yangsheng104 Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Hi, I just bought my first case fan and I am pretty excited about this AF140 quiet edition after reading reviews about how quiet it is. However, after installing it, i found it to be even louder than my stock fan on the NZXT H440. I measured it with an app and it appears to be 49dBA running at 1000rpm. I believe the fan is spec'd at ~25 dBA. Why is my fan so much louder than advertised? **Please don't just tell me to lower the voltage** I would like to actually find the cause of this and solve it instead of lowering the voltage. I want it to run quiet and fast, not just quiet. ps: Also, if I turn the fan speed all the way up, I notice a buzzing noise that is quite annoying. I suspect that to be normal on such a 'silent' fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Nearly all manufacturers do their sound testing in an anechoic chamber. By removing the noise floor completely, you get a lower measured number. If all manufacturers used the exact same equipment, then it would have a little more utility. You might be able to get a closer reading by subtracting the baseline "middle of your room" reading from the 49 dBA. However, I would encourage you to skip the sound pressure level testing all together. Actual pressure volume is rarely the cause of irritation. The frequency of those sound waves are another matter and you don't need $14,000 piece of equipment to tell you when something sounds annoying. Your case, the filters, the blade design, and speed all play a factor in the sound that comes out. As such, it's hard to guarantee it's perfect for you. I have more than 200 different fans. I have always found the AF140 to be generally pleasing and the box specifications to be fair and reasonable. Detach the fan from the case and run it in free air. This should make it easy to tell if you are hearing air movement noise when on the case, or whether there is a problem with the motor. All fans are going to be noticeable at 90% or more, but the AF140 should be fairly gentle up to 900 rpm or so. Where are you trying to use it? Rear exhaust or front intake? It is possible the blade design doesn't match well with the front intake cover, but the 440 is a popular case and I haven't seen any specific complaints about the combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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