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ML140 vs NF-A14?

54K views 96 replies 18 participants last post by  serralha 
#1 ·
Like the title say, are there gonna be major improvements that the ML from corsair bring over the Noctuas in various use scenarios?

Have around 6 NF-A14 I can sell to upgrade to ML140 for not that money.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
#3 ·
Why would you "upgrade" to ML140 fans except for appearance and top speed for radiators?

It's not as if you had $5 140mm sleeve bearing fans.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlphaC View Post

Why would you "upgrade" to ML140 fans except for appearance and top speed for radiators?

It's not as if you had $5 140mm sleeve bearing fans.
Maybe because misinformation media is pushing it as the 'best'?.
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After people hear it enough times they start believing it.
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#6 ·
Personally I really like the ML140 fans, though I'm using them as case intake fans right now. Good RPM range, PWM, come in twin packs.
 
#8 ·
For me, I learned hard way to buy 1 fan and listen myself. Charts only useful to weed out really bad fans. I want pleasant "air" sound with no hums/bearing noise/ticks at ~900 rpms, ie subjective quality of sound.

I bought many 120mm gentle typhoons years ago on reviews, all emit a low pitched hum at 800-900 rpms,couldnt use them. EK varder, bought just 1, similar sound. Fractal design makes a clicking sound undervolted at 900 rpms (140mm). silent wings be quiet 2 140mm, dont like low pitch sound though not as bad as typhoons.

Currently using aerocool deadsilent fans 140mm, barely audible "pleasant air" noise at 900 rpms in my fractal design R5 case on my rads, but several of these fans went bad in 2 years, the horizontal mounted ones dont last.

I have 1 of ML140 fans on way myself, solely because of youtube audio profile.

As for performance, using calibrated probes to measure rad air intake vs water temp, at given rpm, all my 120's have performed within ~15% or 1C with 7-8C detla air/water. Same for 140's I own. So again just boils down to "do I like the sound it makes at 900 rpms".
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arengeta View Post

I like them more than Noctua fans because the noctua fans have the bearing noise in tight spaces, while it's a lot less noticeable on the ML series.
Urr. ML's have no 'bearing noise .. because their bearing is magnetic which make no noise.
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#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TK421 View Post

Like the title say, are there gonna be major improvements that the ML from corsair bring over the Noctuas in various use scenarios?

Have around 6 NF-A14 I can sell to upgrade to ML140 for not that money.

Thanks in advance.
Yeah.....I wouldn't term that an "upgrade". In a best case scenario, it is a sidegrade.Personally, I think the Noctuas are a far smoother sounding fan (you can't measure that in dB), so I would find it a downgrade without question.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by doyll View Post

Urr. ML's have no 'bearing noise .. because their bearing is magnetic which make no noise.
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That is weird, but one of them has the noise and the other one is ultimately silent. I decided not to RMA them because it was a twinpack and under 950RPM I cannot hear them at all. My fans never go above 850RPM right now.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ciarlatano View Post

Yeah.....I wouldn't term that an "upgrade". In a best case scenario, it is a sidegrade.Personally, I think the Noctuas are a far smoother sounding fan (you can't measure that in dB), so I would find it a downgrade without question.
Wish 140mm noctuas came in black between 1000 and 1500 rpms, one of few well liked fans havent tried. Brown or 2000 rpms on controller with 800-900 rpms near starting volts, both meh.
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arengeta View Post

That is weird, but one of them has the noise and the other one is ultimately silent. I decided not to RMA them because it was a twinpack and under 950RPM I cannot hear them at all. My fans never go above 850RPM right now.
While MLs use a magnetic bearing during operation they do have a 'stabalizing shaft & sleeve' to keep the fan & motor in place in it housing when they are not running. If that shaft /sleeve are not aligned either from shipping damage or manufacture there might make noise similar to conventional bearing noise.
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Some people have said they heard grinding like sounds when running at low voltage on variable voltage control. Obviously they need more voltage for magnetic bearing to work .. like more than 7 volts.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by opt33 View Post

Wish 140mm noctuas came in black between 1000 and 1500 rpms, one of few well liked fans havent tried. Brown or 2000 rpms on controller with 800-900 rpms near starting volts, both meh.
Actually they do. The black NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-2000 IP67 at 12V peaks at 1100rpm and spins down below 150rpm on PWM. I use the 3000rpm model (around 1600rpm at 12V) on coolers and found it to be an excellent option - and cheaper than the 12V industrialPPC versions. @ehume tested them at overclockers.
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by doyll View Post

While MLs use a magnetic bearing during operation they do have a 'stabalizing shaft & sleeve' to keep the fan & motor in place in it housing when they are not running. If that shaft /sleeve are not aligned either from shipping damage or manufacture there might make noise similar to conventional bearing noise.
wink.gif

Some people have said they heard grinding like sounds when running at low voltage on variable voltage control. Obviously they need more voltage for magnetic bearing to work .. like more than 7 volts.
Good to know.
And also really good that I have no such issues under 950 RPM
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#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MicroCat View Post

Actually they do. The black NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-2000 IP67 at 12V peaks at 1100rpm and spins down below 150rpm on PWM. I use the 3000rpm model (around 1600rpm at 12V) on coolers and found it to be an excellent option - and cheaper than the 12V industrialPPC versions. @ehume tested them at overclockers.
Thanks!...didnt realize there was a 24V version in 2000/3000...so only running off a 12v max controller would be ideal, ill have to try one.
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MicroCat View Post

Actually they do. The black NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-2000 IP67 at 12V peaks at 1100rpm and spins down below 150rpm on PWM. I use the 3000rpm model (around 1600rpm at 12V) on coolers and found it to be an excellent option - and cheaper than the 12V industrialPPC versions. @ehume tested them at overclockers.
What is the minimum PWM idle speed / noise level of NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-3000 IP67 at 12V?
If it is 400rpm or less and quiet I would go with 3000rpm model over the 2000rpm .. just in case I ever need a little more cooling on an extremely hot day when filters are a little dirty.
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#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by doyll View Post

What is the minimum PWM idle speed / noise level of NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-3000 IP67 at 12V?
If it is 400rpm or less and quiet I would go with 3000rpm model over the 2000rpm .. just in case I ever need a little more cooling on an extremely hot day when filters are a little dirty.
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It is 400rpm or less. Actually 300 or less. And that's why I went with the 3k version. Below 500rpm in my rig they are inaudible at .5M distance. On a hot summer day, rarely see them spin past 1250rpm in normal workloads with my 1-2c above ambient cooler intake temp doyll-lated case - need to slack off filter cleaning for a few months.
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#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arengeta View Post

What you don't like about the Noctua fans? I think there's no need in replacing them if you're satisfied.
I was just wondering if they're better fans overall, seems like it's not.

And no, I don't dislike the noctuas at all. Not bothered by the color either
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#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MicroCat View Post

It is 400rpm or less. Actually 300 or less. And that's why I went with the 3k version. Below 500rpm in my rig they are inaudible at .5M distance. On a hot summer day, rarely see them spin past 1250rpm in normal workloads with my 1-2c above ambient cooler intake temp doyll-lated case - need to slack off filter cleaning for a few months.
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So a very good speed range fan for normal calman like you.
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Is there any similarity between a commando and a catmando?
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#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MicroCat View Post

Actually they do. The black NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-2000 IP67 at 12V peaks at 1100rpm and spins down below 150rpm on PWM. I use the 3000rpm model (around 1600rpm at 12V) on coolers and found it to be an excellent option - and cheaper than the 12V industrialPPC versions. @ehume tested them at overclockers.
oooh I think I might need to try to get the NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-3000 IP67 PWM

Coolingtechnique indicated minimum speed is ~ 500RPM for the 3000RPM one on voltage though: http://www.coolingtechnique.com/recensioni/air-cooling/ventole/1685-recensione-noctua-nf-f12-e-nf-a14-ippc-24v.html?start=4

Another tester using voltage control has similar results http://www.modding.fr/test-noctua-industrial-ppc-24-v/5/

As case fans , on par with Gentle typhoons (12V versions aren't): http://www.modders-inc.com/noctua-industrial-fan-series-revisited/3/

Also found this suggesting the 2000RPM one is a better option for silent mode https://www.hardwarebbq.com/industrialppc-nf-f12-and-nf-a14-24v-pwm-fans-review/3/

2000RPM noise on par with NF-A15 on max speed http://www.conseil-config.com/2016/test-noctua-industrial-ppc-nf-a14-nf-f12-24v/#cmtoc_anchor_id_7

It's a shame it is $25 even for the 12V ones

I don't see the NF-F12 design being that great though, it still has the stator vanes.
 
#25 ·
What pr1me said.
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That said, some cats say the A14 IPPC 3000 24V running on 12v are quiet and have a rpm range of 300-1500rpm. But unless they are less money than the PH-F140MP, ...
 
#26 ·
Ill have 2 of the NF-A14 industrialPPC-24V-2000 IP67 PWM on 1/23, hopefully they dont tick at 900 rpms on a fan controller, dont use pwm. I only run fans at constant ~900 rpms since silent in my FR5 case and air to water delta maxes at 8C, and only that high if stress testing both cpu/gpu since 2x280 rads for single Oced titan X and Oced 6800k. If noctua made regular version in black, would have tried those long ago.
 
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