What do you do about computer fan noise?

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

Hello. I tried the UTFSE but got limited results.

What do y'all do to reduce computer fan noise during recording?

In 2009 I bought a then hot rod desktop that claimed to be made specifically for music production. It boasts an insulated case to reduce noise even though I don't know how effective that is with vent holes all around and holes in the back for the fan. I'm currently recording in a spare bedroom with mics in close proximity to the DAW machine, less than 5 ft away from it. I swear the condenser mics can hear my cat fart in the other room, and they certainly pick up computer noise.

Now I am mulling a much needed DAW computer upgrade. The problem is that the music production computers that boast silence are also priced in the $2-3k range. I've decided against one of those based on cost alone. However I am looking at some refurbished custom built Dell towers. For $1k-1,500 I can get all the stacked up RAM and SSDs that I want. But how loud will it be?

I don't currently have the ability to place the desktop in a different room. Would building a wood or insulated case to surround the CPU be an option? Not touching but with space around all sides to breathe, and probably a hole in back for the fan. Any other ideas?

Thanks everyone!

 

[bouldersoundguy]

There are isolation boxes that I expect would work. My desktop at home is in a big case with a lot of ventilation and a couple of large fans. The fans are so big that they barely have to move to keep the case cool, so they're pretty quiet. It's so overbuilt that it barely breaks a sweat, even on video.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hi @Dusty Ol' Bones
This is a bit of a tricky one. Makers like Dell, Acer, HP etc are known for cutting corners particularly in cooling and expansion,
so there's a good chance you'd buy a tower to find it has a pathetic intel CPU heatsink, small case fans and not enough of them, and not enough, or no, spare fan headers for adding your own additional fans.
Some are even designed such that common fan control software can't see the system or CPU fans and you're stuck with whatever control software the manufacturer bundles.

If you've seen DELL models specifically geared at being quiet and I'm out of touch please do post some links,
but this was my experience with a 2021/22 Acer.

If noise really is a big problem I'd either build (or spec out) a machine where you get to choose the case, number of fans, CPU cooler etc,
so you know it will be pretty quiet, or go with a fanless mini PC.

Whether the latter is up to the task or not really depends on the software you use and your particular workload,
but home recording is no where near as demanding as it once was, especially compared to gaming and video or 3d modelling work,
so it might be an option.
If you're getting by on a 2009 spec PC and don't have demanding graphics needs, a fanless mini PC might just be perfect!

I've been running a fanless Macbook Air (M1) for about four years now and feel no need to upgrade at all.

 

[Eric Malone]

Hi Dusty Ol' Bones,

It's not difficult to build a very quiet computer system these days.

As Steenamaroo pointed out, if you go with any of the name brands, you are subject to whatever cooling method they implemented, usually proprietary, and not as quiet as it could be, and probably not a priority in their build.

If you go with any of the audio DAW specialty companies (if any still exist), that build computers geared towards being a silent DAW, you will pay an unnecessary premium.

Do you know any computer enthusiasts? Are there any small computer stores in your area you'd feel comfortable getting a quote from?

I don't know your budget, but I recently did an overhaul on my DAW, and this is what I ended up with.

ASUS motherboard - Prime B760 Plus
32GB DDR5
A couple Kingston NVMe SSD's.
Intel i7-14700 14th Gen CPU.
Noctua NH-U12S, Premium CPU Cooler (21dB)

I use onboard video, with dual monitors, as I don't game anymore. This way, I don't have to fight with video card fans, or if using Nvidia based cards the dreaded DPC audio latency I've experienced first hand.

Combine all that with a 0dB power supply (ASUS, EVGA, Seasonic - they all make a model), and your computer will be very very quiet, if not dead silent. You do not need a zillion fans. One on the CPU is sufficient, in a decent sized case, with a slow rpm case fan or two. You can dial in Temp/RPM curves of any of the fans via BIOS so they only kick in at a certain temperature.

I record in the same room as the computer and it makes essentially no sound at all. Way better then in the 90's with the constant clacking sounds of IDE hard drives and full out fan noise.

EL

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

There are isolation boxes that I expect would work. My desktop at home is in a big case with a lot of ventilation and a couple of large fans. The fans are so big that they barely have to move to keep the case cool, so they're pretty quiet. It's so overbuilt that it barely breaks a sweat, even on video.

I used to work in an office and my desk had a compartment on one side pretty much the width of a file cabinet, give or take a few inches. The compartment had a door on front with hinges and a magnetic secured handle; the tower CPU went in there. I'm thinking about building something like that from scratch Home Depot style. I will put casters on bottom so I can move it separately from my desk/table. Kinda like one of those movable rack cabinets, but with more insulation and built custom to fit a tower.

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

Hi @Dusty Ol' Bones
This is a bit of a tricky one. Makers like Dell, Acer, HP etc are known for cutting corners particularly in cooling and expansion,
so there's a good chance you'd buy a tower to find it has a pathetic intel CPU heatsink, small case fans and not enough of them, and not enough, or no, spare fan headers for adding your own additional fans.
Some are even designed such that common fan control software can't see the system or CPU fans and you're stuck with whatever control software the manufacturer bundles.

If you've seen DELL models specifically geared at being quiet and I'm out of touch please do post some links,
but this was my experience with a 2021/22 Acer.

Apologies for not elaborating. The Dell refurbs I am talking about come from a company that will essentially take a Dell shell and most models have the option to pick and choose from many processors, SSDs+HDDs for storage, up to 100s of Gigs of RAM, graphics cards, etc, a la carte. They also give you the option of throwing in an installation of several DAW softwares of your choosing thus allowing the company to justify selling a "music production" machine. So yes to all the bells and whistles of RAM, storage, etc but with the same old case and fan.

If noise really is a big problem I'd either build (or spec out) a machine where you get to choose the case, number of fans, CPU cooler etc,

Those are the ones ranging from $2-3k.

so you know it will be pretty quiet, or go with a fanless mini PC.

Whether the latter is up to the task or not really depends on the software you use and your particular workload,
but home recording is no where near as demanding as it once was, especially compared to gaming and video or 3d modelling work,
so it might be an option.
If you're getting by on a 2009 spec PC and don't have demanding graphics needs, a fanless mini PC might just be perfect!

It's not a spec PC but it is outliving it's capabilities. It was a "music production" machine with a so-called quiet insulated case and so-called quiet fan (for 2009). I got to choose all the RAM, storage, processor, etc. I think I paid somewhere in the $1,200-1,500 neighborhood, which was high for a PC back then but not as high as a G4 Power Mac.

I record on this old desktop machine. Since I record dry and without any effects or plugins running, I can get away with transferring the project for mixing to my home laptop with an upgraded version of the same software. It's compatible old to new but not backwards new to old.

I've been running a fanless Macbook Air (M1) for about four years now and feel no need to upgrade at all.

Eh, please don't take offense but I am a PC/Windows guy.

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

Hi Dusty Ol' Bones,

It's not difficult to build a very quiet computer system these days.

As Steenamaroo pointed out, if you go with any of the name brands, you are subject to whatever cooling method they implemented, usually proprietary, and not as quiet as it could be, and probably not a priority in their build.

If you go with any of the audio DAW specialty companies (if any still exist), that build computers geared towards being a silent DAW, you will pay an unnecessary premium.

Sweetwater has a single premium system (~$2,600) and I found two smaller companies that advertise audio DAW specialty. One looks more customizable with way more model options than Sweetwater, including case and fan, but the prices are still premium ($2-3k range). The other also has many options but with no insulated case and I don't think the fans are customizable either (~$1k-1,500).

I could link the other two companies but I don't want to be accused of spam or shilling for anyone.

Do you know any computer enthusiasts? Are there any small computer stores in your area you'd feel comfortable getting a quote from?

This is a great idea. I found a small store front recently and they did a good job servicing my laptop. I might swing by and ask them.

I don't know your budget, but I recently did an overhaul on my DAW, and this is what I ended up with.

ASUS motherboard - Prime B760 Plus
32GB DDR5
A couple Kingston NVMe SSD's.
Intel i7-14700 14th Gen CPU.
Noctua NH-U12S, Premium CPU Cooler (21dB)

I use onboard video, with dual monitors, as I don't game anymore. This way, I don't have to fight with video card fans, or if using Nvidia based cards the dreaded DPC audio latency I've experienced first hand.

Combine all that with a 0dB power supply (ASUS, EVGA, Seasonic - they all make a model), and your computer will be very very quiet, if not dead silent. You do not need a zillion fans. One on the CPU is sufficient, in a decent sized case, with a slow rpm case fan or two. You can dial in Temp/RPM curves of any of the fans via BIOS so they only kick in at a certain temperature.

I record in the same room as the computer and it makes essentially no sound at all. Way better then in the 90's with the constant clacking sounds of IDE hard drives and full out fan noise.

EL

I really like the concept of being able to control the fan.

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

I forgot thank all of you in the replies. Thank you @bouldersoundguy @Steenamaroo @Eric Malone

 

[Steenamaroo]

Apologies for not elaborating. The Dell refurbs I am talking about come from a company that will essentially take a Dell shell and most models have the option to pick and choose from many processors, SSDs+HDDs for storage, up to 100s of Gigs of RAM, graphics cards, etc, a la carte. They also give you the option of throwing in an installation of several DAW softwares of your choosing thus allowing the company to justify selling a "music production" machine. So yes to all the bells and whistles of RAM, storage, etc but with the same old case and fan.

Those are the ones ranging from $2-3k.

It's not a spec PC but it is outliving it's capabilities. It was a "music production" machine with a so-called quiet insulated case and so-called quiet fan (for 2009). I got to choose all the RAM, storage, processor, etc. I think I paid somewhere in the $1,200-1,500 neighborhood, which was high for a PC back then but not as high as a G4 Power Mac.

I record on this old desktop machine. Since I record dry and without any effects or plugins running, I can get away with transferring the project for mixing to my home laptop with an upgraded version of the same software. It's compatible old to new but not backwards new to old.

Eh, please don't take offense but I am a PC/Windows guy.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

The last thing Dell, Acer, HP etc are thinking about is airflow and keeping the machine cool,
and audio recording, usually, isn't particularly demanding.

What you're describing is taking a, most likely, inadequate case and fan setup, I.E designed to run hot/loud, and upgrading components to make it more powerful.
What you'd want, perhaps not literally but for comparison, would be a company who take the stock innards of a dell and put it in a bigger better case with more fans.


Keeping it simple there's three main feasible ways to attain silence or close.
1: Get the computer out of the room.
2: Get a computer that has a well designed roomy case with multiple intake and outtake fans, and a large CPU heatsink with large fan.
3: Get a mini PC that doesn't have any fans.

Hope that's helpful.

Edit 4: How loud is this laptop?
I bet you could just use it.

 

[R D Smith]

If you are going to drop 2~3k on a computer, just get a laptop. I bought a new Dell XPS 15 7590 w 16g of ram and 500gb SSD about 4 years ago for about 2k. I used it for a couple of years then decided to max out the ram at 32g and install a 2tb SSD which I installed myself. It's very quiet and the only time the fan comes on is when it's plugged in rendering a 4k video. Very compact and easy to move around.

 

[TalismanRich]

My desk has a cubby hole for a computer tower. I leave it cracked about 1/2 inch or so to let air flow in, and opened the back up to let air out. The 4TB external drive on top makes more noise than the computer when I'm recording, so I eject it in Windows which turns it off. You should be able to build something similar, and even put a very quiet muffin fan on the back to draw air. You don't need a massive amount of flow, and some fans are down around 20dBa or less.

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

The last thing Dell, Acer, HP etc are thinking about is airflow and keeping the machine cool,
and audio recording, usually, isn't particularly demanding.

Agreed

What you're describing is taking a, most likely, inadequate case and fan setup, I.E designed to run hot/loud, and upgrading components to make it more powerful.
What you'd want, perhaps not literally but for comparison, would be a company who take the stock innards of a dell and put it in a bigger better case with more fans.

Agreed

Keeping it simple there's three main feasible ways to attain silence or close.
1: Get the computer out of the room.
2: Get a computer that has a well designed roomy case with multiple intake and outtake fans, and a large CPU heatsink with large fan.
3: Get a mini PC that doesn't have any fans.

Thank you for the K.I.S.S. list

Don't forget, I'm also considering building an insulated MDF or plywood cabinet within which I can place a tower.

Hope that's helpful.

Edit 4: How loud is this laptop?
I bet you could just use it.

Yes, all this is very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to discuss.

I don't mind mixing on my laptop but it is connected to the internet, therefore I will not use it to record. I don't want AV or firewall apps interfering with recording, so that machine will run naked of such programs.

And the laptop, although not as loud as the desktop, does have a fan I can hear from several feet away.

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

My desk has a cubby hole for a computer tower. I leave it cracked about 1/2 inch or so to let air flow in, and opened the back up to let air out. The 4TB external drive on top makes more noise than the computer when I'm recording, so I eject it in Windows which turns it off. You should be able to build something similar, and even put a very quiet muffin fan on the back to draw air. You don't need a massive amount of flow, and some fans are down around 20dBa or less.

View attachment 148681 View attachment 148684

Thank you for posting, that is the type of desk I had at my previous job. I want to build something similar but on casters and maybe with a layer of qtr inch sheet insulation fastened inside. There will be ventilation holes of course, but I think what I am visualizing should be pretty quiet.

Here is my current laptop table/desk. I'm close to moving hopefully into a bigger place and that will become my recording desk and the tower cabinet would fit perfectly down my my knees.

Also, depending on where I move and what the space looks like, I may in fact be able to place my desktop in a closet and put the desk right outside the closet.

 

[Dusty Ol' Bones]

If you are going to drop 2~3k on a computer, just get a laptop. I bought a new Dell XPS 15 7590 w 16g of ram and 500gb SSD about 4 years ago for about 2k. I used it for a couple of years then decided to max out the ram at 32g and install a 2tb SSD which I installed myself. It's very quiet and the only time the fan comes on is when it's plugged in rendering a 4k video. Very compact and easy to move around.


View attachment 148636

Thank you for the suggestion, I like your setup. Yeh, I'm trying to avoid dropping $2k on a computer so I am thinking about spending $100 in materials and building an insulated tower cabinet.

 

[Ally-007]

Hello. I tried the UTFSE but got limited results.

What do y'all do to reduce computer fan noise during recording?

I made sure I bought a very quitet PC and then I installed a graphics card that rarely spins its fans.