120mm fan recommendations

MAX_Chase · Post by **MAX_Chase** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:25 am

Hi all. Whilst I am not new to PC's, I am new to running a silent PC. It's taking over my life!

I am interested in reducing the noise and improving the airflow into my Akasa Eclipse case which is currently colled by 2x 120mm Akasa Amber fans.

I am torn between the Noctua fan and the Nexus, but am confused by the conflicting stories of CFM figures being correct.

Can anyone recommend a quiet and effective fan (maybe even one of the 2 I mention) to replace the incumbent ones please?

gb115b · Post by **gb115b** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:47 am

i think you're airflow woud probably decrease... but the noise would decrease more rapidly...

as a newcomer to this, i think you'd find either of those fan options fine (there really isn't much between them)

i'd also recommend the scythe series as well.

I used the D series with a fan controller that can give me a little extra airflow if i need it + allegedly better bearing quality...

dhanson865 · Post by **dhanson865** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 6:57 am

I'd recommend the 120mm Yate Loon. I've bought a couple for less than half the price of a Nexus and they are basically the same fan (color scheme and 12v RPM are the only differences I know of).

http://www.jab-tech.com/YATE-LOON-120mm ... -3009.html $3.50 US plus S&H

You end up with a 1300 rpm fan instead of a 1000 RPM fan but if you wan't more airflow thats OK and if you don't you can just run it at 7v or 5v and it will be plenty quiet.

MAX_Chase · Post by **MAX_Chase** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 12:42 pm

Thanks for the replies, chaps.

Again, given that I am quite new to this, will the reduction in airflow necessarily mean an increase in temperature? That wouldn't be good as I am trying to reduce noise AND reduce temperatures if at all possible.

Actually, the Ambers are connected to an Akasa Fan Controller which is normally set to low, 5v I guess (as this reduces the noise). What I want to do is have more airflow with the same or less noise. Hence my initial thoughts on the Noctua fans (and my confusion, because there are quite a few conflicting reports on here).

I guess trying to find the balance between temps and noise is a tough one.

So, here's the quandry. More cooling/airflow with less noise. If it's not the Ambers, what would your choice be?

(The more I read, the more I get into it, the more confused I am becoming!)

Mike

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:16 pm

I guess trying to find the balance between temps and noise is a tough one.

Well if it was easy there would be no need for this site!

If it's not the Ambers, what would your choice be?

The Yate Loons mentioned above will be inaudible below about 7V; this should provide more airflow than your Akasa Ambers at 5V. The one Akasa Amber I had was very poor noise-wise, so I wouldn't be surprised if you get less noise and better temps. The way to have your cake and eat it (low noise and lots of airflow) is to have many fans running slowly; so you may want to get several of those YLs/.

dhanson865 · Post by **dhanson865** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 5:23 pm

Remember that the biggest factors for fan noise are:

1. Total Airflow / RPMs
2. the size of the fan
3. Bearings
4. Frame material
5. average build quality and luck of the draw
6. Shipping Damage
7. wear

regarding 3 given two fans that are otherwise identical a sleeve bearing is quieter at low RPMs than a ball bearing but the ball bearing will last longer and handle higher RPMs and heat better. http://www.silentpcreview.com/article690-page1.html covers the trade offs.

regarding 4 a clear plastic frame is noisier than an opaque plastic frame. Most quiet fans have opaque frames, opaque blades, and don't have LEDs.

regarding 1 and 2, you get more airflow from a 120mm fan than a single 80mm fan but you get more airflow from 3 80mm fans than a single 120mm. More fans equal lower rpms to get the same airflow. Larger fans equal lower rpms to get the same airflow. Every case offers a different challenge in choosing the right configuration of fans.

Buying a known good brand helps with part of 5 but the other luck in 5 and 6 can make any fan purchase an educated gamble.

Wear is an afterthought for most buyers but if you are buying a batch of fans it never hurts to have a spare or two as they also insure you against damage or manufacturing defects.

Noctua fans are best used in cases where the grills have been cut out and no filter or restrictive case front is involved. Of course you can still cut out grills and use a different fan with the voltage lowered. It's just that Noctua fans don't work well in tight spaces (heat sinks with tight fins, cases with tight grills, with filters, etc)

Nexus is a no brainer for the rich among us that don't care that it costs more than many fans that are practically identical. For those in other countries there may be no cheap choice. In which case you might as well get a Nexus.

Fander is worth looking for apparently but I've never seen one.

Scythe and Yate Loon are companies that make good fans that can often be had cheaper than Nexus and do just as well in many circumstances. Scythe seems to be more common/cheap in the 92 to 100mm sizes and Yate loon seems to be more common/cheap in the 120mm size. Both are around in 80mm if you need them.

Since I'm in the US I just grab sleeve bearing fans by Scythe or Yate Loon that are nearest the rpm of a Nexus and I usually do so buy buying a few at a time from sites that sell them around $2-6 each plus S&H.

Given the right voltage even a "1300 rpm" fan could end up running around 1000 rpms and sound identical to a "1000 rpm" fan. See http://www.silentpcreview.com/article6-page1.html for the basics of supplying lower voltages.

120mm Nexus = 1000 RPM
92mm Nexus = 1500 RPM
80mm Nexus = 1500 RPM

But find a good quality fan or a couple of top choices and see what works best for you.

MAX_Chase · Post by **MAX_Chase** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:18 am

A very helpful reply, DH. My thanks, indeed.

Sooty · Post by **Sooty** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:14 am

The Eclipse is one of just a few cases that can be modded to take 140mm fans. In theory bigger fans can achieve a better cfm/dB ratio than smaller fans. A few companies make good 140â€™s including Yate Loon. Also add NoiseBlocker BlackSilent to your 120 short-list - tested by SPCR and found to be as good as the best.

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:47 pm

For 80mm and 92mm, i can only recommend Nexus.

For 120mm, Nexus, yate loon (which is basically a cheeper nexus), and scythe S-Flex 1200rpm are the best. Noctua while just as quiet as the others have horrible air pressure, and since it isnt any quieter than the other recommended 120mm fans, their decreased performance make me unable to recommend them at all.

bogus · Post by **bogus** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:57 am

Aris wrote:For 80mm and 92mm, i can only recommend Nexus.

For 120mm, Nexus, yate loon (which is basically a cheeper nexus), and scythe S-Flex 1200rpm are the best. Noctua while just as quiet as the others have horrible air pressure, and since it isnt any quieter than the other recommended 120mm fans, their decreased performance make me unable to recommend them at all.

I have used Nexus and Scythe S-Flex 120mm fans. While they're all good fans, Nexus seems to have better quality control than Scythe. My 2 S-Flex 120mm fans all start making ticking sound after 6 months. The Nexusen are still very smooth.