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Quieting Your G5?

Posted by Cliff on from the turn-those-fans-down-they-hurt-mine-ears dept.

metajunkie wants to take a bite out of this issue: "I recently set up an at-home recording studio with a DP G5 and a ProTools mBox. Problem is, I can't record (like, say, a voice over) anywhere near the computer because when the cooling fans kick in, it comes in way too loud over the mic. I can't move the computer into another room, and while I'm tempted to throw a blanket over the thing, I don't think that'll help. Does anyone know a place that sells a silencer box for the G5 or some good DIY way to cut out the noise?"

5 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Rather than muffling it... by SSpade · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You don't need all that G5 power for recording. On my G4 laptop I can go into energy saver in system preferences and set the processor performance to 'Reduced'. That burns less power, creates less heat and the fans don't turn on. You may be able to do the same on your desktop.

    Also, if you have a lot of junk software on the machine burning CPU cycles it's going to create more heat and more noise. Shut down power-hungry apps.

    1. Re:Rather than muffling it... by Scaba · · Score: 4, Insightful
      You don't need all that G5 power for recording.

      You're not a Pro Tools user, are you?

  2. Re:What? Mine is quiet as a mouse by smoondog · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Me too. This almost sounds like FUD trolling. I have a dual G5 2.0 and while it is noisier than my G4 laptop, it is an order of magnitude quiter than any other desktop machine I have owned. The drive makes no noise at all and only the fan makes any real noise.

    -Sean

  3. Re:Hate to say it, but by blackmonday · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This has been modded funny, but this is an actual studio trick that's been used for many years. Bathrooms have pretty good acoustic qualities and built-in reverb. For a budget home musician, I'd sing in the shower instead of pay studio time for vocals. Run your mic cable from the shower/bathroom to your pre, into your mac in the other room. You might be surprised by good results.

  4. Re:Another $0 solution by Mikey-San · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Right, because that's not going to alter the thermal properties of the case design.

    Sticking a lint-laced towel inside your nine-fan, four-cooling-zone, twenty-one-temperature-sensor G5 surely isn't a bright way of going about cutting back on the noise--unless when it shuts off from choking on towel lint or overheats. Then it's /really/ quiet.

    --
    Mikey-San
    Karma: +Eleventy billion (mostly affected by watching Celebrity Jeopardy)