My Quest to break the triangle of Heat, CPU Power & Noise!

[Kaoz]

Seems like it's off to a good start...

[rtownsend]

I'm curious what rackmount case you used and why. The ones I've looked at always seem overpriced, and you never know how well they are designed for low noise operation...

[BigPelaMangi]

Originally Posted by rtownsend

I'm curious what rackmount case you used and why. The ones I've looked at always seem overpriced, and you never know how well they are designed for low noise operation...

I used a LC20-B with the add on rackmount ears (NB this aint gonna support the full weight of the case loaded, so a rackmount shelf is used and the case fixed to the rack like it normally would) This case cost me $130 AUD. I have used them many times before in HTPC builds, a great, quality case.

[BigPelaMangi]

Here is the complete build list. I should make it clear, I have already built this rig, am using it right now to write this message.

CPU: Intel i7 3820 @ 4.2 GHZ
Memory: G Skill 16G(4X4G) DDR3 2133MHZ PC3-17000 CL9(L9Q-16GBZH)
Motherboard: Asus SABERTOOTH X79
PSU: SilverStone ST1000-G-EVO 1000W
Graphics Card: Asus GF GTX670 DirectCU II (980/6008mhz)
OS HDD: Corsair 120GB Force Series 3 SSD
Programs HDD: Corsair 120GB Force Series 3 SSD
Work Platter HDD: Corsair 120GB Force Series 3 SSD / Western Digital 1TB
SATA3 64M(WD1002FAEX) in Asus SSD Cache setup.
Storage Drive/s: SATAII 1TB + 500GB drive recycled from old build
Case: Silverstone LC20-B
Case Accessory: Silverstone FP36B Black 3.5" Drive Bay for 2X2.5 + 2 x USB3
Case Accessory: SilverStone RA01B Black Rackmount Ear Kit
ODD : LG Bluray Combo
Card Reader: Generic Multi Card Reader
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile Multi Socket CPU Cooler
Case Fans: Noctua 80mm NF-R8 PWM Fan x 2

I am not really interested in comments on the Mobo / CPU / RAM etc, this is more about the lack of noise and how to achieve it in a rack mountable case.

The real trick here people, is the fans / CPU cooler & Graphics card (due its cooling). In combination they make around 25-28db at load, put them in the case in a rack, under my desk about a 1M away and the only time I can hear it is when it accesses an older storage drive, or when I put an optical disk in. Not scenarios that occur when recording / mixing. Come to think of it that is a pretty good reference point. The loudest thing in there is the 2 older SataII drives I am using for storage.

It is really worth noting that the Graphics card just fits in this case, and by just, I mean you loose a few HDD bays, its why I put in the case accessory that gives you 2 x USB3 ports and houses 2 x 2.5" drives. But hey, you can still use 4 of the 6 available 3.5" bays anyway.

This setup enables me to have the rig in the performance area of the artists it is recording, and right next to me when mixing. I know a studio should have a background noise of no more than 20db and well this is probably just over it. And I am also ware you could build a below 20db audio only computer...or laptop. But this was an exercise in building the most powerful computer I could and still keep the noise to an absolute minimum.

[fireberd]

I just built a desktop, not a rack mount, but had to rework fans for a quiet PC. I used a Corsair H80 liquid cooler for the i7 3770 CPU. The stock Corsair fans were too noisy, I bought some Nexus "Real Silent Case Fans" (120 MM) and that tamed the H80 cooler. I used an Antec HCG-620M modular power supply and it too has a "quiet" fan.

The case is a Corsair Carbide 500R and the two front fans are quiet, although I have two more of the Nexus silent fans that I can use if needed.

I could record with a mic next to the PC and it would not introduce any noise.

[Syncamorea]

To the OP: good work! I have built a few rack mount PC cases and they all seem to require a compromise here and there, but I still keep using them. I've used pretty much every fan that has claimed to be quiet - SilenX, Zalman, Yate Loon, Nexus, Noctua, Scythe, etc. If my case requires fans smaller than 12cm, I typically mod them to take 12's because a 12 at 500 rpm is quieter than 8's or 9.2's in my experience. I'm bummed that I can't currently find the Scythe 14cm 500 rpm fan as I'm in need on a new build. I have a few Noctua NF-S12B ULN's in hand and may use them. If you can get by at 500rpm, it gets really quiet. I've throttled the S12B down to 300rpm, but they were not stable.

I've had decent luck adding insulation to the case and rack to keep noise down. I also have a free-standing absorber that I put behind the rack a few inches behind the back plane and that also helps. I use a thin piece of dampening rubber foam between the rack mount ears and the rack and the rear case support and the rack. My current big PC (i980x) has an ATI GPU with a passive Thermalright heat sink that gets enough air flow off of the CPU fan to keep the card cool. Every little bit helps!

FrozenCPU has been more helpful to me than any other online retailer. I just noticed they have Thermalright fans back in stock - I need to give them a try.

[Melgueil]

One of the dilemmas for sure. The idea of whirling fans is completely unacceptable to me. I track soft acoustic music in the control room so I will not tolerate it one iota. This is why I nixed out the Symphony I/O platform.

My solution has been to place the CPU (MacBook Air) away from the action - as in on the floor, and seal it off in a way by building a small set of soft foam baffles around it. This brings it to a drastically reduced level and is acceptable.

Long term I may opt to record quiet passages on a stand alone recorder. Tolerating fan noise is absurd when we invest heavily in quiet equipment only to hear that perfect ringing guitar, quiet flute passage or soft vocal fade to a whirling fan. Not for me....

Cdlt

[DAW PLUS]

It is possible, we do it on a daily basis. The only thing which is hard to handle is multiple HDDs resonating in a hotswap backplane in a 19" rack.

We got an assignment last year to replace 6 fanless systems in a well known german physics institute.
Since we don't build fanless systems, it was pretty tricky using 8! fans and still make them happy (overclocked graphics card required custom cooling).
The systems passed their tests...it is possible without liquid cooling.

So, OP, I fully understand your relief and joy. Congrats on nailing the quest!

[BigPelaMangi]

Originally Posted by Syncamorea

To the OP: good work! I have built a few rack mount PC cases and they all seem to require a compromise here and there, but I still keep using them. I've used pretty much every fan that has claimed to be quiet - SilenX, Zalman, Yate Loon, Nexus, Noctua, Scythe, etc. If my case requires fans smaller than 12cm, I typically mod them to take 12's because a 12 at 500 rpm is quieter than 8's or 9.2's in my experience.

Yeah I looked at 120mm fans, I found the 80mm Noctura in PWM to be more than fine. Problem is if you go to 120mm in a rackmount case you have to go to a 4RU or 5RU, and if I recall correctly I couldn't find in 4RU from a reputable manufacturer. My I/O is 2RU so a 5RU case wasn't going to fit in the 6RU road case I wanted to use, plus keeping the weight down so it can fly was also a side factor for me. But most definitely, 120mm would be even sweeter, moving more air or the same amount at lower RPM's.

[JC Wolf]

Originally Posted by BigPelaMangi

Yeah I looked at 120mm fans, I found the 80mm Noctura in PWM to be more than fine. Problem is if you go to 120mm in a rackmount case you have to go to a 4RU or 5RU, and if I recall correctly I couldn't find in 4RU from a reputable manufacturer. My I/O is 2RU so a 5RU case wasn't going to fit in the 6RU road case I wanted to use, plus keeping the weight down so it can fly was also a side factor for me. But most definitely, 120mm would be even sweeter, moving more air or the same amount at lower RPM's.

When I did my build 1 year ago, I was set on a rackmount and settled on the Antec Take 3 rackmount 3u case (650w PSU). And yes, it was expensive. After researching my cooling options, I settled on the Noctua NH-C14 in a 1 fan (140mm) low profile configuration. An unexpected bonus is that the fan also covers some of the chipset and RAM, with just enough clearance for it to do its job efficiently and quietly (900 rpm). Of the 2 80mm fans that came with the case, I took out the side mounted one. This setup runs cool even under load and I'm very satisfied on how it turned out. And since the NH-C14 comes with 2 140mm fans, I have a spare one.

The rackmount case which has a black mat finish, comes with a blue front grill, which I hated. But after a quick spray paint job, it's now all black and looking pretty good. But the bottom line is that, it is possible to use a 140mm fan in a 3u case.

[Arqen]

A fantastic heat sink which I prefer over the Noctoa flagships is the massive Thermalright Macho (shown on my rig in the photo below). It's an very efficient, quiet cooler, designed to be used passive or with a low RPM fan. It's also well priced.

According to this performance review:
"The HR-02 Macho is the best cooler available today in fan-less mode as well as with a single low-speed fan."

If you want a good reference setup, check out the tech specs for my quiet DAW Computer, the Phantom DAW (shown below).

[BigPelaMangi]

Originally Posted by Arqen

A fantastic heat sink which I prefer over the Noctoa flagships is the massive Thermalright Macho (shown on my rig in the photo below). It's an very efficient, quiet cooler, designed to be used passive or with a low RPM fan. It's also well priced.

According to this performance review:
"The HR-02 Macho is the best cooler available today in fan-less mode as well as with a single low-speed fan."

If you want a good reference setup, check out the tech specs for my quiet DAW Computer, the Phantom DAW (shown below).

Is it rackmountable?

[jackies]

You didn't add a couple more dimensions to your "triangle of heat, cpu power and noise"
It's size and complexity.
The answer to your dilemma is watercooling, I been using watercooled rigs for about 15 years now, water is just so much more efficient at moving heat, and with sufficiently sized radiator (LARGE!) you may not even need fans. And no matter how much you overvolt/overclock your cpu, it'll never overheat...

[Arqen]

Originally Posted by jackies

You didn't add a couple more dimensions to your "triangle of heat, cpu power and noise"
It's size and complexity.
The answer to your dilemma is watercooling, I been using watercooled rigs for about 15 years now, water is just so much more efficient at moving heat, and with sufficiently sized radiator (LARGE!) you may not even need fans. And no matter how much you overvolt/overclock your cpu, it'll never overheat...

Water cooling is great, but the increased complexity and cost is not always worth it. In my experience it's easier and way more economical to build a quiet air cooled rig than a quiet water cooled rig. But don't get me wrong . . . the ultimate rig is a silent liquid cooled rig.

My last computer was a fanless water cooled rig (I was using the Zalman Resorator, shown below, with an upgraded pump). It was almost silent, except a small amount of pump noise was audible. I suspended the pump in a box with elastics and added HF absorption, but it still transmitted noise into my case via the tubing. High performance pumps tend to operate at high rpm, and while they can still be very quiet, the noise is pitched and can be distracting.

[Ron Vogel]

I just added a crapload of fans and built a plexi and aluminum box for mine. The back and bottom are open, a small pad of 703 under it keeps it plenty quiet.

(btw, I built this from scraps at my day job)...sorry for the grainy cell phone pics.

[Arqen]

Originally Posted by BigPelaMangi

Is it rackmountable?

That's actually the back view of a tower case. So, no. It's spacious inside and all air exits out the top, because it's designed to be easy to upgrade, cool and quiet. It also uses positive pressure cooling (more fans pushing in than pulling out) to minimize dust build up and extend component life.

[BigPelaMangi]

Some nice rigs here guys. Are they rackmountable? Can they transport easily in 3RU space of a road case? Are they light enough to fly? I love a slutty computer rig more than is probably deemed healthy, but there is more to consider here I suppose than just the aforementioned Noise, Power, Heat triangle. Rackmountable, Rackspace Used, Easily Transportable (weight, portability etc).

I am still kind of new here, is there a thread of pics of music computers on gearslutz?

[Arqen]

Originally Posted by BigPelaMangi

Some nice rigs here guys. Are they rackmountable? Can they transport easily in 3RU space of a road case? Are they light enough to fly? I love a slutty computer rig more than is probably deemed healthy, but there is more to consider here I suppose than just the aforementioned Noise, Power, Heat triangle. Rackmountable, Rackspace Used, Easily Transportable (weight, portability etc).

I am still kind of new here, is there a thread of pics of music computers on gearslutz?

Nope, nope, nope for my rig!

Is 3RU important to you? What about 4RU?
The smaller the case, the hotter it gets, the smaller the fans, the louder it gets.

Unless the whole case is a heat sink. Like the discontinued Zalman TNN chassis (much bigger than 3 rack units ):

[Masaaki]

I posted a couple of pictures of my 3RU rig last year (post #2 and #9).

New DAW build

Another thread about rackmount i7 rig and some cooling/silence issues.

rackmounted i7 DAW?

[BigPelaMangi]

Originally Posted by Masaaki

I posted a couple of pictures of my 3RU rig last year (post #2 and #9).

New DAW build

Another thread about rackmount i7 rig and some cooling/silence issues.

rackmounted i7 DAW?

Good reads, cheers.

I had also looked at the istar / ark cases, but knew the silverstone lc20b very well from previous HTPC builds. I had originaly looked at cases upto 4RU and was trying to find ones with 120mm slots at the back so I could use the corsair H80 or similar liquid cooling solution. Then I built a a video editing rig for a friend and was less than impressed with the noise factor of the Corsair. I also noticed the noise specs of the 120mm Noctua fans to be louder than the 80mm Noctua fans.