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NOISEBLOCKER BLACK SILENT FAN XL-1 REV. 2.0
Ambient noise at the time of testing was 18 dBA.
| Brand |
Noiseblocker |
Power Rating |
0.11A / 1.8W |
| Manufacturer |
Noiseblocker |
Airflow Rating |
33.5 CFM |
| Model Number |
NB-BlackSilentFan XL-1 Rev. 2.0 |
RPM Rating |
1,000 ± 10% RPM |
| Retail Availability |
Yes |
Noise Rating |
16 dBA |
| Bearing Type |
"Longlife" Sleeve |
Header Type |
3-pin |
| Hub Size |
1.56" |
Starting Voltage |
5.0V |
| Frame Size |
120 x 120 x 25 mm |
Number of Samples |
3 |
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
CFM
|
Power
|
|
12V
|
22 dBA@1m
|
1100 RPM
|
34 CFM
|
0.92W
|
|
9V
|
20 dBA@1m
|
870 RPM
|
25 CFM
|
0.67W
|
|
7V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
690 RPM
|
19 CFM
|
0.51W
|
|
5V
|
<18 dBA@1m
|
490 RPM
|
14 CFM
|
0.36W
|
|
@25 CFM (9.0V)
|
20 dBA@1m
|
870 RPM
|
25 CFM
|
0.67W
|
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
|
22 dBA@1m
|
1100 RPM
|
27 CFM
|
0.92W
|
|
9V
|
20 dBA@1m
|
870 RPM
|
22 CFM
|
0.67W
|
|
7V
|
~19 dBA@1m
|
690 RPM
|
18 CFM
|
0.51W
|
|
5V
|
<18 dBA@1m
|
490 RPM
|
12 CFM
|
0.36W
|
|
@20 CFM (8.2V)
|
20 dBA@1m
|
780 RPM
|
20 CFM
|
0.59W
|
Along with Fander, we discovered that Noiseblocker makes quiet fans in our
last 92mm roundup And, unlike Fander, the 120mm Noiseblocker that we looked
at — a Black Silent Fan XL-1 Rev. 2.0 — we had no issues with sample
variance to ruin our impression of the manufacturer.
In some ways, this is a pity, as it leaves us with very little to say about
the Noiseblocker, despite it's excellent quality. Of all the fans in this roundup,
the XL-1 was the most consistently quiet, and it had the best noise signature.
Be that as it may, there's little to be said about the XL-1 that we
didn't already say about the 92mm XE-1. The XL-1 is basically the same fan
in a 120mm form factor.
To summarize: It sounds very similar to a Nexus, with the same low, smooth
noise character that disappears around ~7V. As with the XE-1, the noise character
is a little more tonal, and can be heard at a slightly lower speed, but the
difference is too small to be truly relevant. The "longlife" sleeve
bearings do seem to be specified for longer than usual for sleeve bearings,
but they suffer from the same orientation sensitive issues as any other sleeve
bearing: Increased wear and decreased speed when mounted horizontally.
The only real difference is that the competition in the 120mm form factor is
fiercer; Scythe's S-Flex and Noctua's NF-S12 series both provide tough competition,
and, as always, Nexus' 120mm fan is a classic. The color of the Noiseblocker's
blades may be the only thing that makes it stand out, but an unusual color makes
for a pretty weak recommendation. Our conclusion: The XL-1 is definitely quiet
enough to contend with the best, but there's no need to go looking for it if
one of our other recommendations is available.
Noise Recording
ACOUSTIFAN AF120C / GLOBE FAN S1202512L-3M
Ambient noise at the time of testing was 18 dBA.
|
ACOUSTIFAN AF120C
|
| Brand |
Acousti
Products |
Power Rating |
0.18A / 2.16W |
| Manufacturer |
Globe
Fan |
Airflow Rating |
50 CFM |
| Model Number |
AF120C |
RPM Rating |
2,000 RPM |
| Retail Availability |
Yes |
Noise Rating |
34.0 dBA |
| Bearing Type |
Sleeve |
Header Type |
3-pin |
| Hub Size |
1.76" |
Starting Voltage |
4.3V |
| Frame Size |
120 x 120 x 25 mm |
Number of Samples |
2 |
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
CFM
|
Power
|
|
12V
|
34 dBA@1m
|
1810 RPM
|
57 CFM
|
1.72W
|
|
9V
|
30 dBA@1m
|
1410 RPM
|
40 CFM
|
1.23W
|
|
7V
|
23 dBA@1m
|
1100 RPM
|
30 CFM
|
0.93W
|
|
5V
|
20 dBA@1m
|
670 RPM
|
18 CFM
|
0.64W
|
|
@25 CFM (6.5V)
|
22 dBA@1m
|
1020 RPM
|
25 CFM
|
0.87W
|
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
|
34 dBA@1m
|
1810 RPM
|
48 CFM
|
1.72W
|
|
9V
|
30 dBA@1m
|
1410 RPM
|
35 CFM
|
1.23W
|
|
7V
|
23 dBA@1m
|
1100 RPM
|
24 CFM
|
0.93W
|
|
5V
|
20 dBA@1m
|
670 RPM
|
17 CFM
|
0.64W
|
|
@20 CFM (5.8V)
|
22 dBA@1m
|
850 RPM
|
20 CFM
|
0.67W
|
AcoustiProducts is another brand that we saw in our
92mm roundup, but, unlike the Fander and the Noiseblocker, it wasn't quite
up to snuff in the noise department. We include the 120mm version here because
we happen to have two fans from Globe
Fan that have the same model number. It's quite clear that Globe Fan manufactures
the AF120C for AcoustiProducts. Not only is the model number identical, but
the fans also feature an identical thermistor that varies the fan speed based
on temperature. Even the style and color of the label is the same, though of
course the logo and brand name are different.
The only real differences between the two fans are the type of plastic used
for the housing (the AcoustiFan is clear), and the fact that AcoustiFan bundles
the fan with silicone grommets and a resistor that drops a 12V input down to
~7.5V. Oh, and presumably Acoustifan marks up the price, though it proved difficult
to find either of the fans for sale online.
The thermal control is more of a gimmick than a useful feature. The thermal
curve that determines the speed of the fan cannot be set externally, which means
that, although the fan does change speed according to temperature, it is nearly
impossible to set the fan at the right speed for a given temperature.
On top of that, a constant speed fan is nearly always preferable to one that
changes speed, since a changing noise is much more readily noticed than a steady
one.
Despite being thermally controlled, the fan spins quite quickly at room temperature
in the SPCR lab (20°C). This is cooler than many places in the world, and
it's definitely cooler than the 35°C+ that is typical inside a computer
case. The minimum speed we saw was 1,400 RPM, leaving just 600 RPM of adjustment
range below the fan's rated speed of 2,000 RPM. Given that we rarely recommend
running a 120mm fan above 1,000 RPM, we consider the AcoustiFan unsuitably fast
unless the included resistor is used. Even then, the speed hovers around ~1,000
RPM at 20°C, which suggests that it would still be running too fast in an
actual system.
For testing purposes, we short-circuited the thermistor and then proceeded
to test the fan in our usual way. As always, we were interested mostly in how
the fan sounded at slow speeds, which in this case meant less than 7V.
The acoustic difference between the opaque Globe fan and the transparent AcoustiFan
was quite remarkable. We've often said that transparent plastic is unsuitable
for use in quiet computers, and listening to the two fans side-by-side demonstrated
why. Both fans demonstrated the same underlying growl that increased in pitch
and volume as the speed increased, but the transparent AcoustiFan also had a
ringing overtone: The sound of the brittle transparent plastic resonating. At
higher speeds, the noise was especially intrusive, since it developed a throbbing
or thrumming that drew attention to itself. This effect can be heard clearly
in the recordings linked to below.
Unfortunately, our impression of the 120mm AcoustiFan was much the same as
the 92mm version that we saw. The fan spins too fast, and the noise character
is too rough to give this fan serious consideration. And, while the resistor
and the thermal control are nice gestures towards silencing, they're not all
that useful in the grand scheme of things. The resistor lacks the flexibility
of a variable fan controller (such as the one Fander builds into their fans),
while thermal control is too often a hindrance rather than a help when it comes
to silencing.
|
GLOBE FAN S1202512L-3M
|
| Brand |
Globe
Fan |
Power Rating |
0.18A / 2.16W |
| Manufacturer |
Globe
Fan |
Airflow Rating |
67.28 CFM |
| Model Number |
S1202512L-3M |
RPM Rating |
2,000 RPM |
| Retail Availability |
Limited |
Noise Rating |
34.0 dBA |
| Bearing Type |
Sleeve |
Header Type |
3-pin |
| Hub Size |
1.76" |
Starting Voltage |
4.3V |
| Frame Size |
120 x 120 x 25 mm |
Number of Samples |
2 |
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
CFM
|
Power
|
|
12V
|
36 dBA@1m
|
1810 RPM
|
57 CFM
|
1.72W
|
|
9V
|
29 dBA@1m
|
1410 RPM
|
40 CFM
|
1.23W
|
|
7V
|
23 dBA@1m
|
1100 RPM
|
30 CFM
|
0.93W
|
|
5V
|
20 dBA@1m
|
670 RPM
|
18 CFM
|
0.64W
|
|
@25 CFM (6.5V)
|
22 dBA@1m
|
1020 RPM
|
25 CFM
|
0.87W
|
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
|
34 dBA@1m
|
1810 RPM
|
51 CFM
|
1.72W
|
|
9V
|
30 dBA@1m
|
1410 RPM
|
38 CFM
|
1.23W
|
|
7V
|
23 dBA@1m
|
1100 RPM
|
27 CFM
|
0.93W
|
|
5V
|
20 dBA@1m
|
670 RPM
|
19 CFM
|
0.64W
|
|
@20 CFM (5.2V)
|
22 dBA@1m
|
800 RPM
|
20 CFM
|
0.67W
|
Noise Recordings
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