[graystrickland]

I built a media pc from a Gigabyte 8IPE1000 motherboard , with Pentium 4 2.8 ghz cpu, a Silverstone SST-LC03 enclosure , a Silverstone SST-35F power supply , a Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum soundcard and an ATI All In Wonder 9000 Pro video card . The case is fits well aesthetically with my other a/v components.


The problem is that the pc is too LOUD to use. The power supply, hard drive and dvd drive are quiet, but the Thermaltake Spark 7+ cpu fan , which is supposed to be whisper quiet, can be heard in the next room and the fan on the video card isn't much help. I can manually stop both and the system is ultra quiet. I put Motherboard Monitor v5.3.6 on it and the cpu fan is running at

 

[Pootle]

I use one of these CPU coolers one of these and it really is quiet, there is an Intel quivalent.


I've also fitted to one of these to my graphics card so it now has no fan. I don't know if you can fit one of these to an AIW card though.

 

[cowtown]

I have a Zalman cooler for my Radeon 9700 in my main PC And I'll ltell you it was the biggest difference for noise reduction yet, highly recommended if you have the space to install it.


I also put a Zalman flower cooler on my CPU and it helped a little bit more but not as dramatic as going to the Zalman VGA cooler was. I haven't tried the round ones yet (I have the fan model) but I have also heard good things about them.

 

[NaTeDoGG]

Everyone take note: Thermaltake is absolute crap. Thermalright is the absolute best. Check out the Thermalright SP-94, its a great heatsink and should allow you to put a slower, quieter, 92mm fan on it.

 

[justcallmefrank]

I've got one of the Zalman 7000ACu HSF's and a Zalman 400W PSU, with the 5v connection attached to my case fan. My fridge makes more noise. For the video card, unfortunately I don't have any experience with the All-in-Wonders because we don't get them over here, I'd be looking to make sure Zalman doesn't have a fanless heatsink solution for it, a 9000 isn't going to be the biggest outputter of heat. In fact, I'm surprised it has a fan at all.

 

[jvincent]

I use the Zalman ZM80 on my AIW 9700 Pro without any problems.


Assuming the layout of the AIW 9000 is the same, you should be OK. Don't forget that the VGA cooler takes up an extra slot.


The other option is the VGA silencer from Arctic Cooling. It also takes up an extra slot but has the bonus of exhausting hot air out of the case so it also helps to lower case temps. It's supposed to be pretty quiet.

 

[DrPyro]

I see two options to make the CPU quieter. The first is to replace the entire cooler with a Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu or CNPS7000A-AlCu. These do dramatically quiet down the can on the CPU. But dependent on you definition of quiet, they might not be quiet enough for you. I use to use them in my old AMN Athlon 700Mhz HTPC, but i could still here a slight humm from the CPU fan at my listening position. The second option is to use a larger fan, like 120mm, instead of the 80mm currently on that heatsink. They make cheap (

As for the AIW, there is a passive Zalman heatsink for the video cards that works very well. There is no substitute for a fanless video card!


-DrPyro

 

[graystrickland]

Thank you for the information. While looking for a place to buy the Zalman, I tripped upon a story about the Thermaltake "Fanless 103" (CL-P0019) fanless CPU heatsink which supposedly can handle Pentium 4s up to 3.6 ghz. However, it must be brand new, because although I can find 20 stories about it, I can't anywhere to buy it.


My first attempt will be to remove the finger guard on my existing heatsink and see if that quiets it down. If that fails, instead of experimenting with a larger (but slower) fan, I think I'll buy either the "Fanless 103" if I can find it anywhere or, if not, the Zalman you mentioned.

 

[NaTeDoGG]

Quote:

Originally posted by graystrickland Thank you for the information. While looking for a place to buy the Zalman, I tripped upon a story about the Thermaltake "Fanless 103" (CL-P0019) fanless CPU heatsink which supposedly can handle Pentium 4s up to 3.6 ghz.

Quote:

Originally posted by NaTeDoGG Everyone take note: Thermaltake is absolute crap. Thermalright is the absolute best.

 

[graystrickland]

NaTeDoGG,


Ok, ThermalTAKE is crap, now what? Does Zalman (or anyone other than Thermacrap make a fanless heatsink which really works? Since I don't have a decibel-ometer (or whatever you call a sound measuring device that's not your ears), I can't determine if my existing Thermaltake Spark 7+ is as quiet as it is supposed to be or whether it's defective (or the specs are simply wrong). It would be nice to know. If the Spark 7+ is really louder than it claims to be, then the Zalman recommended above should be fine, even though it has a fan. OTOH, if the Spark 7+ is as quiet as promised, then I need a fan-less solution. So far, the Thermalcrap "Fanless 103" (which I can't even find for sale anywhere yet, it's so new), is the only fanless cpu heatsink I can find which will handle (supposedly) a Pentium 4 up to my speed (2.8 ghz), much less more.

So what do you recommend?

 

[madpoet]

SP94 with a Enermax adjustable 92mm fan. Use a VGA silencer for the video card.

 

[tuskenraider]

Another vote for the VGA Silencer, it is quiet and is one of the best GPU cooling products ever.


As for the CPU cooling route, this new monster with a super slow 120mm(i.e. quiet) fan should be the bomb.

 

[graystrickland]

Quote:

Originally posted by tuskenraider [BAs for the CPU cooling route, this new monster with a super slow 120mm(i.e. quiet) fan should be the bomb. [/b]

The ThermalRight SP120 is not available yet. It's not even on Thermalright's own website yet.


In looking at the Thermalright SP94 , I'm surprised to see it rated at 55 db. There is no indication whether that's at max. rpm or what. There's no indication what min. or max. db or rpm is. When I look at other currently-available Thermalright cpu heatsinks for Pentium 4, all are rated at 52 db or more. My existing ThermalTake Spark 7+ is rated a lot less -- but who knows what mine is really doing. Anyway the new XP120 is not available, not mentioned on the Thermalright website, no way of knowing when it will be available.

 

[madpoet]

The SP94 does not come with a fan, so I am not sure what you are looking at. It will take an 80mm or 92mm fan.

 

[graystrickland]

 This link at ThermalRight.Com says about the SP94


Technical Spec.:
some information omitted

Stock Fan

Maker: DELTA

Model: FFB0912EHE

Size: 92 x 92 x 38 (mm)

Bearing: Dual Ball Bearing System

Voltage: 12V

Speed: 4800 rpm

Air Flow: 110.18 CFM
Noise Level: 55 dBA


I understood (perhaps misunderstood) from this that the SP94 always comes with a fan. There is no information on the maker's website (that I can find) about this unit's heat-disipation abilties without a fan -- such as how big a processor it should be able to handle without one.

Thank you for your patience and assistance

 

[madpoet]

You do have to use a fan with it. It just doesn't come with one (or rather, when I bought it from Newegg it didn't). You can choose whatever 80mm or 92mm fan you want. While the Delta is a powerful little fan, it sounds like a jet engine taking off. Get something quieter but that can still move a fair air volume (such as the Enermax I've mentioned a coupe times)

 

[tuskenraider]

Sorry for not ckecking the availability on the SP-120, just seen a post somewhere and grabbed the link from it. The SP-94 would do great as well, considered the best P4 HS by most, though pricey. I have the SP-97, the AMD equivelant, and it is great. It doesn't come with a fan, some sellers offer a bundle with one and many seem to test it with that Delta screamer to show off it's maximum cooling abilities. Noone in their right mind would use that fan at full throttle. You could choose a nice 92mm that runs slow and quiet and still get good temps.

 

[NaTeDoGG]

Another vote for Arctic VGA Cooler. Also another vote for the Thermalright SP-94, but with a 92mm Acoustifan . I suppose one of the variable speed fans would do, but the Acoustifan is a silent sob.


That XP-120 is insane!!

 

[Socio]

You can line the inside of your case with some acoustic absorption material

like AcoustiPack Deluxe this should cut a lot of the noise down. I use something called Pax-Mate which works well but the AcousticPack is supposed to be even better.

 

[madpoet]

*shrug* You really don't need to go that far. But whatever works. I'm running a P4 2.8c slightly OC'd in an Antec Sonata case and really don't have any sound issues. I cut off my fan grills, modified the case to add an intake hole on the bottom, used the VGA silencer, and set my Enermax to about 1/2 way which is around 1800RPM. It's quiet enough that the DVD spinning up is loudest.