Fanless CPU Cooler

[mightyt]

In our never-ending search for the completely silent PC ... Any thoughts on The SilverStone NT01 vs. the Zalman 7000 / 7700 CPU Cooler???

SilverStone SST-NT01 Copper Base FANLESS 0dBA CPU Cooler

No fan? 100% Silent ... $38 ... comparable price to Zalman ...

Hmmm .... !!!???

[mdmint]

Originally Posted by mightyt

In our never-ending search for the completely silent PC ... Any thoughts on The SilverStone NT01 vs. the Zalman 7000 / 7700 CPU Cooler???

SilverStone SST-NT01 Copper Base FANLESS 0dBA CPU Cooler

No fan? 100% Silent ... $38 ... comparable price to Zalman ...

Hmmm .... !!!???

I'm a hardcore AMD'er so haven't really looked at the NT01. ('til Googling, your link went nada) When I was first building my HPTC I looked at silent cpu solutions but opted for very quiet 120mm AccoutiFan overhead Thermalright SLK900A. (It's like current Thermalright SP-97 but before the heatpipes added) Stock, that fan was very quiet, with already built in linear speed ramping. T-Balancer controlled even better. Guess I still don't trust totally passive cooling efficiency. That said, with T-balancer added controlling all the fans you can't hear my HTPC a couple feet away so what the heck, I'm a happy camper.

[mightyt]

Sorry ... don't know why the link bombed!! I even checked it when I posted it. But you are right it doesn't work now ...

I just found this though ...

http://www.3dvelocity.com/reviews/nt01/nt01.htm

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-nt01.htm

[mdmint]

Originally Posted by mightyt

Sorry ... don't know why the link bombed!! I even checked it when I posted it. But you are right it doesn't work now ...

I just found this though ...

http://www.3dvelocity.com/reviews/nt01/nt01.htm

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-nt01.htm

It was no problem, I Googled and found it. One thing I noticed and failed to mention. Are you also planning a fanless PS? Checked their install recommendations and Silverstone always recommends a fan, either PS and cooler mounted differently depending on how PS fan config'd, or dual 60mm on the cpu cooler. I'll take the sound of one slow turning 120mm over 2x60mm fans anyday!

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by mdmint

It was no problem, I Googled and found it. One thing I noticed and failed to mention. Are you also planning a fanless PS? Checked their install recommendations and Silverstone always recommends a fan, either PS and cooler mounted differently depending on how PS fan config'd, or dual 60mm on the cpu cooler. I'll take the sound of one slow turning 120mm over 2x60mm fans anyday!

Hmm ... Good point ... I was planning on getting the Antec Phantom PS ... so yes fanless. That being said, then I'd have to use the Zalman since the NT01 would require the dual 60mm fans.

Oh well ... seemed interesting as a solution ... I also sent SilverStone support a question about the NT01 in the LC10M case with the Phantom ... I asked if they thought I'd need the fans. I'll let you know how they respond ...

T.

[korben_dallas]

I can't hear my Zalman 7000bAlCu @ 1900rpm over the noise of the power supply fans.

[mdmint]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

I can't hear my Zalman 7000bAlCu @ 1900rpm over the noise of the power supply fans.

You need a quieter power supply!

[mdmint]

Originally Posted by mightyt

Hmm ... Good point ... I was planning on getting the Antec Phantom PS ... so yes fanless. That being said, then I'd have to use the Zalman since the NT01 would require the dual 60mm fans.

Oh well ... seemed interesting as a solution ... I also sent SilverStone support a question about the NT01 in the LC10M case with the Phantom ... I asked if they thought I'd need the fans. I'll let you know how they respond ...

T.

Though you wouldn't necessarily need to use 2x60mm. I wouldn't. Seemed their point was some air movement needed to draw the heat off. If you can mod the case for a single 120mm slowed down turning 1k or so you wouldn't hear it a foot or two away. A slow turning 120mm would move more air and be quieter than 2x60mm full speed. Plus if running the 120mm off say a T-Balance you could have it dialed way back to virtually nada and automatically increase speed as and if needed based on actual temps. (T-Balancer is sweet ) Or 2x92 or 80mm. But the bigger the better for slowing down for quiet while maintaining airflow.

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by mdmint

Though you wouldn't necessarily need to use 2x60mm. I wouldn't. Seemed their point was some air movement needed to draw the heat off. If you can mod the case for a single 120mm slowed down turning 1k or so you wouldn't hear it a foot or two away. A slow turning 120mm would move more air and be quieter than 2x60mm full speed. Plus if running the 120mm off say a T-Balance you could have it dialed way back to virtually nada and automatically increase speed as and if needed based on actual temps. (T-Balancer is sweet ) Or 2x92 or 80mm. But the bigger the better for slowing down for quiet while maintaining airflow.

Thanks mdmint!!! My new case has 1x80mm intake case fan in the from and 2x60mm output fans in the back. I was planning on replacing them with what you recommended and using the T-Balancer. Given that those will be the only fans in my system since I intend on using a fanless video card and PS, do you think I could get away with using the SilverStone NT01 fanless CPU cooler (without) their fans as well?? And again, I intend on having 4 HD's and all five PCI slots populated??

[mdmint]

Originally Posted by mightyt

Thanks mdmint!!! My new case has 1x80mm intake case fan in the from and 2x60mm output fans in the back. I was planning on replacing them with what you recommended and using the T-Balancer. Given that those will be the only fans in my system since I intend on using a fanless video card and PS, do you think I could get away with using the SilverStone NT01 fanless CPU cooler (without) their fans as well?? And again, I intend on having 4 HD's and all five PCI slots populated??

Whoa, I missed 4 HD's and all 5 PCI slots filled. PCI slots with what? I presume (and hate to assume ) PVRs working recording generating heat along with the video card. The front 80mm blowing towards them with dual 80mm exhaust by power supply hopefully will do the trick. Since you're planning on using a T-Balancer sensor placement will be interesting and fan performance tunable. I'd likely put one sensor on primary PVR encoding chip assigned to both front and one or both of the exhaust fans (I assign usage order to my PVRs, though they're in separate Server) Of course a sensor on cpu, HD area and maybe power supply or ??? Cool thing about T-Balancer you can have more than one sensor controlling a fan and more than one fan controlled by any given sensor! Assignable, configurable, changable on the fly via software interface and saved to unit itself. Once configured how you want it software doesn't need to be running. (T-Balancer comes stock with 4 sensors and 4 fan channels, with option for 4 additonal sensors. Also more than one fan can be driven off a fan channel using y-adapter)

For some reason I thought you were working on a quiet Client and not have recording, storage and playback in same unit. 4 HD's seems you'll need to deal with both keeping them cool AND quiet. Are you looking at sound dampening heatsinking enclosures for the HDs? Not something I've researched heavily since I went Client for playback only and Laptop HDs (two, one for Ghost backup). Plus they're set to turn off after 3min. so when Sage Client doing it's playback thing they aren't even on.

CPU cooling wise like I said, I maybe chickened out on totally passive and opted for the massive all copper Thermalright SLK900A, currently would use Thermalright SP-97 with it's added heatpipes, and Zalman overhead mounted slow turning 120mm AccoustiFan. (now T-Balancer controlled, rarely needing more than 1000rpm).

Sounds like it'll be an interesting design challenge balancing noice and cooling performance.