NH-L12 running at the lowest speed

[quest_for_silence]

Offtopoic: Lucas, talking about prolimatech, have you tested the Prolimatech Blue Vortex 14 - High Airflow and Low Noise Fan (140mm), price wise seem even better than the Antec True Quiet 140s and there are very good comments about them in amazon and newegg, given that they dont see quiet as we do, seems like a very interesting fan because of its pricepoint. Would be very interesting to see your comments about it, since you have tried the noctua redux 140 and antec true quiet 140.

I have some since some years ago (it was the first fan I used onto the Armageddon): broadly speaking they are very quiet fans for the size, and rather sturdy for the price, their main limit is (IIRC) they won't go much under 500rpm (differently from the Prolimatech Sleek).

I cannot compare them with a True Quiet at the moment, the ones I have are in running systems, but with the Noctuas for sure (I've some spare lying around): I will let you know some comparative sound wise impressions next few days and, if I will have time, I will test then as heatsink fan to comparatively assess their cooling prowess (I'm currently testing some new thermal pastes so my "lab" bench/time is rather busy).

Next few days became next few months, Abula: I beg your pardon.

That's a brief listening session summary, up to the Prolimatech max speed:

Code: Select all

╔═══════╦══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╦═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║  RPM  ║ Noctua P14                                           ║ Prolimatech Blue Vortex 14                                    ║
╠═══════╬══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╬═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║  200  ║ Mostly harmless.                                     ║ N/A                                                           ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  300  ║ Acoustically inconspicuous.                          ║ N/A                                                           ║
║       ║ Some faint, low pitched motor clicking.              ║                                                               ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  400  ║ About equal loudness,                                ║ About equal loudness,                                         ║
║       ║ easily noticeable in a quiet background.             ║ easily noticeable in a quiet background.                      ║
║       ║ More broadband-like noise,                           ║ Somewhat rougher/lower/darker sound than the P14,             ║
║       ║ lower pitched faint motor clicking.                  ║ higher pitched fainter motor clicking,                        ║
║       ║                                                      ║ some erratic bearing chatter.                                 ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  500  ║ Same as above.                                       ║ Less evident motor clicking than before,                      ║
║       ║                                                      ║ more evident bearing chatter.                                 ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  600  ║ Easily more apparent than before,                    ║ Easily more apparent than before,                             ║
║       ║ fainter motor clicking than before.                  ║ evident high pitched bearing chatter.                         ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  700  ║ Same as above.                                       ║ Same as above.                                                ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  800  ║ Barely acceptable volume, to me,                     ║ Barely acceptable volume, to me,                              ║
║       ║ just on heavy load, high ambient temp.               ║ just on heavy load, high ambient temp.                        ║
║       ║ Motor clicking apparently vanishes,                  ║ Slightly bested the P14 for overall sound quality and level,  ║
║       ║ though still present at very close (5cm?) distance.  ║ bearing chatter noticeably faded.                             ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║  900  ║ Unobtrusive but unsuitable for quiet computing.      ║ Unobtrusive but unsuitable for quiet computing.               ║
║       ║ Some low pitched "wobble".                           ║ Slightly louder volume than the P14,                          ║
║       ║                                                      ║ higher pitched sound than before.                             ║
║       ║                                                      ║ No more apparent bearing chatter.                             ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
║ 1000  ║ Same as above                                        ║ Same as above                                                 ║
║       ║                                                      ║                                                               ║
╚═══════╩══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╩═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

I'd add that the Prolimatech is much more prone to vibrations, comparatively, than the Noctua, despite the sturdy frame.

[Abula]

Thanks lucas for the detailed comparation, seems the Noctua is better all accross... =(, because of its price would been great alternative. Im gona order some P14 soon to test vs TY147A =), just trying to setup a way to measure db without spending too much.

[quest_for_silence]

Thanks lucas for the detailed comparation, seems the Noctua is better all accross...

Yes that's my opinion (and particularly if you're looking for fans which may disappear at low loads), but the Blue/Red Vortex is not a bad fan, actually a good one in the 430-520rpm range of my sample (IMO the main limitation is, rather than the "high" min speed, the bearing noise: whether it were audible, then it might be somehow annoying/distracting to the most sensible ears).