DS-923+ Fan Noise

[gustavo1spbr]

I recently bough this NAS after seeing reviews it is dead silent, but would have to disagree. I run the NAS over my desk, just by the monitor. I already configured the fans to run in quiet mode, but they are still noisy. I'm sure there's no defect, it's just that they are not as silent as I thought. I wonder if anyone knows any hack to reduce fan noise in this unit, like having them replaced by some super efficient model, or anything like that.

For comparison, my 4-drive QNAP TS-423Be, which I have been using for 4 years, is indeed dead silent. It runs on a single 12mm fan that makes no noise. But this Synology runs on 2 9mm drives that are noisy in quiet environments.

Thank you.

 

[L&LD]

Two smaller fans will always be less effective and noisier than a larger fan. Replacing them will be an exercise in frustration for reducing noise output at the distance used.

Consider moving the NAS to another LAN-connected location instead.

 

[sfx2000]

Check your fan settings... default is "cool mode" which keeps the fans spinning...

 

[gustavo1spbr]

Two smaller fans will always be less effective and noisier than a larger fan. Replacing them will be an exercise in frustration for reducing noise output at the distance used.

Consider moving the NAS to another LAN-connected location instead.

That would be the fallback solution, just moving there somewhere else. But they would still be in my home office and the noise will not go away just by doing that.

What I was really looking for is an indication for a really quiet third party fan model that I could manually replace.

Or some app or command line hack that could reduce the noise.

 

[gustavo1spbr]

Check your fan settings... default is "cool mode" which keeps the fans spinning...

View attachment 52885

Yes, that was the first thing, originally. Set to quiet from the beggining. It just so happens that quiet is not quiet enough when the NAS is in you work desk. Not the case with my QNAP 453, which runs dead silent.

 

[gustavo1spbr]

So... I replaced the fans with top notch Noctua 's NF-A9 FLX "premium fans". Expensive stuff for fans. Didn't get anywhere. Noise levels seem about the same as stock fans. Sure I could use the RPM reducing cables that are provided with the Noctuas (which lower RPM from 1600 to either 1250 or 1050), but then airflow tanks below acceptable levels.

So my veredict is: Synology 4 drive NAS are irreversibly more noisy than QNAP 4 drive NAS. My 4-year old QNAP 453 runs dead silent with a single 12mm fan. These Synology use two 9mm fans that are no good as far a truly silent operation is expected. Synology definitely needs to upgrade their case design.

 

[L&LD]

Again, as stated in post 2, it's not the NAS, per see, it is the small(er) fans.

Smaller fans are inherently more noisy and move less air, period. At 'on desktop' distances, not even Noctua's otherwise excellent products can change that basic fact.

Also, for completeness, I think you mean 120mm/92mm (or 12cm/9.2cm sized fans, correct? Curious if the depth of the fan blades is the same too (2.5cm or ~1").

QNAP has almost always had superior hardware at better prices vs. Synology whenever I have had to compare those two brands.

 

[gustavo1spbr]

Again, as stated in post 2, it's not the NAS, per see, it is the small(er) fans.

Smaller fans are inherently more noisy and move less air, period.

Sure, I thought noise could be an issue because of that, but then I watched a NAS focused youtuber reviewing this unit and saying it was totally quiet. For certain he doesn't run the NAS on his desk.

At 'on desktop' distances, not even Noctua's otherwise excellent products can change that basic fact.

Also, for completeness, I think you mean 120mm/92mm (or 12cm/9.2cm sized fans, correct? Curious if the depth of the fan blades is the same too (2.5cm or ~1").

Yes and Yes.

QNAP has almost always had superior hardware at better prices vs. Synology whenever I have had to compare those two brands.

QNAP's hardware is better for sure. Now that I have both on my desk, the QNAP design is just better. It is sleekier, smaller for the same amount of drives, and decidedly quieter.

But Synology does better in the software department, in my view. The main advantage being its native implementation of BTRFS over QNAP's ext4. QNAP's ZFS not an option for smaller 4-bay NAS, as far as I know.

Also, somehow QNAP seems to now and them not accept SMB connections from my devices, and is really hard to troubleshoot. My Synologies (713+ and 923+) are more dependable in that regard.

And the software interface is quite more intuitive.

If only Synology would update their case design and get rid of these two fans!

 

[L&LD]

I'd rather have the hardware/design best in class than not. Even with small niggles that occasionally rear their heads.

In my direct use, I haven't seen any issues from a properly set up QNAP NAS. Replace drives as needed, and the units just continue working well past their performance objectives/design goals.

To the point where a (mobile) computer that has local files on it seems like working back in the dinosaur age (where bumping the drive could mean data loss, instantly).

Today, I don't buy promises/marketing lies. I buy hardware that I can use as I want/need. QNAP has more than proven itself to me (along with WD RED PLUS drives, currently 14TB and bigger) in the last decade or more. It would take a lot to get me to personally buy something else.

 

[Clark Griswald]

@L&LD You just wait until Synology starts putting 10GbE in all their NAS, then they'll being catching up
A big +1 for Synology software. I enjoy using our 918+, yet always agree with L&LD regarding QNAP hardware. I actually use two QNAP 2.5GbE switches.
Regarding fan noise, ours is set "cool" without any issues to fan noise. I take down the nas for cleaning of dust etc every six months, so all is clean, and fans are not out of balance/harmonics.