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Post by peterthebutcher on Oct 13, 2023 10:28:36 GMT
I know the title seems a tad dramatic, but am a tad pissed off. Why? Well, during the time I have had my small Pentium i5 NUC PC (my only music source) I have been chasing a few things and the "things" have not been cheap (to me, anyhow) .Bought this past 3 years, 2 new Rel S8/12 subs, new speakers (Amphion 7 LS), PS SGCD and M700 power amps, Matrix Audio SPDIF and various cables of the power,speaker XLR type. Anyhoo, the PC has never let me down, its been as good as gold, until it started making a loudish noise, it is the internal wee fan. I have put it down to the warm weather, and watching too many YouTube videos, so using the video processor a lot, therefore creating heat. I have thought about sticking a fan near it and raising it up of the shelf of the TV stand it sits on, by an inch, therefore creating a better airflow... Or just saying feck it, and getting a new 2023 fanless model NUC. They are not exactly cheap, but given its use, it might be worth living on Pot Noodles for a while (Not sure Jill would agree tho) So any thoughts on trying a new Dac/Pre or a certain recommended speaker cable (as used by Bill Leigh the UK Amphion distributor) will have to wait until next year at the earliest. I have had a few suggestions of late, like move the pc, which would require a long Artisan Silver USB cable or put the flac music files on a streamer, which is a waste to me as I ONLY listen to my own music files, and just use the free version of Spotify to check a track out thats been recommended. Use one of the better quality music devices like Auralic... BUT as being mobility disabled, the ONLY reason I use a PC (I know they are not the best) is the fact I can browse the internet and at the same time, play music with "Audirvana" with just 2 clicks of the mouse here endeth the lesson  |
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Post by bencat on Oct 13, 2023 11:02:04 GMT
Pete sorry to hear about your issues with your PC can I make a small suggestion that can save you money on a replacement . Do not look at the most expensive models which have large SSD memories and are wonderfully quick . These are aimed at high hour game users and what you are doing will never need that sort of speed. Instead look at the older models with small SSD and add your own usb external 1 TB ssd to plug in and load your music and any other APPS etc to that which leaves the internal SSD in your PC free and remain quick . The following is by no means cheap but it is sesnsible in price and offers a larger screen size that I find easier to use . www.argos.co.uk/product/2990943?clickSR=slp:term:lenovo%20laptop:18:37:1 |
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Post by peterthebutcher on Oct 13, 2023 11:16:09 GMT
Pete sorry to hear about your issues with your PC can I make a small suggestion that can save you money on a replacement . Do not look at the most expensive models which have large SSD memories and are wonderfully quick . These are aimed at high hour game users and what you are doing will never need that sort of speed. Instead look at the older models with small SSD and add your own usb external 1 TB ssd to plug in and load your music and any other APPS etc to that which leaves the internal SSD in your PC free and remain quick . The following is by no means cheap but it is sesnsible in price and offers a larger screen size that I find easier to use . www.argos.co.uk/product/2990943?clickSR=slp:term:lenovo%20laptop:18:37:1I can follow your logic. I have a new (2023) 2 tb SSD at the moment, and my PC guy says it can be re used (not sure about the upgraded ram). As for a laptop, for one reason or another, I have never been able to get on with them, as at the mo, I have my wireless keyboard on my knee and the mouse sat on the arm of the chair, oh, and a 50" TV that I use as a monitor/TV/Netflix/Prime device. Budget for a new PC can be up to £1100, and was thinking a 2nd smaller SSD for the O/S etc and use the 2tb one just for "My Music" folder and "audirvana"... OR just get a USB fan to increase the airflow and stand it on 3 little metal or sorbothane feet. My unit is not able to go up to Windows 11 in the future |
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Post by brucew268 on Oct 13, 2023 12:32:17 GMT
Hi Pete, Depending on how old the NUC is, you might be able to have a tech guy replace the fan, or just clean it, and also replace the heat sink paste. Even if that turned out to be £100, it might give you a few more years with that NUC at little cost.
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Post by pete on Oct 13, 2023 16:38:54 GMT
Hi Pete, Depending on how old the NUC is, you might be able to have a tech guy replace the fan, or just clean it, and also replace the heat sink paste. Even if that turned out to be £100, it might give you a few more years with that NUC at little cost. Agree with Bruce. The fans are plug and play so very simple to replace. Quick and easy. You may be able to update it at the same time. |
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Post by peterthebutcher on Oct 13, 2023 20:45:37 GMT
Agree with Bruce. The fans are plug and play so very simple to replace. Quick and easy. You may be able to update it at the same time. I thought that too, but I have doubled the ram and put in a bigger 2tb SSD, its as far as it can go now, and it will not upgrade to win 11, |
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Post by brucew268 on Oct 14, 2023 12:55:33 GMT
Agree with Bruce. The fans are plug and play so very simple to replace. Quick and easy. You may be able to update it at the same time. I thought that too, but I have doubled the ram and put in a bigger 2tb SSD, its as far as it can go now, and it will not upgrade to win 11, Do you know what generation chip it is? Only 8th gen and higher can be updated to Win 11 using Windows Update. Usually it's in the name BX NUC10i5FNK3 would be 10th gen. |
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Post by peterthebutcher on Oct 16, 2023 8:08:39 GMT
To be honest, with the compactness of my NUC, I do not have any tools that would open up the hood (o to speak), and if I did I would have no idea what I was looking at.
Have just a few mins ago tried to watch a couple of short car videos on YouTube, but the fan noise was getting quite loud, so much so I had to switch them off as it was to early to turn the volume up to drown it out. Its just the normal low volume of a circulating fan at the moment, which is perfectly acceptable. I could spend some money and get it cleaned and a new fan put in, but the problem would soon arise again I reckon, so an alternative must be saught, and if it means a new aluminium fanless type of PC, then can live with that, just no more hifi upgrades for a year lol
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Post by brucew268 on Oct 16, 2023 9:35:42 GMT
I've two gen 5 I5 NUC's that have been in daily use for 5 years without any big issues. When fan noise became a little more apparant, nothing like what you are describing, I just opened it up, cleaned the grimy dust off the fan, and went back to work. It only happened once, though might be due again this year.
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Post by peterthebutcher on Oct 16, 2023 10:32:36 GMT
I've two gen 5 I5 NUC's that have been in daily use for 5 years without any big issues. When fan noise became a little more apparant, nothing like what you are describing, I just opened it up, cleaned the grimy dust off the fan, and went back to work. It only happened once, though might be due again this year. I will get it seen to by the PC Doc. He is very good, and just lives down the road, if he can sort it out, then great |
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