Big difference between 32dba and 39?

[NewCompGeek]

most of the cpu and case fans are around that dba so im wondering if theres a big difference

i know what 32dba sounds like casue i have a volcano 2 and its not loud to me at all.

Watcha think?

 

[tornadobox]

yes, i think 39 would be noticeably louder (maybe even annoying if the case isn't noise-dampening)

 

[Ionizer86]

It's a logarithmic scale. IE a 42dB fan should be twice as loud. I'd say that 39dB is probably a lot louder. Maybe like 32dB x 1.7 or something.

 

[glenn1]

Very noticeable. I switched from some 37dB 120mm fans to Panaflo 32dB fans, and was thankful for every moment thereafter. The extra 10 bucks or so was one of the best small investments i consider myself to have ever made in my system. Neither 32 or 37dB is loud enough to be annoying, but the difference in sound level is like the difference in taking a window fan, and comparing the noise at low, to the noise at high. The Panaflos were the fan at low, and the 37dB 120s the fan on high.

 

[jeffrey]

"Watcha think?"

When your question pops-up, it reminds me of the exotic car saying, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." Well in PC case fans, "If you have to ask if its too loud, it is too loud."
AIMHO

 

[yomega]

32dba vs 39dba should not be too noticable, but note: I have not personally heard a 32dba fan next to a 39dba.




<< It's a logarithmic scale. IE a 42dB fan should be twice as loud. I'd say that 39dB is probably a lot louder. Maybe like 32dB x 1.7 or something >>



This is almost right, but the logarithmic scale is used because it takes 2X the power to produce a 3dB increase in volume.

It should be noted that the human ear can only distinguish sound in 2 or 3 dB increments, ie. 65dB sounds the same as 67dB. (at least to humans)