New Audio PC Build. Help!

[iSleipnir]

I have been toying with the idea of building a micro pc that would hold all of my music in digital form. It's only purpose would be as an audio source. Therefore I wouldn't need a powerful processor or video card or even a lot of memory.
Here are the specs I'm looking for:
The audio card I am using is a "E-mu 1212" and I'm using the dual mono out to an external amplifier. So for the sound source I'm covered.

I'm looking at two Samsung SpinPoint P SP25xxX 250GB hard drives (either SATA or ATA) run in raid 1 This is because I have 200+ cds in FLAC (lossless) format at 60GB and I plan on expanding that collection a lot. Raid 1 because ripping all of those cds takes weeks

This is where I'm unsure:
I want this case to be as quiet as possible so I was thinking of a fanless PSU

But I have no idea what I should look at for a processer. I want to go with intel, but I'm not very knoledgable when it comes to processors.

With the processor the Thermaltake XP-120 heatsink with a globe fan combo seems the best cooling with the quitest fan.

Similarly I don't know what motherboard I should look at. In the past I have used Asus.

As for a case I would like a media case that lays flat on its side and looks classy and nice.



So I guess the main ideas is have expensive storage and audio output but cheap everything else (except for the case which I would like to look nice). Any suggestions on this build would be greatly appreciated as this will be my first micro build. Thanks for looking.

-Slep

 

[CJC252]

Well since you have the audio part down, and you need help with computer stuff, I can help

2 hard drives + fanless PSU = very hot

Case: Lian Li PC-V800B. It's expensive (which you were ok with), very stylish, and it has great cooling because of its perforated paneling. It has plenty of room, so you shouldn't have too much trouble with the XP-120, which is a MASSIVE heatsink (can't really tell from pics), but does a great cooling job.

Processor: Intel should be fine for what you'll be doing. Something like this: Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHZ. It uses Socket 478, which the XP-120 heatsink supports.

Motherboard: With that processor, an Asus motherboard would be great: Asus P4P800-VM is a popular P4 mobo.

PSU: The only quality, fanless PSU that I know of is the Antec Phantom, which you can find here: Antec Phantom 350W. 350 watts should be enough, but if you want to spend $20 more, theres a 500W version.

Beyond that (RAM/Video Card), pretty much anything will do. The Asus mobo has onboard video, which you could probably settle for, since I'm assuming it will just be running an audio application. Any PC3200 RAM will be sufficient for memory, I'd get at least 512 MB these days.

Hope that helps a little

 

[cerbie]

Case/CPU: A Pentium-M (or Celeron-M) SFF is probably your best bet, if you don't want full size. You could also look into Turions. However, your quiet may not be as quiet as I'm thinking.

The XP-120 will be too big for small cases, may not work as well with desktop cases (usually they are too squat to good air flow into the CPU fan, but there are exceptions), and if you go for a larger case, just bite the bullet and get a P180 + Ninja or SI-120

. Full size, while large, would be easier to quiet, ATM (and has gotten many times easier, just over the past year). However, some of Coolermaster's newer desktop cases may be just what you're looking for (but, $$$, and still full size). Also, check out Silverstone's cases.

CPU (in general): not a P4. Athlon 64 (and s754 Sempron) and Pentium-M (and Celeron-M) are both good for the power, with the A64s being best on your wallet.

PSU: a quiet, but not silent, PSU would be best for reliability. Fanless are nice, but still realistically need fans elsewhere.

Mobo: if it has decent passive chipset cooling, you're golden. Or get a NB47j. Either way, no big deal. At this point, most mobos are good enough, and current chipsets mature enough, that that isn't a big problem.

HDD mount: suspension is good, but can have issues, and can be a PITA to work with. Foam is nice, but also has its problems. A case with gromet-mounting would be a good way to go I'm about to try going with grommet-mounting because of this (Stretch Magic is great, but the whole thing can really be a pain).

This is all assuming you'll at least be in the same room with it, and will need to mostly hear the music

.

Edit: the Lina-Li looks nice, but with the mesh, will let you hear every last sound being made inside of it.

 

[blessingx]

iSleipnir, you may want to stay PC on preference or simply for easier construction, but if this is a media player only and thus the OS matter less, you should know the running rumors about the January 10th Macworld announcement. It doesn't really take care of the whole audio side, but I thought you should know for a likely quiet, small, pretty cheap comp option.

 

[Tachikoma]

Hmm, I'm looking for an upgrade for my stock dell PSU too, but my main concern isn't noise, but the quality of the power it provides. Any suggestions? *budget's around 100USD*

 

[cire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tachikoma Hmm, I'm looking for an upgrade for my stock dell PSU too, but my main concern isn't noise, but the quality of the power it provides. Any suggestions? *budget's around 100USD*

(i hope this doesnt violate any rules...)
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...d.php?t=136602

read that for a great guide on which PSU to buy. all those supplies are excellent; since they pass the overclocker's test, they'll surely be excellent for systems in stock config.

as for the OP: are you a gamer? do you have a budget? i second the idea of an SFF as they look damn sexy

. a socket 754 based SFF with an AMD Turion would perfectly fit the bill of power with quietness.

RAID 1 would not help your cd ripping whatsoever. ripping speed is bottlenecked by the rate in which your cd drive can rip, normally between 24-40x. although i would recommend going RAID 1 for the sake of data reliability.

as for hard drives, i'd go with a Seagate. 5 year warrenty and well known to have the quietest drives. but if dead silence is your aim, using notebook hard drives would be your best bet. they are nearly silent compared to any 3.5in desktop HD.

 

[Hello]

First off, if this PC is being used as an audio station, you'll definitely want it quiet -- so check out www.silentpcreview.com.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with some of the above posts.

Seagate used to make the quietest drives, but they now make some of the loudest! Samsung pretty much makes the quietest drives now; so your choice for the Spinpoints is good. (Though I think the ones you picked out haven't quite been released yet!)

For the case, aluminum cases tend to resonate -- i.e. they amplify the noise for things like hard drives.

Here's an idea:

Fanless case and psu
http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id/368
mini-itx motherboard.
http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...055814053326ec
ram
two internal hard drives

You don't really need RAID-1 since you just want to back up the flacs. Just copy the flacs over to the second hard drive.

The above system has no fans, so the only noise comes from the hard drive.

 

[CJC252]

Look around on End PC Noise, they have some great recommendations for quiet fans/any hardware.

 

[rimmer]

deleted

 

[rimmer]

I recommend Athlon 64 because of lower heat dissipation. Take a good one single fan PSU (two-fan don't make much difference and resonate sometimes). Then get a fan speed regulators and plug every fan in. The ones stated "quiet" still make a big hum unregulated (just be alert: some lower quality fans tend not to start at lowest voltages ~6V after time). Then take the ordinary case you have and buy sheets of noise dampening material (like bee technology) and stick it in the case. It's the cheapes solution and VERY effective (personal experience, I was positively surprised with the result).

Or best possible, put the computer to different place and use long cables/wireless streaming.

 

[Girlsound]

http://www.mini-itx.com/

 

[Girlsound]

double post
silly database

 

[iSleipnir]

CJC252: Thanks for the case suggestion. I really like this version of the case. I hadn't even thought of lian-li even though my main rig is in a 6070.
I also have a P4P800SE in my rig. I didn't even know they made a micro board.
As for a processsor I just remembered I have a old socket 478 processor that will be fine for what I'm doing I think so I think I want to stay with that socket to save money.

If I hadn't this chip on had I would probably end up using a pentium M as cerbie suggested.

I might also look at this case. Either case will accomodate the xp-120.

As for PSU, the case above has one that I could mod with a quieter fan like a papst or nexus or global.

Cerbie: thanks for the mounting ideas for the hdd. I was thinking along the lines of grommets.

Cire: Raid 1 was so that if one drive crashed I wouldn't spend a month trying to rerip all of the cds I own. I've had harddrives fail and trust me. It sucks liek no other. And currently Samsung makes the questest drives. True though, the Seagate Barracuda IV used to be the quiestes and is still pretty quiet except they don't make it any more.

Hello: I think we're in the same league. I've been refereing to SPCR constantly as should anyone looking for parts for their comp.

. THe cases and combos you posted look like great ideas. I'll look into those, and as for Raid I think it will just be easier.

Thanks for all of the ideas. This project is getting more complete all the time.

 

[BodiesOfLight]

That Lian Li PC-V880 case is hot, in black and silver, I might even look into getting that!

 

[iSleipnir]

Here is the setup I'm working on currently:

Case..........SILVERSTONE SST-LC11-B.......................$115
MB............ASUS P4P800-VM....................................$92
Processor...Intel P4 1.8GHz.......................................$0
Heatsink.....XP-120............................................... ...$49
HS Fan.......Nexus 120 Fan........................................$20
Memory......256MB PC3200........................................$30
HDD...........2x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint SATA.............$224
Sound........E-mu 1212.............................................$ 0
__________________________________________________ ____
Total............................................. ........................$530

Thats pretty decent for a media pc. But, I'll probably end up replacing the stock case fans like I said which would be an extra $22 for Nexus fans.