Quiet cooling?

PGdude

PGdude

PGdude

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Joined
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London
So how does one really do this?

My case is an Antec 300 (not the quietest case but it's still nice). I'm tempted to get 2 more Xilence Red Wings on offer from OcUK this week for the back and side, and also a quiet 140mm fan for the top (Don't know what, though).

I guess with all those fans, for it to be quiet in normal (non gaming) use, I would need a fan controller? I know nothing about them. Literally zilch. What is meant to be a... "cool" fan controller? :p

I'm also not sure about LCD screens on fan controllers. I worry that they may not last as well as "rugged" knobs. :eek:

I spot these 3, I like the look of them and the reviews seem nice.

Lamptron
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BB-000-LP&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=189

Zalman
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BB-001-ZA&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=189

Akasa
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BB-007-AK&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=189

Am I looking at the right things?

I guess what I'm asking is how do I make things cool but quiet. I have an old Tuniq Tower in there and it does get loud when I put the fan up in it. I'll replace that, would air cooling with a large HSF be the best bet for some reasonable quiet cooling? Again I know nothing of the current products but at least there are lots of established reviews for things like that.
 
I would leave the stock 140mm and 120mm set them both to low. Block the side vent up so more air is forced to through the front.

Then take the fan off the tuniq tower and it should be enough to passively the CPU. If not look on the bay for acrylic and duct the fan around the heatsink.
 
Ive got the zalman zm mfc1 plus, nice little controller. But the knobs on it feel a bit weak. The akasa one is nice, good that it can support 4 pin pwm fans as well, (unlike the zalman). The lamptron isnt the nicest looking tbh, but it has the advantage of being able to control some very powerful fans. Not much use to you as your looking for silence. Heat sink wise im using the Alpenfohn k2, the stock fans on it are excellent regarding noise. 650 rpm at idle, whisper quiet. Other good dual tower coolers are the thermalright silver arrow and the noctua nhd14. Theese are all large dual tower dual fan coolers. All of them can interfere with ram slots when using high profile ram.
 
I may pick up the Akasa then, it sure does look like it's good.


Just watched a video of the Phobya G-Silent 1100 and I think I may get that to replace the top 14cm fan.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-006-PB&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=1816

With this many (4) fans, I would need a controller, as the cabling set up I have at the moment supports only 3.

Is anyone with the constant whirring sound I have? I know some of it is due to the fans but Surely not all of it?
 
I had same problem with same case too noisey or hot so i experimented with different combos blocking vents off different fans, best thing let your motherboard control them with pwm fan splitter cable running 2x cooler master in front and 1x on side with standard 140mm fan in the roof.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-039-CM&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=4

They are low noise as http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-000-XI&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=4 but these at full speed doesnt provide enough air for GPU when fans go beyond 70% the turned top 140mm fan exhuast stalls and becomes a noisey intake (with air going opposite way the fans spinning)
 
jkkc313 said:
why not a water-cooling fan less solution?
Click to expand...


That would still require a number of fans. It would be a lot of effort and money too. Something that I'm not prepared for as a student. Sure it'd be cool but I'm gonna keep it relatively simple for now.
 
Would just like to thank you for this thread, I wanted a fan controler for my build when I build it, and if I can afford it! This thread has answered it for me ;)
 
No problem, I guess!

I was going to ask if a side fan is excessive but either way I could set it to push or pull into/out of the case or just leave it altogether. I do worry that my graphics card doesn't get the air it needs.

I'll be getting some rubber fan pins and hopefully soon there will be a much quieter PC in my room indeed. I'll have to get a fan filter too I suppose, for the side fan. Will report back with results once I've got everything.
 
For me after adding side fan to my antec 300 help stop air stalling in the case (when gtx570 fan goes over 70%) I tried all variations i think using the top 140mm as exhaust is enough with 3 fans blowing in controlled from motherboard.

1 of these on side helps dampen the hum noise, but pain to remove clean with rubber fan pins so i suggest using screw for side and rubber pins for 2 front fans.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CM-021-AK&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=795
 
Thanks for the advice! May go for a 3 in 2 out just in case anyway. (the fans are not that costly anyway).

If only my 5770 actually had a full shroud for exhaust really, would make cooling much easier. Not long before that gets replaced though, I hope.
 
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