Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

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Kane649
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Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 11:04 am

Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by Kane649 » Sat Apr 20, 2019 11:17 am

Hello,

I've bought this case a few months ago, I'm quite happy with it, but there is one issue I can't seem to fix. The front intake is noisy - even at low RPMs there is always some humming, vibrating noise coming from them.
At first I thoughts it's the fans - I had 2x Noiseblocker Eloop 140 mm-s but I only read it later that apparently these aren't the best for intake, so I sold them and bought the Blacksilent Pro 140 mm ones - same issue. I tried it with/without the plastic frame they include with the fan but doesn't help.

The fans are pretty much silent outside of the case, but they are annoying inside. Now I'm thinking about buying 2xNoctua A14's but possible they will have the same issues ?

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by Abula » Sat Apr 20, 2019 12:13 pm

Welcome to SPCR!!!!

To me the best 140mm fans atm are be quiet! BL067 SILENTWINGS 3 PWM, you do need to lower them some, depending on your cooling needs. If you have PWM thats the correct version, if you do voltage control then be quiet! BL065 SILENTWINGS 3 140mm, regardless of which you will need to drop some the rpms for them to be inaudible or quiet.

If you want to go with noctua, go ahead, i personally dont like their A14 sonic signature behind filters above 800rpms, but if you can keep them below that they are good option. Btw the enloop do have a hum behind filters, but the Blacksilent Pro shouldnt its more because of the enloop design, but i havent used more than a couple of years and werent behind filters.

Kane649
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 11:04 am

Re: Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by Kane649 » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:31 am

Yeah, I checked those too, but they seem to have pretty low airflow compared to the others. Now I read some Noctua user reviews and many people say they had the humming noise with Fractal cases, so that's out too.

I'm going to buy one SW3 and check it out. Thanks!

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by Abula » Sun Apr 21, 2019 7:08 am

Kane649 wrote:Yeah, I checked those too, but they seem to have pretty low airflow compared to the others. Now I read some Noctua user reviews and many people say they had the humming noise with Fractal cases, so that's out too.

I'm going to buy one SW3 and check it out. Thanks!
Another thing you could do, is go with 120s, the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM below 800rpm should be pretty quiet.

If neither works for you, then i would suggest to start looking for another case, probably the filter or the intake is what causing the hum that you hear, not all people are affected in the same way by certain noise ranges, so you might have a case that for you simply dont work.

teodoro
Posts: 58
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:40 pm

Re: Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by teodoro » Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:21 am

Abula, do you happen to know at approximately what speed you find the bequiet sw3 140 noise matches the a12x25 <=800rpm noise?

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by Abula » Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:37 am

teodoro wrote:Abula, do you happen to know at approximately what speed you find the bequiet sw3 140 noise matches the a12x25 <=800rpm noise?
I havent compared them directly as i did with the 120mm fans, but i usually run my BQ SW3 around 500 rpms and i cant hear them on the front of my case, but YMMV depending on your case and filters. Also remember my comments about the Noctua were on a Mugen5 on a test bench, not on a case behind a fan filter, so you might need to lower a little more.

Roger7
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 7:27 am

Re: Best fans for filtered intake (Define Mini C) ?

Post by Roger7 » Sun Nov 17, 2019 7:58 pm

Abula wrote:Welcome to SPCR!!!!

To me the best 140mm fans atm are be quiet! BL067 SILENTWINGS 3 PWM, you do need to lower them some, depending on your cooling needs. If you have PWM thats the correct version, if you do voltage control then be quiet! BL065 SILENTWINGS 3 140mm, regardless of which you will need to drop some the rpms for them to be inaudible or quiet.

If you want to go with noctua, go ahead, i personally dont like their A14 sonic signature behind filters above 800rpms, but if you can keep them below that they are good option. Btw the enloop do have a hum behind filters, but the Blacksilent Pro shouldnt its more because of the enloop design, but i havent used more than a couple of years and werent behind filters.
Hi Abula, hi SPCR!

I have a big HTPC case Nanoxia Project S.
Need some fan advise.
Intake at front could be 140/120 x 2: I'm thinking of Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3 140mm pwm, Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, Thermalright TY-147A/B or SQ

The rest probably Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM:
Intake at left 120 x 2
Exhaust at right 120 x 3
Exhaust at rear 120 x 1

What do you think?
Thanks

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