Noise Shootout of 80mm Case Fans

[Jolt2]

Here is a link to noise testing of some different 80mm fans.

Noise Shootout of 80mm Case Fans

I know that the manufactures of fans do not take their noise readings the same. This seems to put them on a level testing ground. Just more info to talk about.

 

[Zepper]

Semi interesting. Unfortunately the fans weren't tested on an equal footing. All of the fans in the test could have been put on a rheostat and tested at their lowest possible speeds as well. All the fans should have been tested at maximum speed, average speed and minimum speed as well as airflows at all three speeds. Then some real conclusions could be reached. As it is, the data is practically worthless.
.bh.
There's the :sun: !

 

[TXMatt]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Semi interesting. Unfortunately the fans weren't tested on an equal footing. All of the fans in the test could have been put on a rheostat and tested at their lowest possible speeds as well. All the fans should have been tested at maximum speed, average speed and minimum speed as well as airflows at all three speeds. Then some real conclusions could be reached. As it is, the data is practically worthless.
.bh.
There's the :sun: !

I gotta disagree with you mr thread pooper. All fans were supplied the same power supply and tested using the same sound meter, this IS equal footing.

Not everyone has a rheostat. Not everyone wants to use a rheostat. This was a test of the manufacturer's fans as sold. Changing the voltage modifies the fan, and people will have varied results with modifications. Rheostats vary, and by utilizing one you add an additional variable. Best practic is to test only ne variable at a time. Unless all the readers have the same rheostat as used in the test, their results would vary. As long as a given reader's power supply they use is stable, they will experience similar results to the test supplied.

You can make a vantec tornado silent if you lower the voltage enough, so recording it at reduced voltage is moot IMO.

A given fan that is the quietest at 12v would 99% likely also be the quietest at 5 volts.

Thanks for the post Jolt

 

[Zepper]

You've heard the phrase "junk science"? Well that fan review was "junk tech"... Those few fans that had an attached rheostat (the ones that won the review) were tested at their minimum speed (note the sentence just above the results section). Is that an even footing?
. If one is tested at min (or max) speed, all should be. Then there's the factor of air flow - which apparently wasn't an issue in that test?!?.
. AFAIC, CFM relative to noise is the parameter of interest. That review didn't even come close to shedding light on that.
. Poop chute at the ready, sir...
.bh.
:sun: !

 

[beatle]

I agree that it's not as comprehensive as it could have been, but I wouldn't call it junk. It would have been nice if they had a CFM column or if they could have measured the CFM somehow. I'm surprised at how "loud" the panaflo L1a was. www.sidewindercomputers.com has a fan database as well, but it doesn't look like they've kept it current.

 

[Vonkhan]

silence is overrated

i like my comp sound like 747 revving up ... its got 4 tornadoes inside :evil:

 

[amcdonald]

Like zepper pointed out, this is more or less subjective trash.
Seeing that the directron silencer came 2nd in a fan review is enough for me to discredit it entirely.
"If a case fan comes with a fan speed control, the control is set at the lowest level allowing the slowest fan operation."
I see their logic in this. If a customer wants the quietest fan possible without considering any other information on fans, this would help.
But even then these undervolted fans should not be compared to fans at normal voltage without a HUGE disclaimer saying that this is not a fair comparison. If a customer is going to base purchasing off a subjective fan review, it is unlikely they going to read through the methodology and understand how flawed the review is.

You can 5V any fan. You can buy a rheostat/fanmate.
And I do not for one second believe that a panaflo L1a is nearly twice as loud as a vantec stealth at stock voltage.
For this to be a credible fan review 3 things would have to happen:
1. Use professional equipment ("This low-cost meter may not be the most accurate noise meter on the market; however for such a comparative study, it served our purpose just fine.") Their rating is +/- 1.5 DB.
2. Rate fans against each other where the only variable is the fan being tested.
3. Not host the fan review on a business webpage where there is potential (or evidence of) bias.

 

[0roo0roo]

i'm surprised my vantec stealths beat the much praised(atleast on here) panaflows.

go figure, i came out ahead not having to deal with fan connectors is nice w00t!

not that it matters. i've found most any fan sounds about the same when connected to a rheobus and set way low. fans a fan. led fans a kewler

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Panaflo,FBA08A12L1A FBA08A12L1A OEM 54.0


...umm, no. Just from that alone I can tell you that review is garbage. The L1A doesn't compete with the volume of normal speech.

 

[seismik]

...umm, no. Just from that alone I can tell you that review is garbage. The L1A doesn't compete with the volume of normal speech.

Yeah, I noticed that too. After reading reviews for the last week I want to swap out my Sunon's for those Panaflo's, but everywhere I checked noted their db's under 30dba -- not anywhere near 50+.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: seismik

...umm, no. Just from that alone I can tell you that review is garbage. The L1A doesn't compete with the volume of normal speech.

Yeah, I noticed that too. After reading reviews for the last week I want to swap out my Sunon's for those Panaflo's, but everywhere I checked noted their db's under 30dba -- not anywhere near 50+.

Yeah, they're rated 21db which is taken from like 1 meter, as opposed to this guy at 1 inch. Still, I have a hard time believing it's 54db at 1 inch.

 

[Goi]

Here's another shootout that might be interesting.

 

[zephyrprime]

It doens't list CFM either.

 

[Davegod]

the "stock speed" methodology is fine, but they should have checked the volts on all and used a multimeter to set the fans with rhobuses to the standard voltage (presumably 12v?). Taking all at a minimum voltage etc isnt necessary though, anyone knowledgeable enough to do a 5/7v mod is knowledgeable enough to take the implication that the approx same order of quietness when running at 12v is going to remain when at 7 or 5.

airflow really should have been taken aswell, a 10cfm fan would win quietness easy and might cut it for northbridge cooling, but not for a case...

still, useful information if it is accurate - and some of them are more than a little surprising...

 

[screw3d]

I like this shootout better..

Whatever Directron says.. Panaflos are definitely not overrated.. damn good fans