Corsair clicking noise coming from fans - try and fix or replace?

[obloquy]

Hey, I have a Corsair H110i GT. Its never really been amazing but it is what it is... but its all of a sudden started going crazy since i reinstalled windows. The fans are running very high (and very loudly) and a horrible clicking sound can be heard thats incessent (trapped bubbles?).

Here's the sound: https://vocaroo.com/i/s0rTbj5NOW3p, is this normal for corsair fans?! I've tried tilting the tower and that silences the clicking but when its vertical again it starts back up again. These are the current speeds with the fans going crazy and clicking haha: https://imgur.com/a/0MI5E5V

The fans are running intensely even when I'm just browsing the net. I've tried setting the profile as "Quiet" in Corsair Link, but that doesn't do anything (it used to work). I only use the pc for 3d programs like Maya, zbrush, photoshop etc so these aren't very intense programs like a game perhaps so the fans shouldn't make continuous noises or refuse to go "Quiet" haha. Can anyone help with this or offer any hope... or is it just worth replacing the Corsair now as I seem to see this problem is known in the same or similar models...

Given that the pc is only used for browsing, modelling, rendering and I want it to be quiet, is it worth me getting a Noctua NH-D14? My Corsair 780 ATX case would be big enough for the Noctua to fit, just not sure if the ram (measuring at 34mm height) would get in the way of the Noctua fan...??

OS - Windows 10
CPU - Intel Core i7 6700K
RAM - 32GB
MOBO - ASRock Z170 Professional Gaming i7
CASE - Corsair Graphite Series 780T ATX

 

[devbiker]

Are you sure that it's the Corsair fans? Have you tried to stop them (carefully!!!) to see if the sound goes away?

It's definitely an unusual sound for the fans. It's certainly possible that a bearing is wearing out and you may be able to get them replaced under warranty. However, if you want to replace them (and those stock fans are LOUD), I would suggest the Corsair ML series of fans. They are super-quiet and a great drop-in replacement for the stock fans ... plus, since they are magnetic levitation, they have almost zero friction when operating and shouldn't wear the way traditional bearings do. Some of the Corsair controllers (particularly the Commander Pro) have had issues with the Noctua fans. I'm not sure if the problem is on Noctua's or Corsair's side but I would be cautious.