Need Help Silencing Rig

New to PC silencing? Read & post your questions here. Dedicated to rosy_toes.

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wastehero2
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Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:35 pm

Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by wastehero2 » Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:46 pm

Hi,

Decided to finally join the community after reading a bunch of reviews in my quest to silence my pc.
Was hoping that I could get some help in silencing my PC, this is my current build I use at 1440p.
It's mostly for gaming but I run the 6700k for occasional cpu heavy tasks.

Case: Fractal Node 804
Cooler: Prolimatech Megahalems Push (Noiseblocker M12-P)
CPU: i7 6700k @ 4.4Ghz
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170MX-Gaming 5
GPU: EVGA GTX 1080 ACX 3.0
PSU: EVGA 850G2 (850w) PSU

I'm thinking I just need to swap to a new case that is less open than the Node 804 to stop noise from leaking, I was thinking along the lines
of Define S. But I was wondering if there were better options out there, should I also consider swapping out my CPU cooler for something new?

CA_Steve
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Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by CA_Steve » Tue Feb 21, 2017 8:33 am

Welcome to SPCR.

Before running out and buying a new case, let's look at the existing setup to set a baseline and see what can be improved. No matter how "closed" a case might be, you have to tune the stuff inside in order to reduce noise while maintaining decent temps.

- How are you managing the case and cpu cooler fans? BIOS? Windows s/w?
- what kind of profiles do you have set up? / what are your idle and typical load fan speeds?

- What are you using for case fans and what are the locations?

- How are you managing the gfx card fans? / what kind of profiles do you have set up? / what are your idle and typical load fan speeds?

- what are your idle/load cpu and gpu temps?

wastehero2
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by wastehero2 » Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:56 pm

- How are you managing the case and cpu cooler fans? BIOS? Windows s/w?
I'm using MSI Afterburner and Gigabyte's System Information Viewer (Should I be using BIOS instead?)
- what kind of profiles do you have set up? / what are your idle and typical load fan speeds?
Here is a picture of both the CPU and GPU Profiles

GPU:
Image

CPU:
Image
- What are you using for case fans and what are the locations?
I'm using the default fan configuration for the 804 so 1 intake in front of cpu cooler, 1 exhaust behind cpu cooler and
1 exhaust in the other compartment cooling HDD's
- what are your idle/load cpu and gpu temps?
CPU Idle/Load : 30-35c/75-80c
GPU Idle/Load : 40-50c/75c (My GPU doesn't underclock automatically at idle. I think it's probably around 35-40c idle if it underclocked properly)
Last edited by wastehero2 on Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

CA_Steve
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Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by CA_Steve » Tue Feb 21, 2017 9:48 pm

Thanks. Here's some stuff that comes to mind...and as always still more questions :)

cpu cooling:
I'm using MSI Afterburner and Gigabyte's System Information Viewer (Should I be using BIOS instead?)
Naw. Gigabyte's bios fan control didn't get decent until the '200 series boards...so, if the windows s/w is stable, keep with it.

- What are the case fans' rpm profile and how are you controlling them? I've seen where the std R2 120mm starts around 5V @ 600rpm...not sure what happens with the low-speed adapter...or if that comes with the 804's fans. 600rpm *might* be inaudible...depends on the environment.

- The Noiseblocker M12-P isn't particularly quiet...mostly due to the rpm range. You really need a 120mm fan that drops below 500rpm to court inaudibility at idle.

- The gfx card is passive with 2D loads.

So, at idle and light CPU loading, with decent case fan profiles and a replacement cpu fan, you should have a damn quiet system.

CPU: you have a light OC of 4.4 over the stock 4.2GHz. Did you overvolt or just up the clock? Also, mobo mfgrs play games with CPU voltages to look good for overclocking reviews...and your load temp seems kinda high if it were stock voltage, especially with the fan humming along at 1900rpm! Gigabyte might have put their thumb on the voltage scale as it were... So, definately check that out. The idle temp is reasonable, so that implies the cooler is seated well.

Ok, that's a start.

wastehero2
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by wastehero2 » Tue Feb 21, 2017 11:36 pm

I'm using the built-in fan controller on the case on the medium setting (on low it is almost completely inaudible but I imagine has no airflow).
I'm not sure what the voltage is for that setting but I reckon it's 7.5V maybe?

-As far as the noiseblocker it's not terrible at 1050rpm and only really produces a slight humming sound but yeah I wish it went down a little below 1k RPM

-Case fans are definitely the most audible part of the system I would have to say, it's that then the next loudest thing would probably be the noiseblocker.

-As far as OCing I don't remember what I did but I probably upped the clock and then voltage, or maybe was lazy and used the auto-oc. As it stands right now I'm at 1.345V

So should I be just hooking up the case fans to my motherboard then and controlling them through windows s/w?

And lastly, do you think it would be worthwhile at all to consider investing into a Define S? And if so what can I expect from doing so?

Olle P
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Location: Sweden

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by Olle P » Tue Feb 21, 2017 11:50 pm

Discussing the graphics card's fan settings:
It's clear that 10% fan speed isn't really sufficient to cool it, even at idle. I assume it's effectively inaudible at that speed, and increasing the base fan speed to 20% should do wonders in terms of cooling without generating too much noise.

From there it can be beneficial to start raising the fan speed sooner above the "idle" temp, to prevent the GPU from getting very warm fast and thus not requiring the very high fan speeds.

So, a starting point for a fan curve setting could be:
20% nodes at 0 and 40 degrees.
40% node at 60 degrees.
70% node at 80 degrees.
100% node at 100 degrees.

wastehero2
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by wastehero2 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:00 am

Olle P wrote:Discussing the graphics card's fan settings:
It's clear that 10% fan speed isn't really sufficient to cool it, even at idle. I assume it's effectively inaudible at that speed, and increasing the base fan speed to 20% should do wonders in terms of cooling without generating too much noise.

From there it can be beneficial to start raising the fan speed sooner above the "idle" temp, to prevent the GPU from getting very warm fast and thus not requiring the very high fan speeds.

So, a starting point for a fan curve setting could be:
20% nodes at 0 and 40 degrees.
40% node at 60 degrees.
70% node at 80 degrees.
100% node at 100 degrees.
You are looking at the wrong graph, sorry let me fix the post so its more clear.

CA_Steve
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Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by CA_Steve » Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:05 am

wastehero2 wrote:I'm using the built-in fan controller on the case on the medium setting (on low it is almost completely inaudible but I imagine has no airflow).
I'm not sure what the voltage is for that setting but I reckon it's 7.5V maybe?
Probably 8 or 9V.
wastehero2 wrote:-As far as OCing I don't remember what I did but I probably upped the clock and then voltage, or maybe was lazy and used the auto-oc. As it stands right now I'm at 1.345V
The Auto-oc functions always run higher than needed so the mobo customer service guys don't have to deal with "why isn't my board stable" questions.. Core voltage has a huge impact on temps, as power is proportional to Vcore^2 * Fclk. Granted, OCing is a roulette wheel, but you should be able to drop the core voltage to 1.25 and be stable at 4.4GHz. That'll drop your CPU temp 5-6C.

Also, there's a point of diminishing returns on CPU fan speed...after setting up a stable OC at lower Vcore, see what happens when you lower the fan rpm from ~1900rpm at the operating point to something more tolerable.
wastehero2 wrote:So should I be just hooking up the case fans to my motherboard then and controlling them through windows s/w?
Try the low setting and see if it meets your needs/gives reasonable cpu/gpu temps. Some people like having less fans going up and down in rpm.
- If the low setting doesn't cut it noisewise in idle, then consider replacing the fans. I don't think they'll run slower if connected to the mobo.
- If the low setting doesn't cut it temp-wise at load, then hook them up to the mobo and control with a profile in s/w.
wastehero2 wrote:And lastly, do you think it would be worthwhile at all to consider investing into a Define S? And if so what can I expect from doing so?
After doing the above steps, it won't be a night vs day moment if you switch. In the end, the Define S will be a little quieter as the case fans are quieter and can push more air at a given rpm. The case itself may dampen the cpu and gfx card fans by a db or 2.

CA_Steve
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Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by CA_Steve » Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:06 am

OllieP - the gfx card is passive until 50-60C.

quest_for_silence
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Location: ITALY

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by quest_for_silence » Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:46 am

wastehero2 wrote:-As far as the noiseblocker it's not terrible at 1050rpm and only really produces a slight humming sound but yeah I wish it went down a little below 1k RPM
Noctua NA-SRC7 (YMMV BTW)

CA_Steve
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Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by CA_Steve » Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:07 pm

Just to put this in perspective, by tuning the CPU OC voltage and having better CPU and case fan speed profiles you can lower the idle noise of your system by 10-15dB and perhaps 10dB at load (gfx card fans become prominent). Changing the case but keeping everything else the same will lower idle and load noise by maybe 3-5dB.

wastehero2
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by wastehero2 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:31 pm

Alright well I tried tweaking the voltage and that wasn't especially successful, as I was only able to lower it down to 1.32V (maybe I lost the silicone lottery or it's because of HT?)

I did turn down the case fans down to low and now it's basically silent save for the noiseblocker so I'm really tempted to try and sell off the megahalems and pick up a Scythe Ninja 4.

I tweaked the CPU fan curve to be 0 until 70c and then it slowly ramps up to keep under safe temps (85-90c or so) but based from what I've seen I stay safely under 75c at %0 (1k rpm)

GPU I keep at 30% until 60c then go to 40% at 70c and at 80c I go up to %50 and from there it ramps up to stay under 85c or so.

Overall the changes are positive but I do need to either swap out the fan or the entire heatsink to get it to be completely silent at idle.

Thank you very much for the suggestions!

CA_Steve
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Re: Need Help Silencing Rig

Post by CA_Steve » Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:00 pm

Probably the silicon lottery.

Glad the tweaks worked out so well.

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