Are you a FAN boy? Fan-less vs. forced air music server / transport (passive vs. active cooling)

[benanders]

How do most ASR’ers cool their music servers / streamers / transports? Fans or no fans?

Some great threads focus on fan-less setups, but are largely free of comparative metrics on room noise floor, fan model max dB ratings (manufacturer specs or as measured in situ), chassis-to-MLP distance, etc.
To me, these are not [scientifically] convincing cases.

Details you provide may help readers who need to, or will someday, consider fan-less vs. fan-forced air CPU coolers / chassis for their purchase / DIY build.
Please consider remarking based on your real-time gear instead of broad hypotheses or future plans / dream setup(s), since metrics cannot be had from intangible kit.

Thanks in advance for chiming in!

 

[Open Mind Audio]

Been using active cooling (fan-based NAS) since 2006, connected to PC and always stationed in a room separate from the music systems.

 

[Curvature]

Passive cooled PC with a fan in the cabinet to increase air circulation.

 

[Chr1]

Several fanless Beelink mini PCs as endpoints/renderers with RoomEQ and output to external DACs, plus another with more RAM used as general work PC and server. Music stored on two SSDs and 4 SATA drives in a 4 bay caddy. The caddy has switchable fans which I have never needed to use.

 

[dasdoing]

core i3 12100f in a case that is "open" on bottom and top, a big heatsink cooler mounted 90 degrees (so fins face the top). cpu fan is set up to kick in at 88 degrees and then at its minimum RPM (400 or so, totally quiet) it will bring the heat down significantly; but this happens only when CPU is maxed out for 20 minutes or so, which normally doesn't happen.
the idea is to use the chimney effect; the heat will rise and create an airflow without any fans. CPU heatsink rotated to help with this effect. the fan at the bottom of the heatsink so the heat can rise when it is off.
core-i3 very low power; F version so no IGP to create extra heat.

there are case-fans as a backup if heat rises above 90 degrees; but they are normally not needed.

the only time the CPU fan ever kicks in (at minimum RPM) is when I use my DAW with lots of VSTs. I do no gaming though; this PC wouldn't work for gaming.

a fanless GT 1030 for graphics. stock it would occasionally run into thermal throttling without the casefans. a little overclock/undervolt solved this and it never needs the casefans.

the PSU is 550W iirc. it has a fan-less operation until 300W or so (?). The fan will never ever be activated with my system.

 

[Bob from Florida]

Raspberry pi running Volumio in a convection only case. Used to use local USB SSD, now use Sinology 220+ NAS in another room for source.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Just to add a different perspective…

I was a fairly early adopter of file based music over 20 years ago, it suited me since I was travelling worldwide every week for work and had been carrying a heavy flight case full of cassettes then CDs and it was great.
I got fed up with the frequency of new products and software meaning I was being recommended updates more often than I was used to in the old days and reverted to using CDs and LPs soon after I retired.

I find it more convenient for classical music.

 

[renaudrenaud]

30$ ARM server, no fan, no radiator. Grafana stack and some code to monitor the temperature and other parameters.

 

[Saponetto]

Near field listening forcibly requires fanless pcs, nucs and so on. Currently using three fanless N5100-based pcs, two equipped with Volumio in two setups and one with W11 aimed at general purpose and audio files management.
Won't go back.

 

[MCH]

I used to have my RPI streamer/hub without fan -> no problem.
Then I 3D printed an enclosure in a material with low Tg to have the RPI + other switches and microcontrollers -> I was afraid that in summer the temperature could rise enough to soften the enclosure -> added the smallest noctua fan with an undoubtedly poorly self designed canals for the air to flow + a script to adapt fan rpm to temperature -> I have the RPI CPU at 20 °C less than before and the fan always running close to its minimum programmed speed and no problem whatsoever.
PS: if I was back to the RPi streamer doing nothing else in its official RPI case I would not bother to add any fan.

 

[Chr1]

... The only computer fans that I am using now are only switched on when I want to blow the warm air from my valve amplifier into the middle of the living room... Primarily use it in the winter and along with the Starbucks below me, the only source of heat required in the winter.
Weird audio and eco sensibilities, I know but there we go...

 

[amadeogt]

Several fanless Beelink mini PCs as endpoints/renderers with RoomEQ and output to external DACs, plus another with more RAM used as general work PC and server. Music stored on two SSDs and 4 SATA drives in a 4 bay caddy. The caddy has switchable fans which I have never needed to use.

I also have a Beelink, but mine does have an internal fan. It is tiny, however, and makes no noise.

 

[Chr1]

Mine are the older T34 Gemini model. Easily powerful enough to run MathAudio RoomEQ and I like the passive cooling/heatsinking via the slim alloy case personally. Makes for a fairly bulletproof design too hopefully...

 

[jcarys]

I've never had a piece of audio or computer equipment that needed a fan, unless it was failing. And that's close to a 50 year history with audio electronics.

 

[antcollinet]

Sources -
Ras pi running LMS and player. No fan.
MacBook pro - has fans but they rarely come on.
CD player - no fan
Turntable - no fan.

 

[benanders]

Been using active cooling (fan-based NAS) since 2006, connected to PC and always stationed in a room separate from the music systems.

Yeah I’d think this the best route for multi-purpose systems, especially when additional files larger than music tracks are being stored. When that separate room’s an option!

 

[benanders]

Passive cooled PC with a fan in the cabinet to increase air circulation.

Enough to make one wonder where the line between that continuum of active and passive cooling actually lies…

 

[benanders]

core i3 12100f in a case that is "open" on bottom and top, a big heatsink cooler mounted 90 degrees (so fins face the top). cpu fan is set up to kick in at 88 degrees and then at its minimum RPM (400 or so, totally quiet) it will bring the heat down significantly; but this happens only when CPU is maxed out for 20 minutes or so, which normally doesn't happen.
the idea is to use the chimney effect; the heat will rise and create an airflow without any fans. CPU heatsink rotated to help with this effect. the fan at the bottom of the heatsink so the heat can rise when it is off.
core-i3 very low power; F version so no IGP to create extra heat.

there are case-fans as a backup if heat rises above 90 degrees; but they are normally not needed.

the only time the CPU fan ever kicks in (at minimum RPM) is when I use my DAW with lots of VSTs. I do no gaming though; this PC wouldn't work for gaming.

a fanless GT 1030 for graphics. stock it would occasionally run into thermal throttling without the casefans. a little overclock/undervolt solved this and it never needs the casefans.

the PSU is 550W iirc. it has a fan-less operation until 300W or so (?). The fan will never ever be activated with my system.

Good details - what diameter’s the CPU fan? I’ve found many folks who “can’t stand case fans” didn’t try anything larger than standard 120mm (and even 120mm on low spin will be highly dependent on other setup variables to register as noticeable); fan diameter vs. dB is at least as relevant as a system’s thermal behavior, methinks.

 

[Doodski]

I use a desktop ATX tower for general purpose everything that comes across my desk. Intel 10 cores, multithreaded, DDR5, RTX3070Ti for >166 Hz 1440p gaming and a large Seasonic power supply. In total there are 4 200mm fans, 4 140 mm fans and the CPU cooling is done via a 280mm cooler that I would not recommend due to repeat issues and the replacement RMA warranty unit has flaky LEDs but otherwise works good. I don't recommend water coolers due to the complexity in hardware and software conflicts.

 

[benanders]

Raspberry pi running Volumio in a convection only case. Used to use local USB SSD, now use Sinology 220+ NAS in another room for source.

Good example of actively cooled server vs. passively cooled streamer/transport.
For anyone without an all-in-one system and more than single-digit TB’s of storage, I’d expect this to be the most popular route. Especially for anyone using manufactured NAS solutions.