SPCR

I’ve been coming to these forums since 2005 and posted my first silent system in December of 2005, since then I have gone through many iterations of PC (see here and here) getting new hardware, new cases new cooling going from single to dual and now to quad core. Now it’s time for the next generation of my Quiet PC

According to what I have counted this is now revision 6 of my PC, one or two of those were just a rearrangement of cooling not all hardware revisions and this site has taught me allot over the years. So much in fact that I don’t really come here all that much any more, I like to read theodd review but I don’t come to the forums that much I feel I now have a good grasp on what makes a quiet PC. But I do like to come back and share what I have learnt by showing the new PCs I build. So without further ado here is the latest incarnation of my girl Talula.

Components

• Case: Antec Solo
  Mobo: Asus Maximus Formula
  Processor: Intel Q9450 @3.2GHz
  Graphics: Geforce 8800GT
  RAM: 2x1GB Corsair Twin2X
  Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 160GB
  Samsung Spinpoint 500GB
  Samsung Spinpoint 500GB
  PSU: Seasonic S12-430

Cooling

• CPU: Scythe Ninja Plus RevB
  Scythe Slipstream 120mm
  GPU: Artic Colling Accelero S1 Rev. 2
  Nexus 120mm
  Case Fans: 2x Nexus 120mm
  PSU: 1x Yate loon 120mm
  Fan Speeds
  CPU Fan: 750 RPM
  GPU Fan: 650 RPM
  Front Fan: 500 RPM
  Back Fan 750 RPM

Temperatures (oC)

• Idle
  CPU: 33
  GPU 40
  HD:
  Sys: 32
  Store: 29
  Store: 28
  
  Load
  Idle
  CPU: 49
  GPU 53

All temps are taken from Speedfan
The System is loaded using 3x CPU burn and 1x rthdribl.

The sound level as you might expect is very low the hard drives are the loudest parts of the system and as computer noises go it is quite pleasant I can’t hear any clicking or whining only a slight woosh. While the hard drives are running the fans become inaudible as they are spinning at such low speeds.

And here are some pictures of the system for you to see how I have put this together.

An Overview of the system


The CPU and RAM


Rear intake for the Graphics card


Front intake for and Hard drive cooling

And From the other side


Exhaust and PSU fans


CPU Fan



And finaly the outside of the case with my Snazzy draw

Nice setup Dave, I love the Drawer BTW

Why do you have the Scythe fan on the Ninja bloing down and not up, it seems a very odd thing to do.


Andy

andyb wrote:Nice setup Dave, I love the Drawer BTW

Why do you have the Scythe fan on the Ninja blowing down and not up, it seems a very odd thing to do.

Yes, I too think the drawer is pretty sweet. Haven't seen that before.

IMO, you should make some fan positioning changes. The slipstream should blow to the rear exhaust fan. You want the CPU heat leaving the case, not in the PSU. The intake fan can double as a fan for the 8800GT. Simply move it down so its airflow hits the S1. That would eliminate the need for the GPU Nexus. I think that would make a better airflow path.

Yes? No? Maybe?

you'd get better temps making the slipstream blow towards the rear fan rather than cooking the GPU with the heat of the CPU.

nice drawer, reminds me of the ones you could buy, but yours is deeper, and lined with duct tape, which makes it a squillion times cooler.

but you're kinda messing with the airflow having the slipstream in the position its in.

props on the Uni Jetstream. my favorite pen.

I agree that the intake fan could also cool the vga, while the slipstream blowing backwards should keep the psu cooler (cpu temps don`t seem to be an issue).

Here`s a thought though: the backs of vga cards can get quite hot so the airflow from the h/s fan might actually be beneficial.

About speedfan, can you actually control all the fans individually? I'm considering this combo (Maximus formula + 45nm quad core) myself, but im abit sceptical as to how speedfan is working with the motherboard.

I picked up the Maximus last week, and my experiences have been nothing short of fantastic. I've got all the fans controlled by the BIOS and they're all running below 600RPM while keeping my CPU at 39C.

andyb wrote:Nice setup Dave, I love the Drawer BTW

Why do you have the Scythe fan on the Ninja blowing down and not up, it seems a very odd thing to do.

Andy

And for everyone else who made a comment about this, i know its odd but if you look at the picture of the whole case it is actually blowing up the arrow on the side of the fan is pointing towards the top of the case, and I just checked with a piece of tissue paper and it is blowing that way. I think maybe the fan has been flipped over since that picture, they weren’t all taken at the same time.

angelkiller wrote:Yes, I too think the drawer is pretty sweet. Haven't seen that before. Smile

IMO, you should make some fan positioning changes. The slipstream should blow to the rear exhaust fan. You want the CPU heat leaving the case, not in the PSU. The intake fan can double as a fan for the 8800GT. Simply move it down so its airflow hits the S1. That would eliminate the need for the GPU Nexus. I think that would make a better airflow path.

Yes? No? Maybe?

Thanks, it was fun to make, and I’m happy that it sits nice and flush with the case.

I can’t put the slipstream on the side that RAM that is in there is really tall, trust me I would have put it there if I could have. Also I can’t move the intake fan down because the power cable comes out from the back of the graphics card and there isn’t enough room under it for the fan which is why I have to use a separate fan for the graphics card. But thanks for trying they are all very good ideas if i could do them.

Wibla wrote:About speedfan, can you actually control all the fans individually? I'm considering this combo (Maximus formula + 45nm quad core) myself, but I’m a bit sceptical as to how speedfan is working with the motherboard

You can't control the fans with speedfan annoyingly but they are all being controlled by the bios. which as Nick says

Nick Geraedts wrote:I've got all the fans controlled by the BIOS and they're all running below 600RPM

well mine aren’t kept quite that slow but close enough.

Thanks everyone for the comments and ideas on improvement keep them coming.

To get speedfan control you have to fiddle around abit, I had to do the same with my P5W DHD back in the day...

configure -> advanced -> winbond (on my P5W atleast) in the pull-down menu -> pwm 1-X mode -> set to Manual PWM (its probably set to smartfan something or thermal cruise), remember to tick off the "remember it" button before saving...

That should do the trick, if it doesnt, do tell...

Wibla wrote:To get speedfan control you have to fiddle around abit, I had to do the same with my P5W DHD back in the day...

configure -> advanced -> winbond (on my P5W atleast) in the pull-down menu -> pwm 1-X mode -> set to Manual PWM (its probably set to smartfan something or thermal cruise), remember to tick off the "remember it" button before saving...

That should do the trick, if it doesnt, do tell...

Briliant thanks for the tip, it does work but not perfectly you can control 3 of the fans from SpeedFan Chafan 1-3. But 1 and 2 are controled by the same chip so change at the same time. I hope that helps.

wow... the drawer thing is a GREAT idea! maybe you can post a little tutorial on how to get it done...

"talula... sound like a two dolla hooker!" i hope you've all watched the movie cool runnings... or else a lot of people might be offended...

mr. poopyhead wrote:wow... the drawer thing is a GREAT idea! maybe you can post a little tutorial on how to get it done...

"talula... sound like a two dolla hooker!" i hope you've all watched the movie cool runnings... or else a lot of people might be offended...

Brilliant movie, if i remember rightly doesn't he then say something about that being his mum's name?

I don't think the Draw needs much of a tutorial but maybe i can give a quick overview and a couple of pictures when I get home.