NOISEBLOCKER Ultra Silent Fans

Tunda · Post by **Tunda** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:38 pm

Has anyone owned these fans? If so what are your experiences with them? How do they compare with fans currently on the market? Your knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

nici · Post by **nici** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:54 pm

They are pretty good, but they click audibly on lower speeds wich is where most of us would be running them. I have a couple 80mm and a 92mm noiseblocker fan, and they all sound basically the same. If it werent for the clicking, they would be very good fans. But they do click, so i dont use them.

Welcome to SPCR!!

Tunda · Post by **Tunda** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 8:44 pm

nici wrote:They are pretty good, but they click audibly on lower speeds wich is where most of us would be running them. I have a couple 80mm and a 92mm noiseblocker fan, and they all sound basically the same. If it werent for the clicking, they would be very good fans. But they do click, so i dont use them.

Welcome to SPCR!!

First of all

Thank You!!

I have been reading SPCR for quite some time now. Ever since a system builder passed off onto me a leaf blower posing as a computer case. I discovered how to wire my fans in series to greatly reduce the noise, which it did, and I have been on a mission ever since. At about the same time I started searching for quiet fans and began drooling over a few fans with some great specs. I finally settled on purchasing some NOISEBLOCKER fans. Of course I could not find a reseller or a distributor here in the US so I did what I think any self respecting SPCR member would do, contact the manufacturer. A long and somewhat expensive story made short, I now have in my hands a number of NOISEBLOCKER fans for testing.

When did you purchase your NOISEBLOCKER fans nici? Did the clicking start happening after a certain period of time or did it happen right out of the box? Did you purchase the S1, S2, S3, or S4 version of the 80mm fans? Which method do you prefer when undervolting fans? And last but not least which fans have you settled on for your own system?

I'm curious since I can only compare them with Panaflo's L series fan that I purchased within the last year. The 80mm Panaflos, which appear to be the SPCR reference fan, did seem to be smoother when undervolted, but the 80mm S2 NOISEBLOCKERS, the only ones I have tested so far since they seem to be the most commonly recommended, were ever so slightly quieter and didn't seem to have the clicking that you mentioned. Actually when undervolted to 7 volts or below using the potentiometer included with the retail box version of the 80mm S2 NOISEBLOCKER I was audibly unable to confirm they were running unless I was within about 12" or 300mm. Actually it was closer to 9" or 225mm. When running at 7 to 12 volts within about a yard or meter away I could hear a soft midranged hummm of the motor and the whoosh of air, but not the clicking that you mentioned. They also seem to be putting out a fair amount more of air at relatively comparable dbs.

I was thinking very seriously of selling and distributing NOISEBLOCKER products here in the US, but only if if their quality is consistently high and of course there is demand for them. I wonder if the manufacturing process changed since your purchase, possibly the materials, or even a new motor design. Maybe my ears don't detect the same things yours do.

Personally I am very happy with my purchase, but do not want to make a mistake and jump into a business if they are not a quality quiet product. Thanks in advance for your response!

nici · Post by **nici** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:34 am

When did you purchase your NOISEBLOCKER fans nici?

Well it must be nearly two years since i bought mine.

Did you purchase the S1, S2, S3, or S4 version of the 80mm fans?

I couldnt find the 80mm fans, but the 92mm is a SE2. I just listenede to it for quite some time trying to think how to describe the sound signature.

Which method do you prefer when undervolting fans?

I used potentiometers to control the speed, i have not tried them with PWM.

And last but not least which fans have you settled on for your own system?

Currently i have one 120mm Nexus in the bottom chamber of the P180 case blowing some air over the Phantom PSU, a 120mm CoolerMaster UV reactive Green sleeve-bearing fan in the top hole and a 80mm nexus fan on the graphics card wich is a x800xl cooled by a zalman zm80d-hp heatpipe cooler and needs a fan during load. I got the CoolerMaster fans because they are UV reactive, but actually found them to be very quiet. The blade design is similar to nexus, with slightly wider and more pointy blades. The noise is very similar to nexus, no audible bearing or motor noise whatsoever. The fans in my system change quite frequently.

Im very bad at keeping things in order, i have a brand new Panaflo 80mm low speed fan somewhere, wich cost me fooking 20€, and it was audibly worse than the 80mm nexus. But its a Chinaflow though, panaflos are really hard to find here, this was the only one i could find. however nexus, papst and noiseblocker are pretty easily availabe.

I cant find the right word to discribe the noise, wind noise is the one most clearly audible so at usable speeds ste other noises are not really a problem. I mean a 92mm fan at 500rpm or so doesnt move almost any air. Its not exactly clicking, but its not ticking either.. Its kind of like the 80mm Papst fans i have, sounds like the bearing would make the noise. The papsts sound like the bearings could be dry or something, like two dry surfaces making contact. But the noiseblockers are ball bearing fans. The "clicking" started right out of the box, but as i said clicking might not be the right word for it. I guess you can only hear once you have heard a fan without any other noises than wind noise. The noiseblockers are better than the papst fans i have had though, and i wouldnt mind actually using the noiseblockers.

They also seem to be putting out a fair amount more of air at relatively comparable dbs.

I noticed this when i got the fans also, they do push a decent amount of air.

Theres nothing more i can think of saying, except that no fan that spins can be totally noiseless, there is always some noise. The noiseblocker fans are pretty good imo, but im no expert and i get a headache when i try to think about how to describe these. I probably have at least 20 fans lying around doing nothing, most bought for testing or just out of interest, so i have something to compare to at least. Couldnt find the damn panaflo though...

Tunda · Post by **Tunda** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 2:28 pm

Thank you for taking the time to explain in greater detail nici. Please correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds as if you feel NOISEBLOCKER fans are of high quality and the noise levels were good to pretty good, but made the choice to use other fans based on personal preference.

I would like to know if there is some interest for NOISEBLOCKER products here in the US. If there is I will move forward and take the business plunge. For those who are interested simply answer the poll question. Please realize I am NOT actually taking orders since I have not opened a business as of yet, I just want to know if people want NOISEBLOCKER products in the US.

ronrem · Post by **ronrem** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 10:08 pm

I think there's interest. I was looking about trying to find Yate Loon fans in the US,especially the 140mm 1000rpm one. No luck. It can be had from Germany,but that's extra hassle. There are a few other quiet goods hard to find-perhaps a business opportunity?

Coolermaster makes a chipset cooler with heatpipes...we love heatpipes. It has a 40mm fan...we hate little fans. Given that without a fan-its the best aftermarket way to cool the NF4,there is a market for a no-fan version. It can be a little less money and spare the bother of pulling the fan. If Coolermaster has a retailer who wants a batch without fans...all they need do is don't install fans on some.

Tunda · Post by **Tunda** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 6:52 am

ronrem wrote:I think there's interest. ..... There are a few other quiet goods hard to find-perhaps a business opportunity?

Part of my long term plan is to locate "hard to find" items from different manufacturers and supply them here in the US. NOISEBLOCKER products were first on my list since I have been through the ordering process and know how to do so much more efficiently now, but only if there was enough interest. You are the only one to reply so far. I did notice there have been 182 views since my initial posting so maybe this is one of those "If you build it, they will come." type things.

All opinions would be greatly appreciated.

ronrem · Post by **ronrem** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:32 pm

I've watched the trend go from 80mm fans to 120's. I know Yate Loon makes a 140,some 3-speed version seems to be in Coolmax PSU's. I hear Papst makes a low RPM 140,but it's a 24 volt,so 12v already undervolts it pretty far. 140's can be the next thing for silencers but I can't find a US source. I hear Noiseblockers are competitive-but seldom seen as the main retailers don['t have them. There's a thread about a counterrotating fan...links to a Japanese page so I got no details,and I assume it's not available here. Vapochill has a heatsink that's a nice performer for it's size-also not at the usual sources. There's always new stuff. Awhile back I saw a link to a doublewall constructed case-only available in Japan. I'm, curious about do-it-yourself heatpipe/heatlane projects yet the parts are a hassle to get.....and so on. If you browse these threads I think you will find many more things that have appeal. A year ago nobody had heard of a Scythe Ninja,and Scythe was not widely distributed. Now its major

sun.moon · Post by **sun.moon** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 12:02 pm

Hi,

I am relatively new to this site, but I can definitely attest to the quality of Noiseblocker fans, based on my own experience (although I have to admit I haven't tested any other fans yet - just got into quiet computing).

I have a 120 SX1 exhaust fan and a 92 SE2 sitting on a XP-90 HS. They are both turned all the way down with Potiometers from Noiseblocker. I can barely hear the SE2, and the SX1 is not audible. CPU and MB temps are in a good range. I'm thinking about getting a new SI-120 HS with another 120 SX1 fan. That should quiet things down just a tad more.

To sum things up, I've been doing a lot of reading about fans in the last weeks. Everything I've read, coupled with my own experience, convinces me to stay with Noiseblocker for the time being.

I have to say, that I live in Germany, and these fans are readily available. Tunda's business venture importing these fans into the states sounds pretty viable. Depends what kind of conditions you can negotiate with the manufacturer. I'm sure there would be a demand in the states. Good Luck!

p.s. If anyone is interested, here is a look at my rig with the NB fans...
http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=25622

sun.moon · Post by **sun.moon** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:30 pm

Amendment to my above post:

I had intended stay with Noiseblocker, until my neighbor convinced me to try Papst for the heck of it (he is a Papst fan). So I did. I moved from a Thermalright XP-90 to the SI-120 with the Papst 4412 F/2GLL. Got another one for the exhaust as well. The first thing I noticed was that the Papst fans were quite a bit heavier. Seemed to be more solidly constructed as well.

Compared to the Noiseblockers that I had, the Papst fans make a bit deeper of a whosh sound. Both fans were running at 7 volts. Other than that, one is not noticably quieter or louder than the other (comparing the NB SX1 120mm to 4412 F/2GLL). I should remark that I did not hear the clicking sound that many were complaining about at low speeds with the Noiseblockers.

I recall Noiseblocker having a guaranteed lifetime of 100,000 hours while the Papst fan has a guaranteed lifetime of 80,000 hours. That's two and a quarter years difference at 24/7. But I don't think I'll have the Papst fans installed for nine years (80,000 hours at 24/7) - so no big deal. The manufacturers probably figure that as well, so perhaps the figures are just marketing.

I don't regret installing the Papst fans, but on the other hand, it was not really necessary. Now the Noiseblockers are in my wifes PC and she is as happy as a clam.

(I am curious how the Noiseblocker SX1 and Papst 4412 F/2GLL hold up to the Nexus 120 fan...)

gasganet · Post by **gasganet** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:32 am

I have five 80mm Noiseblockers, two S2, two S1 and one S3; except for the S1s they are using the included potentiometers.
The S2 run at about the same speed as my sleeve bearing Adda fans but are quieter and the sound is nicer. They also start at lower voltages.
The S3 clicks when undervolted but most of the sound I hear is air moving and they do move lots of it.
I think they are very good fans, but I am far from being an expert...

Edit:
There is one thing I forgot to say about my S3. It works as exhaust fan and is using the potentiometer but is also controlled by the motherboard software. Currently the speed goes from 1500 to 2100 rpm according to the CPU temperature and it works very well with speed changing in 3 or 4 seconds when I stop F@H.

nici · Post by **nici** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:36 pm

sun.moon wrote: I had intended stay with Noiseblocker, until my neighbor convinced me to try Papst for the heck of it (he is a Papst fan).

ROTFLMAO

Your neighbour is a Papst fan?

May i ask if he/she blows or sucks?

I understand what you mean, but its still bloody hilarious

I can´t stop laughing when i imagine my neighbour being a papst fan... Or any other make of fan for that matter.

"Knock Knock… Who's There? Ach Ach Who? Gesundtheit!"

I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks eye can knot sea.

Eye ran this poem threw it.
You sure reel glad two no
Its vary polished in it's weigh,
My checker tolled me sew.

A checker is a bless sing.
It freeze yew lodes of thymes.
It helps me right awl stiles two reeds,
And aides me when aye rime.

To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud.
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaws are knot aloud.

And now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
Their are know faults with in my cite.
Of none eye am a wear.

Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed to be a joule.
The checker poured oar every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.

That's why aye brake in two averse
By righting wants two pleas.
Sow now ewe sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear for pea seas!

Poet of Poet Tree knot known-

I think its time to get some sleep..

burcakb · Post by **burcakb** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 12:25 am

I've managed to assemble a small collection of fans from various manufacturers - including Noiseblocker.

I have the 80mm S2 and the 120mm SX2 (the supposedly überquiet one)

My take on noiseblocker is that yes the fans themselves are of good quality and they blow a lot of air for the sound they produce and most of the general populace would be very happy with them - just not SPCR regulars

The problem is with their designs. The fans are designed to run at 12V fixed. The ball bearings produce minimal noise at that speed and the air output is respectable. The S2 fits a nice spot for a quiet-computing seeker. The blacknoise 120mm fan blows an incredible amount of air for the noise but it's noisy. period. However, most of us here in SPCR run fans at far lower voltages - at which time the the ball bearings start clicking audiably - in inverse volume with the voltage. I've become too used to sleeve bearing fans and can't stand the click of a ball bearing fan.

Personally I think there are equivalent or better fans for the money than Noiseblockers. Plus, those potentiometers are really bad. I've managed to short all three of mine pretty fast.

jjr · Post by **jjr** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:29 am

Just a quick comment on the Noiseblocker fans.

I got a 12cm SX2 blue myself to use as a case exhaust fan that gave me full satisfaction. Listenning to it carefully its sound was already quite impressive at 12 volts.

I undervolted it a 5V with a Zalman multiconnector (arguably the best piece of silencing equipment you can got for 3€ ... or even a lot more) and its absolutely inaudible. Not a hint of clicking.

Actually they became quite popular here in Europe.
I suspect they wouldn't be if they had such problem.
Maybe a bad series or something to do with the way you undervolt them.

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:04 am

burcakb wrote:I have the 80mm S2 and the 120mm SX2 (the supposedly überquiet one)

The SX1 is the low noise model according to their site.
They call the fans Revision 1.2 now, dunno if it's only differences in the retail package like the text says, or if there are something about the fan itself.
pixmania.com have Noiseblocker fans and ships to most coutnries in Europe.

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:15 pm

I read somewhere (here or at Madshrimps) that Noisblocker has a new supplier for their fans. If that is so, then all the remarks above are no longer "valid".

Techno Pride · Post by **Techno Pride** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:58 pm

Tibors wrote:I read somewhere (here or at Madshrimps) that Noisblocker has a new supplier for their fans. If that is so, then all the remarks above are no longer "valid".

old -> Globe
new -> ADDA?

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:30 pm

No, more like:
old -> unknown chinese manufacturer
new -> another unknown chinese manufacturer

NOISEBLOCKER Ultra Silent Fans

Would you be interested in purchasing NOISEBLOCKER products if they were available in the United States?

NOISEBLOCKER Ultra Silent Fans