Compucase silencing project...

[vrmx]

I have a Compucase LX-6A21 case which is the same inside as the Antec SLK3700AMB. Now I have bought some damping material to get my pc a bit more silent.

Here are the installed parts:
- Abit Ai7 mobo, i865PE, NB hsf changed to hs only
- P4 2.8C @ 3.2GHz, Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu, cpu runs a bit hot
- 2x256MB Kinston HyperX PC3500, these are fine
- Ati Radeon 7200, passive cooled, this is going to change to X800XT, HIS ICQII perhaps...
- NEC ND-2500A & LiteOn LTC-48161H
- Akasa Fan Controller Pro, 4x fan control 5-12v and 4x temp sensor, I take suggestions on where to put the temp sensors
- Samsung SP40 80GB 7200rpm 2MB, this vibrates a lot , taking suggestions on 160+GB fast sata drives
- 2x Revoltec 120mm led case fans, ~22dB, ~1000rpm
- Fortron FSP350-60PN, 120mm fan


Ok, I have five 240x400mm ~1cm thick damping material and one same sized which is ~2cm thick. I was planning to put that thicker one in the right side panel (where the mobo is) to the big holes there and to the front of the case. Then the ~1cm thick to case roof, bottom, back and left (opposite mobo) side panel.

Then I was thinking of maybe blocking the back exhaust fan hole (I have both front and rear grilles cut away) and let the psu handle the air exhaust. Intake fan would still be there because of the hd.

Cables. I have round cables but have thought about using normal flat cables this time as those could be more easily bend away of the airflow. Suggestions?

Any hints and tips are welcome before I start my project .

[MonsterMac]

first you have to analyze where the noise is coming from before or after you put in the dampening material (it really doesn't matter because dampening material doesn't do all that much to lower the noise) and then once you figure out where the noise is coming from, check the website's recommended section, you'll find all your answers there. good luck!

[vrmx]

Hd keeps the most noise in my system. Dampening should help to its awful vibration but don't know (one screw is stuck inside the hd so it can only be attached with 3 screws). Have thought about getting a Seagate Barracuda 7200.2 200GB sata drive to replace my Samsung though...

Psu fan is probably another source of noise. Have to see how it changes after dampening. Case fans and cpu fan are quiet.

Any comments on the exhaust fan? Should I leave it off and let the psu handle exhaust air or just put the fan?

[cmcquistion]

Relying of the PSU, only, for exhaust is only recommended for relatively cool CPU's. If you have a hot CPU, then you will be forcing all the hot air to go through the PSU.

Check the links in my sig. I have a lot of LX-6A19 mods and I have a machine, very similar to yours, that has been through several mods, now, in search of silence. You can see quite a few pictures of my mods in my LX-6A19 thread and Fan-Voltage-Controller-Strip thread.

[vrmx]

Now, cmcquistion, having read your threads about the psu and hd it looks like I'd need an exhaust fan but not necessarely an intake fan. Have to experiment with these.
And my psu, looks like it might become the noisiest part in the system. Have to consider switching it, not really interested in modding it...

BTW, this same case is going to be serving an A64 system within couple of months so if I can get this P4 run silent then A64 shouldn't be a problem .

[cmcquistion]

Yeah, my personal feeling is that an intake fan often isn't needed if there is an unrestrictive intake. Others will disagree, of course, but this is my method.

[vrmx]

Ok, job done and now some thoughts.

Psu, it's ok in idle but under load it gets very noisy so it has to go. Any thoughts on Be Quiet! psu's? Can be found here (blackline, 1- or 2-fan). Or the new Zalman ZM400B-APS?

Then the hd. Just like I thought it still vibrates a lot even though it is more silent now. This will change to Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 200GB sata drive...

Case fans. No intake fan needed so far, everything seems ok with only exhaust fan and occasionally loud psu.