Noise Dampening material

[EndersShadow]

I am upgrading in a few weeks from the Thermaltake Armour + case to a CoolerMaster ATCS-840. The reason for this upgrade is that because of how open the Armour is I get way to much noise from it. The CM has no side window, the 5 1/2 drive bays are actual metal/plastic v. just a dust filter, and it has some nice and big fans.

I am planning on purchasing a Noctuna 120mm heatsink as my Tuniq Tower is way to loud for me (also the fan setup isnt my fav).

I debated getting the P182 case as its said to be the quietest case, but I want the ability to water cool my sig computer at a later date without to much work. The CM will allow a 120x3 radiator up top as well as possibly a 120x2 rad mounted to the back of the HDD case. I have seen a 120mm rad mounted for sure. I also may (depending on cost afterward) get HDD enclosures like the Smart Drive to hold my HDD's if I still hear to much noise. All my fans are controlled by a NXZT Sentry LX and all are SilenX 120x120x38mm fans with a CFM of 90 (but I keep them all at around 900 rpm and not their rated 1500)

Anyway here is my question: What sound dampening material should I get for the CM? I am planning on covering everything I can in it. Suggestions?

 

[drgnfang]

I believe right now the "consensus" is that the Lian Li A70/71 is a better quality case for the $ than the 840.

What I can say, from personal experience with my 840, is that this the quietest case I've ever owned/used. It also has some serious build quality flaws.
Check here: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1401569 for a good list of the various problems.

For your actual question.... My plan is to use the 7mm Acoustipack (http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/acoustipack.asp) on the side panels, and the 4mm stuff every where else.

I'm also considering flipping the top fans around so the case is positive pressured, as it seems to work really well for the FT01.

 

[EndersShadow]

What I can say, from personal experience with my 840, is that this the quietest case I've ever owned/used. It also has some serious build quality flaws.
Check here: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1401569 for a good list of the various problems.

I believe right now the "consensus" is that the Lian Li A70/71 is a better quality case for the $ than the 840.

Yeah I followed that thread as it developed and noticed those same things. I have seen the Lian-Li case but it would require way to much modification to fit my needs (especially if later doing water cooling). The things I liked about the CM case are the fans up top (which I will replace with my own fans), the fan connections on the HDD cage (which would allow later for a 120 rad on it, or any 38mm fans). The HDD cage will eventually not be in use as I plan on elastically mounting my HDD's in the 5 1/2 bays and then moving to a full enclosure later on.

The Lian-Li will not allow just any fan to be placed on the outside of the HDD cage, has that weird bracket for HDD's in the rear and some other things that just make it a little harder to deal with.

My thought was if I used the noise dampening material and the HDD enclosures plus the new CPU heatsink my noise levels will be well within acceptable levels (for me)

I'm also considering flipping the top fans around so the case is positive pressured, as it seems to work really well for the FT01.

I thought about doing that, however as I will be replacing the fans with 3 120 SilenX fans that would leave me with just one exhaust. I may try it both ways just to see the difference, but at a later date. I think my temps will be within a decent range for me and I might not care about the extra 1 or 2 degree diff

 

[drgnfang]

Not sure which fans you plan on putting in it, but the stock ones are all very quiet.

For the HDD's - I've moved mostly to SSD, but I still have a Seagate 7200.10 80g and a WD green 750g in it. Can not hear them at all.

I can sorta hear the Sycthe S-Flex G (1900 rpm) on the CPU, but the dampening material should fix that.

For noise reduction this is a great case.

 

[EndersShadow]

Not sure which fans you plan on putting in it, but the stock ones are all very quiet.

For the HDD's - I've moved mostly to SSD, but I still have a Seagate 7200.10 80g and a WD green 750g in it. Can not hear them at all.

I can sorta hear the Sycthe S-Flex G (1900 rpm) on the CPU, but the dampening material should fix that.

For noise reduction this is a great case.

That is basically what I wanted. I have two 640 gig WD Black editions. I thought about leaving the fans at the top in there. If I dont I would be replacing with 3 120x38mm SilenX fans controlled with the NXZT fan controller (which would be just as quiet I hope). I will be buying some of that material you recommended. I figure three sheets of the .7mm stuff for the side panels and then the 2 .4mm sheet for the rest should suffice. Most of the noise in my case right now is the PSU (bottom mounted in the 840), intake fan (bigger and slower in the 840), and CPU cooler (replaced with Noctuna). I should be happy once the noise stuff is added, but since this is a slow build I want to do it right once, not having to repeat later.

 

[E.T]

I figure three sheets of the .7mm stuff for the side panels and then the 2 .4mm sheet for the rest should suffice.

Thicker material always absorpts/insulates noise better so unless there isn't space it's better to use thicker material everywhere...
Especially when also these thicker mats are very thin compared to what's used in acoustics.

I have seen the Lian-Li case but it would require way to much modification to fit my needs (especially if later doing water cooling).

There's ready made top for dual or triple radiator.

And SilenX isn't credible fan maker with all that lying in specs (just compare RPM and CFM specs of various speed versions) and use of resonance prone materials.
...The fancy "metallic" plastic used for the frame may look flashy, but it's terrible for sound. Lightweight and brittle, the material picks up fan vibration easily and audibly, giving the fan a highly resonant character...
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article739-page3.html#silenx

but I still have a Seagate 7200.10 80g and a WD green 750g in it. Can not hear them at all.

I can sorta hear the Sycthe S-Flex G (1900 rpm) on the CPU.

No wonder that you can't hear HDDs when you have military surplus jet turbine in there.

 

[drgnfang]

Nah, the G is still damn silent compared to other 1500+ RPM fans. I can barely hear it, though it is by far the loudest part of this specific machine. Now you want loud try the Scythe ultra kaza (120x38mm fan). That thing is LOUD. Had to sell mine.

 

[EndersShadow]

Thicker material always absorpts/insulates noise better so unless there isn't space it's better to use thicker material everywhere...
Especially when also these thicker mats are very thin compared to what's used in acoustics.

And SilenX isn't credible fan maker with all that lying in specs (just compare RPM and CFM specs of various speed versions) and use of resonance prone materials.
...The fancy "metallic" plastic used for the frame may look flashy, but it's terrible for sound. Lightweight and brittle, the material picks up fan vibration easily and audibly, giving the fan a highly resonant character...
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article739-page3.html#silenx

Yeah, I know they aren't the best fans, but they were at Fryes and honestly the best there (which is kinda sad to be honest). At some point I might replace them all with Noctuna fans, however I can say I currently dont hear them too much so its not on the top of my list.

I might go with the .7mm material everywhere, its just kinda expensive and the 840 is a massive case.

If I cover the sides and the bottom with the .7 and the rest with the .4 would that work? I was looking at getting the Acousticpak Ultimate and then 2 extra sheets of the .7mm. Would that be enough?

 

[drgnfang]

Measuring the outside of my side panels I get roughly 23"x21". The sheets are 18"x17"... So figure 1 full sheet for each side panel, cut up a third sheet for the bottom and the rest of the side panels... That should leave 2 of the thinner sheets for the rest of the case.

 

[EndersShadow]

What about using Dynamat? Is that a better noise dampening material? Would it cause enough of an increase in the temps to not be suitable?