Are these 2 results directly comparable??

[dan]

SPCR newest review
Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000 2TB 5940RPM Hard Drive
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1216-page7.html

AUDIO RECORDINGS

These recordings were made with a high resolution, lab quality, digital recording system inside SPCR's own 11 dBA ambient anechoic chamber, then converted to LAME 128kbps encoded MP3s. We've listened long and hard to ensure there is no audible degradation from the original WAV files to these MP3s. They represent a quick snapshot of what we heard during the review.

These recordings are intended to give you an idea of how the product sounds in actual use — one meter is a reasonable typical distance between a computer or computer component and your ear. The recording contains stretches of ambient noise that you can use to judge the relative loudness of the subject. Be aware that very quiet subjects may not be audible — if we couldn't hear it from one meter, chances are we couldn't record it either!

The recordings start with 5 to 10 seconds of ambient noise, then 10 second segments of the drive in the following states: idle, seek with AAM enabled (if applicable), and seek with AAM disabled.

Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000 2TB HDS5C3020ALA632 — Idle: 14~15 / Seek: 15 dBA@1m

Desktop 5,400~5,900 RPM Hard Drive Comparatives:

Samsung EcoGreen F3 2TB HD203WI — Idle: 16 / Seek: 18~19 dBA@1m
Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB HD204UI — Idle: 13 / Seek: 15 dBA@1m
Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB ST2000DL003 — Idle: 14~15 / Seek: 17~18 dBA@1m
Seagate Barracuda LP 2TB ST32000542AS — Idle: 15 / Seek: 17 dBA@1m
Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB WD15EADS — Idle: 13 / Seek (AAM/Normal): 14 dBA@1m
Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB WD20EADS — Idle: 13 / Seek (AAM): 13 / Seek: 13~14 dBA@1m

Desktop 7,200 RPM Hard Drive Comparatives:

Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.C 1TB HDS721010CLA332 — Idle: 13 / Seek: 17 dBA@1m
Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB ST32000651AS — Idle: 17 / Seek: 18~19 dBA@1m
Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB WD2001FASS — Idle: 16 / Seek: 21~23 dBA@1m
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB WD10EALS — Idle: 14 / Seek: 20 dBA@1m


Compared with this

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article917-page4.html
Momentus 5400.6 & Scorpio Blue: Seagate & WD 2.5" HDDs at 500GB


AUDIO RECORDINGS

These recordings were made with a high resolution, lab quality, digital recording system inside SPCR's own 11 dBA ambient anechoic chamber, then converted to LAME 128kbps encoded MP3s. We've listened long and hard to ensure there is no audible degradation from the original WAV files to these MP3s. They represent a quick snapshot of what we heard during the review.

These recordings are intended to give you an idea of how the product sounds in actual use — one meter is a reasonable typical distance between a computer or computer component and your ear. The recording contains stretches of ambient noise that you can use to judge the relative loudness of the subject. Be aware that very quiet subjects may not be audible — if we couldn't hear it from one meter, chances are we couldn't record it either!

The recordings start with 8 seconds of silence, then 10 second segments of the drive in the following states: idle, seek with AAM disabled. Ideally, you should set the volume of the playback during the "sound of silence", then do not touch the volume control again throughout the listening.

Seagate Momentus 5400.6 500GB ST9500325ASG — Idle: 16 / Seek: 18 dBA@1m— One Meter
WD Scorpio Blue 500GB WD5000BEVT— Idle: 15 / Seek: 16 dBA@1m— One Meter

Recordings of Desktop Drives in the anechoic chamber:

Seagate Pipeline HD Pro ST31000533CS — Idle: 15 / Seek: 16 dBA@1m— One Meter
WD Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS — Idle: 16 / Seek (AAM): 16~17 / Seek (Normal): 18~19 dBA@1m— One Meter
Samsung F1 3D HD753LJ — Idle: 16 / Seek (AAM): 18~19 / Seek (Normal): 20~21 dBA@1m— One Meter
Seagate 7200.11 1.5TB ST31500341AS — Idle: 17 / Seek: 19 dBA@1m— One Meter
Seagate 7200.11 1TB ST31000340AS — Idle: 18 / Seek: 19 dBA@1m— One Meter
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000KS — Idle: 19 / Seek (AAM): 19 / Seek (Normal): 22 dBA@1m— One Meter
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS — Idle: 21 / Seek (AAM): 21 / Seek (Normal): 25 dBA@1m— One Meter
Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD — Idle: 16 / Seek (AAM): 26~27 / Seek (Normal): 26~27 dBA@1m— One Meter


Quite a bit of difference

[quest_for_silence]

Quite a bit of difference

Why do you think they might not be directly comparable?

[dan]

Quite a bit of difference

Why do you think they might not be directly comparable?

Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB HD204UI — Idle: 13 / Seek: 15 dBA@1mSamsung F1 3D HD753LJ — Idle: 16 / Seek (AAM): 18~19 / Seek (Normal): 20~21 dBA@1m— One Meter

[HFat]

They both have three platters but the similarities stop there. One's an old 7200rpm and the other is a 5400rpm. The old 7200rpm should be noisier!

[dan]

They both have three platters but the similarities stop there. One's an old 7200rpm and the other is a 5400rpm. The old 7200rpm should be noisier!

so 3.5 WD is quieter than any 2.5 notebook drive?

[HFat]

There are very quiet 2.5'' drives but SPCR hasn't been searching for them. It's probably quieter than most 2.5'' drives when you hold it it your hand. In a case it's a different story unless you suspend the drive or otherwise dampen its motions.

[quest_for_silence]

They both have three platters but the similarities stop there. One's an old 7200rpm and the other is a 5400rpm. The old 7200rpm should be noisier!

so 3.5 WD is quieter than any 2.5 notebook drive?

Difficult to say for sure, but it's far to be unlikely (maybe the last Hitachi Travelstar could be noticeably better? Some 5400rpm Toshibas are also very quiet, particularly the 1.8" ones).

I have the previous WD EADS and a Momentus 7200.4: side by side, they are about on par, subjectively.
Moreover, I've encapsulated the 7200.4 in a Scythe Quiet Drive and it's virtually inaudible, even when seeking, in a mATX tower at 1 foot from my head (on the contrary, in the same enclosure a WD Scorpio Black is very noticeable for a touch of more performance).
The EADS is standard mounted with rails, but it's far away from me, and I can't hear it either.

I mean that currently power consumption is a more evident advantage than quietness, for notebook drives over desktop green ones (IMHO).