Considering a new system to build...

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 4:54 pm

Hi all, I'm new to these particular forums (posting that is), but am using them for quite a long time. Used the info from here for my HTPC and my lightly modified Shuttle (120mm-mod, HP80-mod, dremel-mods etc.)

Now I'm looking into building a new silent system and here are some of the components planned to be used.

Case, might get a close encouter with Dremel:
- Antec P180 Super Mid Tower Aluminium, noPSU, ATX 111,00

PSU, will get a new fan and probably lose fan-grill, furter more wil try to get the fan speed monitored by Speedfan:
- Enermax Liberty 500W for Dual Core/ Dual SLI 90,95

Motherboard and processor:
- Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe, S939, nForce4, PCI-E, ATX 169,00
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+, 2.0Ghz, 1Mb, S-939, Box 293,00

Cooler:
- Scythe SCNJ-1000 (Socket 478/775/754/939/940) 38,50

Memory, is it worth the 100,- extra?:
- Corsair TWINX Pro, PC3500 LL, 2x1GB Kit 275,00

Graphicsboard might get a 90 degree fin-rotation-mod, not sure if possible though:
- Asus Extreme N6600GT Silencer 256Mb, DVI, PCI-E 174,30

Harddisc, suspended in rubber bands or mounted with spacers:
- Hitachi Travelstar 5K100 100Gb, 5400rpm, 2.5",SATA 139,00

Replacement fans, not sure about the 80mm, because of its 25mm depth:
- 5x Nexus Real Silent D12SL-12 (120mm, 22,8dB, 3/4p) 8,95
- Nexus Real Silent SP802512L-03 (80mm, 17,6dB, 3/4p) 5,95

Please share your thoughts on this configuration. (prices in euro's excluding VAT)

hravn · Post by **hravn** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 1:01 am

I would not go with 5400 RPM HD as system drive, but that might just be me. In my rig, I'd say that my HD(s) is the bottleneck in alot of what I do...

The PC3500 is just a waste of money, buy PC3200 and overclock the CPU to ~2.4GHz instead.

I'd also say that you don't need that many fans, I'm using 2x Nexus 120mm + PSU in my P150, and the P180 has better airflow. Since you're using a pretty low power GPU you shouldn't need the 80mm fan (and probably shouldn't use it anyhow even with a 7800, according to MikeC).

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:11 am

hravn wrote:I would not go with 5400 RPM HD as system drive, but that might just be me. In my rig, I'd say that my HD(s) is the bottleneck in alot of what I do...

The PC3500 is just a waste of money, buy PC3200 and overclock the CPU to ~2.4GHz instead.

I'd also say that you don't need that many fans, I'm using 2x Nexus 120mm + PSU in my P150, and the P180 has better airflow. Since you're using a pretty low power GPU you shouldn't need the 80mm fan (and probably shouldn't use it anyhow even with a 7800, according to MikeC).

Thanks for your reply, of the 5x 120mm fans 1 will be used in the PSU, 2 in the lower bay and 2 around the processor. The 80mm was planned for the vga-duct or to be placed behind the pci cards.

The HD is just for silence and low power/heat. Don't know if the 7200 2.5" make more noise...

The 3500 will be dropped than, making place for a 2GB kit of Dane Elec at 174,-

stromgald · Post by **stromgald** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 9:32 am

I have to agree, that's too many fans even with a Ninja and passive 6600GT. The 80mm is unnecessary, and you can get by easily with 4 120mm Nexus fans. One on the Ninja, one for the rear facing exhaust, a fan in the middle of the PSU duct, and one fan in the intake for the main part of the case. The intake fan should be enough to cool the ASUS N6600GT Silencer even if the radiator is parallel to the card rather than turned above the CPU. Put the hard drives in the lower drive bay (in the PSU duct) and seal up the top exhaust with some cardboard or something.

You may be able to get away without a Nexus on the Ninja and just have the rear exhaust to cool the CPU. I'm not sure if this is possible with a 3800+, but you could try and check the temparatures. If they're too high, then add that fourth fan in.

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:18 am

stromgald wrote:I have to agree, that's too many fans even with a Ninja and passive 6600GT. The 80mm is unnecessary, and you can get by easily with 4 120mm Nexus fans. One on the Ninja, one for the rear facing exhaust, a fan in the middle of the PSU duct, and one fan in the intake for the main part of the case. The intake fan should be enough to cool the ASUS N6600GT Silencer even if the radiator is parallel to the card rather than turned above the CPU. Put the hard drives in the lower drive bay (in the PSU duct) and seal up the top exhaust with some cardboard or something.

You may be able to get away without a Nexus on the Ninja and just have the rear exhaust to cool the CPU. I'm not sure if this is possible with a 3800+, but you could try and check the temparatures. If they're too high, then add that fourth fan in.

And the fifth 120 will be used to void the waranty on the Enermax PSU...

I'm planning on using Speedfan to control the fans, so the 80mm for example shouldn't be running at al. The 120 on the lower intake only when HD reaches a certain temp. and the top-intake only if CPU is getting to hot to my likings. Rest of the fans should be running at 3% in Speedfan.

Furtermore I'm still looking for an SD-Bus-extender-something without having to solder it to an old dimm-module...

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:20 am

Doubledouble....

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:39 am

stromgald wrote:I have to agree, that's too many fans even with a Ninja and passive 6600GT. The 80mm is unnecessary, and you can get by easily with 4 120mm Nexus fans. One on the Ninja, one for the rear facing exhaust, a fan in the middle of the PSU duct, and one fan in the intake for the main part of the case. The intake fan should be enough to cool the ASUS N6600GT Silencer even if the radiator is parallel to the card rather than turned above the CPU. Put the hard drives in the lower drive bay (in the PSU duct) and seal up the top exhaust with some cardboard or something.

You may be able to get away without a Nexus on the Ninja and just have the rear exhaust to cool the CPU. I'm not sure if this is possible with a 3800+, but you could try and check the temparatures. If they're too high, then add that fourth fan in.

i would even go as far to say you could do it with 3, mabey even 2 fans total for the system.

1 in the PSU/HD section, and 1 for exhaust and have it be ducted to the ninja heatsink. if you dont want to make a duct, or if the cpu needs more cooling than that, then have a fan on the heatsink itself also. you dont really need an intake fan. its been proven that air will naturally flow into the case from the largest intake openings proportional to the exhaust fan used. which is usually the main intake opening. you can always tape off all other points of entry for air to make certain the air is comming from the front/bottom of the case.

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:50 am

Don't know if ducting the Scythe is an option, unless the heatpipe-cooling-fins of the nforce4 chip is inclosed with it...

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:19 am

I just noticed (http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=27197) that the Papst 120mm should out perform the Nexus is this true and more important is it worth the 7,- extra per fan?

From my local dealer: Papst Fan 4412F/2GL 12x12cm, 1600rpm , 3pin 14,50

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:25 am

Kubiekdriehoekje wrote:I just noticed (http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=27197) that the Papst 120mm should out perform the Nexus is this true and more important is it worth the 7,- extra per fan?

From my local dealer: Papst Fan 4412F/2GL 12x12cm, 1600rpm , 3pin 14,50

with increased speed you get increased CFM, which means better cooling performance. but it also increases noise.

most people here want the absolute lowest possible noise output possible. which would be a 5v nexus 120mm fan, since its the lowest rpm 120mm fan available.

so its really a personal choice. if your willing to give up some silence for some better cooling performance, then get the faster rpm fan.

EDIT: just fyi, i have those fans in my system now, and most people here would not consider them "quiet" at 12volts. in which case you would probably undervolt them. at 7volts, you would be just under the maximum speed of the nexus 120's (934rpm). sleeve bearing 120mm fans at the same rotational speeds tend to produce very similar noise outputs. the only things that are drastically different are the frequency's produced, which only become apparent in independant reviews.

teejay · Post by **teejay** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 3:22 pm

IMHO Papst fans are a bit too pricey for what they deliver: I've had hit-and-miss results with them (some were noisy, others weren't) which I did not expect from relatively expensive fans. Nexus fans OTOH have never let me down (yet), after installing 10+ in various rigs. This is based on the white-label older versions Papst fans though, so newer models may be different.

I've heard around here that the new Coolermaster fans are quite good and very affordable; also, this Dutch retailer (www.ikbenstil.nl) has Yate-Loon D12SM-12s in stock, which are basically higher-powered Nexus fans. Where did you find those low prices on Nexus fans, btw?

Personally, a Nexus fan at say 700rpm defines the upper limit of what I am prepared to listen to. Also, at 1000rpm it usually delivers the airflow I need, their build quality is consistent and the price (in the Netherlands) is acceptable. What else would you need? I'd get 2 fans for the mobo section and find out what works better: 1 as a rear case fan and one on the Ninja or both as case fans. I second Aris' suggestion of only using the PSU fan for the lower section, especially with a 2.5" drive.

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:55 am

teejay wrote:IMHO Papst fans are a bit too pricey for what they deliver: I've had hit-and-miss results with them (some were noisy, others weren't) which I did not expect from relatively expensive fans. Nexus fans OTOH have never let me down (yet), after installing 10+ in various rigs. This is based on the white-label older versions Papst fans though, so newer models may be different.

I've heard around here that the new Coolermaster fans are quite good and very affordable; also, this Dutch retailer (www.ikbenstil.nl) has Yate-Loon D12SM-12s in stock, which are basically higher-powered Nexus fans. Where did you find those low prices on Nexus fans, btw?

Personally, a Nexus fan at say 700rpm defines the upper limit of what I am prepared to listen to. Also, at 1000rpm it usually delivers the airflow I need, their build quality is consistent and the price (in the Netherlands) is acceptable. What else would you need? I'd get 2 fans for the mobo section and find out what works better: 1 as a rear case fan and one on the Ninja or both as case fans. I second Aris' suggestion of only using the PSU fan for the lower section, especially with a 2.5" drive.

I used the Tweakers.net pricewatch for those fan prices...

The rest of the prices come from Informatique, but are dealership prices for our company...

Kubiekdriehoekje · Post by **Kubiekdriehoekje** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:27 am

Maybe I'll run this system with 2 60GB 5k100 in raid to speed things up...