Reducing drive noise from a blu-ray player inside a cabinet

[Sagnet]

Disclaimer: I apologize if this is not the right forum, but I'm sure someone here will have suggestions. The question is about dampening high frequent noises in a very small room.

I have a blu-ray player thats placed inside a small cabinet. The cabinet is open in the back and the front (the front is covered with speaker cloth). So the player is surrounded by two walls, a floor and a ceiling.

The player makes a high pitched noise when playing UHD blu-rays. I'm looking to reduce the amount of noise that leaks out from the cabinet. What would be my best options? Will it help to put some sound absorbing foam on the walls inside the cabinet? Are there other tweaks that could be done?

The cabinet looks something like this, with the player in one of the three rooms (instead of speakers as shown in the picture):

 

[Webninja]

Did the player always make the noise? I wonder if there is something wrong with the player. With speaker cloth for the doors, it will be hard to reduce the noise, and if you build a box or cover for the player, it might need a fan.

 

[Sagnet]

Yeah, the player does always make the noise. But I think maybe being inside the cabinet amplifies the sound. Does that make sense?

 

[Doodski]

Yeah, the player does always make the noise. But I think maybe being inside the cabinet amplifies the sound. Does that make sense?

If the player has always made the same noise then it's the position of the entire player in that sound directing shelf thing. The shelf location is directing the sound from the player. Is it a sort of a soft hisss sound that changes pitch from time to time and is more of a tick sound or is it a squeeeling high pitch whine sound?

 

[Sagnet]

If the player has always made the same noise then it's the position of the entire player in that sound directing shelf thing. The shelf location is directing the sound from the player. Is it a sort of a soft hisss sound that changes pitch from time to time and is more of a tick sound or is it a squeeeling high pitch whine sound?

It's a constant soft hiss. I believe the noise level is depending on how fast the disc is spinning. The noise is louder when reading UHD discs (which are spun at a faster speed) than when playing regular blu-rays (which spin at a slower speed).

 

[Doodski]

It's a constant soft hiss. I believe the noise level is depending on how fast the disc is spinning. The noise is louder when reading UHD discs (which are spun at a faster speed) then when playing regular blu-rays (which spin at a slower speed).

That should be a normal part of the operation. The servos are operating and you are hearing that occurring in the form of the soft hissssy stufff and the various clicks and ticks. Some machines are quieter than others but no way to tell unless a direct comparison can be made. Otherwise try taking it out into the open and run it that way and see if it is as focused in that position.

 

[Sagnet]

That should be a normal part of the operation. The servos are operating and you are hearing that occurring in the form of the soft hissssy stufff and the various clicks and ticks. Some machines are quieter than others but no way to tell unless a direct comparison can be made. Otherwise try taking it out into the open and run it that way and see if it is as focused in that position.

I know that it is normal. I demoing three different blu-ray players at home at the moment. The player I like the most, feature wise, is unfortunately a bit noisier than the most quiet one. So that's why I'm exploring if it is possible to perform any sonic treatments on the cabinet, so that it may absorb some of the noise.

 

[Inner Space]

I had a CD player once with a similar issue. It was also in a cabinet. Given the construction of your cabinet, I would do three things: add a semi-rigid foam sheet behind the cloth on the door, and a similar sheet to push-fit into the void where a back panel would normally be, and put the player on soft feet - I used felt indoor-hockey pucks. That's about all you can do. I lined the interior surfaces with stick-on cork tiles too, but the heat warmed the glue and they fell off.

 

[Berwhale]

So that's why I'm exploring if it is possible to perform any sonic treatments on the cabinet, so that it may absorb some of the noise.

You can buy acoustic foam to stick on the inside of the cabinet. I've been doing a similar thing with PCs to reduce fan noise for many years. Have you tried padding the cupboard with pillows or quilt like materiel? If this works, then it could be worth investing in some rigid acoustic foam for a long term solution.

 

[Generate8]

Yeah I think foam could be a good option. Unless you can find something with an adhesive backing, you'll need a contact spray adhesive to mount it. That's what I've used before. If you're looking for a supplier, I've bought my acoustic foam here before. Really pleased with it.

 

[Berwhale]

The stuff i've used inside PCs has adhesive backing...

https://www.akasa.co.uk/update.php?...type_sub=Acoustic Silence Kits&model=AK-PAX-2