How important are shrouds?

I am curious as to how important or influential shrouds are, as I would think just attaching the fan right to the heatercore would be just as effective. I am about to do first water build and want to know whether it is worth it to buy a shroud or not.

Thanks

well, for heatercores the HC is quite bigger than the fan so the shroud lets you take advantage of all the surface area you have available to you.

Shrouds are very important for performance. Fans need some distance between the fan surface and the heatercore surface to cool them effectively, because of the dead spot in the middle of the fan. A shroud as Arkangyl mentioned helps cover more surface area, which in turn eliminates the dead spot. However, if a fan is mounted directly onto the heatercore, there are areas that get no cooling whatsoever. For a 120mm fan, you want about a 1.5-2" standoff, or the height of the shroud to properly eliminate the dead spot.

Torin is very correct and so its arkangyl, and here is the 3rd argument for a shroud. As well as getting rid of the dead spot, it reduces air tubulence which reduces noise as the fans are further away from any flat surface. 4th argument beeing is that since the fans are further away they are allowed to work more effeicnetly and thus give better air flow for a given voltage.

all in all shrouds are NECCESARY for heatercores...

Thanks a lot guys, sounds like I will buying or building a shroud.

talk to weapon.. he has some godly shrouds he will be selling...