[Dogzilla07]

I haven't personally tried the Corsair fans.

The noise on the T30s is very minor...only audible over the basic air flow of the fan below 1500rpm and only with the fan held to my ear. I only mentioned it in comparison to the A12x25 because the latter are the only fans I have with less bearing noise.

Ah ok, I was asking, cause I remember some people reporting possible bearing noise problems for Corsair ML 120/ML 140 back in the day, but there were also conflicting reports and experiences, that some weird noise happens at 1200+RPM instead, etc, (which would mean it wasn't bearing noise, but resonance or running with too low voltage, or something similar).

They both use Sunon Vapo/Vapo2 maglev bearing, so that's why I asked, to get an idea if Sunon maglev (within the whole Phanteks package) is superior or inferior to Noctua SSO2, and Be Quiet! 6-pole motor for SW3, at the low speeds when the air woosh sound doesn't obstruct it. And Phanteks MP series and Blacknoise NB eLoop and Enermax who use magnetic-stabilized FDB-like bearings (Noctua SSO2 is one as well). And the one old Zalman, and the new Asus fan. And the upcoming EKWB next-gen Vardar fan.

Though any 3-pin (non-PWM) versions with variable RPM are inferior, as maglev needs a specific high voltage range for highest longevity and lowest noise.

The noise on the T30s is very minor...only audible over the basic air flow of the fan below 1500rpm and only with the fan held to my ear.

Ah, you held it to your ear, not at the usual angle, distance in the PC xD, nvm then

 

[Fluxmaven]

Did you maybe try Corsair ML120, ML140 before, and did they have it as well ?

I have a bunch of ML140 and a few 120s and can't stand them at higher RPM.

I didn't notice any annoying noises throughout the RPM range on the T30s using the default speed switch. I still need to try out the 3000rpm just for giggles.

I waited forever for Noctua to release the Chromax a12x25 and the T30 beat them to the punch with a better fan. Now I'm just hoping Phanteks comes out with a 140mm version. I'll be one of the first in line.

 

[Blameless]

Ah, you held it to your ear, not at the usual angle, distance in the PC xD, nvm then

At a normal distance, the only thing audible is moving air.

 

[ciarlatano]

Do any T30 users have any Noctua iPPC 3K fans? Looking for similar performance to what I have now, but with a little less noise..

TPU has comparisons to the NF-F12 at a number of speeds - Phanteks T30-120 Fan Review - One Fan to Rule Them All?

You can scale up from there, there is a consistency.

 

[Owterspace]

Thank you kindly gents

 

[jvidia]

T30 sound signature vs the A12x25?
Wich is more pleasent mainly under 1200 RPM?

In the YT videos I've watched the T30 seems to have a more piercing sound. Can anyone confirm this?

I'll be using 3 on a HWL Nemesis 360GTS.

 

[Dogzilla07]

A12x25 does better <1200RPM as per TPU review on the link above by @ciarlatano. As for the sound signature, there's not frequency analysis testing yet, but by user accounts here by @doyll (not specifically for <1200RPM, more overall for some harmonic resonance noise) and others, and on different forums, and going by the youtube link, Noctua A12x25 has a better sound signature/sound color <1200RPM.

Keep in mind for youtube links they measure it too close, that's not really the distance it's gonna be from your ear in usage.

MSI SIlent Gale P12 seems to beat out even the A12x25 (But the MSI doesn't have as great of a motor).

 

[Blameless]

At ~1200rpm I can't really hear either in open air at a normal distance. Only the turbulence of air moving through/past obstructions.

In extremely quiet settings, I might give the nod to the A12x25, as they have almost no motor or bearing noise and they move slightly less air at the same RPM.

 

[ciarlatano]

A12x25 does better <1200RPM as per TPU review on the link above by @ciarlatano.

Not necessarily. The A12x25 is slightly quieter, but the T30 moves more air. So one would assume that the A12 would be louder at a higher rpm to match the T30 air movement, and that the T30 would be moving less air to match the A12 noise level. This is why I hate rpm based testing rather than noise normalized.

 

[Dogzilla07]

Not necessarily. The A12x25 is slightly quieter, but the T30 moves more air. So one would assume that the A12 would be louder at a higher rpm to match the T30 air movement, and that the T30 would be moving less air to match the A12 noise level. This is why I hate rpm based testing rather than noise normalized.

This VSG graph shows that for the same CFM the NF-A12x25 is quiter than the T30-120 up until roughly <~1200RPM (when cross-compared). Over 1200RPM the Phanteks T30-120 takes the lead. (i wrongly pointed out it was in the article you referenced, I forgot that this graph was in the Thermaltake Tougfan article instead).

Thermaltake TOUGHFAN 12 and TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo Fans Review

A long awaited review heads your way today with the Thermaltake TOUGHFAN 12 and TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo fans! These fans aim to challenge the newer Phanteks offering and status quo of Noctua when it comes to case fans that are all about function and without any LEDs.

www.techpowerup.com

In VSG's own words, and I'm quoting him here "Note that the NF-A12x25 is a weird one in that there is just a big drop in measured noise at lower RPM in the absence of perceived bearing or motor noise, effectively an offset that helps it tremendously at lower fan speeds. The Phanteks offering, also being thicker, takes over at higher fan speeds. "

This fits in with @Blameless experience above, and clearly proves Noctua NF-A12x25 is the superior option <1200RPM, due to no motor/bearing noise as opposed to Phanteks T30-120.

At >1200RPM, the data corresponds with what you said above (and again, going from the graph below this isn't RPM gated or RPM based, I just calculated where the divergence point was). And personally, I wouldn't use these fans at only <1200RPM as they're plenty silent above it, but <1200RPM roughly the Noctua wins.

 

[jvidia]

At ~1200rpm I can't really hear either in open air at a normal distance. Only the turbulence of air moving through/past obstructions.

In extremely quiet settings, I might give the nod to the A12x25, as they have almost no motor or bearing noise and they move slightly less air at the same RPM.

Do you have them both?
And besides sound levels (dBA), which one do you like more in terms of sound signature?

I've seen videos on YT, at the same dBA, and the T30 seems to me to be more "aggressive high pitched" signature.

Also this could be from the way it was recorded and mics used.
Example:

EDIT: if you have the A12x25, they are the brown "original" ones or the new black chromax version?

 

[Blameless]

Do you have them both?

I have six of the original A12x25s and three T30-120s.

And besides sound levels (dBA), which one do you like more in terms of sound signature?

I'm not using any objective instrumentation, so it's hard for me to make a clear distinction. It also depends on where I have the fans placed. The T30-120s synergize better with some of my filters (though this is a non-issue in practice because the A12x25s are thinner and I can use a better spacer/shroud), but at lower rpm, I can hear a small bit of bearing noise if I am very close.

I've seen videos on YT, at the same dBA, and the T30 seems to me to be more "aggressive high pitched" signature.

The T30s do seem a bit higher pitched to me, but in practical use, I have major trouble telling them apart at similar air flow (because most of the noise isn't even coming from the fans themselves, but from everything else in the way creating turbulence...filters and fins), and I mostly got the T30-120s for situations where the A12x25s were running out of steam, where there is no comparison anyway.

 

[jvidia]

Thank you.

 

[spin5000]

Just received 3 Phanteks T30 fans. I'll be testing them on an AIO in a 3-way fan shootout with 2 other brands (one being Arctic P12).

 

[jvidia]

Also received my 3 fan pack of the T30.

First impressions.. spectacular build and great CFM / noise ratio.

Still not tested them in real use.

 

[User23566235]

So anyone managed to make his own comparison between T30 and a12x25?

 

[Shenhua]

So anyone managed to make his own comparison between T30 and a12x25?

If you're asking because you you're still doubting they're better. They are!

Even without testing, by the propeller design, the fact that at very least matches all other features that might affect performance, and mostly because of the extra 5mm, you can tell it's at least gonna match performance. And a match in performance already makes it a better fan considering the RPM range of the t30.


Any news about 140mm version of t30? Really hope they go above 30mm...

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 using Tapatalk

 

[doyll]

I have used both NF-A12x25 and T30 and found T30 the obvious winner at same noise levels. T30's PWM profile switch makes it even better.

Set to Hybrid Mode their rpm range is 500-1200rpm shutting off completely at lower heat setting.​

In Performance Mode they idle at about 250rpm and max out at 2000rpm​

In Advanced Mode they idle at similar 250rpm and run up to a maximum speed of 3000rpm for extreme airflow needs.​

No other fan I know of can match Phanteks T30 performance range.

 

[ciarlatano]

So anyone managed to make his own comparison between T30 and a12x25?

Well, yes, an OCN user has made this comparison. He even did it in a very methodical way using good quality test equipment rather than saying "the temp on my CLC was eleventy below ambient while the dB app on my phone said they had no dB!". He even published the results on a major site where one of the most respected cooling reviewers (which happens to be him) writes - Phanteks T30-120 Fan Review - One Fan to Rule Them All?

 

[doyll]

Here is condensed version of VSG testing. I only included PH-F120MP, T30, Silent Wings 3 and GT 1850 fans.