Silence, I kill u

[888Rog888]

Asus P4C-800E Deluxe m/b, P4 3.2 800 HT, currently running an old Artic Cooling Fan (from memory actually designed for P4s up to 3GHz), 4x 512 PC3200 RAM with head spreaders & their own Thermaltake fan, Thermaltake 650W PSU, Thermaltake Xaser 3 case, Thermaltake 80mm case fans, 2 side input, 2 rear exhaust.

System runs fine, no issues or need to over-clock, BUT it's too damn noisy.

1. I'm thinking fan-less PSU, do you guys think 400W would be sufficient?
2. I understand Noctua case fans are the quietest, case design means I'd probably have to stick with 4x 80mm, any other options?
3. My main question. I'd like to replace the cpu cooler with something fan-less. But wonder if I'd be better off with a big heatsink & a slow spinning 120mm or bigger fan. I want reliability, but not extra performance. I was thinking copper Ninya, but have read negative reviews. Maybe Zalman 9500 running slowly?

Lastly I'll add I'm very electrically competent &, for example, capable of supplying 7v to a 9v fan if that's the way forward! I would even consider replacing the now tired case. Many thanks

 

[MikeHunt79]

Go for 120mm fans wherever you can, either mod your case or get a new case if you want a quiet machine.



Also, wire any fans so they spin below 600rpm, in line resistors are a good way of bringing down the speed if 7v ir 5v wiring does not.

I think the Thermalright HR-01+ is a good fanless CPU cooler also, head over to SPCR for a review...

 

[shadowscotland]

Another vote for the HR-01+ but quality fans running at low speed is usually quiet enought for most people.

Moving to 92 or 120mm fans is the best approach (mod or new case) - but sticking with 80mm is a cheaper option (red wing).
SPCR (silent pc review) is a good place to start - fan recomendations are listed.

400w will be fine as long as their isn't a 295 or simular in your rig
A quiet psu (cosair, enermax) is usually a better option - fanless one's are very expensive and only really needed for dead of night / recording studio 'silent' computers.

If you ok with wireing then get yate loons / Scythe and run them at 7v - much cheaper that noctua with simular results

 

[PwnDirect]

new case with decent 120mms should be your frist stop & then a decent cpu cooler.

Have a look at the scythe mugen 2 it can run passive or will supplied fan

If you psu is noisy try changing its fan or buying a new one & dont go passive they will cost you an arm & a leg are hens teeth.

 

[888Rog888]

Lots of wise words there guys, thanks.

My basic problem seems to be 80mm fans, seven of them! I've four 80mm case fans, a nasty CPU fan (it was free in a bundle when I bought the bits to make the computer), again 80mm, and then two further 80mm fans in the power supply!

The case could be modified to run 120mm fans, but that wouldn't be easy. The case has a cpu temperature probe and fan speed controller, I have an electronic digital thermometer too; so I can mess about and measure the success of whatever changes I make.

I'm thinking add two 120mm fans, one in the bottom of the case front, one in the top centre, recommendations as to which fans I should purchase?
Mod fan speed controller to the remaining 80mm fans so as they can be run slower than the current minimum speed.
Add massive heat-sink to cpu, such as one of the recommendations above, add 120mm fan running slowly.

I can then see my biggest issue being the cpu, as things stand this is the main source of noise. Modifying that is much more risky. It's very serious psu, 650w doesn't sound that special these days, but in its time, nothing was that powerful, it's huge! I think the only successful mod would be to change its 80mm fans (very much your standard case fans by the look of it) with say Noctua fans and check they give similar cooling by monitoring heat inside the psu before and after mod?

Further advice very welcome.

 

[888Rog888]

Just thought I should add that other items in the system, hdds, etc. Were originally bought on their noise performance, have been mounted in a noise minimising way, and are successfully almost silent.

 

[888Rog888]

I have three issues with the Thermalright HR-01.
1. It's so ****** tall I'm not sure it'll fit in the case!
2. It doesn't come supplied with fixings for 478 & Thermalright provides no official instructions for how to install on Socket 478.
3. It's just not as pretty as a Copper Ninya, lol. Actually I have similar issues with the Ninya, I wonder if both of these are actually a little OTT.