120mm Fan Testing on an MCR120 Radiator Round 6

[Martinm210]

Yeah Martin, don't take my comments as being I think they are wrong. Noise is subjective and I like worse case scenarios better than a "Rosy" picture. Everyone's hearing is different and while some might find one thing annoying others wouldn't be bothered by it, just look at how often people state pumps make a noise that bothers them. Anyway, I love the work, still trying to digest the data and figure out which would be the best rad fan. I am lazy in that respect which is why I want a list based on performance.

No problem

I completely agree with it, and experienced some of the ambient masking myself. A good example is the rosewill black fan. Under complete silence under testing conditions I can very clearly hear the motor tick the microphones pick up. However, I have that same fan temporarily serving some VGA extra cooling in my office case where I have 12 each yate mediums running strong. In my office amongst all the other noise, I can not hear the motor tick or the fan for that matter...everything blends and blurrs into one constant noise.

I think it has everything to do with ambient noise masking, you're not making anything up. The hard part is, the ambient noise level is going to be different for everyone...so it may or may not be noticeable..

It's all good

[Martinm210]

Sanyo Denki San Ace 9G1212M101 38mm

Special thanks to the finisher for sponsoring this fan

NOISE LEVEL
Relative to the yate medium, it's up to 2dbA louder at the lower end, about the same in the middle, and about 1dbA better at the high end and extends a fair amount beyond reach of the yate. Relative to the other fans tested, it was louder than average from about 4-6V, about average 7-9V, and slightly better than average from 10-12V

NOISE QUALITY
Very much like the 9G high speed, has a fairly pronounce motor noise at lower volts that doesn't really clean up until about 10-11V. While this is very subjective and extreme silence based testing, I have been recording every fan at the same Zoom H1 100% manual, low cut on, 12" distance. This fan has a more pronounced motor noise at lower volts, and I wouldn't recommend running under about 10V, it is really best suited running at 12V if possible. I do think the San Ace motor noise is generally smoother than that of the UK3 or PanoU. The UK3 has much more of a "Tick" where the San Ace is more of a motor bump as it turns. A few folks have expressed their own personal experience as one that they can barely here this noise I'm talking about.... So...take the noise quality notes with a grain of salt and listen to the videos with the understanding that this is worst case scenario testing here (absolute silence with an ultra high sensitive microphone) These types of noises are much less noticeable in a system where there are a multitude of there masking noises or ambient noises. As always, in order to split hairs, the testing sensitivity is turned up a notch. My suggestion is to find a similar fan you have on hand, and set the volume level to match what you are used to hearing, then start playing the videos and listen in..

OVERALL
Variable noise level and noise quality, with top notch build quality. Regardless, I much prefer the 9S, 25mm variety over these 38mm variants. The 9S models have exceptionally good noise quality in comparison. If you happen to be a San Ace fan "Fan", I would highly recommend looking more at the 25mm San Aces. While they did produce a higher noise level, I think their noise quality is far superior. The 9SH model also produced more CFM at 12V than this 9GM model did..

VIDEO LINK
Not yet processed at YT, but this link should work when it's ready:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaH1_qjMU5o

NOTE: I was not able to record RPM data in this test. I recorded what I could.








COMPARED TO ALL FANS TESTED SO FAR

[Martinm210]

Delta AFB1212VHE 38mm

Special thanks to Old Chap for sponsoring this fan..

I think I've found the GT of high speed, this fan has exemplary CFM/noise ratios at high speed!!

NOISE LEVEL
Nothing short of outstanding noise level per CFM, this fan is a good 5dbA lower in noise level than the best San Ace 109RH model and around 9 dbA lower in noise level than the Ultra Kaze 3000... wow

To rub salt in the wounds, the San Ace signs off at 61.5CFM, where this Delta model is just warming up...it carrys on clear to 82CFM...

NOISE QUALITY
This fan as most 38mm fan does have some ticking at very low voltages, but it seems to clean up pretty quickly in comparison. I would say it's mostly smooth by 6V and gone by 7V and of smooth noise the rest of the way. Granted any fan at 60+ dbA is what I would call very loud, this fan is doing much better than all the other 3000RPM capable fans in my opinion.

RANGE
1578-3843RPM is what I ended up getting when undervolting from 5V to 12V, pretty good.

KING OF POWER
By a fair margin, the strongest fan tested in this round so far.

INDUSTRIAL QUALITY
It's of very high industrial quality

OVERALL
This fan is the Gentle Typhoon of high speed fans, nothing short of amazing CFM per dbA ratios, and very good noise quality above about 6V. I'll give this fan two thumbs up for it's amazing CFM/noise ratio and awsome raw power.

VIDEO LINK
Here is the link, but still processing...it should be up later tonight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWwbxsoMo5c







COMPARED TO ALL FANS TESTED SO FAR

[MagisD]

Great work martin but I think we all need this question answered.

How many of these to I need to make my own hoverboard ?

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk

[Martinm210]

Great work martin but I think we all need this question answered.

How many of these to I need to make my own hoverboard ?

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk

Wait until the video uploads, it darn near turned my flow chamber into a mini rocket..I thought I was going to have to break out the tie downs for a minute there...

[Vapor]

Wow, that looks like a killer high speed fan! Great tests, great presentation, great everything....keep it up!

[Martinm210]

Wow, that looks like a killer high speed fan! Great tests, great presentation, great everything....keep it up!

Thanks!

I was pretty excited when I processed the Delta...finally something near GT noise ratios for the high speed folks. While I can't stand anything much over 1000RPMs, it's good for those that don't mind.

Anyhow, going to be quiet on the fan testing front for about a week. I do have a few more videos to process like the Papst, yates, and slipstream, but that's about it. I may have a few more in the mail somewhere, but nothing more has shown up at the door.

I'm cutting off any more 120 offers and plan to shift over to 140s after I get these last few 120s done.

[Church]

Sweet results. Delta managed to surprise with noise/cfm being that good/apart from rest. San Ace fan 'fans' will have less to brag about

[Boulard83]

Wow, these VHE looks amazing !

[nex_73]

Woah, those Deltas looks promising!
Only 3-4 dBA over the GT's, not to bad!
However you might not want to start off at GT15's highest noise/CFM level
Good thing lower spec's are available.
As the VHE=4000rpm you also have: HHE=3500rpm, HE=3000rpm, ME=2500rpm & LE=2000rpm
So the Delta AFB1212HE look mighty interesting, would give roughly a range from approx 1162rpm 25CFM+ 42dBA @5v to 2922rpm 67CFM + 61dBA @12v
That's a start on par with the GT14's highest levels, which i think the most can live with?
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/deaf12rechis.html
But where to buy them here in europe, any1 knows?

[Church]

If receiving 120mm offers weren't cut someone should send to Martin those lower speed deltas. After all, finally GT level of noise/cfm in another fan. Heck, 120mm fans been around for so long, oh why do all the other vendors have problem releasing better ones?

[OldChap]

Martin, I had a feeling that you might get this result with the delta... Many thanks for all of your hard work.

The one I would now really like to compare to the delta is its brother the 3 blade 140ish cfm version...from a noise perspective my untrained ear says it is better but when we first tried to get this it was out of stock at the suppliers.

If you have a chance to get hold of a Delta EFB1212SHE I feel it might interest you......Anyone?

Like you I am curious to see how the 140's stack up against the best of the 120's....It seems a much more limited choice...will this mean less research has been done to build a good one?

EDIT: I know you said you want to close the 120 testing but if all else failed I could send one from here (it just costs about $40 for the postage) I fully agree with Churchy ...It might be worth trying to get any of the slower Deltas tested to see if we might be able to fill in the gap between the gt's and the delta tested

[Martinm210]

Ok, I'll hold it open if folks want to see some more deltas since the VHE did so well....…

I have a little left in my RatDog sponsored fan fund, just think about one maybe two that you think are good options to consider. Seems like SWC was out of stock on several, but maybe SVC or someone else has what we want to see tested?

I'd like to find one that bridges that gap a little better.

[OldChap]

I will have a look, after work, to see if I can source anything....If the fund is low I will add to it rather than pay shipping

The EFB's I have here will start/run quite happily at 4v and are only marginally less good for pressure... over the next 24 hours I will test one for minimum start and run voltages. It will be just our luck to find the missing intermediate fan then for it to be out of stock everywhere.

EDIT: Do you think we should concentrate on the 38mm fans or maybe consider one of their 25mm versions.... I think I might be able to get/borrow one of those from Dave.

Those interested in the mid range test ...can we decide on 1 maybe 2 Versions to be tested here... we don't want to swamp Martin now do we

[nex_73]

As erlier mentioned AFB1212HE & EFB HE or HHE get my vote in that case. So you at least can start the fan at reasonable noice level

[adamwzl]

Martin thanks for all the testing you have done. All the research and testing you have done is really helping me narrow down my fan replacements.


Though I've came across these fans at performance-pcs and I am a little reluctant to purchase them because their specs seem to be to good for the price and its a name I have never heard of before.

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=24965

Anyone else heard of the name GELID Solutions before?

[Waterlogged]

Martin thanks for all the testing you have done. All the research and testing you have done is really helping me narrow down my fan replacements.


Though I've came across these fans at performance-pcs and I am a little reluctant to purchase them because their specs seem to be to good for the price and its a name I have never heard of before.

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=24965

Anyone else heard of the name GELID Solutions before?

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...4&postcount=29

[adamwzl]

Thanks waterlogged.

[Martinm210]

I will have a look, after work, to see if I can source anything....If the fund is low I will add to it rather than pay shipping

The EFB's I have here will start/run quite happily at 4v and are only marginally less good for pressure... over the next 24 hours I will test one for minimum start and run voltages. It will be just our luck to find the missing intermediate fan then for it to be out of stock everywhere.

EDIT: Do you think we should concentrate on the 38mm fans or maybe consider one of their 25mm versions.... I think I might be able to get/borrow one of those from Dave.

Those interested in the mid range test ...can we decide on 1 maybe 2 Versions to be tested here... we don't want to swamp Martin now do we

As erlier mentioned AFB1212HE & EFB HE or HHE get my vote in that case. So you at least can start the fan at reasonable noice level

FCPU has a few different ones in stock, I'm just clueless about revision types or Delta fans in general. I had an SHE model in my old round 2 testing and it seemed to do pretty well back then too, but that was a while back and I can't remember the details and my video/audio quality was pretty poor.

Maybe these two??

AFB-HHE 38mm?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/81...?tl=g36c15s562


AFC-D 25mm?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/85...l?tl=g36c15s60

OR
Sidewinder has the better prices, but most of them are OOS there except for the AFB-HE
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/deaf12rechis.html

OR ?

If you have other suggestion. I figured maybe trying two fans, ordered from the same place, and I'm not sure if 25mm is any good or not. The only thing to catch my eye is the SHE and VHE have the same RPM but very difference CFM levels, so the blade angle must be very different. I'm leaning toward guessing maybe the HHE would have a similar VHE like pitch since it's only turning at 2900RPM.

I just don't trust my guessing anymore, I keep guessing wrong...lol!

[Martinm210]

Oh....found a 4 pin PWM variety...that might just be the ticket??
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/85...?tl=g36c15s562

I've got a 4 pin controller now, and supposedly PWM control on these is supposed to be better. Any thoughts?

[OldChap]

Maybe found 1 candidate
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/...AFB1212HE.aspx
Maybe orderable
http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/166...2hhe-tp02.html or http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=24322

Then for efb's

http://www.codemicro.com/store/product/EFB1212VHEF00/Refurbished

and

http://www.subzeropcs.com/delta_efb1...oling_fan.html

[asura]

I can't speak for all fans, but the idea behind four pin control, is that the pulse signal is then converted into a steady voltage, so as to avoid on-off isues... but I don't fully understand it, (probably because I haven't taken the time to read the document fully)

Find the 4pin specification here

[nex_73]

Maybe found 1 candidate
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/...AFB1212HE.aspx

+1 on those. Nice find! Really good price to

[OldChap]

Living this side of the pond means it is a PITA getting stuff organised so when Martin is free I will arrange the cash for him to order whichever he is prepared to test.

By the way I once owned the Delta FFB1212VHE, That one might be in the drawer still It is a totally different style of fan ...one word...noisy

[Martinm210]

Out of town atm(DROID surfin), but I'm thinking I'll order that AFBHE rev3 from sidewinders. I'm also curious about the PWM version, but I'm not sure it has all the rev3 goodness.