Eliminating computer noise, what are my options?

[MidoBan]

Hi, i'm building a home recording studio (room) on a low budget. And one of my main issues is the computer noise picked up by the mics. I want to know what are my options. Here are some from the top of my head, please comment on those - budget wise and complexity wise.

Moving the computer away to another room in not an option.

1. Heatsyncs instead of fans. Sounds like a good idea, does it exist? If yes, does it replace all fans (CPU, power supply)? Does it allow me to remove all the case fans?

2. Water cooling. Is it dead silent? Is it very expensive?

3. DIY wooden box for computer case with sound absorbing materials inside. Wouldn't it make my computer hot as hell? Will i have to make ventilation tunnels in the box and add box fans? Wont the fans create noise all over again? Sounds like a headache..

4. Simply getting expensive quality fans. How effective would it be? What fans are we talking about? CPU and case fans only? Can i change my power supply fan too or do i need to get a new "quality" power supply?

Share your thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[scottiemedic]

Can you build a wooden or whatnot enclosure for the tower with sound absorbing materials lining the inside and the 'exhausting' side (probably the back of the enclosure) pointing away from your mics? You can also try to seal as much of the enclosure as possible with a slide on the front and back that opens to vent when not recording and can close mostly down when recording to help lower noise (I wouldn't seal it completely, but would limit the air flow in and out while actively recording, as long as we're not talking hours at a time)

 

[bohojnr]

sound dampening foam for the inside of your case if a possibility, also a fan controller to lower the rpm of your fans as well as replacing them with silent fans, water cooling your still needing radiators with fans. And i doubt your psu is making much audible/distracting noise aside from your case fans, just some thoughts.

 

[Z1NONLY]

I would look into mounting the case in an adjacent room. If you can wire up a studio, you can surely find a way to extend the the connections you need into the next room.

 

[Duzzi]

How about dividing the space where your equipment is from the space where you place your microphones and(i assume) musicians, because if there was such thing as computer that does not make a sound (and is not just the cooling system that makes noice) everybody would use that solution.

 

[davcon]

Water cooling is louder then most air-coolers.
Solution = use a passive heatsink capable of cooling your cpu.
Buy a case with sound-absorption panels or add a panel kit to existing case.
Replace case fans with silent ones = under 20db.

 

[nforce4max]

Large coolers with low rpm fans, the heavier the case is the more it can reduce any noise from drives but fans are going to be the issue.

 

[phil0083]

I would look into mounting the case in an adjacent room. If you can wire up a studio, you can surely find a way to extend the the connections you need into the next room.

I think Z1NONLY is right, if you want zero machine noise, then moving them away to an adjacent room would be the one true option. If you have a drop ceiling or crawlspace in the building you are in, then any and all cables can be ran to suit your needs. They make 35ft hdmi cables for monitors and if you need to go farther they have hdmi over ethernet extenders to go several times further ( same for vga, dvi etc.). Any usb peripherals such as mouse, keyboard, sound equipment can be ran over usb ethernet extenders as well. Any type of sound cables whether it be 3.5mm jack or dual rca connector cables or anything else can be ran as well. Like I said, any type of cable can be pulled to suit your needs if it is that important to you.

You can read up on all this stuff, and if your savvy enough, you can buy the cable and run it yourself!

 

[skaz]

Hi, i'm building a home recording studio (room) on a low budget. And one of my main issues is the computer noise picked up by the mics. I want to know what are my options. Here are some from the top of my head, please comment on those - budget wise and complexity wise.

Moving the computer away to another room in not an option.

1. Heatsyncs instead of fans. Sounds like a good idea, does it exist? If yes, does it replace all fans (CPU, power supply)? Does it allow me to remove all the case fans?

2. Water cooling. Is it dead silent? Is it very expensive?

3. DIY wooden box for computer case with sound absorbing materials inside. Wouldn't it make my computer hot as hell? Will i have to make ventilation tunnels in the box and add box fans? Wont the fans create noise all over again? Sounds like a headache..

4. Simply getting expensive quality fans. How effective would it be? What fans are we talking about? CPU and case fans only? Can i change my power supply fan too or do i need to get a new "quality" power supply?

Share your thoughts.

Thanks!

First to lower the noise you need to start with the loudest parts. Can you tell us the system specs of the rig your trying to sound dampen?

A cheaper system with no dedicated graphics and a low powered cpu is going to be much easier to sound dampen than an expensive high powered system.