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NOISEBLOCKER ULTRA SILENT FAN SE2 AND BLACK SILENT
FAN XE1
Ambient noise at the time of testing was 18 dBA.
|
Ultra Silent Fan SE2 (NB-USF SE2)
|
| Brand |
Noiseblocker |
Power Rating |
0.13A |
| Manufacturer |
Y. S. Tech. |
Airflow Rating |
38 CFM |
| Model Number |
NB-USF SE2 |
RPM Rating |
1,850 RPM |
| Retail Availability |
Yes |
Noise Rating |
22 dBA |
| Bearing Type |
Double Ball Bearing |
Header Type |
3-pin |
| Hub Size |
1.27" |
Starting Voltage |
3.9V |
| Frame Size |
92 x 92 x 25 |
Number of Samples |
2 |
|
Our thanks to Noiseblocker
for supplying
these samples.
|
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
CFM
|
Power
|
|
12V
|
28 dBA@1m
|
1780 RPM
|
41 CFM
|
0.80W
|
|
9V
|
23 dBA@1m
|
1330 RPM
|
31 CFM
|
0.62W
|
|
7V
|
21 dBA@1m
|
1030 RPM
|
23 CFM
|
0.50W
|
|
5V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
690 RPM
|
13 CFM
|
0.40W
|
|
@15 CFM (5.4V)
|
~20 dBA@1m
|
750 RPM
|
15 CFM
|
0.42W
|
May 5, 2008
The updated airflow results here are the result of improvements
in our testing procedures. They are more accurate than the original results
above, but they are not directly comparable. Please compare these only with
fan reviews published after May 5, 2008 — or ones that have updated
results published in a box like this one. |
|
12V
|
28 dBA@1m
|
1780 RPM
|
26 CFM
|
0.80W
|
|
9V
|
23 dBA@1m
|
1330 RPM
|
20 CFM
|
0.62W
|
|
7V
|
21 dBA@1m
|
1030 RPM
|
16 CFM
|
0.50W
|
|
5V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
690 RPM
|
10 CFM
|
0.40W
|
|
@15 CFM (6.8V)
|
~20 dBA@1m
|
980 RPM
|
15 CFM
|
0.48W
|
The Noiseblocker SE2 is barely worthy of note. It is included here mainly because
it is identical to the Coolink X9 series,
with the following "important" differences:
- It has blue fins instead of green
- It has a Noiseblocker label
- The retail package includes silicone grommets and a fan controller
We refer you to the previous page
to find out why we don't think it worthy of further comment.
|
Black Silent Fan XE1
|
| Brand |
Noiseblocker |
Power Rating |
0.10A |
| Manufacturer |
Noiseblocker |
Airflow Rating |
28.9 CFM |
| Model Number |
Black Silent Fan XE1 |
RPM Rating |
1,400 RPM |
| Retail Availability |
Yes |
Noise Rating |
17 dBA |
| Bearing Type |
Sleeve |
Header Type |
3-pin |
| Hub Size |
1.37" |
Starting Voltage |
3.9V |
| Frame Size |
92 x 92 x 25 mm |
Number of Samples |
3 |
|
Our thanks to Noiseblocker
for supplying
these samples.
|
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
CFM
|
Power
|
|
12V
|
21 dBA@1m
|
1490 RPM
|
34 CFM
|
1.11W
|
|
9V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
1180 RPM
|
26 CFM
|
0.81W
|
|
7V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
930 RPM
|
20 CFM
|
0.64W
|
|
5V
|
<18 dBA@1m
|
630 RPM
|
12 CFM
|
0.45W
|
|
@15 CFM (5.8V)
|
<18 dBA@1m
|
760 RPM
|
15 CFM
|
0.52W
|
May 5, 2008
The updated airflow results here are the result of improvements
in our testing procedures. They are more accurate than the original results
above, but they are not directly comparable. Please compare these only with
fan reviews published after May 5, 2008 — or ones that have updated
results published in a box like this one. |
|
12V
|
21 dBA@1m
|
1490 RPM
|
22 CFM
|
1.11W
|
|
9V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
1180 RPM
|
18 CFM
|
0.81W
|
|
7V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
930 RPM
|
14 CFM
|
0.64W
|
|
5V
|
<18 dBA@1m
|
630 RPM
|
9 CFM
|
0.45W
|
|
@15 CFM (7.7V)
|
<18 dBA@1m
|
1040 RPM
|
15 CFM
|
0.70W
|
The Black Silent Fan XE1, on the other hand, is a very different beast, despite
having similar semi-transparent blue fins. If somebody recommends you a Noiseblocker
fan, it's probably this one, not the previous one that he's talking about. Aside
from the blue fins, it's fairly evident that the manufacturers for the XE1 and
the SE2 are not the same. Differences in blade style, frame shape, and, most
importantly, noise character all prove that these are two very different beasts.
The XE1 sounds almost identical to the Nexus. It's very smooth, and it is inaudible
below about ~7V. In fact, until we started breaking down the data and doing
comparisons on the basis of noise for airflow, we were hard pressed to call
a victor between the two. However, when airflow is taken into account, it's
clear that the Nexus has a tiny edge. The difference is not much — we really
had to hunt for it — but it does seem to be there.
The main difference is in the tonal quality of the noise. While both fans sound
smooth and fairly low pitched, the XE1 seems just a little harsher than the
Nexus. It also has a small range (9~10V) where it produces a quiet overtone,
giving the noise a harmonic "two-tone" quality. This is only of real
concern if the fan is thermally controlled; it's easy enough to avoid the 9~10V
range if the fan's speed is adjusted once and set for good.
The XE1 also seems to stay audible for slightly longer than the Nexus. The
threshold of audibility for the Nexus is roughly ~21 CFM, while the XE1 didn't
disappear until ~18 CFM. This is not a large difference though; it's unlikely
to amount to more than a single degree difference in cooling power — and
that mounted directly on a heatsink. In the context of a case fan, the difference
is irrelevant.
Noiseblocker lists the bearing type as a "longlife" sleeve bearing,
but it's not at all clear what "longlife" means or how it is achieved.
The MTBF specification is listed at <68,000 hours, which puts the 20,000
hour rating of the Nexus' sleeve bearing (see Dynatron's
web site) to shame. On the other hand, the Fander FX92-W is rated for 80,000
hours. Given how much controversy there is around the MTBF, we suggest taking
all of these numbers with a grain of salt. However, we do recommend paying attention
to the way the XE1 is mounted; our testing showed that the rotation speed dropped
by ~7% when the XE1 was blowing downwards.
The XE1 and the Nexus share one other trait: We examined three samples of both,
and in both cases found one sample that had a slight ticking. It seems that
Noiseblocker is not immune from sample variance...
Noise Recordings
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