Building Desk-Need Help with CPU housing

[John Scott]

Maybe somebody can help me out, I'm about to start building a new desk for my gear and computer, it's basic but it's all i need at this point. I want to house my computer tower in the desk's cabinet in order to keep out unwanted noise when recording. I plan on insulating the walls and door. I'm putting seperate ports in the back wall for audio cables, electric, etc. Now my QUESTION is: How can I cool the cabinet, and at the same time keep it quiet. What type of fan/refridgerated/cooler should be used? I want to have some sort of cool air circulation without letting unwanted noise out, esspecialy since I'll be upgrading to dual processors soon.

I've checked out the Acoustic Isolation rack from Raxxess and want to build something simmilar, though smaller, for my cabinet.

Raxxess - http://www.raxxess.com/product.asp?ID=508

Thanks for the help!

[Rochey]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to make your computer silent???

Those Big Cases are really expensive, last time i looked at one it was easily over $600. ( at least, thats what i remember) What other parts of your studio make noise that needs acoustic treatment? To my knowledge, everything else is 'quiet' (besides ADATS whirring in the background)

Why don't you get a silent CPU fan and a Silent power supply. That'll kill most of your noise. Try www.quietpc.com - I got my CPU fan from there, it's an amazing difference. The fans are about $30 and the power supply about $80 -- $110 is better than $600!!!!

Once you (or get a store to do it for $10) install the new fan and power supply, you'll be able to use your PC in your studio quite easily.

The only other recommendation I'd make to you is to Rackmount your PC. You could then include it as part of your rack system.

Have fun

d


d

[John Sayers]

Nice Link Rochey.

so what does a rackmounted PC look like ??

cheers
john

[ausrock]

John,

When I eventually get to that point on my priorities list, I intend modifying a desktop case for rack mounting......hopefully I will have worked out an efficient ducted cooling system for it by then too

[CDierks]

..ideally it looks something like this:

http://www.carillonusa.com

[lucid]

check this out:

http://www.sap2k.dk/hardwareCasemod_uk.html

[Track Rat]

I just rack mounted my computer. Basicly I just put it in a rack shelf that I fabricated. It's quieter now that it's in a rack case but I still hear the fans. Next step is to replace them with quieter ones.

[Rochey]

well, mine isn't quite as sexy as the carillion machine, but my setup will be sexy as soon as i finish (i have to start first!) building one of these...

www.ucapps.de

motorised control surface, all through midi...

it looks sweet -- sorry - i know it's the wrong board to be discussing it on, but hell, it's 'building' isnt it?.

d

[frederic]

Originally posted by Track Rat
I just rack mounted my computer. Basicly I just put it in a rack shelf that I fabricated. It's quieter now that it's in a rack case but I still hear the fans. Next step is to replace them with quieter ones.

Most power supply fans are cheap crap that some taiwan supplier made in a basement (cough).

Seriously... replacing them with a nice ball bearing fan is really not that difficult, as long as its a 12V fan.

In my "Midi PC" where heat has never been a problem (theres not a lot in it board/drive wise) I soldered four large diodes in serious with the two fans, so they spin slower. Just enough to get rid of the whine. They still make a little noise, but its not irritating any longer.

[Rochey]

without going too teckie...

4 diodes, what, drop 2.8 volts accross them, and so only supply 9.2 volts to the fans???

Hmmm.. what about putting a whopping great variable resistor (a pot to everyone else) in the circuit, so you speed up and slow down the fan in between recording?

just another idea.

d

[frederic]

Originally posted by Rochey
without going too teckie...

4 diodes, what, drop 2.8 volts accross them, and so only supply 9.2 volts to the fans???

Hmmm.. what about putting a whopping great variable resistor (a pot to everyone else) in the circuit, so you speed up and slow down the fan in between recording?

just another idea.

d

yours is a great idea... I just happen to have a large box of unsorted diodes at my disposal at the time