Hi,

My current setup is audibly very annoying.

I would like a new case, cpu/fan and power supply.

My current cooler is an Akasa 765 which has started to whine. I'm considering the SLK 800 OR 900 with a 20db fan. I'm not so sure about the SLK 900 though due to its size and weight. I have a Gigabyte GA-7VTXE and may upgrade it soon. Any opinions on this and anyone with other quiet CPU coolers?

My current case, http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews/review.php?dXJsX3Jldmlld19JRD0xNjM=, is not so good either. I don't use the six fans anymore and the fan holes make the cpu fan even more audible. The case is pretty big too and bearing in mind I use ATX motherboard and need 3 drive bays, can you recommend me a smaller case with a "minimal" look to it. I'm considering Lian and Coolermaster cases due to their aluminium build for cooling.

Finally, can I just replace my PSU fan with a 20db one or is it safer to but a quiet PSU?

Thanks in advance!

-CPU cooler / fan: the thermalright is a very good solutions, so is Zalman, you should get a look at the recommended section and choose what suits best for you PC. About the fan: when you're in america its easier to get a panaflo (see recommended), in europe a papst fan

-Case: a lot of people say that the antec sonata is really good stuff for silencing your computer.

-power supply: you can always try to change the fan in your psu, there's a good chance it'll work but what PSU are you using and what fan will u use to replace it with?

Advice:
- If you didnt take a look at the recommended list, you should, its very helpfull
- We could use some more information on your system, Processor, powersupply, VGA-card, HD's. Then it'll be easier to find the noisy parts .

AMD Athlon XP1700+
GF3 Ti200
WD SE 80GB
Gigabyte GA-7VTXE
256 DDR PC2100

My PSU fan is 32.6DB and does around 40CFM. Here are the full specs http://terasan.okiraku-pc.net/siryou/fan/808025.html See Globe S01138812H

jy88888888, Welcome to the SPCR forums! Hope we will be able to help you on your quest toward a quiet(er) computer.

I agree with GenghiS....and wanted to provide a link to the recommended components page, in case you have not yet ventured there. I also recommend that you dig through some of the articles and reviews in the sections that are linked on the left side of the main page (again, if you haven't already seen them). And perhaps you've already seen this FAQ.

Have you been able to find which components are your loudest?

Thanks for the additional specs. What model PSU?

You will find, supported by other discussions here, that your WD HDD is a significant source of noise. The fan on your VGA card will also make a bit of racket.

I wish I could quickly find a link for you to point to a fuller discussion of the topic, but I can't (it's here somewhere, but I don't have time to search right now), so in brief, the idea of aluminum cases being better for cooling is generally an urban legend. If you would prefer a steel (or other material case), you can get just as adequate cooling with it.

yeah, I've definitely been through this site thoroughly. I just thought I get some opinions and experiences with certain components from members of this forum.....Thanks for all the help so far...

Hey jy88888888!

You should post your location info -- will help members help you better by pointing you to stuff / shops relevant to your location. You know by now that this is a very intl site.


Both of those numbers are probably optimistic ones from the fan maker, also don't take into account the turbulence noise of hamming the fan in a PSU. Add min 10 dBA to that number andyou're probably starting to get realistic.

A Panaflo fan swap will help a lot, I am sure, but without more info about the PSU, hard to say. Also, if the Panaflo is then going to be run at 12v, that will not be quiet by SPCR standards. (Again even if it really was 21 dBA / 1m ub free air, you'd have to add 10-15 dBA when it is in the PSU...)

It's probably always to buy a quiet PSU rather than mod your own.

Hi!

I live in the UK. I find http://www.overclockers.co.uk to be the best place to shop. I'm considering the Pabst and Vantec fans in the Fans and Grills section. Any recommendations? I would like 2 fans, one for the CPU and one for the PSU. 20DB is desirable...

I've tried the Zalman flower cooler - it was very quiet but the temp was 65C.

lol jy8888888888
u know what the most ppl in the uk hardware community call overclockers?
overc0ckers
www.tekheads.co.uk are good, what i use:)
if u can put fan outside the psu that will help:)
my macron 400watt psu has about 1/3 or1/2 of the area of fan blocked off by componets very close :\
mount fan outside and its further from these, less turblence and thus less noise

"hamming" -- and other miserable typos -- I really should get voice recognition...

I meant jamming.

Not a bad site! Prices seem pretty similar though.

So, considering I may change my motherboard soon, is the SLK900 worth the risk or will the SLK800 with a 20db Pamaflo/Vantec/Pabst suffice? I definitely want the new cooler combination to perform better than my current Akasa - 61C is reported in the BIOS - will it perform better?

lol yes
current best mobo is the abit nf7 (-s for sata)
version 2 is what you after
i dunno price of 900/800
if its not much go with 900
sk7 is good and half the price or so

ok - bit low on cash and the current 61C is not causing any problems so I was thinking of this...

Replacing the Akasa fan and mounting a 60mm to 80mm fan converter on the heatsink and using a Vantec SF8025L Stealth 80mm fan.

Will the temp increase, decrease or stay the same? The Vantec is less in terms of CFM but will the greater fan size make up for this?

Thanks - If this is a crap idea, let me know and I'll stick with the SLK800.

The 21db is definitely what I want and hopefully, I can stick it in the PSU too. Risky?

The Papst 8412 NGML 80mm seems a better choice than the Vantec according to http://www.dirkvader.de/frame.php?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dirkvader.de%2Fpage%2Ffan-special.html....

I am running a similar pc and just replaced my volcano7 with an SLK800 and I am running the 80 mm Panaflo L with a fanmate on about 9v and it is barely audible to my human ear, and my temps are still at idle under 40c on the cpu, I am totally impressed with the Thermalright products. Plus I still have about 100 hrs to go on Artic Silver's claim of a breakin period.

I am also running all Panaflo 80 L's at reduced voltage and getting still decent airflow and just bought a psu from Mike C. and it is superb. You can check it out on the vendor section here at SPCR>

Well the two uk vendors mentioned so far don't sell the quiet panaflos you have and as for your 40C reading - wow!

So you're running a Panaflo at 9V - What's your guess for CFM at that voltage? To be honest, 40C seems a bit far fetched to me because my Akasa does 37CFM and it's 61C! The SLK800 must be a bit of a beast...

Is it possible to sleep with your PC on? Because that is my eventual goal....

Panaflos & other quiet fans in the UK...
http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=7479

Thanks but I don't shop at sites such as ebay and never will. I find it "dodgy".

Dorothy is a well-respected quiet fan vendor around these forums. She (and her husband) are very knowledgeable about fans. In fact, more knowledgeable than anyone else I've ever run across. I've seen nothing but good things about their service here. (And no, they don't even advertise...)

Its alright - I'll probably buy the Pabst or Vantec fans with the heatsink or 60mm/80mm converter that I'm buying from overclockers.com and therefore get it all delivered on the same day...no offense dorothy

So is this 60 to 80mm adapter a good idea?

Not really -- puts the fan too far, you lose cooling power right away, and then you also get back pressure from the constriction of the airflow path. I'd mount it direct, even if you have overhang. Better that airflow go somewhere across the board than be wasted.

One way to mount an oversize fan on a HS:

1) Take HS off mobo.
2) screw 80mm (or whatever size) wire guard to top of HS using 3-4 screws. Usually can find a way.
3) mount 80mm fan on wire guard with screws -- need to get on "underside" to put screws in to fan, which is why you have to start with the HS off.

Thanks...Looks like it's going to be

SLK800 With Pabst 8412 NGML
Pabst 8412 NGML replacement for current PSU fan
Antec Sonata case

Sound quiet to you guys?

Sounds nice and quiet to me, as long as those Papst's aren't the crappy clicky ones.

You mean the Papst 8412NGL? Does anyone know if the Pabst 8412 NGML are clicky as well?

Clickyness is really not by type of fan, it is more luck than anything. Some fans click...some fans don't..luck of the draw. I would actually reccoment Panaflo over Papst since I have both and I think Panaflo has a better air/noise ratio especially when undervolted. Panaflo 80mm are usually very reliable as well. papst are very good also but quality and airflow can be a small problem sometimes but if you bought it already it should be fine. It probably won't click.

Eric

Have you had any experience with these Vantec fans http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Vantec.html

They're cheap but are outperformed by the Pabst ones. I'm interested in the 80mm Stealth and they seem to get very good reviews...

The statistics of those fan are physically too good to be true. Those number state increadible noise/air ratio. I have had no experience but most people say that they are quiet IFFFFF you undervolt them but beware vantec stealth have a good amount of bearing noise which to me is more annoying that the actual sound the air makes when it coes out. mechanical noise is much worse than air turbulent noise.

Eric

I'd still stick with papst of panaflo(try to find them in UK...don't know if that is possible)

Ok, Pabst it is then. I'm really stuck on which heatsink to choose in the Thermalright range at http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Thermalright_120.html

Basically I need a heatsink that will allow a silent and therefore low CFM fan to be used i.e Pabst NGML

I move my PC around 6 times a year and therefore want a heatsink that won't crack my motherboard due to its clamping mechanism/weight.

Finally I need it to be compatible with my current motherboard http://uk.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-7VTXE.htm and the motherboard I will upgrade to - don't know which but likely to be AMD based.

So which one is the most suitable using the criteria above? Thanks

What kind of CPU do you have??? If it is or "goin to be" super warm then the new SLk 947 sould be choice. The one I was going to reccomend wasn't even there...hmmm slk-800U. In your position, get either the slk-800u, slk-900 U or slk-947. SLK-900U since it is available is good but make sure it fits on your motherboard...if not the 947 is the way to go if you need to move it around. THe U series is what you rlooking for since you can bolt those down making you feel secure about the heatsink when moving it.

Eric

I currently have an AMD XP 1700+

those HS are a little overkill but it will allow you to run the fan at the lowest possible settings.

Eric