Help quieting system

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm

From a noise perspective my pc leaves much to be desired, especially at load when the PSU fan cranks up. Running the TriCool on low fan speed and my temps are:

Ambient - 24
Idle - core temps range from 39-40C, Hard drives 30C, GPU 40C
Full Load - core temps range from 70-71C, Hard drives 45C, GPU 60C

Any suggestions on turning this build into a reasonably quiet system? My ideas from reading this site are in the brackets.

Case - Solo [consider cutting out fan grills and maybe add a front intake fan or two]

CPU - Q9650

Cooler - Scythe Ninja 2 with included Scythe fan [consider replacing with Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme]

MB - Asus P5N-D (Nvidia 750i) with included northbridge 70mm fan installed [consider replacing with a MB with a cooler running chipset]

Exhaust Fan - TriCool [replace with Scythe Slipstream 1200, SFlex1200 or GT1150]

PSU - Thermaltake Toughpower 650w [replace with Nexus Value 430 or Corsair HX520W]

Ram - 4GB
HD - 2 WD Caviar Black 1TB
Video - Asus gforce 9600GT (quiet, no fan)

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm

Loaded cores seem to be cooking alright, and if it's not even quiet, it's time for some changes indeed.

If you want a medium-sized case, Solo is as good a choice as any. There were interesting Cooler Master and Silverstone models reviewed on SPCR recently though, take a peek in Cases & Damping. The Antec Three Hundred is also inexpensive, well-ventilated and has filters, so with quiet components, it is a worthy option for gamers or other hotheads. Nothing beats a good old P182 though, especially if you want to go balls-out in your quest for silence!

I'd see how the case deals with grills or at least filters in place first, might be adequate if the cooling is up to the job.

I'd get something lighter for the CPU, like the HR-01 Plus from Thermalright. It's the same cooling power as a TRUE (or even better at extremely low airflow) but with less weight. The bigger Ninjas feel like they're behind the times now.

Definitely replace active chipset cooling with passive if possible. All fans under 120mm must go!

I personally advocate S-Flexs for everything. You won't be disappointed. Their robust motor and hub mean that they will never be the ultimate silence fan, though. A Slip Stream might, at low revs, have the advantage due to to hub and blade design.

PSU choices both sound good. The Nexus Value is very easy to install due to small size, and the HX520W is a smooth job with the detachable cables - just make sure you have enough for the job (I lacked 1 SATA cable in the end, HX620W has more cables). Both the Nexus and Corsair have served our family reliably.

Passive video card sounds very good.

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:16 pm

Das_Saunamies wrote:Definitely replace active chipset cooling with passive if possible. All fans under 120mm must go!

What are my options other than replacing MB with something that runs cooler?

If I add intake fans they would likely be 92mm. Is that going to be a big noise maker if I go with one of the Scythe fans?

BTW, the loaded core temps were after running linpack for hours.

audiojar · Post by **audiojar** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:43 pm

You can easily stick a passive heat sink on your north bridge with decent air flow and/or a down blowing CPU cooler. The Scythe down blowing CPU coolers can do a wonderful job of keeping the MB cool.

You really shouldn't need intake fans. Just 1 or 2 120mm exhaust fans are enough for most systems. (Scythe Slipstreams are a great value and among the best.)

If using only quality 120mm fans isn't enough then I'd say getting a new PSU is the next thing to look at. The Nexus 430 would ensure your PSU is never going to be heard.

The least cost effective measure would be getting a new case. Something like a Solo would certainly help, but I think minimizing the noise at its' sources is the first step.

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm

I do like the size of my Solo case, but if the P18x would yield a big difference in sound I'd consider swapping it out.

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm

The chipset already has a heatsink on it. The big one in the center.

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm

Should I consider replacing that heatsink with something else (assuming I can get it off)? Without the fan installed, which blows down on the heatsink, I get intermittent crashes.

PS - sorry for the multiple posts, I had to get 3 more to post the link to the pic of the MB.

PartEleven · Post by **PartEleven** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:07 pm

I only read the first post, so I don't know if others have suggested this yet: try replacing the PSU. Or do a fan swap. Your noise problem seems to be mainly the PSU fan ramping up with heat, and Thermaltake isn't exactly known for it's quiet PSUs. You may as well have either a inherently loud PSU fan or a sensitive controller that speeds the fan up quickly with temperature.

audiojar · Post by **audiojar** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:32 pm

You definitely want to find a way to make it work without using the fan on the north bridge. 120mm exhaust fans should be able to provide plenty enough air flow to keep the MB cool. A Sythe or Nexus is going to be able to provide a good amount more air flow at noise levels compared to your TriCool on low. Also, like I already said, a down blowing CPU cooler also will help keep the MB cool (as opposed to tower coolers that blow out the back of the case).

Once you are running quality 120mm fans on the case and CPU (and no other fans, besides what is in the PSU) if you still want it quieter then the next place to look in to would be a new PSU. I don't think a P183 is going to help much over a Solo (but could be worth it if you are really looking to max out your silence potential).

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm

Definitely going to replace the PSU. Haven't decided on Nexus or Corsair. Looking at review information the Nexus seems to have the edge for lower noise. However, really like the idea of a modular PSU. I'll also replace rear exhaust with one of the Scythe fans.

I cannot keep the northbridge cool enough with only the rear exhaust. Even when I run the TriCool on high speed the system will crash when put under load if I don't have the Asus supplied 70mm fan installed.

audiojar, are you suggesting that using a cooler like the Scythe Kabuto instead of the HR-01 would result in overall less noise because I could remove the 70mm fan from the system?

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:19 pm

audiojar wrote:You really shouldn't need intake fans. Just 1 or 2 120mm exhaust fans are enough for most systems.

Questionable generalisation. I found out the hard way how much cooler everything runs under light loads with an intake fan in place, and gained much stability and lower RPMs for medium-heavy loads. Could make do with much lighter heatsinks too. There's a good bit of discussion about 2 fans vs 1 in here, which applies somewhat - more is sometimes less! Negative pressure alone may not be enough, especially if the chipset is struggling.

92mm fans can be good too. 120mm just have such a good selection available.

P18x vs Solo... I'd say go with what you feel fits best under your desk. P18x is the ultimate, but a Solo is fine too, especially if you need to move the PC around.

That Asus' chipset heatsink looks quite capable though. If you're not running the NB at high voltages, it sounds like it's a simple case of lacking airflow or - much less likely - a seating issue, resulting in poor contact and performance. For some reason the fins are aligned vertically and thus against the horizontal airflow in a typical tower case. Top-down cooler might provide some relief, but I'd rather replace the mobo heatsink (usually very easy) with a compatible Thermalright or Zalman passive 'sink - especially if board's warranty is already out.

For a top-down cooler I'd pick the Noctua NH-C12P due to it having more secure mounting than a Kabuto.

OP: here is a good graphical representation of the relevant temperature scales: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/pag ... _11_0.html. If the CPU gets borderline Hot under prolonged load, I would say there is a need to improve airflow and/or cooling.

audiojar · Post by **audiojar** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 4:54 pm

lizrdtail wrote:Definitely going to replace the PSU. Haven't decided on Nexus or Corsair. Looking at review information the Nexus seems to have the edge for lower noise. However, really like the idea of a modular PSU. I'll also replace rear exhaust with one of the Scythe fans.

I cannot keep the northbridge cool enough with only the rear exhaust. Even when I run the TriCool on high speed the system will crash when put under load if I don't have the Asus supplied 70mm fan installed.

audiojar, are you suggesting that using a cooler like the Scythe Kabuto instead of the HR-01 would result in overall less noise because I could remove the 70mm fan from the system?

Yes, a down blower will generate more air flow across the MB and help cool the north bridge, the comparison done here on the two Scythe ones also mentions this benefit. However, it's hard to tell how much it will help and if it will be enough in your situation.

If you can place an intake that will blow some air in the direction of your north bridge then that could be a good option too. The bottom line is that 70mm fans are pretty horrible and you should do what needs to be done to get rid of it. You could even rig up a way to get a 120mm fan blowing down on it.

I've never done it myself, but you should even be able to replace the north bridge heat sink completely and look in to after market solutions.

lizrdtail · Post by **lizrdtail** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:12 pm

For a test I put the stock cooler on the CPU. Unfortunately the PC still crashes unless the 70mm northbridge fan is installed.

I'm thinking I should just swap out the mb. Got any suggestions on a board that has a cooler chipset? I don't need SLI so maybe something based on the P45 like the Asus P5Q?

JamieG · Post by **JamieG** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:33 pm

The Gigabyte P45 boards have a really good reputation, so maybe look at one of those that suits your needs.

K.Murx · Post by **K.Murx** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:28 pm

Before you go buying a new board, I would rather try and get a quiet, undervolted 80mm fan and somehow attach that to the northbridge - it should be possible, and should cool well enough.
There are also aftermarket northbridge coolers, it might be worth a search on google if one fits

Regarding intake fans: Just get some 92mm and run them at 5-7V, they will be silent and still effective.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:52 pm

I'm thinking I should just swap out the mb. Got any suggestions on a board that has a cooler chipset? I don't need SLI so maybe something based on the P45 like the Asus P5Q?

I looked into replacing my motherboard recently due to memory issues with my Abit IP35 Pro, and I found the Asus P5Q-E to meet all the criteria I had. It even had motherboard fan control like the Abit, although I can't say for sure how comprehensive it is (i.e. how low can the voltage go). I also looked into Gigabyte, DFI and Intel boards (the available selection), but Asus was the only one with fan control on all headers.

In the end I just went nuts when I found out my RAM sticks were okay, and put the money saved not buying new ones towards an Asus Maximus II Formula. I thought that if this board doesn't solve all my troubles, I might just as well go back to the drawing board.