Server Rack Noise Reduction
How soundproof cabinets keep IT quiet next to people
Server rack noise reduction matters wherever IT runs close to people. Servers, switches and storage systems produce a constant hum from fans and drives, and in an office, a studio or a medical practice that noise disturbs work, calls and concentration.
A soundproof server cabinet absorbs the noise with acoustic insulation while guided airflow keeps the hardware cool. The two goals pull in different directions: more insulation means less air, so a good acoustic cabinet balances sound absorption and cooling. Printers and desktop PCs can be quietened the same way with sound and dust protection hoods.
Lehmann IT designs and builds its acoustic cabinets in its own production in Salach, Germany. The questions below explain how soundproofing works and where each solution fits.
Questions on server rack noise reduction
How do soundproof server cabinets work? →Acoustic insulation explainedHow does the Studio Rack SOUNDEX work? →Quiet rack for office and studioHow do clinics keep their IT quiet? →Silent cabinets for practicesHow do you quieten printers and PCs? →Hoods against noise and dust
Find the products in the Lehmann IT shop
Ready to choose? These shop categories show the matching products with prices and configuration options.
Soundproof server cabinets →Server cabinets →Advisor: soundproof server cabinets
The most important questions about quiet server cabinets, answered briefly by Lehmann IT.
How quiet does it get?
Depending on the model, soundproof server cabinets reduce noise by 15 to 31 dB. With 31 dB of attenuation, 78 dB (a busy office) becomes around 47 dB, the level of a quiet office.
How is the soundproofing done?
All interior surfaces are lined with 20 to 30 mm of multi-layer acoustic foam. On top of that come quiet-running fans below 30 dB.
Do I need cooling?
From about 1,700 W of total heat in the cabinet, we recommend integrated cooling, for example the acoustically optimized CoolRack Silent.
Which size?
1 U = 44.45 mm; a 25 U cabinet holds up to 25 devices of one rack unit each. Better to choose a little bigger, IT grows faster than you think.
How loud is that? Your server compared
A server in an open rack quickly reaches 78 dB. In a soundproof server cabinet, that becomes a quiet office. Hover over a bar.
Edge of a busy road
80 dB
Server in an open rack
78 dB
Vacuum cleaner (1 m)
70 dB
In the acoustic cabinet, 15 dB attenuation
63 dB
Normal speech (1 m)
60 dB
In the acoustic cabinet, 31 dB attenuation
47 dB
Quiet library
40 dB
Quiet bedroom at night
30 dB
10 dB less is perceived as roughly half as loud.
How much sound does the acoustic foam absorb?
Measured absorption of our insulation with 20 mm and 30 mm foam: in the range of speech and fans, it absorbs 50 to 95 % of the sound. Hover over the points.
More quiet in the office
When IT sits close to the workplace, constant noise increases stress and lowers productivity. In retail, it even disrupts conversations with customers. A quiet office cabinet solves this.
Practice, school, library
Wherever quiet matters, the IT runs right in the room, without a dedicated server room. Made especially for this: quiet server cabinets for medical practices.
Quiet in the home office
The SoundEx server cabinets in fine wood fit into a living space, quiet, secure and in custom sizes and colors.
Loud switches on the wall
For small networks, an acoustic wall cabinet is often enough: soundproofing and quiet fans ensure peace and good ventilation.
Protection against dust
Dust settles in fans and cooling, raising the temperature and the failure rate. Closed acoustic server cabinets keep it out.
Custom built
No standard cabinet fits? Lehmann IT designs and builds your soundproof server cabinet in Salach, Germany, to your requirements, just ask.
All soundproof server cabinets: SoundEx · Office Acoustic · Acoustic server cabinets · Silent Plus · Acoustic wall cabinets · Quiet & efficiency · Medical & therapy practices
How to plan server rack noise reduction
- Measure or estimate the noise source: list the servers, switches and storage systems and note which ones run loud fans.
- Decide how quiet it must be: a meeting room or a medical practice needs far less noise than a storage room or a workshop.
- Check the heat load: soundproofing restricts airflow, so the acoustic cabinet must still remove all the heat the equipment produces.
- Choose the size with reserve: an acoustic cabinet with spare height units can take new hardware without losing its noise performance.
- Include printers and PCs: sound and dust protection hoods quieten devices that cannot go into a 19-inch cabinet.
Frequently asked questions
How does a soundproof server cabinet work?
A soundproof cabinet lines its walls and doors with sound-absorbing material and seals the gaps through which noise escapes. Air enters and leaves through channels that turn the sound path several times, so the noise is absorbed while the air still flows. Quiet fans move the air without adding new noise.
Does soundproofing make the equipment hotter?
Insulation and airflow work against each other, so a poorly planned acoustic cabinet can run warm. A well-designed cabinet balances both: guided air paths, matched fans and enough free volume keep the temperature in range while the noise stays low. Checking the heat load before choosing is essential.
Where are soundproof cabinets used?
Typical places are offices, open-plan areas, meeting rooms, studios, schools, medical and therapy practices and any room where people work close to IT. Wherever a separate server room is not available or not worth building, an acoustic cabinet brings the equipment into the room without the noise.
Can existing equipment move into an acoustic cabinet?
Yes. Standard 19-inch equipment fits into an acoustic cabinet in the same way as into any server rack. The points to check are the installation depth, the heat load and the cable entries, so the cabinet suits the devices you already own.
What about printers and desktop PCs?
Printers and PCs are noisy too and often stand right next to desks. Sound and dust protection hoods enclose these devices, reduce their noise and keep dust away from them, without the need for a 19-inch cabinet.
How much quieter does an acoustic cabinet make IT?
The reduction depends on the cabinet design and on the equipment inside. A good acoustic cabinet lowers the noise so much that servers and switches can run in the same room as people. The product pages in the Lehmann IT shop state the values for each model.
Can an acoustic cabinet be locked and moved?
Acoustic server cabinets have lockable doors to keep the equipment secure, and many models stand on castors, so they can be moved when the office layout changes. Cable entries are designed so that the soundproofing stays effective after installation.
Planning with Lehmann IT
Lehmann IT has designed and built server cabinets in its own production in Salach, Germany, since 1983. Because development and manufacturing sit under one roof, standard cabinets can be adapted and special versions built when a project needs them. This knowledge site explains the technology in depth, so you can understand the options before you decide. When you know what you need, the Lehmann IT shop at lehmann-it.de shows the matching products with prices and configuration options, and the team in Salach helps with questions on noise reduction by phone or email.