Quiet, High CFM, Not Delta Fan help

[equalexpert]

Hi all

Been watching the videos, reading the spec sheets and in the forums but cant quite pin down a good recommendation.

 

I have an older version of this case. It has the same layout and fan wall that sits behind the drive bays. It uses these fans which came with it. 

 

Now the server is loud when in power save mode so i can work on my desktop just by the rack however its still more audible that id like. I tried upgrading it with these noctua fans and while very much quiet they don't move enough air to the point when i swap the original fans back in theres a 20C difference on my nvme drives.

 

Now i know im going to have some noise but any suggestions on fans for behind the drive wall? Even if the noise is just less high pitched and more a deeper rumble to take the edge off. 

So far im leaning towards the noctua industrial 3000rpm fans but open to other suggestions given the price of those

[BoomerL4D]

2 minutes ago, equalexpert said:

Hi all

Been watching the videos, reading the spec sheets and in the forums but cant quite pin down a good recommendation.

 

I have an older version of this case. It has the same layout and fan wall that sits behind the drive bays. It uses these fans which came with it. 

 

Now the server is loud when in power save mode so i can work on my desktop just by the rack however its still more audible that id like. I tried upgrading it with these noctua fans and while very much quiet they don't move enough air to the point when i swap the original fans back in theres a 20C difference on my nvme drives.

 

Now i know im going to have some noise but any suggestions on fans for behind the drive wall? Even if the noise is just less high pitched and more a deeper rumble to take the edge off. 

So far im leaning towards the noctua industrial 3000rpm fans but open to other suggestions given the price of those

Noctua NF-A14 PWM

be quiet! Silent Wings 3

Corsair ML140 Pro

Arctic P14 PWM PST

These models could be good options to replace the original fans in your case and provide a quieter environment while maintaining good airflow for your NVMe drives.

[RONOTHAN##]

The P12 Max is usually probably worth looking at, they're cheap ($36 gets you a 5 pack), higher RPM while not being too loud, and pretty good static pressure and CFM, up there with some of the best performing fans you can get (not the best, that title belongs to something like the A12x25 or Phanteks T30, but close). 

 

They still will likely be significantly worse than the fans you're using though, there's no getting around that. This is probably just the best cost to performance ratio you're going to get if you don't want it to sound like a jet engine. 

[equalexpert]

4 minutes ago, BoomerL4D said:

Noctua NF-A14 PWM

be quiet! Silent Wings 3

Corsair ML140 Pro

Arctic P14 PWM PST

These models could be good options to replace the original fans in your case and provide a quieter environment while maintaining good airflow for your NVMe drives.

Thanks for the suggestions but these are 140s so wont fit unfortunately 

[equalexpert]

2 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

The P12 Max is usually probably worth looking at, they're cheap ($36 gets you a 5 pack), higher RPM while not being too loud, and pretty good static pressure and CFM, up there with some of the best performing fans you can get. 

 

They still will likely be significantly worse than the fans you're using though, there's no getting around that. This is probably just the best cost to performance ratio you're going to get if you don't want it to sound like a jet engine. 

I did look at those, they got pretty good reviews. Yeah nothing i dont think will beat the stock fans. im ok with a few C raise in temps if the noise goes down but 20C is a bit much. i might have to give them a try too

[Zando_]

Like @RONOTHAN## said there really isn't much better. Noctua has their F series that focuses on static pressure, but IIRC the Redux P12s are based off the older version of that fan anyways, so they're already pressure optimized fans. You do *not* want the 3000rpm iPPC fans if you're trying to avoid jet engine noises. I have 'em in 140mm form, they are very much a jet engine when spun up. 

 

We haven't invented a way to ignore physics, so pushing air harder requires more force, and we get that by spinning fans faster. There's only so much you can do with the blade design itself. 

[equalexpert]

2 minutes ago, Zando_ said:

Like @RONOTHAN## said there really isn't much better. Noctua has their F series that focuses on static pressure, but IIRC the Redux P12s are based off the older version of that fan anyways, so they're already pressure optimized fans. You do *not* want the 3000rpm iPPC fans if you're trying to avoid jet engine noises. I have 'em in 140mm form, they are very much a jet engine when spun up. 

 

We haven't invented a way to ignore physics, so pushing air harder requires more force, and we get that by spinning fans faster. There's only so much you can do with the blade design itself. 

Yeah in an ideal world it would all be passive haha. Just trying to find a balance between airflow and noise. I can see some amazon orders being put in for the weekend

[Zando_]

Just now, equalexpert said:

Yeah in an ideal world it would all be passive haha. Just trying to find a balance between airflow and noise. I can see some amazon orders being put in for the weekend

I believe the NF-A12x25s remain the best airflow/pressure/noise balanced fans... they're just rather pricy. What temps were your NVMe drives actually hitting? A 20C increase isn't bad unless it puts them out of safe operating range. 

[freeagent]

If you don't want to move into server stuff, I would say T30 is what you are looking for. Smacks around that little Noctuna.

[equalexpert]

1 hour ago, Zando_ said:

I believe the NF-A12x25s remain the best airflow/pressure/noise balanced fans... they're just rather pricy. What temps were your NVMe drives actually hitting? A 20C increase isn't bad unless it puts them out of safe operating range. 

So the nvme drives go from about 29c idle to in the 50s which is in tolerance. The hard drives go from mid 20s to low 40s. Ive just swapped them over to my redux fans to leave running and better gauge the differences

[equalexpert]

23 minutes ago, freeagent said:

If you don't want to move into server stuff, I would say T30 is what you are looking for. Smacks around that little Noctuna.

Yeah already in the server stuff however i have some netapp shelves that move a load of air and are dead quiet. not tore them down to find the fans though, not that they are 120s anyway. 

The T30 is phanteks i think? can see me ordering a selection and returning those that dont pass the grade haha

[GuiltySpark_]

If you want the affordable best, P12 Max. If you want the peak best, T30. 

[TatamiMatt]

Do you have heatsinks on the NVMe drives? Could be an option to dissipate heat quicker with lower airflow meaning quieter running fans can then become an option?

[equalexpert]

1 hour ago, TatamiMatt said:

Do you have heatsinks on the NVMe drives? Could be an option to dissipate heat quicker with lower airflow meaning quieter running fans can then become an option?

i do on one of them, the kioxia has a eq sink on it however i never noticed a difference in temps using it haha

[TatamiMatt]

30 minutes ago, equalexpert said:

eq sink

whats an eq sink?

 

And like what kind? There a lot of NVMe heatsinks, ones that work as a large thermal mass for bursty loads (but wont work very well in a sustained workload and get saturated) and ones that actually actively cool with fins and heatpipes designed more for sustained workloads

 

Like this basic thermalright one, a big block

 

Or this one, which will actively cool

[equalexpert]

1 minute ago, TatamiMatt said:

whats an eq sink?

my bad, EK.

[NorKris]

if u want  RGBest

CM mobius 120p     

[TatamiMatt]

22 minutes ago, equalexpert said:

my bad, EK.

Ah i see, kind of a mix of both types then, could try one of the thermalright ones or a similar one and see if temps improve, that way you can reduce the noise of the fans a decent bit

[equalexpert]

19 minutes ago, TatamiMatt said:

Ah i see, kind of a mix of both types then, could try one of the thermalright ones or a similar one and see if temps improve, that way you can reduce the noise of the fans a decent bit

Ill havea look and check my case to see if any covers, cards obstruct it

[RevGAM]

18 hours ago, equalexpert said:

Hi all

Been watching the videos, reading the spec sheets and in the forums but cant quite pin down a good recommendation.

 

I have an older version of this case. It has the same layout and fan wall that sits behind the drive bays. It uses these fans which came with it. 

 

Now the server is loud when in power save mode so i can work on my desktop just by the rack however its still more audible that id like. I tried upgrading it with these noctua fans and while very much quiet they don't move enough air to the point when i swap the original fans back in theres a 20C difference on my nvme drives.

 

Now i know im going to have some noise but any suggestions on fans for behind the drive wall? Even if the noise is just less high pitched and more a deeper rumble to take the edge off. 

So far im leaning towards the noctua industrial 3000rpm fans but open to other suggestions given the price of those

Message me in 5 hours or look through the 120 reviews on my channel. I may be able to find something but I'm at work. Or look at HW Busters as they do spectrum analysis. 

Edited April 4 by RevGAM
Corrected mistake made by Otto Rong.