nMP - noise - need advice

[theSeb]

I have been doing a lot of encoding since I got my 6 core nMP and I am shocked. I have never used a computer like this. The fan usually stays at around 790 even when the CPU is at 100% and it is barely audible. A couple of times the fan climbed up to just over 900 when the door to my little home office was closed and the whole room warmed up too much. It was still quiet. I have been monitoring for thermal throttling and it's not happened once - full turboboost at all times.


So what is the problem? It makes everything else noisy. All of my external drives are just too damn noisy now! Can anyone recommend quiet 4,6 or 8 bay enclosures?

 

[danny_w]

I noticed the exact same thing when I got my Mac Mini. Everything else was suddenly LOUD!

Anyway I got a CalDigit T3 that is nowhere near silent but is quieter than any other multi-bay enclosure I have found beyond a 2-bay. Some people get TB disks and a long TB optical cable so that they can put them as far away as possible (but just the cable itself is several hindered dollars!).

 

[theSeb]

I noticed the exact same thing when I got my Mac Mini. Everything else was suddenly LOUD!

Anyway I got a CalDigit T3 that is nowhere near silent but is quieter than any other multi-bay enclosure I have found beyond a 2-bay. Some people get TB disks and a long TB optical cable so that they can put them as far away as possible (but just the cable itself is several hindered dollars!).

I would love to be able to do that, but I am limited with my office space at this point in time and have nowhere to relocate the storage to.

 

[Marty62]

I don't own a nMP but I have also some drive noise issues.

You can use rubber grommets inside enclosures to disconnect the drive case
from the box and also buy "silent" fans, which also sit on rubber grommets.

If you feel that's worth doing on the enclosures that you own ?

I recently fitted a Silent fan in an IcyBox Raid enclosure and it's almost silent.
Cost me less than 6 Euro's

M.

 

[Macsonic]

Hi TheSeb. I know you mentioned you have limited space. Maybe you can try placing the external devices beside or underneath your desk sort of to lessen the noise. This may not totally eliminate the noise but to "drown it" a bit.

 

[theSeb]

I don't own a nMP but I have also some drive noise issues.

You can use rubber grommets inside enclosures to disconnect the drive case
from the box and also buy "silent" fans, which also sit on rubber grommets.

If you feel that's worth doing on the enclosures that you own ?

I recently fitted a Silent fan in an IcyBox Raid enclosure and it's almost silent.
Cost me less than 6 Euro's

M.

Funnily enough my Icy Box 2 bay enclosure is the worst of the bunch. The fan on this thing is driving me insane, so I might look into your suggestions.

----------

Hi TheSeb. I know you mentioned you have limited space. Maybe you can try placing the external devices beside or underneath your desk sort of to lessen the noise. This may not totally eliminate the noise but to "drown it" a bit.

They are already under the desk unfortunately.

 

[Marty62]

Funnily enough my Icy Box 2 bay enclosure is the worst of the bunch. The fan on this thing is driving me insane, so I might look into your suggestions.

It's probably the same 2 x bay box ! ( black, slide off front Raid 0/1/JBOD USB3.0)
It sounded like a jet taking off "out of the box" !!

I bought the 40mm x 40mm Black Silent fan from Amazon - I highly recommend
it .
One caveat, if they use a similar "locking glue" on the bolts, try to get as much off
as possible, I stripped 2 x screws trying to get the fan out and had to cut them
off with a dremel !

Marty.

 

[theSeb]

It's probably the same 2 x bay box ! ( black, slide off front Raid 0/1/JBOD USB3.0)
It sounded like a jet taking off "out of the box" !!

I bought the 40mm x 40mm Black Silent fan from Amazon - I highly recommend
it .
One caveat, if they use a similar "locking glue" on the bolts, try to get as much off
as possible, I stripped 2 x screws trying to get the fan out and had to cut them
off with a dremel !

Marty.

Mine is actually the older USB 2 version. Thanks for the advice. At this point in time I'll consider if I want to mess around with it, or just get another one, especially seeing as it's USB 2 and painfully slow.

 

[theSeb]

Update: I have realised that the "noise" is actually more of a vibration issue that carries throughout the house and annoys me more than the fan noise. I ended up buying a bunch of pads from "isolate it". I did not really believe that these things would make a difference, but they REALLY work. I am pleasantly surprised and most of the noise that was bothering me is now gone.

For those that have similar issues:

http://www.isolateit.com/

 

[shaunp]

Another option, although not a necessarily cheap one, is to use a long thunderbolt cable and put the noisy storage in another room? Have whatever storage you want that way and don't worry about the noise.