Just got AxeII... wow, fan noise.

Danny W. said:
I use my Axe II in a quiet room, sitting just a couple of feet from it, and find it moderately annoying when I'm not actually playing.

That being said, it barely registers on the most sensitive setting of my Radio Shack sound level meter, which makes it about 54 db.

Danny W.
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Yeah, I have a similar Radio Shack meter, and when measuring from around a half an inch from the Axe, it also reads about 54 db.

... FWIW Now that I'm actually listening for the fan noise, it's not as quiet as I thought it was. But, like I said, I don't really notice it.
 
DC axial compact fan - 612 F by ebm-papst

It's great my axe II fx

I change my fan august 2011 and amazing.

In France

Exactly :

Acheter Papst - ventilateur 060 mm - 017 cfm - 27 dba - papst 612f/2 PAPST 612F/2 612 F2 612F2 VENTILATEUR PAPST 60x60x15mm

The fan stock:

img1462s.jpg


PAPST 612:

img1449edlkki.jpg


img1450r.jpg


The end:

img1458h.jpg


img1457q.jpg
 
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the question is...

I understand everyone has different noise perception but, seems clear from the comments/experiences that the stock fan performances can be improved. So, is it possible for FAS to move to different fan? Is clear that it is not difficult to find a better fan on the market.

I don't know if this is a real issue or not but this is the voice of the Customers, so someone is expecting to have a feedback soon.... at the end is some euros compared to 2300 euro for the assembly.

Of course I am not polemic, just thinking loud.
 
Other fans on the market do not deliver the airflow promised by specs. The Standard/Ultra could be run a little hot, but due to the dual processors in the AxeFX II it is not recommended. Search for Cliff's post elsewhere.
 
lukenukem said:
I understand everyone has different noise perception but, seems clear from the comments/experiences that the stock fan performances can be improved. So, is it possible for FAS to move to different fan? Is clear that it is not difficult to find a better fan on the market.

I don't know if this is a real issue or not but this is the voice of the Customers, so someone is expecting to have a feedback soon.... at the end is some euros compared to 2300 euro for the assembly.

Of course I am not polemic, just thinking loud.
Click to expand...

+1

IMHO cheap parts like this chinese fan, which seems to have huge tolerances in production, are misplaced in such high quality units. It makes only a few dollars difference, I would gladly pay.
 
HailHalford said:
Other fans on the market do not deliver the airflow promised by specs. The Standard/Ultra could be run a little hot, but due to the dual processors in the AxeFX II it is not recommended. Search for Cliff's post elsewhere.
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@HailHalford
Cliff's comments are captured in the wiki:
Fan sound/replacement - Axe-Fx II Wiki

@Everyone
I keep checking the II for heat since my fan replacement and it's not getting any hotter than stock as far as I can tell. I mean the case (any part of it) is barely warm to the touch. This is not scientific and I do understand that a lower temperature around the chips is preferrable regardless of the general temp of the case. It appears to be safe for me. The difference in sound is worth it and I should have done it long ago on the Ultra and immediately on the II.

There was a long thread about two months ago which I don't care to revisit. Now that I'm calm I want to point out a few things. I try to work in a zero noise environment. It helps me mix better. It also substantially reduces fatigue. If I always played through an amp, had music playing through studio monitors above a certain volume, or used headphones all of the time, then I wouldn't be concerned about the noise. However, that is not the case. The axe is not the only device that I've had issues with but it is still the loudest (even after the fan change). I do not blame Fractal nor do I expect them to make a change. It would however, be extremely nice if 0 noise was a goal for any audio product (except if they are speakers!). Fractal could throw this to a college as a student engineering challenge and would probably get back a cheap, effective solution with no development cost. It's up to them though. I fully understand the reasoning of using ball bearing fans due to reliability.

Please respect each others needs.
 
I don't have an AXE FX II (yet... still waiting on coupon)

However, I've seen a video where a guy changes out the fan.

From the video, I could not see ANY vent holes (!!!!)

Is this true? The fan just circulates air around an enclosed metal cabinet?

Maybe I couldn't see any vents because of the camera angle, but if it is true that there are no vent holes, this seems to be something to be concerned about IMHO.

Thoughts anyone?
 
larryseyer said:
From the video, I could not see ANY vent holes (!!!!)

Is this true? The fan just circulates air around an enclosed metal cabinet?

Maybe I couldn't see any vents because of the camera angle, but if it is true that there are no vent holes, this seems to be something to be concerned about IMHO.
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Been covered extensively by the owner.

Ron
 
I got my new axe ][ today and at least in the few minutes I had it turned on, the fan did not rev up and down. I'm not sure if this is a revision or just a variance. Its much less annoying to just have a continuous noise than to here it up/down revving.

So if it was a beautiful girl that was a ton of fun to be with but she had a couple of little moles on here heel- one of the moles went away and the other is.. well... on her heel.
 
larryseyer said:
I don't have an AXE FX II (yet... still waiting on coupon)

However, I've seen a video where a guy changes out the fan.

From the video, I could not see ANY vent holes (!!!!)

Is this true? The fan just circulates air around an enclosed metal cabinet?

Maybe I couldn't see any vents because of the camera angle, but if it is true that there are no vent holes, this seems to be something to be concerned about IMHO.

Thoughts anyone?
Click to expand...

It doesn't need any vent holes. The fan just blows heat from the Heat sink fins. No it is nothing to be concerned about. It was taken into consideration during the design. The standard and the ultra are the same way.
 
they do have fans that seem rather lively,and ihave one as well. i mostly use mine in quiet settings and straight to a mixer. so with head phones on -no problem. if im playing an acoustic and mic the guitar i seperate the two -sound closet ,box ?
so back to your statement-can we change the fan and if so what fan model # and can we do it or send it in, and where, so we don't void warrenty-lets ask the right ? so we can resolve this issue and are dear friend with this thread can be serviced. and a point- i rock as well and yes i don't notice a fan noise then -who'd figure? haha!
good thread-thanks
 
javajunkie said:
It doesn't need any vent holes. The fan just blows heat from the Heat sink fins. No it is nothing to be concerned about. It was taken into consideration during the design. The standard and the ultra are the same way.
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I understand that it is taken into consideration, but heat is the enemy of electronics. Wouldn't it still be better to have venting to create fresh air flow and eliminate even more of the heat? Sometimes on stage, even with venting, a lot of my gear get's pretty warm. If the unit is sealed, like the II, it is bound to run hotter. Even if it is acceptable, it has to increase the risk of failure. Why not improve the odds?
 
kabong said:
I understand that it is taken into consideration, but heat is the enemy of electronics. Wouldn't it still be better to have venting to create fresh air flow and eliminate even more of the heat? Sometimes on stage, even with venting, a lot of my gear get's pretty warm. If the unit is sealed, like the II, it is bound to run hotter. Even if it is acceptable, it has to increase the risk of failure. Why not improve the odds?
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Because venting has its own downsides. If you vent it you no longer have a sealed enclosure and you've now introduced the capability for foreign objects to find their way inside the chassis.
 
kabong said:
I understand that it is taken into consideration, but heat is the enemy of electronics. Wouldn't it still be better to have venting to create fresh air flow and eliminate even more of the heat? Sometimes on stage, even with venting, a lot of my gear get's pretty warm. If the unit is sealed, like the II, it is bound to run hotter. Even if it is acceptable, it has to increase the risk of failure. Why not improve the odds?
Click to expand...

Rehash of your thread 2 years ago. Same issue, same answers.

http://forum.fractalaudio.com/ultra-std-discussion/20428-axe-fx-heating.html

I guess I'm still flabbergasted that we are still discussing this. Anyone who has fan complaints has OPTIONS. Get a new fan, put it in a muffled rack, put it in another room; if you're a serious studio guy who needs a perfectly quiet room to record loud guitars these solutions should not be a problem. But it seems we need to constantly 'vent' (ha!) that it should have been done stock. I personally don't agree with that. I play in a very small room often late at night at low volumes, and it rarely bothers me.

Would it make anyone feel better or change the situation if Cliff came up tomorrow and said 'should have put a quieter fan in there'? No. (Unless all your angling for is to have Fractal pay for it...) Make the alteration if you want, and move on. PLEASE.

Ron
 
AdamCook said:
Because venting has its own downsides. If you vent it you no longer have a sealed enclosure and you've now introduced the capability for foreign objects to find their way inside the chassis.
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I think that is a pretty lame argument. Power amps, etc, have been vented forever. The chance of foreign objects being introduced inside the AxeFx (especially since owners are going to baby it) is very, very small. Doing something that can improve reliability and longevity, especially considering the cost of the sharcs, is a no-brainer. Secondly, strategically locating the venting would dramatically reduce the chance of a "foreign object".
 
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