But before we get into the solutions, let’s discuss the problems in more detail. The good news is that most of the noise generated by our computers is high pitched. High frequencies are much easier to contend with than low frequencies by strategically positioning absorptive materials where they will do the most good. The bad news is that the very reason computers have fans is that they need air to cool themselves or else they will overheat and stop working. So the required solution involves providing a mix of absorption while allowing fresh air to flow.

High frequencies are more directional than low frequencies and they also contain less energy. This means that you require less mass to contain their sound and thinner absorptive panels. Knowing this, let’s apply these two concepts to a typical studio workstation setup using a three step approach:

Step 1 Add a front door
Most project studios employ a desk of come sort as a workstation. The computer is often located out of the way under the desk in a computer ‘tunnel’ that includes a low lying shelf which is open at the front and in the back. The noise is escaping from both access points. So the first thing to do is to add a solid door to the front. Most hardware stores sell a variety of standard kitchen cabinet doors and these can be custom ordered to fit. The best choice of door will be a good heavy one made from melamine as it will contain more sound. Bring your desk opening drawing with you so that the hardware specialist can recommend the best hinge to suite your particular need. If you want to get a glass door, try to get one that has a good heavy pane of glass and make sure it does not rattle. Most doors are designed to expand and contract so they do not glue the panel inside the rails. If your door rattles, add a silicone bead. You should also apply good weather stripping to surround the door opening. Remember, if air can pass so will noise.

Step 2: Absorb the noise before it gets out
Now that the noise exiting the front of the cabinet will be significantly reduced, we have to treat the noise inside the tunnel itself. Think of it this way: by reducing the noise at the source, it will be mush easier than trying to deal with it after it escapes! Remember: Because we need to provide the computer with fresh air, we cannot simply put another door on the back. Enclosing the computer would result in recycling hot air which of course could cause your system to overheat.

The best way to quiet down the noise is to line the inside of the tunnel with 1″ thick Broadway panels. You should line the sides and top and even the front door if you can. Just make sure you leave sufficient space so that air can flow. Because the whirr of the computer fan is usually quite high, the 1″ thick panels will provide effective results. All you need is standard construction adhesive some 1.5″ finishing nails and some Broadway panels. For safety, it is always best to use fiberglass panels. Urethane foam panels can dry out and end up causing a dust problem for your computer which could clog up the fan or create problems in the electronics. Fit the panels inside the tunnel best you can to cover the surfaces. You can then cut the panels to fit by first pulling the excess fabric out of the way and then re-gluing it to cover the edges. Add a bean of adhesive around the perimeter and then X from corner to corner. Use a couple of finishing nails to hold the panels in place to allow the glue to set.

Step 3: Control the noise exiting the tunnel
The final step involves doing what you can to reduce the noise that is exiting the back of the tunnel. This is done by treating the wall (or walls) behind the desk. Remember, high frequencies are directional. This means that the exit port of the tunnel where your computer lives has now become a horn. The direct sound exiting the horn will reflect off any adjacent walls and follow a vector. By treating the wall you will eliminate these reflections. You can use 1″ thick Broadway panels to do this or if you happen to have some extra 2″ panels, you will increase the attenuation.

Although this 3 step approach will not completely eliminate computer noise, it will do wonders at reducing the noise problem without breaking the bank. This do-it-yourself project is easy to do and it will definitely help lower the residual noise your studio.

[via primacoustic.com]

2. Disable system sounds

System sounds can interrupt audio. Ensure that they are disabled by doing the following:
- Go to control panel and select “Sound”
- Go to the sounds tab
- Under sounds scheme, select “No sounds”
- Click “Apply” then, “OK”

3. Enable DMA (Direct memory access) on each IDE channel

This allows data to be transferred directly into the memory and can improve audio performance. To ensure that DMA is enabled:
- Open device manager
- Expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers category then double click on each one of the IDE channels
- Under the ‘Advanced settings’ tab, make sure the ‘Enable DMA’ box is ticked in device properties
Please note: this only applies to some hardware and if this option is not available, you should not worry about completing this step.

4. Set processor scheduling to “Background services”

This will improve the performance of your audio drivers on your computer. To do this:
- In control panel select “system”
- Go to “Advanced system settings” and then the “Performance” tab
- Set processor scheduling as “Background Services”
- Click “Apply” then “OK”

5. Disable Windows Firewall, anti-virus and spyware software

These should all be disabled to ensure that no interferences occur during audio recording or playback and to ensure that maximum resources are available. To remain secure while your firewall and antivirus disabled, it is advisable to temporarily disconnect from any internet connections when working with audio.

Advanced optimisation:

If you wish to optimise your system further, or you are using a system that is particularly lacking in resources you can follow the tips below for advanced optimisation.

Disable Visual effects

The visual features in Windows 7 can use resources that could otherwise help to improve audio performance. As a start, it is good idea to disable some of the visual features by doing the following:
- Press start and in the search box type: “SystemPropertiesPerformance” and press enter
- On the visual effects tab select “custom”
- Untick: “Animate windows when minimising and maximising” to help prevent glitches when minimising and maximising. You can also experiment with disabling other visual effects in the custom list to see how they improve audio performance.
- Once finished, press “OK”

If you wish to optimise your Windows 7 graphics for the best performance use the “Adjust for best performance”. Although improving computer performance, this will make your Windows 7 appear a lot less aesthetically pleasing.

Disable Windows services

One way in which you can make more resources available to improve audio performance, is to disable unnecessary Windows 7 services as these use valuable resources. The following site has a comprehensive guide to the services running on Windows 7 and helps locate the services that are safe to disable:
Windows 7 Service Configurations by Black Viper

[via www.focusrite.com ]