Computer Soundproofing for Dummy

[SchemeTeam]

Greetings!

I finally bought a suped-up Power Mac (Quicksilver, Dual 800) and need some help. It's not crazy loud, but it has the hum and fan noise you'd expect from a fast computer. And, like most of us here, I have to track, monitor and mix in the same room. My vocals usually suck anyway, but the last thing I need is an annoying hum duet.

SO, any suggestions (and/or websites) how I could quiet her down a little? I'm looking for any DIY ideas (shield, boxes, blankets, etc.) but I'm not too keen on messing with the insides (fans, drives).

Thanks y'all!

[Mr. Dipity]

Greetings!

I finally bought a suped-up Power Mac (Quicksilver, Dual 800) and need some help. It's not crazy loud, but it has the hum and fan noise you'd expect from a fast computer. And, like most of us here, I have to track, monitor and mix in the same room. My vocals usually suck anyway, but the last thing I need is an annoying hum duet.

SO, any suggestions (and/or websites) how I could quiet her down a little? I'm looking for any DIY ideas (shield, boxes, blankets, etc.) but I'm not too keen on messing with the insides (fans, drives).

Thanks y'all!

Sure.

Follow this thread, and all the threads referred to/linked from it:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=4540

[norton]

it's cheap and pretty easy to build yourself a box....even if you don't have access to many tools.


they'll cut plywood for you at home depot/lowes/etc... maybe cuts cost 50 cents or something but it'll be worth it.

screw the top/bottom to the sides hinges for the doors, and line it with a couple layers of sheet rock and it will seriously reduce the noise of your computer.

maybe cut a couple holes with a hole saw for fans and one for cable access on the back door and you're ready. it might not look like a million bucks, but it'll be way cheaper than the $1000 that an isoraxx will cost you.

[Mr. Dipity]

it's cheap and pretty easy to build yourself a box....even if you don't have access to many tools.

they'll cut plywood for you at home depot/lowes/etc... maybe cuts cost 50 cents or something but it'll be worth it.

screw the top/bottom to the sides hinges for the doors, and line it with a couple layers of sheet rock and it will seriously reduce the noise of your computer.

maybe cut a couple holes with a hole saw for fans and one for cable access on the back door and you're ready. it might not look like a million bucks, but it'll be way cheaper than the $1000 that an isoraxx will cost you.

Have you actually done this? How do you duct the fans? If they aren't ducted properly, you're either going to overheat your cpu, or end up not have done anything about noise.

I can overheat my cpu in a good sized walk in closet, let alone an unventilated box. Fortunately, my new machine room has about 8 times as much cubic footage, so it shouldn't be a problem. This is probably the optimum, least stress option, if you are lucky enough to be able to do it. Even putting your computer out in a hallway would work, with the long enough cables.

If you are serious about the DIY solution, pick something up at IKEA that's the right size and build your own ducting and fibre glass baffles into it (if you use foam, make damn sure it's fire proof!). I found a couple of boxes that would have worked, when I was investigating this option. But, I'd be seriously surprised if, you could get something that actually works for much less than this guy:

Elias Audio

If a half-assed solution is worth saving a hundred bucks or so off a $500 purchase and giving up a weekend or three to hammering, glueing, and swearing, I'd say live with what you've got.

[MagnumOpus]

Sometimes you have to go to the source!

I read an article on how to quiet down my 466 G4 a couple of years ago... it worked great... probably a 2-=30% reduction in noise from the metal resonance in the machine...


xlr8yourmac.com there are tips on the FAQ page somewhere.. you can search it too... but I don't remember exactly.

cheers

[axial]

Computer Soundproofing for Dummy?


oh, just pick it up and bodyslam a few times, that'll shut it up!

[norton]

" Have you actually done this? How do you duct the fans? If they aren't ducted properly, you're either going to overheat your cpu, or end up not have done anything about noise."


yup. i actually built a box very similar to the one you put a link to. and it cost about $50 total. for me, i'd rather spend some of my time on something utilitarian like that box than my $.

Ducting the fans was simple. hole saw and cpu fans with a bit of filtration material over the intake fan. i've got 4 fans installed 2 intake and 2 output and it's at least 70% quieter than with the doors open and the fans do a great job of keeping it cool.

These things can totally heat up and that was a huge consideration, but not an impossible one to solve. you're paying isoraxx or whoever to build you a sweet piece of furniture.

if you don't want or need a sweet piece of furniture, but you want to shut your computer up, then building your own version of the isobox is as simple as stealing their ideas and hacking them together on your own.

dig it[/quote]

[jakeao]

...then building your own version of the isobox is as simple as stealing their ideas and hacking them together on your own.

DAMN THE MAN!!!!!

[soundhack]

I got a few of those KKAudio ISO boxes, and they are nice, but only about a 20 dB reduction. Much nicer to get long lightpipe, ADC and firewire cables and put the computer in another room. drbott.com has a new long ADC extender that I'm using in our main studio. Still maybe all that cable is too expensive, but you can get a really really quiet studio this way.

[Mr. Dipity]

" Have you actually done this? How do you duct the fans? If they aren't ducted properly, you're either going to overheat your cpu, or end up not have done anything about noise."



Ducting the fans was simple. hole saw and cpu fans with a bit of filtration material over the intake fan. i've got 4 fans installed 2 intake and 2 output and it's at least 70% quieter than with the doors open and the fans do a great job of keeping it cool.

The ducting in a well designed iso boxes leads air through a series of right angled and U-turned tunnels before reaching the intake/output fans. It's the U-turns and right angles that keep the sound in, as much as possible, while letting the air in and out.

These things can totally heat up and that was a huge consideration, but not an impossible one to solve. you're paying isoraxx or whoever to build you a sweet piece of furniture.

- So are you saying that your PC is heating up, or that it stays cool?
- Do you have a temperature sensor on your CPU?
- How many watts is your power supply?
- What kind of CPU are you using?

Most importantly, do you have pictures? Audio samples?

I'm not being a doubting thomas - if this can seriously be done for $50 in an afternoon, I'm not the only person who's very interested.

[norton]

The ducting in a well designed iso boxes leads air through a series of right angled and U-turned tunnels before reaching the intake/output fans. It's the U-turns and right angles that keep the sound in, as much as possible, while letting the air in and out

yup. but a computer doesn't make that much noise, and neither do the fans if you get quiet ones. so it's not necssary.

So are you saying that your PC is heating up, or that it stays cool?
- Do you have a temperature sensor on your CPU?
- How many watts is your power supply?
- What kind of CPU are you using?

pc is keeping cool, it would be hot as hell if there weren't fans venting the box. i don't have a temp sensor on the computer and i have never thought about getting one until now.
watts for power supply? less than a watt and 12 volts.
cpu is a mac g4.

i know the fans aren't getting enough juice, but they're moving lots of air and are quiet.

Most importantly, do you have pictures? Audio samples?

I'm not being a doubting thomas - if this can seriously be done for $50 in an afternoon, I'm not the only person who's very interested

i don't have any photos (no digital camera) but it's a rectangle with doors front and back. back door has been cut in half with a hole cut out of the middle to allow for easy access to cables etc. there are 2 fans on each side. on the left side the fans are in the rear, and on the right side they're in the front.

no audio samples... it's a slow moving computer fan whirr. but tons quieter than the computer out of the box, or in the box with the door open.

and you can totally build one of these for cheap (go to the surplus store)

fans $5 (get at least 2) surplus
power supply $5 surplus
hinges $1 a piece surplus
switch $1 surplus
sheet rock 1 4X8 sheet $5
caulk maybe 2 tubes $5
sheet rock screws $1
nice screws for attaching sides/top/bottom $3
wood....anywhere from $10 regular ply to $30 for a 4x8 sheet of birch

i'm not trying to be a jackass here. but SchemeTeam was looking for a diy idea on how to quiet his computer down. this was pretty cheap and totally workable solution to the problem. i thought it might help SchemeTeam out.

[/quote]

[Mr. Dipity]

The ducting in a well designed iso boxes leads air through a series of right angled and U-turned tunnels before reaching the intake/output fans. It's the U-turns and right angles that keep the sound in, as much as possible, while letting the air in and out

yup. but a computer doesn't make that much noise, and neither do the fans if you get quiet ones. so it's not necssary.

Sure, but you're going to end up with a box that's doing something, but not making the room suitable for tracking or mixing in.

So are you saying that your PC is heating up, or that it stays cool?
- Do you have a temperature sensor on your CPU?
- How many watts is your power supply?
- What kind of CPU are you using?

pc is keeping cool, it would be hot as hell if there weren't fans venting the box. i don't have a temp sensor on the computer and i have never thought about getting one until now.

My pc has a built in temperature sensor that shows exactly how hot the cpu is running - most pc do these days - for overclockers and the like.

watts for power supply? less than a watt and 12 volts.
cpu is a mac g4.

Actually I meant the PC - this would show how much heat you have to get rid of.

i know the fans aren't getting enough juice, but they're moving lots of air and are quiet.

Which is what counts. What brand are you using?

Most importantly, do you have pictures? Audio samples?

I'm not being a doubting thomas - if this can seriously be done for $50 in an afternoon, I'm not the only person who's very interested

i don't have any photos (no digital camera) but it's a rectangle with doors front and back. back door has been cut in half with a hole cut out of the middle to allow for easy access to cables etc. there are 2 fans on each side. on the left side the fans are in the rear, and on the right side they're in the front.

no audio samples... it's a slow moving computer fan whirr. but tons quieter than the computer out of the box, or in the box with the door open.

Right, but it's stiill going to get picked up by microphones. You can track audio in the same room as the prebuilt stuff being discussed here - that's the difference.

and you can totally build one of these for cheap (go to the surplus store)

fans $5 (get at least 2) surplus
power supply $5 surplus
hinges $1 a piece surplus
switch $1 surplus
sheet rock 1 4X8 sheet $5
caulk maybe 2 tubes $5
sheet rock screws $1
nice screws for attaching sides/top/bottom $3
wood....anywhere from $10 regular ply to $30 for a 4x8 sheet of birch

How much of a difference did the sheet rock make?

i'm not trying to be a jackass here. but SchemeTeam was looking for a diy idea on how to quiet his computer down. this was pretty cheap and totally workable solution to the problem. i thought it might help SchemeTeam out.

Right, but he needs to track with it in the room. A simple box with fans isn't going to do be enough, unless the computer was quiet to begin with. However, if it's making a difference for you though, it's doing it's job. For about the same amount, you could get a silencing kit from [url]htt://quietpc.com[/url] and have the case of the computer do your silencing for you

[norton]

i track in the same room with the computer, that's why i built the box. with the doors closed the noise coming from the computer takes a substantial and readily noticeable drop.


just use the same ideas you would when building a sound-proof room. mass and multiple layers of material will help deaden sound.

the sheetrock was a huge help...i would guess because there's not much in the way of low frequencies to stop... just high pitched electronic whine etc. and the rock stops it dead.

you might not be able to build a perfect iso box for your cpu...but you'll totally be able to make a huge dent in unwanted noise... i'm sure just about anyone in this forum could do a better job than i did...and i wouldn't think of tracking without that box now.

dig it.

[cURVe sPACe]

I have the same problem with computer noise while tracking, and am looking in to getting a KVM Extender. Here is an example:

http://www.kvm-switches-online.com/gce700.html

This allows you to have your computer in one room, and another monitor, mouse and keyboard in another room. The main computer and "remote station" are connected using inexpensive CAT5 cable, which makes long cable runs possible without breaking the bank. Obviously you have to buy the extender hardware (see link above) in addition to the CAT5 cable (not included with extender), but I think it would be a worthwhile investment.

-mark

[Mr. Dipity]

I have the same problem with computer noise while tracking, and am looking in to getting a KVM Extender. Here is an example:

http://www.kvm-switches-online.com/gce700.html

This allows you to have your computer in one room, and another monitor, mouse and keyboard in another room. The main computer and "remote station" are connected using inexpensive CAT5 cable, which makes long cable runs possible without breaking the bank. Obviously you have to buy the extender hardware (see link above) in addition to the CAT5 cable (not included with extender), but I think it would be a worthwhile investment.

-mark

Yes, I a similar product at my work. Keep in mind however, that your going to need to run all your audio cables back as well...