What else? VGA Silencer question

Sizzle · Post by **Sizzle** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 5:19 pm

Read lots of good things on this forum so I hope I can get some good answers here. I have yet to find the answer to this in all my searching.

Anyway, fired up my quiet system, very quiet, except for one thing. My VGA cooler is noticably the loudest thing in my computer. I have a ATI AIW 9600 Pro. A big pain trying to find something to fit that card because there are pcb components near the gpu area. Anyway, I got a Titan Copper Cooler on it, rated at 23 dBa noise level. Well, it's quite a bit louder in the SilenX fans I have in the PC.

My search for a quieter solutions has led me to two choices: Verax G03 (expensive and will take some work to make it fit) or the VGA Silcencer. Revision 3 will fit the AIW 9600 Pro when it is available. Everyone gushes about the Silencer. What I would like to know is if anyone knows what the noise ratings are on the Silencer in low and normal modes?

Thanks.

Wedge · Post by **Wedge** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:12 pm

Is the Verax G03 available to US customers?

Wedge · Post by **Wedge** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:14 pm

Yes Wedge, check out here.

Edit: What a bargain...$79 US

Post by **MikeC** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:09 pm

egads! Those things can't even be CLOSE to being even half-decent solutions to GPU cooling -- never mind the noise!

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 5:17 am

MikeC wrote:egads! Those things can't even be CLOSE to being even half-decent solutions to GPU cooling -- never mind the noise!

Yeah, it's kind of ironic but it looks like Verax actually ripped off Thermaltake for their crappy "Orb" cooler.

Here's a direct link to the Verax GPU cooler.

exeter_acres · Post by **exeter_acres** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 11:10 am

bump for sizzles question....
(and mine

) How quiet is this most talked about VGA silencer anyway??

rpc180 · Post by **rpc180** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:11 pm

on low its masked by the 5V Panaflo L mounted beside it.

exeter_acres · Post by **exeter_acres** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:16 pm

Hmmm...now I'll just wait till rev 3 for my 9600xt... or the Zalman....
I just cant decide!!!

Thanks for the input!

Wedge · Post by **Wedge** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:16 pm

exeter_acres wrote:bump for sizzles question....
(and mine ) How quiet is this most talked about VGA silencer anyway??

It's quiet. I would also compare it to an undervolted 80mm Panaflo L1A when using the 'low' setting of the Silencer; however, I beleive an 80mm Panaflo L1A blowing across the stock heatsink (with fresh air going from one end of the card to the other) offers more cooling and overclocking potential.

I use the VGA Silencer, but because the big aluminum heatsink acts as a radiator, it prevents overclocking the memory to levels that my previous L1A setup allowed. My non pro has the 3.30 Infineon memory chips, and with the L1A I was able to overclock to 325+. Now I don't go over 317 (which is a small price to pay if you really like the AVGA Silencer).

exeter_acres · Post by **exeter_acres** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:22 pm

Yea..I saw the modded heatsink from the silencer with the l1a on it...

I am not huge into OCin g my vid card...but that is one of my concerns about the zalman is that the memory chips are covered up....

I would like to OC a bit.......

Wedge · Post by **Wedge** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:30 pm

exeter_acres wrote:Yea..I saw the modded heatsink from the silencer with the l1a on it...

I am not huge into OCin g my vid card...but that is one of my concerns about the zalman is that the memory chips are covered up....

I would like to OC a bit.......

If you want to overclock, then wait for Revision 3 and turn the fan on 'high', but just be aware that this will be audible - quiet but not silent. Otherwise, use an L1A setup because it's extremely quiet and can installed creatively for great overclocks.

The deciding factor for me was that I wanted to recover 3 PCI slots that my L1A was occupying. So, in the end, I gave up a little overclocking for an increase in real estate.

Edit: I can still overclock the core past 400 with stability, but that damn aluminum heatsink gets too hot to touch, and the Infineon ram is very close to the heat that it emits.

Sizzle · Post by **Sizzle** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 4:39 pm

My Rev 2 Silencer came today. I put it on a AIW 9800 Pro. I don't see what all the fuss is about installing this thing, it was pretty easy.

I did remove the shim using some dental floss and some patience. It was about even with the gpu. I used Arctic Silver 3 for my compound. What I plan on doing is mounting the switch in a spare pci bracket. Then chopping the bracket so it does not block the exhaust from the Silencer. I won't be able to test until next week, I'm having some PSU problems at the moment.

I don't care about OCing. My main goal is to have an acceptably cooled VGA card and QUIET!

UPDATE: I fixed my PSU last night and decided to test it and test my Silencer at the same time. I left my PSU outside the case and plugged in a few things, meaning the case door was open. On low, at a foots distance, with the door open, I cannot hear the Silencer. Even on high, I only get slight motor noise, and it's still quieter then the stock AIW 9800 Pro coller. I am thoroughly impressed by this product. The only thing I would like to see is the availability of other pci brackets to fit AIW cards.

Now the noisiest thing in my PC are my Raptors. Time to tame those bad boys.