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My Current System
- Abit KR7A-Raid (I broke the KX333-R literally in two pieces, and I found this one cheap 2nd hand)
- Swiftech MC462+ heatsink with a Papst 8412 N/2GML (80mm, 2000 rpm, 19dB) mounted on "Silent Blocks"
- 3 HDD: 2x80Gb Barracuda IV, 1x120Gb Barracuda V. One of the 80Gb units is mounted in an "aluminium sandwich" made with the parts from a broken Icy Dock.
- Zalman MFC1 (previously, a bunch of Zalman fanmates inside the case)
- Enermax EG-365P-VE modded "a la" Mike Chin (removed 92mm fan, relocated thermistor to a cooler place, changed stock fan for a Papst 8412 N/2GML)
- Sanyo-Denki San Ace exhaust fan (12cm, 1900 rpm, 28dB) with 8 to 12cm adaptor
- Akasa PaxMate panel damping material everywhere
These are the most relevant components for silent operation, I think. If there's anything else, I hope you can see it in the following photos.
That slot at the bottom is necessary. It's where most of the fresh air is taken.
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Here you can see all the components fairly well. Notice that there is 2-3cm between the metal and the front case plastic, so in that hollow I have made an air path filled partially with PaxMate damping material. That air passes first between the hardisks, that's why they are so close and don't get hot normally. I also have placed a 5cm fan that fits perfectly in the metal part and can be switched on with the MFC1. (I will post a photo when I remove the front cover, that means removing all the drives).
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Front aluminium sandwich: Several layers of PaxMate makes the spinning Barracuda IV just barely audible .
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The other side: As I have put two 7200 rpm drives very close together, the 5-7 rpm difference between them makes an intermitent resonance noise. (Intermodulation, it is called.) Inserting PaxMate between the drive cage and the side of the case helps a lot in reducing that noise. This is done on both sides.
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Cutting away the small original vent holes was mandatory for good airflow.
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At time of writing, with 32ºC ambient temperature (you know, summer in Spain is very hot!), with an Athlon XP2000+ at Vcore of 1.3V, I have the following readings:
- 45ºC CPU idle,
- 51ºC CPU load,
- 35ºC case temperature,
- 1440 rpm CPU fan,
- 1500-1700 PSU fan (idle-load),
- 1300 rpm exhaust fan,
- 45-46ºC for each of the HDDs.
It is not very quiet, mainly the exhaust air is what I hear, because 32ºC ambient temperature is very hot. With 18ºC ambient temperature, it was something like...
- 42ºC CPU idle,
- 49ºC CPU load,
- 30ºC case temperature,
- 1100 rpm CPU fan,
- 000-1200 rpm PSU fan,
- ~700 rpm exhaust fan,
- 42-43ºC for the HDDs,
and I could hardly hear anything sitting 40cm away from the front of the case.
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