cheap or DIY silent (or nearly so) PC - soldermizer - Computer Audio Asylum

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Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

cheap or DIY silent (or nearly so) PC

soldermizer

First, let me say that I have much experience as a tech geek although my hardware skills are not great (hence the moniker). I am familiar with SPCR. I've had a "soldermized" desktop for about ten months, not quite silent, but pretty good. I'm considering something pre-built and especially if CHEAP! Ebay has some barebones for $100 or a bit more.
Here is what I did, inspired by SPCR:

1. Took a standard desktop (a PowerSpec V102, but with a different mobo and CPU due to past failures), 2 GB, win XP, currently 320GB Sata h/d.

2. After some initial failures, found that I could take a $11 PSU (Diablotek DA250), remove the fan, and it works (for eight months anyway!) I'm recently on my 2nd fan (same model #); life expectancy may be short but it only costs $11 to buy a new one. PSU remains open on three sides -- warning: shock hazard.

3. The PC system has all fans disconnected or removed, except the CPU cooler, which had to remain. The case is left open on both sides, for maximum convection cooling.

4. The hard drive is quieted by a Rube Goldberg type mounting: I hang it in the drive bay with rubber bands and pipe cleaners. This considerably reduces the HDD noise.

The system runs very quiet, but not dead silent. As noted in other posts, the CPU fan is prone to get noisy over time, needing a cleaning-out with vacuum or whatever. In my BIOS, I had a setting to tweak the cpu fan for "quiet" mode which is (duh) quieter than "performance." Also I enable over-temperature shut-down.

If anyone is crazy enough to do similar, look at my "article" below. At your own risk.

Now, back to the more elegant option: how about a minimal prebuilt unit? Anybody have experience with the Intel Atom or similar flea-powered CPUs?

the $11 fanless PSU (Open in New Window)

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Michael Percy Audio

Topic - cheap or DIY silent (or nearly so) PC - soldermizer 21:40:01 04/06/12 (11)

small Compaq desktops, circa Celeron 1.7 or the Raspberry Pi? - bassbinotoko 00:38:27 04/08/12 (0)

Don't understand obsession over removing fans - Jon L 09:10:01 04/07/12 (5)

obsession over removing fans - fmak 12:36:53 04/07/12 (0)

RE: Don't understand obsession over removing fans - AbeCollins 10:05:50 04/07/12 (3)

Obsession for "cheap" and quiet, therefore, remove! - soldermizer 12:00:49 04/07/12 (2)

RE: Obsession for "cheap" and quiet, therefore, remove! - AbeCollins 12:14:33 04/07/12 (1)

I'm not cheap, I'm economical...! - soldermizer 16:29:21 04/07/12 (0)

RE: cheap or DIY silent (or nearly so) PC - Bones13 03:48:02 04/07/12 (0)

RE: cheap or DIY silent (or nearly so) PC - Dawnrazor 02:38:42 04/07/12 (0)

RE: cheap or DIY silent (or nearly so) PC - J.Mac 21:59:51 04/06/12 (1)

Another option would be... - soldermizer 21:03:11 04/07/12 (0)

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