Just got AxeII... wow, fan noise.

Yeah, mine fluctuates also. I sure hope it does calm down after a bit. I'll try moving it under the desk anyway. And as for playing volume... I like my dynamics! Silence owns.

Edit: Moved it. It's better, but it's still the loudest thing in the entire place next to the fridge. Probably wouldn't be half as irritating if it weren't for the fluctuating. Either way, this situation still isn't tenable and I had to turn it off after five minutes.

Does anyone have more to say on these Papst fans vs. the apparently ineffectual SilenX?
 
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Rane said:
This.

My Recto was way louder than my Axe II, so to me the fan is quiet. I've never noticed any of the fan revving that some speak of, and I almost never even notice the fan. Honestly, even if it was sitting on the desk next to me (and it has been), I wouldn't really notice it. I really wonder if some are louder than others or if it's just a individual sensitivity thing.
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I think its both of those factors combined. I've run a hot laptop on top of a glyph external hard drove on top of the ax fx standard on top of a digi 002 and the noise (if you were quiet enough) is there but as soon as I start playing/recording it goes away completely. The glyph drive and the laptop are way louder than my axe fx and even then I can care less. Maybe I got lucky? Maybe I'm also deaf? Who knows? Only thing I can think of that OP can do is replace the fan or play louder :D
 
Hmmm? They definitely must vary-I have my AFII in Gator 2S-Shallow. About 3 ft to my right as I record in a home studio. My fan noise is fine-less than my Ultra was. I did change the fan on the Ultra after a year or so. It was very, very quiet then. But I heitate with the II mainly because it is not a problem at all and I am in a small area pretty much-Just my story of course.
 
jdolll said:
My fan is not loud at all, methinks people whine about this way too much.
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In a studio environment it's irritating when you're trying to listen to something critical and you have to "try" to tune out this fan noise...I had to replace a power supply in my G8 because one of the transformers stated "buzzing" and it was making a mid-high pitch "buzz/hiss"...and it wasn't half as bad as the AXE2 fan...
 
jdolll said:
My fan is not loud at all, methinks people whine about this way too much.
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BrianJ said:
In a studio environment it's irritating when you're trying to listen to something critical and you have to "try" to tune out this fan noise...I had to replace a power supply in my G8 because one of the transformers stated "buzzing" and it was making a mid-high pitch "buzz/hiss"...and it wasn't half as bad as the AXE2 fan...
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Clearly some people are more sensitive to fan noise than others. I find droning machine noise of any kind fatiguing, and it can quickly wear down a creative "vibe" in a quiet room where people are collaborating on anything creative or "right brained". Yes, that is a sweeping generalization, but one I have observed on many occasions. I call it "negative noise", and people seem to intuitively understand what I mean when I say that.
 
You guys must be living in a really quiet neighborhood. Mine is terribly noisy so I don't hear the fan so often. If you are giggin, I am sure it doesn't make any difference.
 
The stock fan is loud if unit is used at relatively quiet home environment as an audio interface.
The noise part because of the fan, part because of the rubber support under the fan. Use something which is both soft and vibration absorbing (e.g. packaging filler) to replace the stock rubber support, the noise will go down a level. Use a silent fan to replace the stock fan, it will make it complete silent.
 
levipeto said:
Maybe, it has something to do with that you played your Rectro too loud, before? Now, you don't hear the fans anymore. ;)
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LOL Naw, that's not it. I'm very protective when it comes to my hearing. My friends mock me for wearing earplugs to shows. That's one thing that's nice about the Axe Fx: you don't have to crank it to get good tone.
 
BrianJ said:
Found this on Youtube...

Axe Fx II - Fan Replacement - YouTube
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I just happened to have the same fan so I just replaced mine. The sound in the video is "accurate". The difference in fan noise is that dramatic. I replaced the rubber spacers between fan and case with 1/4" rubber washers. In the video, he puts the fan right against the case which I think is not good since it inhibits air flow behind the fan (I believe Cliff warned against this as well). Maybe it's ok, but having the 1/4" space between fan and case allows air to flow with enough space to screw the fan in place.

Tools and material:
Hand only (don't use a drill and risk stripping the screws)

1 9/32 socket for the nuts on the fan (a smaller adjustable wrench will do)
1 Philips head screwdriver for the case screws
4 1/4" or 3/8" black rubber washers

I think this fan gets louder over time so it may need to be replaced again but I'm ok with that.
 
grape said:
I just happened to have the same fan so I just replaced mine. The sound in the video is "accurate". The difference in fan noise is that dramatic. I replaced the rubber spacers between fan and case with 1/4" rubber washers. In the video, he puts the fan right against the case which I think is not good since it inhibits air flow behind the fan (I believe Cliff warned against this as well). Maybe it's ok, but having the 1/4" space between fan and case allows air to flow with enough space to screw the fan in place.

Tools and material:
Hand only (don't use a drill and risk stripping the screws)

1 9/32 socket for the nuts on the fan (a smaller adjustable wrench will do)
1 Philips head screwdriver for the case screws
4 1/4" or 3/8" black rubber washers

I think this fan gets louder over time so it may need to be replaced again but I'm ok with that.
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How is it working out for you??? Seems Fractal discourages the Silenx fans due to the over-rated flow rates..
 
The SilenX fans couldn't out blow a mouse fart. They were terrible when I finally tested them. I used an upgraded one on my Ultra and when I went back to check during these tests I was amazed at how little air they push. I did a mod using an 80mm fan awhile back fan and was very reluctant to post it here. After many inquiries I did so in the following thread noting that should you go the same route you are doing so at your own risk (in others words, don't blame me :)) Maybe some of the info will help.

http://forum.fractalaudio.com/axe-fx-ii-discussion/40905-yet-another-fan-story.html
 
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BrianJ said:
How is it working out for you??? Seems Fractal discourages the Silenx fans due to the over-rated flow rates..
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Well, I've been playing the AxeFx II since I posted and it's quiet enough for me. It seems to be running cooler in my case but I think that's b/c I took the opportunity to rearrange my rack to improve airflow. I performed non-scientific tests to see if it was running hot. Before I took it apart, I put my hand on all parts of the case. I'd say bottom left (near the dsp chips) was medium temperature and the bottom left front was warm. I also felt the fan airflow while the case was open. I felt more airflow between the cover and fan on the silenx than I did on the stock fan but I'm sure that's b/c of the bigger gap in the old setup. After it was back in the rack, I played for awhile and then touched the case. It seemed cooler than with the old fan but the rack rearrangement probably had more to do that than anything else.

I know what Cliff said but I don't think it's an issue if the fan is offset from the case cover and if you don't use the Axe in high heat (I can't really define that but I definitely won't se it in an 85 degree F. room or higher and I won't take it out in sunlight). I will switch the fan to an equally quiet fan that is trusted to have 14+ cfm when I get one but I'm absolutely not worried about it. This is not an endorsement of the silenx fan. I personally changed it b/c I couldn't stand the racket, happened to have that fan, and felt comfortable with the information available.

Check the wiki for Cliff's comments:
Fan sound/replacement - Axe-Fx II Wiki

Check Silenx for their explanation of ball bearing vs. fluid dynamic bearing
SilenX Corporation - Frequently Asked Questions

PS the fan pulls air away from the cpu heat sinks into the top case (around the case really) turning the entire case into a heat sink. Having air vents wouldn't make much sense b/c this is a rack unit expected to be jammed between two other ventless rack units. Air still enters through the connectors and gaps in the case. I assume that is sufficient.
 
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I use a shockmount rack and there's plenty of room for airflow on the sides...or, if the axe is in the top slot there's room for heat to be blown straight up...the only downside to vents would be dust, but this wouldn't be as big if an issue in a studio environment.

I guess I'll just have to get one of the silenx or bequiet fans...idk...if it runs hotter then a few slots cut in the top should cure that in a hurry...
 
I have my Axe II in the top rack of a Studio RTA Producer's Station desk (so it's pretty much ear level when I sit) and I barely notice the fan noise. The first Ultra I had, the fan was unbearable. I sold that when the Axe II was announced but then ended up buying another one. My second Ultra had the stock fan also, but was much quiter than the first. Maybe they vary by unit, but I have no complaints about fan noise in the II.
 
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