So after blowing half a grand on awesome new bookshelves and a receiver, I started to feel that my system was too loud and was messing up the soundstage (quiet left, noisy right). After a lot of searching, I found this POS that had the best reviews among my limited local options. This was to replace the stock Antec 120mm fan in my SLK1650B, which is rated at about 25db and 1600rpm. Well, looking at the price and rating of 22db with 1250rpm, how could I go wrong?
What a POS. The Antec had a swooshing noise fan that is pretty normal (think CPU or 7600gt at a lower level). This new POS sounds a muffled vacuum cleaner; I actually got up and asked if someone was vacuuming downstairs after the initial start up. Mind you, it is quieter, but the droning noise is 10x more annoying + noticable, so there goes $13 (bought at mom & pop, no refunds). Now I'm contemplating writing this thing off and going back to my old Antec now. Also, I tested the noise by stopping the fan (push fan head) and unplugging it: both cases, noise went away. Looks like volt modding it would be extremely easy, but I don't have the balls to gamble a grand for a $13 fan.
The hilarious thing is that I managed to nearly silence the CPU fan by putting cardboard over a side-fan grill, which was messing up airflow and letting noise escape. Concluded this from dust pattern in case, seems like the rear fan was just sucking everything in from this empty side-grill near the back of the case. There was virtually no dust near the front.
**Stay away from this crappy fan.
Edit: **The fan was defective, but not by much. The noise is still there, just not as loud.
What a POS. The Antec had a swooshing noise fan that is pretty normal (think CPU or 7600gt at a lower level). This new POS sounds a muffled vacuum cleaner; I actually got up and asked if someone was vacuuming downstairs after the initial start up. Mind you, it is quieter, but the droning noise is 10x more annoying + noticable, so there goes $13 (bought at mom & pop, no refunds). Now I'm contemplating writing this thing off and going back to my old Antec now. Also, I tested the noise by stopping the fan (push fan head) and unplugging it: both cases, noise went away. Looks like volt modding it would be extremely easy, but I don't have the balls to gamble a grand for a $13 fan.
The hilarious thing is that I managed to nearly silence the CPU fan by putting cardboard over a side-fan grill, which was messing up airflow and letting noise escape. Concluded this from dust pattern in case, seems like the rear fan was just sucking everything in from this empty side-grill near the back of the case. There was virtually no dust near the front.
**Stay away from this crappy fan.
Edit: **The fan was defective, but not by much. The noise is still there, just not as loud.
:roll:. Luckily I checked to see if it was spinning, just hope I didn't screw up the motor. Anyways, the replacement is a LOT quieter, but the vacuum sound is still there, just to a lesser extent. The softmounting seems to have reduced some of the vibration. It is still the loudest one in my system though. 
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