What’s so bad about cpu fans?

[kelvinwsy]

I have a different more conventional take on Music Server upgrades. Recently I upgraded to the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Ultra with the intel i11900k CPU. The SQ jump is really audible vs the Z490 Aorus Ultra before with the 10700k. Upsampling with Hqplayer is a cinch. 4.2ghz on the 1st 4 cores and 4.1 on the other 4.

Cooling is by a Coolermaster ML360R in a push/pull fan configuration in a Lian Li O11 Dynamic case. 

IMHO for those who wish to over sample, going fanless has been proven to work but heat soak over extended operation of the server has also been noticed with the corresponding drop in SQ as temperature rises. Even with 3 input and 2 exhaust fans, the 90Amp multiphase VRM on the Z590 Aorus Ultra, temperatures climb into the high 40's. 

So I can imagine that fanless case will have the VRM Mosfets going at 75-85 deg C. No harm to the mosfets as they are rated 105 deg C. SQ over periods of extended heat soak with corresponding temp rise is something someone has to report on.

 

Another report back on using another ATX PSU to power just the CPU -- I have done that too and I can report that while the richness of the produced sound is enhanced, extended use of this dual ATX PSU power solution does create different Earthing plane issues and reverse power feed which can lead to PSU failure. 

 

Now I just take the PWM FAN signals from the Mobo and run it through separate fan PCB's which allow for power supply from a second ATX PSU. This reduces the power fluctuation on the Mobo/CPU combo powered by a first ATX PSU. There is also ZERO risk of reverse power feed affecting the stability of the MOBO or CPU power state.

 

I find that from the test reports on my ATX PSU, 400-450 watts steady power draw gives a very low load regulation variance - say a very steady 12.06 V on the 12V1 main rail.

 

Rather I now use a 1000watt PSU and keep the Power output at this steady 400-450watt. 

 

Next to combat ripple, I use the Elfidelity PCIE power filter. I have even added an additional NVME M.2 to PCIE 1x4 adapter and added 1 additional power filters. Each additional power filter I add calms the sound and increases the dynamic flavor of the reproduced SQ. Quite intoxicating. The most audible improvement to the SQ - ( I tested with 1, 2, 3 and no PCIE power filter. ) is the smooth and incisive female soproanos when they hit the high notes. Each additional filter makes the high notes sound cleaner, more extended and yet very very pleasant on the year w/o any digital hard edge. Sound stage is wider, deeper and individual sounds, instruments stand out clearly from within the soundstage.

 

Yeh I know the talk of the town is the  Taiko DC-DC ATX PSU. But at 1250 Euro plus freight and another say 1500 USD for the V2 unregulated LPSU from Nenon, and say 500USD for labor to assemble and freight charges, the total bill for a state of the art ATX PSU looks like around 4500 USD, Or Sean's LPSU at 3000 plus GBP for the high power multi-rail models.

 

For those not willing to spend that kind of budget or those without such a budget (like myself), pick a high quality high power ATX PSU and filter the hell out of it is actually a low budget option which sounds pretty damn good for the money. Fan remote power PCB's do work wonders. I flexible mount almost all my fans - I use string and additional fan gaskets to dampen the fan vibrations.

 

So to round up -  just improve a standard PC music server to the umpteenth degree and save yourself from the dreaded Rabbit Hole. 

 

YMMV and your BUDGET may vary of course.

[kelvinwsy]

Further note to the above.

I did a simple experiment - To XMP or not my 3200mhz ram ?

Switch on XMP - this was my default HQPlayer/AO3 option. Hmmh! a hint of High freq raspiness on the high notes of some super HF recorded female singer's renditions.

SO I switched off the XMP and default the 3200mhz ram to 2400mhz. Sounds a bit smoother - noticeable to my ears.

SO the search for 8gb Apacer ECC unbuffered DDR4 2600mhz DRAM is the next upgrade. I now believe what others are hearing with Apacer ECC DRAM.

It is just that I need more than 4x4 gb of such ram. And it is now much more available on mouser.com but I am waiting for semiconductor price squeeze to end. It is still Too expensive now. 300 plus USD for this 4x4 DRAM.

 

Oh to others reading my post, I DIY the entire pc server. Instead of a pre-built which would put the price tag at 3500 USD or much more, I assembled everything myself. The present server build would be at about say 2000USD with the i11900k CPU and Z590 mobo upgrade. (Disregard the Z490 and 10700k costs!) So relatively affordable - something economic but sounding damn good for the money. 

[kelvinwsy]

I did a series of tests over the last few months

1. All fans powered by mobo

2. All fans except Aio 360 mm pump and 3 fans on mobo --- the other 8 fans - 3 inlet , 2 exhaust , 3 add fans on radiator on push/pull config on Pcb that takes PWM signal from mobo but allows power from external psu

3. All fans except aio radiator flexible mounted

3. All fans except the aio pump on mobo... the rest totally driven by external fan controller 

4. Aio pump also on fan  controller.

 

I can report that with each succeeding change, there is a perceptible opening up of the soundstage and improved Hifreq 'sweetness' - by this I mean Female singers hitting the high notes sound so much smoother yet with better extension amd clarity.. The bass notes have more authority and goes deeper 

 

My findings show that on my system. external power and then speed controller via the external fan controller improves SQ the most

Vibration control via flexible fan mounting helps but comes in second for SQ benefits!

 

On my Lian li O11 Dynamic case.. I have thought of mounting the bottom inlet 12cm fans on an external fan bracket .. Same with the 2 Top exhaust 14 cm fans 

 

Now to custom loop cool the CPU 😅 or at least mount the Aio on a stand alone stand/bracket Or as a minimum mounted using rubber gaskets.

 

Cpu temps kept v low abt 42-43 deg C

VRM stable at 44-45 deg C

Cool temperatures do give better SQ

YMMV

 

Happy Listening

[kelvinwsy]

I hv the 11900k as my new HQplayer Server and intend to run my previous 10700k as the NAA ...Presently I use the SOTM SM200 Ultra Neo as the endpoint .. also a quad core Atom minipc that was my previous NAA. I find that the ability of the VRM to deliver big current / big power delivers a very dynamic rich SQ!

 

Yes it is possible to power fans externally! I hv all my fans on an externally fan controller and separate PSU. Even the AIO Pump can be powered this way but I lose Pump RPM And cooling water flowrate ... so I leave this connected to the Mobo . but the pump is only Voltage regulated so no PWM fluctuations like the 4 pin fans.

 

Your mobo BIOS must allow bypassing of CPU Fans .. otherwise u need a special fan PCB work around solution . PM Me if u wish to discuss

[kelvinwsy]

I mean flowrate and rpm readout from the bios....

[kelvinwsy]

Yes of course ! I prefer to hv that big current rather not. I can hear the improvemt in SQ from Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Ultra - 55amps VRM to the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Ultra - 90 amps.. Anyway I will run the Z490 NAA vs tge Sotm Sm200 Ultra Neo and report back

[kelvinwsy]

Btw I dont use Lpsu on the CPU and the ATX ! Tried the HDPlex 400w LPSU (old verdion) - it was wimpy sounding! U need big peak current delivery PSU for 11900k EXC/DSD256 upsampling on your SW😅! I use a Corsair RM1000X 

[kelvinwsy]

8 hours ago, Rovo said:

kelvinwsy, 

I would be interested to know how you controlled your (CPU) fans separate from the motherboard. Would you like to share some details (special fan PCB)?

 

Kind regards, 

Robert

 

Rovo 

I sent u a Private Mail so as not to clog up this thread

[kelvinwsy]

Actually 3 PMs🤨