Vantec Nexus Fanbus - High pitched scratchy/buzz at low settings

[Dman877]

I recently got a Vantec Nexus, 5.25 bay version and I notice when I turn down any of the rheostats below about 40% an audible scratchy sort of buzz sound is emitted from the unit. Has anyone else noticed this? Which components emit this noise? can they be replaced with higher quality parts to eliminate the noise? Can anyone recommend another fanbus that doesn't have this problem?

 

[McArra]

That doesn't happen in my Nexus...

 

[Dman877]

Which one do you have? the 3.5 or the 5.25?

 

[th3Godfather]

i have the same thing and i've read around and its normal since thats the way the rhoebus works. you should only hear it in your speakers really if you have them up high (the speaker volume). if you are hearing it come from the actual unit then something may be wrong with it.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: Dman877
Which one do you have? the 3.5 or the 5.25?

5.25

 

[Dman877]

Originally posted by: McArra

Originally posted by: Dman877
Which one do you have? the 3.5 or the 5.25?

5.25

So if you turn all 4 knobs to the lowest setting, you don't hear anything from the unit? How loud is the rest of your system? I couldn't hear this noise until I switched out all my fans for low speed models (my comp is near silent).

Anyone recommend another brand for me? I need at least 3 channels and atenuation to 5v is a plus (Vantec only does 7v).

 

[Dman877]

Originally posted by: th3Godfather
i have the same thing and i've read around and its normal since thats the way the rhoebus works. you should only hear it in your speakers really if you have them up high (the speaker volume). if you are hearing it come from the actual unit then something may be wrong with it.

The noise is coming directly from the fanbus. If I power this thing up in open air, with no load (no fans) it doesn't make a noise regardless of the knob position. As soon as I plug one fan in, if I turn that fan down below 40% I begin to hear this scratchy noise.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: Dman877

Originally posted by: McArra

Originally posted by: Dman877
Which one do you have? the 3.5 or the 5.25?

5.25

So if you turn all 4 knobs to the lowest setting, you don't hear anything from the unit? How loud is the rest of your system? I couldn't hear this noise until I switched out all my fans for low speed models (my comp is near silent).

Anyone recommend another brand for me? I need at least 3 channels and atenuation to 5v is a plus (Vantec only does 7v).

It isn't very silent but putting my ear just in front of the fanbus doesn't reveal any sound, except when the knob is between 40 and 60%, where there's a little high pitched noise. Out of that range there's no sound at all.

 

[klah]

I had the same annoying buzzing problem with the Vantec NXP-201 5.25" unit and after some searching it seems to be fairly common. I returned it and got a Sunbeam unit which does not have an annoying buzz.

This is one possible explanation I found: "If you didn't already know, the Vantec unit uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to do the job. This is in contrast to other units that have been using rheostats or potentiometers to do the job. It would seem that this buzzing is inherent to units that use PWM. "

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: McArra
That doesn't happen in my Nexus...

Doesnt happen with mine too,I have the 3.5 one that fits in a floppy hole.

got 3 120mm fan on it now on low setting and no buzz sound,are you sure it's not your fans that are making the noise?

 

[Dman877]

Definitly not the fans. I RMA'd it, gonna try another one. If it has the same problem I'll switch brands, I like the Vantec design a lot though.

 

[0roo0roo]

pwm.. the vantecs have slight buzz, i can't hear it unless i stick my head up to it so no biggie. other designs waste power and create heat, so i'll take the noise.

 

[Cheetah8799]

Originally posted by: Dman877
I recently got a Vantec Nexus, 5.25 bay version and I notice when I turn down any of the rheostats below about 40% an audible scratchy sort of buzz sound is emitted from the unit. Has anyone else noticed this? Which components emit this noise? can they be replaced with higher quality parts to eliminate the noise? Can anyone recommend another fanbus that doesn't have this problem?

I just hooked up my 5.25" black model and am having the same problem as you... 🙁

I may switch to a 3.5" model. We'll see. For now it works ok, but when I get a quieter fan on my CPU heatsink it may become more of a nuisance than it's worth...

 

[Nebor]

The way it reduces that power is by rapidly turning on and off. That makes some noise.