CPU Noise!

[2000Z28M6]

My home studio has been active lately and since CPU noise was always a problem I decided to try the "throw it in the closet" method.

I was able to rearrange the studio in such a way to force the CPU in the closet space.
I used extra vga cables and a wireless mouse and keyboard setup. Everything else is close enough for the sound card m audio 44.

After placing my mics furthest away from the closet, No more cpu whine and clicking.

I will be throwing heavy blankets on it while recording only, to quiet it down even more. Then removing the blanket once recording is done, help any overheat issues.

With the blankets covering the CPU, I monitored through my head phones after setting up the mics and It was really nice and quiet.

[reklus]

Originally Posted by 2000Z28M6

My home studio has been active lately and since CPU noise was always a problem I decided to try the "throw it in the closet" method.

I was able to rearrange the studio in such a way to force the CPU in the closet space.
I used extra vga cables and a wireless mouse and keyboard setup. Everything else is close enough for the sound card m audio 44.

After placing my mics furthest away from the closet, No more cpu whine and clicking.

I will be throwing heavy blankets on it while recording only, to quiet it down even more. Then removing the blanket once recording is done, help any overheat issues.

With the blankets covering the CPU, I monitored through my head phones after setting up the mics and It was really nice and quiet.

By CPU, you mean your computer, right? Not the actual CPU. I ask because there are actual problems where CPU's cause audible whining in the audio path and until you mentioned putting "The CPU" in the closet I thought you meant you were having Central Processing Unit noise.

[2000Z28M6]

Sorry let me be technical.

I was referring to the computer tower, between the cpu fan, power supply and HDDs, the whining was driving me nuts.

Especially when I started recording...night and day difference.

[Seafroggys]

The only time I pick up computer fans is if I'm recording vocals, since that's when I don't use the pad on my condensors and they're only about 4-5 feet away.

[mattr]

It always amuses me that people go to all these lengths to muffle the noise of their computer when they could just cut to the cause and replace all the fans with decent quiet ones.

CHeck out...
http://www.quietpc.com/

[reklus]

Originally Posted by mattr

It always amuses me that people go to all these lengths to muffle the noise of their computer when they could just cut to the cause and replace all the fans with decent quiet ones.

CHeck out...
http://www.quietpc.com/

Yeah, and they're also killing their computers with heat by muffling them.

[reklus]

Originally Posted by 2000Z28M6

Sorry let me be technical.

I was referring to the computer tower, between the cpu fan, power supply and HDDs, the whining was driving me nuts.

Especially when I started recording...night and day difference.

What is technical in calling a computer a computer?

[noisedude]

Glad you have had a good result ......... keep an eye on that closet though, because computers are full of dust and between that, hot bearings and blankets, it sounds like you have a bit of a fire hazard going on. I'd be a bit worried if you've covered over the vents at the front and back (or whever they are on your tower).

[RAMI]

What was the question?

[noisedude]

Originally Posted by RAMI

What was the question?

How many Ramis makes a ramirami.com?

[Waffleness]

What you need is a computer submerged in oil:



I would soooo put some fish in there... they might not last long though

[2000Z28M6]

It always amuses me that people go to all these lengths to muffle the noise of their computer when they could just cut to the cause and replace all the fans with decent quiet ones.

I have a shitty P4 and i have already swapped out to a slower CPU fan and that helped alot, but after quieting the CPU fan, I began to notice these really high pitched whines. They are apparently coming from the CPU and the HDDs.

Glad you have had a good result ......... keep an eye on that closet though, because computers are full of dust and between that, hot bearings and blankets, it sounds like you have a bit of a fire hazard going on. I'd be a bit worried if you've covered over the vents at the front and back (or whever they are on your tower).

The machine is on the closet floor with decent ventilation when not recording it's not covered at all. Just sits in the closet with the door closed. The back and front are not covered.

What you need is a computer submerged in oil:

No what I need is a new machine. The new processors and case are really quiet, they can run alot hotter than the P4s. But not interested right now, especially since my PCI card doesn't fit in most new motherboards.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by 2000Z28M6

No what I need is a new machine.

Or an older one. The fact is, if you're just looking for a dedicated audio PC, as long as you stay away from Reaper, which is a CPU hog, and you don't need VSTis, you simply don't need that much horsepower.

G.

[buckkillr8]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

Or an older one. The fact is, if you're just looking for a dedicated audio PC, as long as you stay away from Reaper, which is a CPU hog, and you don't need VSTis, you simply don't need that much horsepower.

G.

I've found Reaper to be the least demanding on a PC out of all the other programs I've tried.

[2000Z28M6]

I've found Reaper to be the least demanding on a PC out of all the other programs I've tried.

Sorry i'm still a noob what the H is Reaper?

[buckkillr8]

Recording software.

http://reaper.fm/

[Waffleness]

Originally Posted by 2000Z28M6

Sorry i'm still a noob what the H is Reaper?

A very cheap audio program, that shares many features with top of the line recording software. Google it if you want to download it.

[2000Z28M6]

Looks like a decent app. I'll keep it in mind if I give up on Sonar 6.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by buckkillr8

I've found Reaper to be the least demanding on a PC out of all the other programs I've tried.

The machine that I am typing this on and use mostly for the Internet (which is not the same as my studio computer, which I won't let anywhere near the Internet) is a 10-yr-old Gateway PIII-450 with 384MB RAM. I know, it's ancient, but who needs more for accessing the Internet?

The only audio software it will not properly run are Cubase 4/Nuendo, which won't install because it won't install on Win2kPro, and Reaper, which installs fine but can't run without about 95% interruption - making it useless on this machine. Every other NLE for audio or video works just fine on this machine, including full multi-track video production with Vegas or Premiere.

Before I upgraded to a 3Ghz P4 a couple of years ago for my main audio/video work and relegated this boat anchor to the bowels of the Internet only, I used to do full-fledged audio/video post production work on this machine that included a half-dozen tracks of high-res video and up to 20 tracks of audio mixing with no problems whatsoever. It was too slow for many VSTis, it had trouble with some convolution reverbs, and video MPEG rendering took forever, but other than that there was plenty of horsepower to go around for your average A/V mixing/editing/production work.

Until I tried Reaper. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Reaper, I think it's a wonderful program. But by it's design, it simply - by my experience - requires far more horsepower than any other app I have tried on here (and I have tried many), and is the only one that bogs down on it.

Again, That doesn't mean it's not perfectly fine on an up-to-date CPU, I was just saying that one could pinch pennies (and potentially save heat and noise) and perform perfectly good music production on an older CPU, as long as they don't use Reaper, at least IME.

G.

[noisedude]

Originally Posted by buckkillr8

I've found Reaper to be the least demanding on a PC out of all the other programs I've tried.

Yeah me too actually. It was the software I could get most tracks and plugs from on a 3ghz P4.

[Bristol Posse]

Originally Posted by 2000Z28M6

I have a shitty P4 and i have already swapped out to a slower CPU fan and that helped alot, but after quieting the CPU fan, I began to notice these really high pitched whines. They are apparently coming from the CPU and the HDDs.



The machine is on the closet floor with decent ventilation when not recording it's not covered at all. Just sits in the closet with the door closed. The back and front are not covered.



No what I need is a new machine. The new processors and case are really quiet, they can run alot hotter than the P4s. But not interested right now, especially since my PCI card doesn't fit in most new motherboards.

CPUs don't make any audibe noise. CPU fan should be the only noise coming from that area.
If you are hearing high pitched whines from your HDD. backup everything now and prepare for a crash
Newer 45nm CPUs such as duals, quads and i7s actually run much cooler and more efficiently than P4s so there is less fan noise even from an intel stock fan
What kind of PCI card are you using that doesn't fit into a PCI slot. A PCI slot is a PCI slot and is no different now than 5 years ago. Most current MOBOs have at least 1 PCI slot as well as PCI/E and PCI 2.0
The only thing I can think of is a graphics card using non PCI interface which has been largely abandonned a long time ago

[2000Z28M6]

Most current MOBOs have at least 1 PCI slot as well as PCI/E and PCI 2.0

You say most..not all, eventually PCI is going to be phased out.


The machine I use was basically thrown together from spare parts.

P4 2.8, 2GB Ram, 3 40GB HDDs, AGP and PCI cards for dual monitors.

I back up frequently to my external drive just in case.

Honestly I only have bout $200 in the machine.

The whining usually starts after the CPU gets up to operating temp. So it might have to do with the CPU fan not cooling properly. However Ive heard HDDs whine even on my laptop so I know what that sounds like. And the machine has one drive that is whinnying.

[Bristol Posse]

Yeah if your using AGP cards you'll have trouble finding anything. Personally I'd replace an AGP GPU with a PCI one (low end and CHEAP) since a good mother board is far more important to a solid DAW than loyalty to an old graphics card.
PCI not such a problem even on brand new i7 boards and whilst PCI will likely eventually phase out it hasn't yet.

If your hearing a Whining when the CPU gets hot most likely cause is bad bearing in the cooling fan and it will need to be replaced before it starts effecting the fans ability to spin fast enough to cool the CPU. If not the CPU will get too hot and choke to prevent damage

Unusual whining from HDDs is usually a sign of iminent Crash. If you just have loud drives, that have always been loud you could dry re mounting them with silicone dampers to reduce some of the vibration noise transferring to the case

[2000Z28M6]

f your hearing a Whining when the CPU gets hot most likely cause is bad bearing in the cooling fan and it will need to be replaced before it starts effecting the fans ability to spin fast enough to cool the CPU. If not the CPU will get too hot and choke to prevent damage

Unusual whining from HDDs is usually a sign of iminent Crash. If you just have loud drives, that have always been loud you could dry re mounting them with silicone dampers to reduce some of the vibration noise transferring to the case

All this is great info guys! but throwing it in the closet was easier!

And if it dies oh well, good thing I have 3 seperate drives for OS, Files, back ups!

THanks!

[Seafroggys]

PCI will still last a long while. Most things are still PCI anyway, its still a very fast system (much faster than Firewire and USB 2.0). I haven't even seen non-GPU PCI-E cards out yet, and even once they start coming out, there will still be a few years of PCI dominence.