sound proofing mat

[looney]

Do these actually work?

I'm talking about these: http://www.scan.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductId=5631

They seem to look good on paper, but wouldnt simply putting foam on the case reduce sound

[jonh17]

Do these actually work?

I'm talking about these: http://www.scan.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductId=5631

They seem to look good on paper, but wouldnt simply putting foam on the case reduce sound

i have one of those and while they dont completely reduce noise within my case they do do a good job, i bought some accoustic foam to put on the door or my case aswell which does a fantastic job.

[looney]

So would you recommend it for someone to buy?

Would it quieten down fan noise?

[djglenn]

I remember reading somewhere about there being issues with heatbuildup as a result of adding sound proofing foam..

Perhaps someone could clarify if this is the case or I am trying to lead looney astray...

[Zhaoman]

What components are you not happy with? If it's just the system fans then spending a tenner on better quality fans would be a better idea, or a fan controller. The foam should stop system vibration but yes it does increase temperatures

[Funkstar]

Also worth looking at Dynamat from a car audio place. Don't know if it will be cheaper or not, but worth looking into.

[Emirzan]

If you are looking for soundproofing materials for your pc I've heard good things about acoustipack. This review http://www.silentpcreview.com/article137-page1.html shows use of the stuff. SPCR forums have quite a few pictures of people's custom built machines with use of sound damping materials but also adequate cooling.

[Giraffe]

Saw somewhere that good (heavy) carpet underlay does a good job - don't know how price compares.

[F1ZZY]

Sound proofing is not magic. It should be the final step in noise reduction.

First is to reduce all the noise making devices - slower, better quality, decoupled fans, HDD enclosures etc.

[templetons]

you can buy a similar type of foam from craft shops - then just use double sided sticky tape to apply to case.

proper sound insulation can only do so much as others have mentioned - get quieter components first or run fans at a slower speed

[androo]

I like the cheap idea of underlay! great if you have a lower power system. I was thinking of building some kind of wooden box to place over my entire computer or something similar.

What I have found is since moving my computer to be at least 1Meter from the wall it sounds loads quieter, being very close to the wall was directly refecting the sound back at me.

[k4p84]

I have used acoustipak in my last two cases.

I would say make sure your case has good air flow, like they should anyway. My current rig does generate a lot of heat, 8800 gtx's and 850w psu mainly but with fans going it's all kept cool.

I would say it's not really worth sound proofing a gaming rig much now as you would be looking to keep that all chilled and unless you are on water you are going to need a fair air flow = noise.

Also the type of case you use will effect it's effectiveness, shocking english, sorry!
A solid case lian li, etc would sound proof well as it has lots of solid surfaces where as things like my current case Cosmos S has more holes in it then swiss cheese so sound proofing is near pointless.

HTPC is a whole different story. you want to keep them as quiet as possible

[shaithis]

As k4p84 says, use it for a HTPC, not a gaming rig.

You should have your headphones on or your amp/speakers cranked up while gaming anyway

[Giraffe]

I like the cheap idea of underlay! great if you have a lower power system. I was thinking of building some kind of wooden box to place over my entire computer or something similar.

What I have found is since moving my computer to be at least 1Meter from the wall it sounds loads quieter, being very close to the wall was directly refecting the sound back at me.

Heavy damping stops the big panels from resonating at the frequencies and their sub-harmonics from moving parts.
Moving the case away from a reflecting surface - and isolating it from a vibratable surface such as a wooden desk - is of course a basic measure. Also, with low frequencies, the distance between you and the source is significant, as the sound is in peaks and troughs, so at the wrong point the sound will be more.

[looney]

I swear i read that it doesnt build up heat, slightly confused now, might give it a miss.

Anyway does anyone have agood recommendation for a fan controller then? dont want to spend more then £10, and it ha sto be 5.25inch as my case doesnt have 3.25 and i dont want those flashy blue led ones.

[Emirzan]

£10? That's a tight budget for a 5.25" bay fan controller. Personally I'd recommend spending a little more, generally the quality will be better and the very cheap ones tend to come in odd colours and with lots of l.e.d.'s which you clearly don't want.

Also keep in mind that with the cheaper ones you might not have as much control, e.g. you won't be able to turn the fans completely off with some controllers whilst you will be able to with others.

I'm not keen on brightly coloured things with all kinds of flashing lights either and I quite like this:

Zalman ZM-MFC1

Obviously more money than you specified but it's a fairly good product.

Hiyatek Black 20-in-1 Multifunction Card Reader With Fan Controllers

As the name suggests this one combines several other functions with a couple of fan dials. Just over £10 and black.

Hiyatek Black Multi Fan Controller

Oh, and if you find something you like that occupies a 3.25" bay, you can buy kits to be able to use it in a 5.25" bay

EDIT

Sunbeam Rheobus Black

Just remembered this one, also black with just one led for each fan to show you it's on. Fairly smart and pretty good value at £15 in my opinion. Sure I've seen it cheaper elsewhere but can't remember where unfortunately.