Options to reduce noise

Squid Vicious

Squid Vicious

Squid Vicious

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15 Feb 2015
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This isn't an area of the forums that I frequent often but I could really do with some recommendations on how to go about reducing noise with my system.

Ambient noise is approx 35 decibels (measured using smartphone app. calibrated in a quiet room - still not sure how accurate this is)

I'm using an Enthoo Primo with ASUS x99-E WS motherboard plus 5820 and MSI 980Ti.

For cooling I'm using Swiftech H240-X along with 5 Phanteks PH-F140SP supplied with the case.

Fans are configured as follows
One on the rear near top blowing air out
2 on the bottom and 2 on the front of the case pulling air in.




All fans are connected to the supplied phanteks fan controller which is in turn connected to the CPU_FAN connector on the mobo.

Temps are all good (CPU is 30C at idle and 50C on stress test) and gfx card 40C at idle.

I used to have Asus AI Suite which allowed me some control over the fans but had to uninstall as it made the system unstable (flakey asus software!)

Currently not using any fan profile - profiles under bios don't seem to make any difference - also noise doesn't appear to increase under load.

Speedfan is saying the CPU fan's doing around 1850rpm - still trying to work out if I can control with speedfan somehow...

Not overly impressed with bundled fan controller - may just be user error but regardless but I've just not had much luck getting the case fans under control - tried all sorts of different setting - tried connecting the controller to CPU_OPT.

Would be really keen on getting peoples thoughts on discrete fan controllers (aquaero or similar) and recommendations on some decent quiet case fans or other suggestions

Thanks,
SV
 
4 fans all sucking air in and one blowing out. Have you considered this may be a bit more than is required. Is this as well as the psu fan?

Is the radiator blowing straight out, or into the case?

If it were me, I'd try removing all fans sucking air in, and see if it makes any difference to the temps.
 
A simple solution to a simple problem it seems, after disabling the 4 fans sucking air-in there's a noticeable improvement - temps are a little higher at around 54C but noise has dropped to 30db.

The box isn't in direct sunlight - it's sheltered at all points of the day - think it's just my dodgy old camera that has overexposed the light coming through the side window.

Thanks,
SV
 
Thanks for the help chaps - it's nice improvement.

Going to investigate if I can get some more control over the fans on the H240X now - they're hooked upto onto a splitter with the pump - would be nice if I can control them independently of the pump/switch them to something quieter still.
 
I'm guessing the H240X fans are mounted in top to function as exhaust fans? If this is true you have fairly well balanced case airflow.

Phanteks PWM controlled variable voltage hub works well with 4-5 fans as long as the PWM connection is giving a decent range of PWM signal.

Many ASUS users are using AI Suite with few problems. I do know the automatic fan tuning function must be ran to get full PWM % range. After running the fan tuning function user can then setup custom curves.
 
As mentioned by Doyll the Phanteks hub works just fine provided it has a valid varying duty cycle PWM signal. If your CPU FAN header is in variable voltage mode it just wont work, not ever. If it is pushing out a working PWM signal then the hub works fine.

It takes a PWM signal and flips and smooths it to create a more or less steady DC voltage which it then supplies to the attached fans. It is capable of driving 4-5 fans down to 5v easily with a low enough PWM duty cycle. They certainly would not be running at 1850rpm and you'd notice a change in speed betwen 20% duty and 100% duty.
 
The phanteks hub is currently connected to CPU_OPT - however revisiting the manual I can see that only CPU_FAN and CHA_FAN1-4 support both DC and PWM modes.

I'll try reconnecting the hub to one of those and setting it to PWM in the BIOS.
 
Some more progress, now have control of the additional chassis fan via the hub on CHA_FAN3 and AIO on CPU_FAN - both are now working with custom profiles set in the BIOS and noise levels down another 5db to 25db with no major impact on temps.

Not getting a reading of the fan speed via CHA_FAN3 but I can see & hear the difference when I put the CPU under load.

Thanks again for the help!
 
Regarding the lack of feedback you may need to make sure one of the chassis fans sits in the right spot on the phanteks hub. Only one sends tach back to the motherboard. It should be called 1 or A or something.
 
Tealc said:
Regarding the lack of feedback you may need to make sure one of the chassis fans sits in the right spot on the phanteks hub. Only one sends tach back to the motherboard. It should be called 1 or A or something.
Click to expand...

One of the sockets on the hub is white, I'd seen mention elsewhere that was the primary socket so plugged into there an no joy - not the end of the world given it's still functioning well and a massive improvement to what I had setup originally.

One other query re the PH-F140SP - in the bios the min speed appears to be set @ 60% - I currently have them disabled and only start them when temps hit 45C going to max speed at 70C.
Is there any way to get a lower speed with these fans - is it a limitation of DC?

Whilst fiddling in the bios I set a mild overclock to 4GHz using the auto tuning feature - it now idles at 40C and peaks at 70C underload so works well with just the 1 exhaust fan + 2 fans on the H240X also set to exhaust with current profile.
 
Bios doesn't always allow a lower PWM duty cycle but you'd expect to be able to go lower than 60%. 20-30% should be possible but they don't usually let you do 0%. 20-30% should be down in the 5-6v region I'd expect. 60% more like 9v.
 
As I said before, Asus fan headers do not give less then 60% unless AI suite automatic fan tuning function is ran. I know it sounds crazy, but it is true.
 
That's is crazy. What a great way to make sure their bloatware is installed and running. Surely there must be a workaround.
 
There may be but I don't know what it is. Maybe SpeedFan will work. I haven't found any motherboard fan control software to be 'bloatware' .. as in they take up very little space and use very little processor/memory. Once fan curves are set most can be turned off.
 
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