Author Topic: Building a new PC  (Read 15807 times)

Offline Carlman

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Building a new PC
« on: February 08, 2007, 07:16:34 AM »
If I were building a new PC, that would be used to directly feed a DAC in my sound room, what would you suggest?  It needs to be quiet and the sound quality must be tops.
I'm using a 'silent' PC now which produces plent of audible hiss/hum from my listening position 7 feet away.

It needs to be REALLY quiet...

It will ONLY be used for 2-channel audio.  I can put storage on a NAS or other box so I don't have to have a HD array in this particular unit... However, I like having a monitor, access to the web... etc.  I'm not sure if pulling data from a server in another room will have any impact on its sound quality but I will experiment with that soon.

So, this could be a 'slave unit' or smaller PC that just has all the controls... like a Squeezebox but with monitor, keyboard, and web access.

-C
I really enjoy listening to music.

Offline bpape

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Building a new PC
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2007, 09:06:20 AM »
Look at the Antec Sonata case - very quiet and easy to work with.  Get a quiet hard disk and make sure to use rubber grommets to mount (Sonata comes with these).  Think about using a smaller video board or even just onboard video to eliminate that fan.  

If you want it really quiet, build a box for it that has sound deadening all around and a small opening front bottom and rear top and allow natural convection to vent the heat out - maybe a very quiet fan on a rheostat to help a little.

Or, just get a squeezebox and a tablet PC.

Bryan
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley

Imperial

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Building a new PC
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2007, 10:08:57 AM »
http://www.silentpcreview.com/

Shhh, I was never here... :wink:

Imperial

shrinkmore

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Quiet PC
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2007, 07:13:00 PM »
Hey Carl,

Shirley is right about the Antec.  I've been using an Antec Phantom, 350 Watt, for about 1.5 years, and it is a totally silent power source, with fins only, no fan - about $70-100.  I also use an aftermarket CPU fan that has large copper fins in a circular design, and again, as Shirley says, it has a rheostat to adjust the speed - about $30-40.  Both are easy to install, some tweeking may be required for the CPU fan, or it may go right in...  I can keep this thing nearly totally silent and the cpu temperature cool enough.  There are programs for sale that continuously measure the CPU temp, so you can adjust accordingly.  There is one that you can use free of charge for a month, which is all you will need it once you're up an running, so you can find the correct speed to keep your CPU cool enough.  There are other much more expensive silen options to keep your CPU cool, such as liquid cooled systems, but I've never used one of these.  I don't use high demand video cards, so I can't help there.  

Good luck,

Doug

shrinkmore

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Here's what sounds like a quiet Hard drive.
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2007, 07:53:40 PM »
Go to Newegg and look for:
SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD501LJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

Check out the reviews, which have some helpful information.

Doug

Imperial

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Building a new PC
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2007, 02:15:45 PM »
Nice thread!
I am thinking on these things myself.
I wanna build a super quiet pc soon.
The one I have now is still more than powerfull enough, but it's to noisy, its
quiet, but I want it to not make ANY noise!!!
I make music, so i need a more quet machine.
An audiophile that also makes the stuff not just listens? Yeah!  :P

This here page is also good to know about:
http://www.nusystems.co.uk/
I sometimes just look at their solutions, and that has given me some tips.

Imperial

shrinkmore

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Building a new PC
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2007, 12:20:28 PM »
Carl,

One of the companys that makes that makes the relatively quiet CPU fans is Zilman.  Mine has worked well.

Doug

Offline Carlman

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Building a new PC
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2007, 06:34:15 PM »
I have a Zalman fan on my CPU now... but the whole PC hums and resonates at a low frequency and at a low volume.  It's one of those sounds you don't even notice until it's switched off.  But when you do, it's like 'ahhh....'  and you can relax a bit more.  

I have the PC on vibrapods, I'm using slow-speed fans in the case, and am slowing the CPU fan down quite a bit... Oh, and power supply is supposed to be quiet also... This is the exact case I'm using.

Overall, most people would think it's a very quiet PC.  The little hum/noise bothers me, though.  I'm considering a very small, completely silent PC for the sound room and then putting the server somewhere else.  I could do the Squeezebox but it's just not quite as resolving as my PC.  So, that's where I am... I hope to figure it out soon.

-C
I really enjoy listening to music.

shrinkmore

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Silence is Golden
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2007, 08:14:28 PM »
Nice looking case Carl.  I know what you mean about those low level annoying noises that electronics make, and that ahhh feeling you get when you turn them off.  Could you install a PC in a closet or something that would keep it silent in your listening room?  I wonder what is humming?

Black Sand Cable

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Building a new PC
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2007, 08:59:06 PM »
I can't help you in the least in this area Carl! I run the Thermaltake Tsunami case and everything in it is over clocked. Dual AMD’s, dual video cards raid five array, and a bunch of other stuff......for me noise is fine, speed is what counts!

As a result I have a lot of fans (8 not including CPU or video cards) and it hums pretty good. It doesn’t bug me but some folks have commented that it sounds like a generator on low speed! :-)

TSUNAMI
http://www.pczaak.nl/catalog/images/Thermaltake%20Tsunami%20VA3000BWA.jpg

Offline Carlman

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Building a new PC
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2007, 05:51:27 AM »
Well, 'plan b' is to try a Transporter instead of a PC.  I'll miss my interface and web-browsing ability but I may incorporate a tablet PC or even PDA for the 'interactive' experience I've come to enjoy.  Regardless, it'll be a big change.... I'm just hoping the sound quality will be as good.

I'll report back how that goes when it happens.
I really enjoy listening to music.

miklorsmith

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Building a new PC
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2007, 07:05:04 AM »
That's a real nutter, huh?  "Do no harm" gets to be a conundrum once you've reached a certain level.  The slope is steeper and slicker.  Yes, you might be able to keep climbing but it might be two steps forward and one back.

So, I'm hedging my bets and not selling the TacT yet.  I need to have the second setup fully running and good to compare the two, then decide.  This is a bear financially and is hindering the measly acquisition process.

I'm OK with this because I've made faulty snap decisions before.  Going forward, my hope is to be able to do A/B, then choose one.  This may not be possible all the time but I'm tired of guesswork.

Sorry, back to "the build".

Offline Inscrutable

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Building a new PC
« Reply #12 on: March 20, 2007, 04:15:27 PM »
Carl,
What about building a hushbox to surround the PC as if it was a projector?

Offline Carlman

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Building a new PC
« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2007, 06:18:55 PM »
That's been a thought... and the only reason I haven't dont it yet is because knowing me... I felt certain it would lead to endless hours of DIY'ing to make a perfect box..

Thanks for putting a name on it... 'hush box'... cool.   Now I can do some searching. ;)

-C
I really enjoy listening to music.

Offline richidoo

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Building a new PC
« Reply #14 on: March 20, 2007, 06:59:40 PM »
Carl, if you are looking for a quiet PC, try Sweetwater and Rain Recording. Rain "Event" looks very cool. Both close to silent.