Tkpenalty's Silent/Quiet PCs

[Tkpenalty]

Hello guys, this is my first post here, I've been looking around and finally decided to join . So yeah, heres my near-silent PC (depending on the performance I need). Is anyone from here also from Techpowerup?

SPECS:

Proccessor: Core 2 Duo E6300 @ 1.6Ghz (266x6 0.9v) I didnt really need to undervolt it because it ran cool in the first place
Memory: 2x1GB DDR1066 PQA 5-5-6-18
Motherboard: Gigabyte P31 DS3L
GPU: Gigabyte 8800GT 512MB Turbo force (Rev 1.0)
HDD: Western Digital WD1600 160GB SATAII
PSU: Modified Coolermaster iGreen (replaced fan with ZM-F3-stock fan very noisy)
Optical Drive: LG GSA H6N SATAII DVD+RW+DL+RAM set in quiet mode.
Chassis: Antec SOLO

Cooling/Modifications:
-Xigmatek HDT S1283 - Running passive (on CPU)
-Additional Memory heatspreaders
-Arctic Cooling AcceleroS1 on 8800GT(removed side plastic thingies)
-Thermalright HR-05 on Northbridge
-Akasa Amber 120mm fan + Zalman 5v resistor @ HDD bay.
-Foam layering for aesthetics on flooring and rear vent + dust filtering-NOT acoustic properties
-Acoustic damperning foam for 5'25 bay (hard to see)
-Ramsinks on the 8800GT's phases
-Rubber strips on the Akasa fan from TRUE

Since most of you are farmiliar with the appearance of the Antec SOLO, there wont be any pics of it.






Overall this PC is pretty much, inaudible at the appropriate settings. This is mainly thanks to the desk that I put it under, however that antec fan even at 5v is rather loud when I pull the PC out. I used to use a TRUE like many others here, but I found it impossible to mount it in the correct orientation.

Its funny, I cant actually hear the PC, but more like I can notice it.

Heres my backup, which isnt silent. Its somewhat quiet, but at load the PSU sorta gets a bit on the moderate side in terms of noise:







Processor: E2160 @ 2.4Ghz (266x9) Stock voltage
Memory: Kingston DDRII 667 5-5-5-15 (crappy OC'er)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA P31 DS3L
GPU: Powercolor X1950PRO Extreme 256MB, so called silent AcceleroX2 was bloody loud
HDD: Western Digital WD800 IDE 80GB
Optical Drives: LG GSA H6N DVD+RW+DL 18x
PSU: Some generic 530W... may change it, but voltages remain stable atm
Case: Generic Apex/Allied PC132 0.8mm SECC Chassis
Cooling:
-TRUE + 120mm Zalman ZMF3
-3x ZMF3 used in case (Intake, Outake, on AcceleroS1)
-AcceleroS1 on X1950PRO, removed plastic bits.
-Added more copper sinks to the VRMs.
-Added a fan voltage limiter (unseen, behind motherboard tray)

You guys must be wondering why im using the TRUE in this system instead. Answer is simple, the HDT S1283 > TRUE.

Anyway, please comment, I'd like advice on how to improve either of these systems in terms of the internals. Please enjoy!

Whos the guy whos the king of cable management here? I was looking around before and remember someone who stressed it a lot.

[roadie]

Really nice clean builds! Wish I could get mine to a comparable state, but I simply have too many hard drives.

[Tkpenalty]

Really nice clean builds! Wish I could get mine to a comparable state, but I simply have too many hard drives.

Depending on the case you have, more HDDs doesnt always make it messier. If you had this case it would be pretty much easy not to have a messy case with the right hardware selection.

Example: 8800GT Turbo force was chosen because of its shorter PCB and superior phase circuitry compared to the reference design. (VF700ALCU went out of the window though, the so called quiet cooler was rather loud).

EDIT: Since the PC is silent, I accidentally turn it off sometimes when coming back from somewhere. (Unless the HDD is clicking like mad while torrenting)

[Tkpenalty]

Hey rodie, its possible for you to install the HDDs neatly. Just do this. See those cable management hooks, you can pull those hooks out to feed wires through them. Basically rotate the HDDs around so the wiring is plugged from the front (where you cant see it). I wouldnt do that for the IDE drive though.

Wait do you leave the front cover off? I'm puzzled, since when i used the 3k RPM ZM-F2s, with the front cover on and dust filter off, the air that was getting pumped in was only a bit. When i removed the covers the airflow was insane however.

EDIT: Im referring to your own gallery entry

[JimX]

Very nice!

[Tkpenalty]

Any more comments?

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

If you were to cut out the exhaust and intake air grills, you would be able to make it much quieter and cooler! You might also have to modify the front bezel to improve air flow.

[Tkpenalty]

Hello,

If you were to cut out the exhaust and intake air grills, you would be able to make it much quieter and cooler! You might also have to modify the front bezel to improve air flow.

With the current displaced 120mm fan setup, there wont be that air pressure phenomenon how the fans spin louder and faster... It happened with the 92mm fans mounted.

What do you think about replacing the door with mesh instead?

[jhhoffma]

By cutting out the restrictive fan grill (particularly the rear exhaust) you will provide a less restrictive airflow path. This will allow your fans to work more efficiently by pushing more air at lower RPM (since resistance/backpressure will reduce CFM at a given RPM).

As for opening the front and using mesh, that's an option, but you need to make sure the cool intake air passes over as many components as possible before being exhausted out the back. This is a little harder to do when pulling from the top of the case.

[aztec]

Any more comments?

The exhaust grill looks restrictive on the case.

The cabling is great work though! I love seeing a clean build like that!

[Tkpenalty]

Any more comments?

The exhaust grill looks restrictive on the case.

The cabling is great work though! I love seeing a clean build like that!

Thats true. I'm planning to replace the PSU fan (again), with a 1.9k RPM Scythe Slipstream. The ZMF3 isnt loud, but i just want it dead silenced. Without the PSU housing these fans are rather on the loud side, even at lower voltages.

Rear fan... that will go as well. Even with the PC under the desk, its the only thing thats audible.

Any recommendations for fans? I'm looking at those new noctua 9 bladed fans with the vortex control notches. Very pricey though... I wish noctua made black fans too however. Might just settle for the slipstreams which are virtually the same thing, minus the control notches. I'll probably go for a 1.9k version, then install a resistor. When I need the performance, remove the resistor and feel the awesome power of 110CM (minus a bit with the rear grille).

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

The PSU should be workable with the 1200RPM Scythe Slipstream -- if you need anything faster, it is because the intake air flow of the case is choking things off.

No fan will be quiet and effective with that exhaust grill -- you simply must remove it, so that the fan can be run slow enough to be quiet and effective. This way, a slower fan can even be more effective than the current (noisy?) fan is.

Buy a pair of quality metal snips, and/or a decent rotary tool. Unfortunately, you should remove all of the electronics from the case (basically disassemble the entire computer), so that you can remove the metal air grill, and not have any of the inevitable metal shards/filings damage anything. After snipping out the grill and smoothing the edge, you can install a wire grill; or the "U" shaped rubber edging.

Having said that, removing the fan grill and opening up the front intake through the metal case and the plastic bezel -- will make it possible for this to be a quiet computer, and if so, completely worthwhile!

[psiu]

Just to point out, Neil is not only the President of the Cut-Fan-Grills-Out-No-Matter-What Club, he's also a client.



Nice builds btw. Techpowerup...I surf over there now and again. Have some really solid reviews, plus I've been using ATITool for quite a few years now. Good to see they're not craaaazy overclockers

edit: and the funny thing is, he's right about that rear fan grille on the second computer

[Tkpenalty]

Oh! The second PC. Yeah I forgot about that. I'll explain why I'll need the 1.9k RPM version for the PSU, the PSU's fan speed is regulated by load percentage :\. I tried running a 1.2k RPM fan once and it basically didnt move any air, and ended up having to search for another one; this zalman.

Heres some background history.... I wanted a Silent PC at first, when i first built it (around a year ago). I thought it was silent... until I used it for a few days. Then I upgraded in a month. This cycle continued to repeat.

Err neil take it easy....... the PC is barely audible.... moreover thermally it doesnt really have any issues.

Second PC, maybe. I'll probably do it because I have to agree with you on that. However take note its not meant to be a quiet/silent system, even though it is.

Hey just asking, are Antec NEO HE 550Ws or even 430W Silent? I may want to swap to those PSUs because of the 80mm outake fan. I hate how some heat gets trapped in 120mm PSUs, so thats my main reason.

[puddnhead]

-Xigmatek HDT S1283 - Running passive (on CPU)

I realize this is 50 day old thread, but if OP is still around I have to ask? What did you mean when you wrote that? the pictures show a fan on the Xigmatek. I'm wondering because I'm trolling for ideas myself, somehow getting down to one 120mm fan servicing both case exhaust and Xigmatek cooler -- I had such a great experience doing dual-duty like that for the Minja in the Fusion case like Mike did that I'm wondering if it can be done again somehow in the Solo/P150 with the Xigmatek. But I assumed it would require some kind of duct construction ... anyway, you don't appear to really be doing passive cooling of xigmatek here, correct?

[bumthology]

Wow
I have very similar specs to you

TRUE,
AC Accelero,
Noctua NB cooler,

What temps are you getting with your NB cooler, i notice mine gets a bit warm

[Teh Lurv]

On the Solo, how are you propping up that white 120mm fan with the rubber screws?

[Licaon]

On the Solo, how are you propping up that white 120mm fan with the rubber screws?

and where is your hard disk?