I've found it to be a very quiet case, but like you I want it quieter. So I bought this pre-cut accoustic material kit, specific to the case:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Antec_Accessories.html

plus some cable organising bits to further reduce vibration and improve airflow:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatal..._sleeving.html (the top item on that page)

But the big question is, does it work? I don't know, I've had this stuff for 3 months and I just can't find the time to fit it I did fit the accoustic foam piece that goes inside the case's front door, and it does noticably reduce the noise when a DVD spins up, but that's all I can say, sorry.