Noise is the number one reason people abandon Bitcoin mining at home. A stock Antminer S19 screams at 75 dB — louder than a vacuum cleaner running nonstop in your living room. Your family, your neighbors, and your sanity all have a breaking point. But here is the truth the big mining farms do not want you to know: you do not need industrial-grade noise to mine Bitcoin at home.
The open-source mining revolution has produced an entire category of miners that range from completely silent to barely noticeable. Whether you want a fanless Bitaxe on your desk or a space heater mining Bitcoin in your basement, there is a quiet miner for every room, every budget, and every noise tolerance. This guide ranks every option from silent to manageable, with real decibel measurements so you can make the right choice for mining Bitcoin at home.
Understanding Miner Noise Levels: The Decibel Scale Explained
Before comparing miners, you need to understand how decibels work — because the scale is not linear. Every 10 dB increase sounds roughly twice as loud to the human ear. A 50 dB miner is not “a little louder” than a 40 dB miner — it sounds twice as loud. This is why the difference between a fanless Bitaxe and a stock Antminer is not just a number on a spec sheet. It is the difference between sleeping peacefully and filing for divorce.
Here is a reference guide for context:
| Decibel Level | Equivalent Sound | Home Mining Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0 dB | Threshold of hearing | Nerdminer — truly silent, no moving parts |
| 10 dB | Breathing, rustling leaves | Fanless Bitaxe models — inaudible at arm’s length |
| 20-30 dB | Whisper, quiet library | Bitaxe Hex, NerdQAxe++ — small fans, barely noticeable |
| 40 dB | Quiet office, refrigerator hum | Immersion-cooled or heavily modded ASICs |
| 50 dB | Normal conversation, moderate rainfall | Space Heater Editions with shrouds and ductwork |
| 60 dB | Air conditioning unit, dishwasher | Undervolted full-size ASICs in a mining closet |
| 75+ dB | Vacuum cleaner, heavy traffic | Stock ASIC miners — NOT suitable for living spaces |
The key takeaway: anything under 30 dB is effectively silent in a normal home environment. Background sounds like your HVAC system, refrigerator, and ambient street noise already sit in the 30-45 dB range. A miner operating below that threshold disappears into the noise floor. That is where the open-source mining revolution shines — the entire Bitaxe family operates well below the noise floor of a typical home.
Noise Level Comparison: Every Quiet Miner Ranked
This table compares every home-friendly Bitcoin miner from completely silent to manageable, with real-world noise levels, hashrate, power consumption, and price ranges. All noise measurements are at typical operating distances (0.5-1 meter).
| Miner | Type | Hashrate | Power | Noise Level | Price Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nerdminer | Educational | ~2 KH/s | <1W | 0 dB (silent) | $30–50 | Learning, display piece |
| Bitaxe Supra | Solo SHA-256 | ~500 GH/s | ~12W | <10 dB (inaudible) | $80–120 | Silent solo mining |
| Bitaxe Gamma | Solo SHA-256 | ~1.2 TH/s | ~15W | <10 dB (fanless) | $150–250 | Silent, efficient solo mining |
| Bitaxe GT | Solo SHA-256 | ~1.5 TH/s | ~18W | <10 dB (fanless) | $200–350 | Best silent hashrate |
| NerdQAxe++ | Solo SHA-256 | ~4 TH/s | ~60W | ~25–30 dB | $200–400 | Quiet multi-chip mining |
| Bitaxe Hex | Solo SHA-256 | ~3 TH/s | ~70W | ~30 dB (quiet fan) | $300–500 | Quiet with best solo odds |
| S9 Space Heater | Pool SHA-256 | ~13.5 TH/s | ~1,400W | ~45–55 dB (with shroud) | Varies | Heating + mining |
| S19 (undervolted) | Pool SHA-256 | ~80 TH/s | ~2,400W | ~55–65 dB (undervolted) | $500–1,500 | Serious mining, reduced noise |
A few critical notes on this table. The Nerdminer’s hashrate is measured in kilohashes — it mines for the educational experience, not the revenue. The Bitaxe family (Supra, Gamma, GT) all use passive heatsink cooling with no fans, making them truly silent devices you can place on a nightstand. The Bitaxe Hex and NerdQAxe++ push into multi-chip territory, requiring small fans but still operating quieter than most laptops under load. The space heater editions and undervolted ASICs produce real hashrate but require noise mitigation strategies — shrouds, ductwork, and dedicated rooms.
D-Central Technologies has been a pioneer in the Bitaxe ecosystem since its earliest days, manufacturing the original Bitaxe Mesh Stand and developing heatsinks for both the Bitaxe and Bitaxe Hex. We stock every variant and every accessory, backed by real engineering expertise — not just drop-shipping from a factory overseas.
Tier 1: Silent Miners — Under 10 dB
These are the miners you can put on your desk, your nightstand, or your kitchen counter without anyone noticing. Zero noise. Zero complaints. Just silent hashing.
The Bitaxe Family (Supra, Gamma, GT)
Every single-chip Bitaxe model is completely fanless. They use passive heatsink cooling — the ASIC chip’s heat dissipates through an aluminum or copper heatsink with no moving parts whatsoever. The result is a miner that produces no audible sound at any distance. You could hold a Bitaxe Supra next to your ear and hear nothing.
The progression through the Bitaxe lineup gives you more hashrate while staying completely silent:
- Bitaxe Supra (~500 GH/s): The entry point for silent solo mining. Uses the BM1366 ASIC chip. Draws about 12 watts — less than a laptop charger. At $80-120, it is the most affordable way to solo mine Bitcoin in complete silence.
- Bitaxe Gamma (~1.2 TH/s): More than double the Supra’s hashrate with a newer, more efficient chip. Still completely fanless, still dead silent. The sweet spot for most home miners who want silent operation with meaningful hashrate.
- Bitaxe GT (~1.5 TH/s): The current top of the fanless Bitaxe lineup. Pushing single-chip performance to its limit while maintaining zero noise. If you want the absolute best silent solo mining experience, this is it.
All Bitaxe models connect to your Wi-Fi network and mine to a solo mining pool like Solo CK. The odds of hitting a full block reward are astronomical with a single device — but that is the entire point. Every hash counts. Solo miners are not chasing daily payouts. They are rolling the dice for a full block reward while supporting Bitcoin’s decentralization with zero noise footprint. Read our complete Bitaxe Hub for setup guides, overclocking tips, and detailed comparisons of every model.
Nerdminer
The Nerdminer is a tiny, ESP32-based device that mines Bitcoin at about 2 kilohashes per second. To put that in perspective: a single Bitaxe Supra does approximately 250 million times more hashing. The Nerdminer is not a serious mining device — it is a beautiful educational tool and conversation piece. It has a small display showing your hashrate, the current block height, and your mining statistics. It draws less than a watt, produces zero sound, and costs under $50. Perfect for learning how Bitcoin mining works, gifting to a fellow Bitcoiner, or just having a cool display on your desk.
Explore the full open-source mining lineup including the Nerdminer, NerdAxe, and NerdNOS in our open-source miners collection. For a detailed breakdown of how the Bitaxe stacks up against the NerdAxe, see our Bitaxe vs NerdAxe comparison guide.
Tier 2: Quiet Miners — 10 to 40 dB
Step up from silent to “barely noticeable” and you unlock significantly more hashrate. These miners use small fans — similar to what you would find in a laptop or a USB desk fan — to cool multiple ASIC chips. They produce a soft hum that disappears into your home’s ambient background noise.
Bitaxe Hex (~3 TH/s, ~30 dB)
The Bitaxe Hex is the multi-chip evolution of the Bitaxe platform. Running six ASIC chips on a single board, it delivers approximately 3 TH/s — six times the hashrate of a single-chip Bitaxe. The tradeoff is a small fan required to cool all six chips. At approximately 30 dB, the Hex sounds like a quiet whisper or a library’s ambient noise. You could comfortably run one in a home office without it being distracting during work or video calls.
The Hex sits in a compelling sweet spot: quiet enough for daily living spaces, powerful enough to give you meaningfully better solo mining odds than any single-chip device. D-Central developed custom heatsinks specifically for the Bitaxe Hex — precision-engineered cooling that keeps the fan speed (and noise) as low as possible while maintaining optimal chip temperatures. Browse our complete Bitaxe collection including all Hex accessories, heatsinks, and stands.
NerdQAxe++ (~4 TH/s, ~25-30 dB)
The NerdQAxe++ packs four ASIC chips into a compact open-source design, pushing approximately 4 TH/s at around 60 watts. Its small cooling fan produces roughly 25-30 dB — comparable to or even quieter than the Bitaxe Hex. For the watt-per-hash conscious miner, the NerdQAxe++ offers excellent efficiency in the quiet mining category.
Both the Hex and the NerdQAxe++ are excellent choices for a home office, a spare bedroom, or even a living room shelf. They blend into your environment the same way a laptop fan does — present if you listen for it, but invisible if you are not. For anyone who can tolerate the noise of a running laptop, these miners will not bother you at all. Compare the full open-source ecosystem in our Bitaxe vs NerdAxe comparison guide.
Tier 3: Manageable Miners — 40 to 60 dB
Now we are entering real-hashrate territory. These are full-size ASIC miners or custom-built mining heaters — machines that produce meaningful daily revenue through pool mining. They also produce meaningful noise. But with the right modifications and placement strategy, they can coexist with your household.
Bitcoin Space Heater Editions (45-55 dB with Shroud)
D-Central’s Bitcoin Space Heater Editions take full-size ASIC miners and convert them into dual-purpose machines: they mine Bitcoin and heat your home. During Canadian winters — and frankly, most winters across the northern United States — your heating bill is a fixed cost regardless. A Bitcoin space heater replaces that cost with hash revenue. Your home stays warm, and you stack sats.
The S9 Space Heater Edition, for example, produces approximately 13.5 TH/s while pumping 1,400 watts of heat directly into your living space. With D-Central’s custom shroud and ductwork, the noise drops from the stock 75+ dB to roughly 45-55 dB — comparable to a window air conditioning unit or a loud desk fan. This is not silent. You would not want it in your bedroom while sleeping. But in a purpose-built mining closet with proper ventilation ducting the hot air into your living spaces, it becomes perfectly livable.
The key is ductwork: channel the hot exhaust air through ducts to the rooms you want heated, and close the closet door on the noise. With proper insulation and duct routing, the noise in adjacent rooms drops to below 35 dB — quieter than a refrigerator. Read our complete mining closet build guide for step-by-step instructions.
Undervolted Full-Size ASICs (55-65 dB)
If you want serious hashrate — 80+ TH/s from a single machine — a full-size ASIC like the Antminer S19 is the path. Stock, these machines are absolutely not suitable for any living space. But undervolting changes the equation dramatically.
Undervolting reduces the voltage supplied to the ASIC chips, which lowers power consumption, heat output, and — critically — fan speeds. A properly undervolted S19 can drop from 75+ dB stock to 55-65 dB, with proportional reductions in power draw. Combined with fan replacements (swapping stock industrial fans for quieter aftermarket alternatives) and a mining closet setup, an undervolted ASIC becomes manageable in a home environment.
This tier requires commitment: a dedicated room or closet, proper ventilation, and willingness to tinker with firmware settings. But for home miners who want to generate actual daily mining revenue while keeping the noise under control, undervolted ASICs remain the most cost-effective path. Check our full Antminer undervolting guide for detailed firmware instructions and optimal settings per model.
Noise Reduction Techniques: Making Any Miner Quieter
No matter which tier you choose, there are proven techniques to reduce noise further. Here is a quick overview of each strategy — with links to our full detailed guides:
Undervolting
The single most effective noise reduction technique for full-size ASICs. Reducing chip voltage lowers heat output, which lets fans run slower and quieter. Typical results: 10-20 dB reduction with 20-40% power savings. Trade-off: proportional hashrate reduction. Our complete undervolting guide covers every Antminer model with step-by-step instructions.
Fan Replacement
Stock ASIC fans are designed for data centers, not bedrooms. Replacing them with quieter aftermarket fans (like Noctua industrialPPC series) can cut noise by 10-15 dB while maintaining adequate airflow. This is one of the simplest modifications and often the best bang-for-your-buck noise reduction. Check our ASIC noise reduction guide for compatible fan models and installation steps.
Shrouds and Ductwork
A shroud directs the miner’s exhaust air into a duct system, containing and routing both the noise and heat. D-Central’s Bitcoin Space Heater Editions come with custom shrouds designed for each ASIC model. For DIY builders, our guides cover how to build shrouds using readily available materials.
Soundproofing and Mining Closets
The ultimate noise solution: a purpose-built mining closet with sound-dampening materials, proper ventilation, and duct routing. A well-built mining closet can reduce perceived noise in adjacent rooms by 20-30 dB. Combined with undervolting and fan replacement, even a full-size ASIC can become livable.
Third-Party Firmware with Fan Control
Custom firmware like Braiins OS+ and VNish offer granular fan speed control that stock firmware does not provide. You can set custom fan curves based on temperature targets, keep fan speeds lower during sleeping hours, and tune the balance between cooling and noise. Our noise reduction guide covers firmware options and configuration for each major ASIC manufacturer.
For the complete deep dive into every noise reduction strategy, read our full ASIC Noise Reduction Guide: Silence Your Bitcoin Miner.
Choosing the Right Quiet Miner for Your Situation
The “best” quiet Bitcoin miner depends entirely on your living situation and your goals. Here is a quick decision framework:
| Your Situation | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment, no dedicated room | Bitaxe Supra / Gamma / GT | Zero noise, low power, no landlord complaints |
| Home office, want better odds | Bitaxe Hex or NerdQAxe++ | Quiet fan noise blends with office environment |
| House, cold climate, want heating | Bitcoin Space Heater Edition | Replace heating costs with mining revenue |
| Garage or basement available | Undervolted S19 + mining closet | Maximum hashrate with noise isolation |
| Gift or learning tool | Nerdminer | Zero noise, educational, great conversation piece |
| Maximum quiet hashrate, any budget | Multiple Bitaxe GTs | Stack silent miners for additive hashrate |
Living in an apartment? Our Bitcoin Mining in Apartments guide covers everything from power limits to noise policies to the best hardware choices for renters. For a complete walkthrough from zero to hashing, start with How to Mine Bitcoin at Home: The Complete Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the quietest Bitcoin miner you can buy?
The quietest functional Bitcoin miners are the fanless single-chip Bitaxe models — the Bitaxe Supra, Gamma, and GT. These use passive heatsink cooling with zero moving parts, producing under 10 dB of noise (effectively inaudible). The Nerdminer is technically silent at 0 dB, but its hashrate is purely educational. For practical silent mining, the Bitaxe GT offers the best hashrate at zero noise.
Can you mine Bitcoin silently?
Yes. All single-chip Bitaxe models (Supra, Gamma, GT) are completely fanless and produce no audible noise. They solo mine Bitcoin using a single ASIC chip with passive cooling. You will never hear them operating. The trade-off is lower hashrate compared to full-size ASICs, but for silent operation in any room of your home, they are unmatched.
How loud is a Bitcoin miner at home?
It depends entirely on the miner. A fanless Bitaxe is under 10 dB (inaudible). A Bitaxe Hex with a small fan is about 30 dB (quiet whisper). A stock full-size Antminer S19 is 75+ dB (louder than a vacuum cleaner). With modifications like undervolting, fan replacement, and a mining closet, even full-size ASICs can be reduced to 55-65 dB.
Is the Bitaxe loud?
No. Single-chip Bitaxe models (Supra, Gamma, GT) are completely silent — they have no fans and produce no audible noise. The Bitaxe Hex, which uses six chips and a small cooling fan, produces approximately 30 dB — about as loud as a whisper. None of the Bitaxe models would be considered “loud” by any standard.
Can you mine Bitcoin in an apartment?
Absolutely. Fanless miners like the Bitaxe family are perfect for apartments — they produce zero noise, draw minimal power (12-18 watts), and are small enough to sit on a shelf. Even the Bitaxe Hex at 30 dB would not disturb neighbors. Full-size ASICs are generally not suitable for apartments due to noise and power requirements. Read our complete apartment mining guide for detailed advice.
How do Bitcoin Space Heaters compare to regular heaters for noise?
A D-Central Bitcoin Space Heater Edition with a proper shroud produces roughly 45-55 dB — comparable to a window AC unit or a loud box fan. A typical electric space heater on high produces about 40-50 dB. So a Bitcoin space heater is slightly louder than a conventional heater, but you are getting Bitcoin mining revenue as a bonus. With a mining closet setup, the noise in your living space drops significantly.
Is it worth solo mining with a quiet miner like the Bitaxe?
Solo mining with a Bitaxe is a long shot — the odds of finding a block are extremely low with a single device. But Bitcoiners worldwide have hit solo blocks with small miners, and each one is a full block reward (currently 3.125 BTC). Think of it as a Bitcoin lottery where every hash is a ticket, the cost of playing is minimal (12-18 watts of power), and the device itself is useful as a learning tool and a statement of decentralization. Every hash counts — and your miner contributes to Bitcoin’s hash rate distribution.
Can I stack multiple quiet miners for more hashrate?
Yes, and this is a popular strategy. Running multiple fanless Bitaxe units gives you additive hashrate with zero noise per unit. Five Bitaxe GTs would give you approximately 7.5 TH/s at about 90 watts total — still completely silent. D-Central’s original Bitaxe Mesh Stand was designed specifically for stacking multiple units with optimal airflow for passive cooling. This approach scales your solo mining odds without any noise penalty.
Conclusion: From Silent to Serious — There Is a Miner for Every Home
The days when Bitcoin mining required an industrial facility and earplugs are over. The open-source mining revolution has created an entire spectrum of home-friendly options — from a $30 Nerdminer that sits silently on your desk as a conversation piece, to a $500 Bitaxe Hex that whispers while giving you real solo mining odds, to a Bitcoin Space Heater that heats your home while stacking sats.
The quietest Bitcoin miner is the one that fits your life. For apartments and shared spaces, the fanless Bitaxe family is unbeatable. For home offices, the Bitaxe Hex and NerdQAxe++ disappear into the background. For homeowners who want real hashrate, a space heater edition in a mining closet delivers both warmth and revenue without ruining your household peace.
D-Central Technologies has been pioneering the Bitaxe ecosystem since its inception — manufacturing the original Mesh Stand, engineering custom heatsinks, and stocking every variant and accessory. Whether you are buying your first silent miner or building a quiet mining closet, we have the hardware, the expertise, and the guides to get you hashing without waking the neighbors. Browse our complete quiet miner collection and start mining in silence.