Noise is not only disturbing, but can also have serious long-term health consequences. That's why we at be quiet! try to draw attention to this issue.
Understanding Noise

Acoustic perception

When mechanical vibrations hit the ear, they are bundled and directed to the eardrum. This begins to vibrate, whereby the sound vibrations are amplified and then converted into electrical impulses within the inner ear. The impulse enters the brain via the auditory nerve and we perceive a sound, sound, noise or bang as a result.

The higher the sound pressure (pressure fluctuations of the sound waves), the louder the sound pressure event is perceived - but the physiological sensation of volume depends not only on the sound pressure, but also on the frequency. The frequency describes the number of oscillations per second and is expressed in Herz (Hz).

The audible frequency range is between 16Hz and 20,000 Hz, with very low and very high tones perceived less loud than mid-frequency tones. Sounds of different frequencies can thus appear the same, although they have a different sound pressure. The auditory sensation area provides an overview of the sound pressure and frequency ranges perceptible by humans. The field of psychoacoustics deals with this issue (measurable sound and the processing and perception of sound), which is why it lies between the two scientific disciplines of physics and psychology.

At 1000 Hz, the sound pressure range perceptible by humans is about 0.00002 Pascal and 20 Pascal. Since the factor corresponds to 1 to 1 million, the logarithmic ratio value decibel (db) was introduced for the sound level in order to be able to detect the range more easily. The increase in the level by 10 dB is perceived as a doubling of the volume, and the doubling of the number of sound sources corresponds to the volume increase by 3 dB. The measuring distance should always be observed and specified in order to be able to evaluate the sound pressure level unadulterated.

Subjective sensation of loudness

In order to be able to reproduce the human sensation of loudness with the technical measure of sound pressure (db), filters were developed that include the frequency spectrum of a sound event.

Very low and high frequencies are corrected downwards. Decibels rated with frequency filters are db(A). Often the unrated sound pressure level (db) and the rated sound pressure level (db(A)) are interchanged, although they are not comparable with each other. They also cannot be offset against each other, as the frequency range must already be included in the calculation during the occurrence of the sound event.

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What are decibels

The logarithmic decibel scale, which includes the psychoacoustic impression as described, starts at the hearing threshold of 0 dB(A) and extends beyond the pain threshold of 120 db(A).
The volume of our Dark Rock Pro TR4 is 18 dB(A) at 50% load and a distance of one meter, a conversation is 55 dB(A), passing trucks are 85 dB(A) and a rifle shot in close proximity delivers about 120 dB(A).

On our website all db(A) values of our fans, coolers and power supplies can be reviewed under "Technical data". In order to be able to offer unadulterated values, all measurements are made with a measuring distance of one meter.  

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Visualization of the decibel scale

Noise

Sound waves that are perceived as disturbing are called noise. Noise is therefore unwanted sound. However, sound immissions are not only evaluated according to acoustic characteristics such as volume, duration and frequency, but are also dependent on subjective perception.

Everyone has a different sense of sound. For example, a loud rock concert can be perceived by one person as pleasant, while on the other hand another person can find even some quiet music disturbing.
Hearing damage can occur after acute sonic trauma (like one-time 150 dB(A)) or chronic sonic trauma (long-term above 85 dB(A)). However, much more common are noise diseases that are triggered by less dramatic everyday noise.

Chronic noise exposure can lead to mental disorders, such as concentration and sleep disruptions, stress and reduced resilience, not to mention general bodily reactions. The risk of suffering a heart attack is 20 percent higher with a regular noise exposure of 65 dB(A) than with a load of 50 to 55 dB(A).

As a rule of thumb, the Federal Ministry registers 30 dB(A) as the normal background noise in a quiet room. From 50 dB(A) on, the ambient noise already reaches conversational volume and the noise becomes a burden.

Hence a quiet system

Mistakenly, it is often assumed that louder noise sources drown out quieter ones and thus neutralize them. This assumption is wrong because sound waves add up, resulting in increasing sound pressure. All ambient noises together form the noise, and not just the loudest noise source is the one perceived. For example, a loud graphics card is no reason to neglect the volume factor when choosing a power supply, fan or cooler.

For evolutionary reasons, humans are particularly sensitive to high sounds, as they are processed by the brain as an alarm signal. The result is stress. Therefore power supplies need to be paid special attention to, as the coil whine lies exactly in this high frequency range.

ŽIVOT JE DOST HLUČNÝ
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How to make a loud PC quiet

Our motto "Life is noisy enough" sums it all up. Around us there are many sources of noise that add up to the everyday noise. Life is already noisy enough, which is why we work every day to prevent additional noise in the PC to make life a little quieter.
At least the time spent at the computer should not mean additional stress for the body.

In image processing, while working from home or just doing some gaming, it is important to avoid unnecessary noise, so that the full concentration can be dedicated to the events on the screen, and in the best case even some relaxation occurs. The difference between a quiet and a loud PC is noticeable immediately after the conversion.   

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Basic Knowledge - Auditory Perception

The power supplies, cases and cooling products from be quiet! are among the most reliable, efficient and quiet on the market. In addition to development, we have also made it our mission to educate about our products and their perfect application. You will find more detailed information in the "inside be quiet!" articles on our website bequiet.com, and on our social media platforms and our YouTube channel.

The ASMR PC

ASMR stands for "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" and describes the pleasant feeling of tingling that extends from the head through the entire body. Following certain "triggers", i.e. visual, acoustic or touch stimuli, those pleasant showers summarized under the term "tingles" are produced.

The term gained popularity in the early Tens as the trend of ASMR videos developed. Watching the videos is supposed to have a calming effect on the viewers through pleasant noises and unagitated actions. Since life is already noisy enough and everyday stress is a constant companion, we want to use our resources to create moments of peace and relaxation. Not only are our products itself very quiet - even their installation can be a calm audio-visual experience that creates tingles...

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The ASMR PC

In the anechoic chamber

An anechoic room is an acoustic laboratory room characterized by an ambient volume that is below the human perception threshold. It is therefore a space of absolute silence. This silence is created by the sound-absorbing covering of the chamber, which is located on the side walls, ceiling and floor. In addition, the room is surrounded by a very thick concrete wall, which prevents the intrusion of external noise.

We use these laboratories to examine the unadulterated volume of our products, and then improve them with a focus on very quiet operation. This space has a very special effect on people. Since there is absolutely no ambient noise, the sounds produced by the body itself are perceived louder.

After a certain time, for example, the sound of the blood flow in the ear is audible. In addition, people always orient themselves on the basis of the ambient sounds surrounding them, whereby the absence of these can be perceived as quite disturbing. There is therefore a myth that no one can actually endure being in an anechoic room for more than 45 minutes. Working with the Youtuber AlexiBexi we’ve made it our mission to get to the bottom of this myth.

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In the anechoic chamber