Noctua NF-R8 redux-1200, Ultra Quiet Silent Fan, 3-Pin, 1200 RPM

I used this to quiet down the loud 24V fan in my professional power amplifier (QSC RMX 1450) so I can use it to power a subwoofer in my home theater.I did have to install a buck converter to drop the 24V in the amp down to 12V for the fan, but not a big deal.Essentially silent, and still moves enough air to keep my amp cool to the touch. Not sure I'd do this if the amp was still in a pro environment pumping out max volume all day, but in a home theater environment, no big deal.I've always been reluctant to pay the Noctua tax, but this thing is so good, I think I'll be coughing up the extra money on my next computer build, too.

This is a VERY quiet fan at 12v and I’ve given it the 5 Stars it’s due. However, I only had 5v available via powered USB port (w/adapter), as I wanted to use the fan to further quiet down my T-Mobile Gateway Trashcan Lid. I looked everywhere for info re if it was 5v capable. I found speculation that it would not work, but also noted that Noctua listed its own Low Noise Adaptor (voltage reducer) as a Redux-1200 accessory on its website. So, after posting the question on Amazon and getting no response, I went ahead and spent the extra $10 and bought both this fan (NF-R8 redux-1200) and a Noctua NF-R8 redux-1800 which I knew would work, but feared might be too noisy. Well, the 1200 will NOT start on its own under 5v power. It takes a nudge of the blades to get them turning, after which it worked fine. I debated using it, but feared any kind of power failure might disable the fan without my knowing it. The good news is the 1800 works beautifully, and is also VERY quiet in this application. Not all that much airflow, but I didn’t need much. I only wanted to provide some active assist. Bottom line, the Redux-1200 is shaky at 5v, but still a great fan, and I have no doubt this one will find a place in one of my future projects.

I am happy to say this is an excellent fan at a fair price.It does exactly what I wanted, provide extra case ventilation with NO NOISE.I did a lot of research on fans before selecting Noctua. Based on all the fans I purchased, I can attest to the quality. I've been building computer workstations for 20 years and these are without a doubt the best fans I have ever used.I've also found Noctua to be very responsive. They have answered our technical questions quickly with exactly the information we requested. They may cost a bit more than some, but in my experience the quality is unmatched.

If you're looking for a near-silent 80mm fan to replace the typically noisy ones found in vintage computers and electronics like amplifiers and rack-mounted equipment these are the ones to go for. Based on the information on Noctua's website, the 1800 rpm version of these fans only pushes about 20% more air than these 1200 rpm version fans do but with nearly double the noise floor. I accidentally purchased the 1800rpm version thinking it would be dead silent but boy was I mistaken! They're quiet for an 80mm fan but still rather loud. This 1200rpm version is nearly entirely silent and pushes a ton of air, I highly recommend them!