Best Cooling/ Noise Reduction Solution For Studio Computer?

Doctor Varney

Cave dwelling Luddite
What would you suggest as the best way to reduce noise coming from a computer or a cooling solution which makes the least amount of noise?

I'm using my set up to create audio plays and books, which tend to rely on clear speech. So noiseless recording is pretty essential. I'm still test marketing this at the moment and trying to refine my approach to recording during this time.

I don't think I'll be able to afford water cooling technology yet. It appears to be a gamer's luxury spend. If this means I'm going to be stuck with rotary fans then I should be looking at the least noisy ones, I guess. But where to start? Any recommendations/ reviews from people here might be a good start.

My studio is definitely still a work in progress. So far, I've had put into this build, some reasonably good quality fans - and I have built an isolation cabinet which de-couples the machine from it's surroundings and is situated under a very heavy desk I built, which is anchored mainly via the walls, upon which the rest of my operation sits. But still there seems to be enough general hum and whizz seeping up from down there to interfere with my ears, when scanning quiet mixes. I wouldn't call them especially 'noisy' fans (and I have had some real rattlers in my time) but often it's enough to distract listening or land noise onto my recordings.

I've become very good at post-recording noise removal - and I do intend to build a vocal booth in the corner of the room, when time allows. I'm also investigating silent hardware, expressly for recording purposes, away from any computers - but that's all in the future. Even then, I will be mixing and mastering those recordings on a computer, so this is why I still think it's important.

Any advice - both acoustic and electrical - would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Dr. V
 
I just use a standard off the shelf Hewlett Packard business machine... doesn't make much noise at all. Cheapest solution is to move away from the noise if you can, or put the box elsewhere...

I'm guessing with spoken word you have a different set of problems than with crashy loud multi-tracked music where the neighbour's dog barking and the occasional door slam can add interesting ambience, if timed/tuned correctly... and so you need a quieter environment.
 
Antec TrueQuiet 120mm & 140mm fans.

I got a pair of the 120 fans...not for a PC, I'm using them to cool my 2" tape deck, which has no fans.
They are ment for plug-n-play PC installations, but I just rigged up a way to hang-mount them at the back of the deck, so that they suck the warm air out it...and man, they are SUPER quiet, yet they cool really well.
I just used a 12V adapter...did a little wire splicing/soldering...and they work great.
 
Antec TrueQuiet 120mm & 140mm fans.

I got a pair of the 120 fans...not for a PC, I'm using them to cool my 2" tape deck, which has no fans.
They are ment for plug-n-play PC installations, but I just rigged up a way to hang-mount them at the back of the deck, so that they suck the warm air out it...and man, they are SUPER quiet, yet they cool really well.
I just used a 12V adapter...did a little wire splicing/soldering...and they work great.

Thank you. I've just found some very good reviews for these fans and they are dirt cheap too! Great minds think alike, as I was also thinking something with silicone mounts (like a rubbery web) would eliminate vibration.
 
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