Originally Posted by
nleksan
The Silverstone fans, well, they suck. Every single AP12X/14X I've used has made for worse temps by 3-9C. I understand that they are designed for a specific purpose, but so help me I have mounted them in every possible way in multiple cases and they simply don't do anything well.
The Bgears WILL push nearly 2x or more air through the case than anything else on your list, but they are not silent. I personally feel that they are not loud enough to be intrusive at all, even with 6 in push Pull on a radiator, but everyone is different.
I did find that using Phobya 140x7mm shrouds/decouplers the noise diminished by around 10 percent, and when I added silicone gaskets/decouplers between the radiator-case and the interior (push) fans-case, ironically to improve performance by creating an airtight seal, the entire assembly was essentially decoupled from the case and compared to before (neither Phobya nor the silicone ones), I'dssay that the fans are about 3/4ths as loud. This is a very noticeable decrease, as running them @ full speed (1890rpm via fan controller, 3 on a channel, 2 channels used) now is quieter than running them at 1500rpm was prior.
Overall, if you don't want the Bgears, I would say the only (ONLY) other good option on your list are the Cougars. They are good fans, very well rounded.