[Nefandir]

I am planning to make an ultra silent watercooling setup (and no worries, not going to talk about that here) but I need the proper ultra quiet fans to go with it, and I have seen so many reviews of fans giving off different sound levels that I am rather frustrated as to wether the fans I am considering are inaudible when undervolted or if this 'inaudibility' doesn't even exist. I know that the HDD's will always be problem even if I get literally silent fans, but I do not care about that in particular. I need to replace the 6 fans on my Antec 1200, meaning 5x 120mm and 1x 200mm and get 9 more 120mm fans (or 4 180mm fans) for my Phobya Nova Xtreme rad. For the 200mm fan I ended up finding the Cooler Master Megaflow 200mm Blue LED fan, which is supposedly not audible, and I am least worried about this fan because it only spins at 800rpm as far as I know. For the other 14 (no joke) 120 mm fans I ended up with either NoiseBlocker XL1 REV3 fans, or NoiseBlocker XL2 REV3 fans, or Gelid Wing 12 UV Blue 1500rpm fans, which supposedly are also completely silent due to "NanoFlux" bearing. The problem is I found reviewers on youtube saying they literally cannot hear the Gelid Wing Fans at full speed (my personal preference if they are silent or very close to being inaudible at least) but I also found reviewers putting them the worst noise rating, so I have no idea, of what is true and what is not. For the NoiseBlocker XL1 and XL2 fans the general idea seems to be they are completely silent, but they are not that good at moving air, so I would also like your opinion on this. I can stand slight airflow/rotation noise under load, but otherwise I am a silence enthusiast and only going for this whole watercooling business due to the possible ultra silent result. So, if I may ask again, can anyone tell me if these fans are really silent, or if they are not, what would be a fan that is extremely silent:

1. GELID Wing Gamer Fan 12 UV Blue 1500rpm
2. NoiseBlocker XL1 Rev3 120mm
3. NoiseBlocker XL2 Rev3 120mm

P.S. I am not worried about airflow either, because I purposely chose a large low fin density radiator.

EDIT: I ended up buying 5x the NoiseBlocker Multiframe M12-S2 and a Coolermaster Megaflow 200mm for the case fans. I am completely happy with the noise level, as I now no longer have the case fans as loudest element (GPU fans under full load) but the H50 and the PSU. The thread has developed more into finding quiet, air-cooled hardware in general for a silent PC.

 

[Archngamin]

I have only heard good things about these Logisys rubber fans.

The noiseblocker mutiframe are rated highly as well.

 

[PontiacGTX]

NF P12?

 

[deafboy]

The megaflow is most definitely audible. That's honestly probably the loudest fan in my case, lol.

Can't speak to the other fans you listed though. Honestly, just get some good fans and a fan controller.

And even with a low fin rad you still need a fair amount of airflow.

 

[mingqi53]

How about the TB Silence fans from Enermax?

-EDIT-
Nevermind, this fan is stabilized with a few magnets to minimize friction, and may not be suitable when its placed up against a metal radiator..

 

[Nemesis429]

Theres a sub-forum called Silent Computing, and the best fans you can buy are Noctua's due to the amount of air they can push and yet being so silent, although they cost a fair bit.

 

[Nefandir]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PontiacGTX

NF P12?

I may end up with those except for the fact that those also seem to be as quiet as other fans in the same noise range, just that they look butt-ugly (thats only my personal opinion ofcourse).

Quote:

Originally Posted by deafboy

The megaflow is most definitely audible. That's honestly probably the loudest fan in my case, lol.
Can't speak to the other fans you listed though. Honestly, just get some good fans and a fan controller.
And even with a low fin rad you still need a fair amount of airflow.

So much for the megaflow being inaudible... it seems like the online reviews of fan noise are nearly impossible. So am I going to even find a 200mm fan to replace the Antec BigBoy that is, err, silent?

EDIT: @Nemesis429 Thanks for the tip btw, did not notice that sub forum.

 

[PontiacGTX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nefandir

I may end up with those except for the fact that those also seem to be as quiet as other fans in the same noise range, just that they look butt-ugly (thats only my personal opinion ofcourse).
So much for the megaflow being inaudible... it seems like the online reviews of fan noise are nearly impossible. So am I going to even find a 200mm fan to replace the Antec BigBoy that is, err, silent?
EDIT: @Nemesis429 Thanks for the tip btw, did not notice that sub forum.

what did Noctua think on doing in that color if even persons from austria dont like it

 

[ehume]

For your rads you probably will want Gentle Typhoons. But with nine fans or fourteen fans your rig will make some noise.

 

[ASUSfreak]

I'll join this post. Have Antec 1200 as well

 

[Willhemmens]

Nope. No device that moves is silent.

If you want quiet, go Gentle Typhoon and undervolt them.

If you really want a quiet setup you'll have to think about these component most:
Fans
Pump (vibrations and possibly wine)
GPU (Fan and wine)
PSU (Fan and wine)
Hard drives (most vibrate quite abit, even the best do)

I can help you out picking those if you require.

 

[Murlocke]

I have some Nosieblocker PK3 (140mm) and PL2 (120mm), 3 of each, they are about $25 per fan but they are really good. These are their "premium class" line, the XL models are the "high quality line" which should be cheaper but they will also will not perform as well. The PL2 (120mm) I run at 100%, and I would consider them rather quiet.

I had a problem with one of my PK3s, and the company sent me out 2 extras without me having to send in the faulty one. No cost to me. I believe the fans have lifetime warranty, so $25 each is a rather good investment in my opinion.

If you like pure black, like I do, these fans are damn sexy:

(3x PL2 on radiator, 3x PK3 to replace the 800D's stock fans)

 

[Nefandir]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PontiacGTX

what did Noctua think on doing in that color if even persons from austria dont like it

I hope I correctly am deciphering that as sarcasm, and well, I just can't stand the color. I tried setting up my pc to go with blue-black theming, and then there would be this white-brown glob which would kill me (sort of). So does everyone seem to stick to the Noctua series? Because if I can I will avoid it. -IF- that is the way to silence however, I don't want to contradict myself, since thats what I am asking for.

 

[ghostrider85]

it's moving air, it can't be totally silent

 

[ghostrider85]

gelid and noiseblocker are silent, noiseblocker is better

 

[PontiacGTX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nefandir

I hope I correctly am deciphering that as sarcasm, and well, I just can't stand the color. I tried setting up my pc to go with blue-black theming, and then there would be this white-brown glob which would kill me (sort of). So does everyone seem to stick to the Noctua series? Because if I can I will avoid it. -IF- that is the way to silence however, I don't want to contradict myself, since thats what I am asking for.

yes it is, Noctua make a great fans but only for heatsink like NH D14 you dont see the ugly NF p14 at all

there must be better fans but I think is impossible something under 12DBa bcuz more than 9 will be heard

I have NH D14 and has NF p12 and p14 both really more silent than 4x Sickleflow

 

[Nefandir]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PontiacGTX

what did Noctua think on doing in that color if even persons from austria dont like it

I hope I correctly am deciphering that as sarcasm, and well, I just can't stand the color. I tried setting up my pc to go with blue-black theming, and then there would be this white-brown glob which would kill me (sort of). So does everyone seem to stick to the Noctua series? Because if I can I will avoid it. -IF- that is the way to silence however, I don't want to contradict myself, since thats what I am asking for.

EDIT:
Quote:

Originally Posted by Murlocke

I have a Nosieblocker PK3 (140mm) and PL2 (120mm), 3 of each, they are about $25 per fan but they are really good.
I had a problem with one of them, and the company sent me out 2 extras without me having to send in the faulty one. No cost to me. I believe the fans have lifetime warranty, so $25 is a rather good investment in my opinion.

So you are saying you have this? And you consider them silent?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willhemmens

Nope. No device that moves is silent.

Yes, I should have been more specific. My goal is to achieve a sound intensity and quality so that I can, under full load, hear the air flow, but only barely the motor/friction of the fan.

 

[Willhemmens]

Quote:

Yes, I should have been more specific. My goal is to achieve a sound intensity and quality so that I can, under full load, hear the air flow, but only barely the motor/friction of the fan.

If you want quiet, go Gentle Typhoon and undervolt them.

If you really want a quiet setup you'll have to think about these component most:
Fans
Pump (vibrations and possibly wine)
GPU (Fan and wine)
PSU (Fan and wine)
Hard drives (most vibrate quite abit, even the best do)

I can help you out picking those if you require.

 

[PontiacGTX]

Here more silent fans

http://www.be-quiet.net/be-quiet.net/index.php?StoryID=30&ProductID=53&websiteLang=en

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/case-fans/78/arctic-f-pro.html

the most silent ATM

http://www.coolink-europe.com/en/categories/23_29.html

 

[Murlocke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nefandir

So you are saying you have this? And you consider them silent?

.

Yea, I have 3 of them on my radiator going 100% 24/7, and I watch movies and everything about 6 feet from my computer. Every reference GPU i've owned is louder than these things (while gaming), so they probably won't be the loudest thing in your computer. My 140mm PK3's on the other hand I have to turn down to about 70% before they are as quiet as my PL2s (they still are moving more air than the PL2s at 70%, but that's to be expected from a 140mm fan). If you need 120mm, I definitely recommend the PL2s.

Keep in mind.. they definitely aren't "silent", no fan will be, but they are quieter than most fans i've tested and still move a good amount of air. The sound the fans make are also more mellow, so you can easily tone it out. Some people have very different opinions on the term "silent". Rest assured, the Noiseblocker PL2 offers some of the best air flow vs noise on the market... so if you don't like them then your expectations of a fan is too high.