"Silent audio computer", ...how to build a pc for music listening Options

[NumLOCK]

Hi all,

What about sharing our personal experiences with building silent, flexible home audio/entertainment devices?
This was my first time - and the choice of components was not easy ! Very often, you can't have both speed and silence. Here's what I did.

I've just built a PC on a following basis:
- ABIT KD7-E mainboard (VIA KT333 chipset / allows cpu multiplier setting / voltage lowering in BIOS / down to 1.1V in 0.025V increments).
- AMD Thoroughbred 2000+ 1.65V cpu (multiplier is unlocked out-of-the-box).
- flower CPU heatsink -- it rocks: depending on cpu voltage, there's no need for a fan !!
- 256MB of cheap PC266 ddr sdram
- nice black midi-tower case without PSU.
- special, ultra-quiet 300W PSU
- 7200RPM, 80GB WD HDD
- ATI Radeon 9000pro with VGA, DVI- and TV-out

The following components were modified:
- cpu was underclocked and heavily under-volted (running as 1500+ @ 1.2V). Can also run ~1200MHz @ 1.1V.
- Radeon 9000 pro was modified for passive cooling
- northbridge fan of the motherboard was replaced with passive cooling solution.
- HDD was put in silent 5 1/4'' acoustic armor.
- the case was stuffed with custom acoustic damping material.

The special components were mostly Zalman stuff, found on:
- http://www.quietpc.com/cpucool2.php (CPU flower cooler)
- http://www.quietpc.com/psu.html (silent PSU)
- http://www.quietpc.com/silentdrive.html (HDD armor)
- http://www.quietpc.com/vgamb.php (VGA and M/B heatsinks).

Results:
- there are two fans in the system (PSU & CPU), one of which can be deactivated.
- runs smoothly at 1500+, 1.2V, ~40 Celsius with big, silent 600RPM fan to blow some air into the case (no fan is fine also: ~42-55 Celsius depending on cpu voltage).
- pc is near-silent (just about "undetectable" from 30cm distance).

Additional thoughts:
- I'll add a soundcard and a LAN card (no fans, so no problem)
- I'm still hesitating about what DVD-rom drive I'll put in there.
- I've put the 7200RPM HDD because that's all I had.. but maybe I'll replace it with a 5400RPM (or lower) one.
- operating system not chosen yet.

Epilogue / What I learned:
- I'm VERY satisfied with this silent PC.
- In the future I'll be careful about the noise when buying components for other pc's.
- There's no way I'd buy a GeForce FX (think noise..)
- Silent machines need more expensive cooling components, but I think it's really worth it !

This post has been edited by NumLOCK: Feb 24 2003, 11:01

[JEN]

Thanks for all the advice everyone especialy SometimesWarrior . You have helped me alot in my quest in making a silent pc

OK, I have just discovered another problem. I have managed to unlock the processor! but my motherboard is designed for overclocking, not underclocking. Therefore, it will not allow me to set the vcore below 1.725!!!

So, my question is, if I leave the vcore @ 1.75, but underclock the xp1900 to xp1700 or xp1500, will it run cooler than the original xp1900 speed? If that is not possible, is there any other way to reduce the vcore?

BUILD A DUCT: Now that could be interesting! I can understand how it will inprove processor cooling, but how will it improve GPU cooling when there is no fan or duct pointing at the GPU? (Problem solved, make 2 92mm duct with 2x 92mm silent fan )

Another problem: As my HDD is in the Silent Drive Enclosure, on worm days the temperature of the HDD can reach upto 56 Degrees! I think 55 Degrees is the limit. How/what can I do to cool the HDD. My idea was to mod the case and add another fan pointing towards the HDD, but it seems that the fan is to thick to fit between the case and the HDD! Any ideas on how I can cool the HDD down?

Silencing plan:

4x 92mm silent fan + duct on side of case pointing towards the CPU, GPU, HDD, and 1 blowing air out of the top of the case (should be enough)
fan speed controller 4 fan
1x passive GPU heatsink without fan
grills 4x 92mm
1x 300W silent PSU

Future mods

4x fan filters (reduce dust blowing in)
acustic foam from quietpc

This post has been edited by JEN: Apr 20 2003, 21:12