140 mm fan: Noiseblocker PK-2 or Noctua NF-P14-FLX

[theMAGE]

I'm looking to quieten down my shinny new CoolerMaster 690 II and I'm trying to settle on a couple of 140 mm fans, one for the top (blowing up and out) and one for the front (blowing in, over the hard drives).

I searched high and low and the opinions are split between the Noctua and the Noiseblocker, with some bad references to the Scythe 140mm fans. I am using Scythe's 120mm and I'm surprised that their 140 don't hold water (wrong metaphor?).

The guts will not be too hot: stock frequency i7-860 and a passive video card that will not display anything most of the time (this will be a virtualization server). There will be 6 hard drives, 3 or 4 of them being WD Green Power or equivalent.

Have you changed the fans in a CM 690 II? What are you using now? What do you recommend?

Thanks!

[bozar]

Dunno about other people but I'm satisfied with my 140 mm SS, so is my friend. Not recommended for horizontal use though.

[Tetreb]

Looking at the specs from Noctua and Enermax it looks like their 120mm fans provide the same airflow as the 140mm do. I'd try 140mm at intake and 120mm as exhaust if it's cheaper.

I did get 140mm Noctuas and they fit into empty 5.25" drivebays without much empty room. Anyway I guess at the front they pull air better in because it can't recirculate from the rear part in the case. Also they cover a bigger area so in combination with dust filters they should be more silent.
They need about 2cm room in front of them or the air they pull through the panel will come out at one corner only instead of the whole fan area.
The air rush gets noticeable at about 800RPM and they won't start much below their ultra low noise adapter voltage.

[lodestar]

The Fractal Design 140mm runs at 600 revs, is very quiet and moves about the same amount of air as a 120mm running at 1000 rpm.

[danimal]

thermalright ty-140:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cooler ... dup_9.html

[theMAGE]

thermalright ty-140:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cooler ... dup_9.html

Thanks! Ordered two of them, I'll see how they stack up against the 12cm Scythes.

[nyu3]

I recommend against the TY140. I have two of them (included with Silver Arrow). They can only be used blowing air upwards. Refer to the diagram below (0 degrees = sky, 180 degrees = earth). If I use the fan with air blowing at 90 degrees or above, then the fan makes a very annoying click / scratching sound. This sound gets worse as the degrees increase. Also it gets worse as the speed is reduced. It is really too bad that the problem starts at 90 degrees, because this is the most common orientation.

[danimal]

I recommend against the TY140.... If I use the fan with air blowing at 90 degrees or above, then the fan makes a very annoying click / scratching sound. This sound gets worse as the degrees increase. Also it gets worse as the speed is reduced. It is really too bad that the problem starts at 90 degrees, because this is the most common orientation.

i've read a number of reviews of the ty140, none of which mentioned any such noise, and the ty140's that i have don't make any kind of "click/scratching sound".

from the xbitlabs review link:

"No crackling or rustling of any kind, of course, just the airflow blown by seven large blades."

[Parappaman]

Noiseblocker BlackSilent Pro best everything else. You just have to find one.