Quiet Fans

[new builder]

Hey guys,

I picked up a case that has room for 5 fans. One in the front (either 120mm, 90mm, or 80mm), one 80mm on the top, one 80mm on the side, and two 80mm on the back.

Do you guys have any recommendation for quiet ball baring fans? I mean really quiet? I found ones that are a little over 2000rpms and like 21db. Are these rpms to low?

Also, I realize that my front fan is an intake fan, but what others would be an intake fan. The side one? Would one of the back ones be an intake? (I would think not:confused: )

Thanks :cheers:

[ReSpAwN DeMoN]

I guess Sunon fans are quiet I have a bunch of sunon fans on my comp and when I unplug my delta on the wbk my computer is very quiet, well not compared to other computers but you get my point. Anyway I would assume that the front fan would be an intake fan the top fan would be exaust the side fan would be intake and the back fan would be exaust. Also the power supply which is as well an exaust fan. I guess its always better to have one more exaust then intake cause its better to vent hot air away from the components rather then to blow cool air on them.

[Darthtanion]

I've been using this set of Sunon fans for about three years now. Not only are they good, but they last quite a while.

[zeradul]

Sunons are Great, Panaflo's are also great.

Here is a site that can help you ALOT... if you don't see a Specific model on there, compare Sizes, CFM's and RPM's to estimate what the noise level will be.

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/tecar.html

And to start you off, most people consider the Delta 60mm "Black Label" Fan to be very Loud (that fan is listed as Fan #6 on that list. I had one in my case.... not for long..

You can use the 'dba' scale to reference. A fan rated at 42 dba, compared with a fan rated at 32 dba, will be twice as loud. Every 10 point increment higher, is TWICE as loud. dba is on an exponential scale, and so if you want quiet, shoot for fans that barely have visible graphs.

[ReSpAwN DeMoN]

I think it was 20DB that is absolutly silent. True?

[new builder]

Thanks guys, I'll look into those suggestions! What rpm speed should i be looking at with five fans (6 with the powers upply)?

Thnaks:p

[zeradul]

I think it was 20DB that is absolutly silent. True?

No. 20 db is a whisper... technically Zero is completely silent.

Taken from the lower part of the page I linked to above... :

the sound of a whisper rated at 20 dB; a vacuum cleaner rated at 70 dB; and a jet engine at take-off rated at 110 dB.

[chisholm]

yea generally anything under about 35db isn't annoying...although some manufacturers lie about their noise ratings...e.g thermaltake rate their blue orb @26db when it;s actually more like 40:cheers:

[drpeterbright]

The 21 db is fine, what's the cfm?

[zeradul]

I like stuff really quiet... so I shoot for under 30 almost all the time. And if the fans are on the outside edges of the case, then I shoot for under 25 because all that noise is coming right out.