Would two WD Red 3tbs make more noise than one WD Red 6tb?

[robbob_70]

Hi,
I've been looking around to find a quiet option for storage. WD Red seem to have the quietest large capacity HDDs.
The 3tb drives are a bit quieter than the 6tb ones, as indicated on this page:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article29-page2.html
WD Red 3tb: vibration 9 Airborne Acoustics(dBA@1m) 13~14
WD Red 6tb: vibration 8 Airborne Acoustics(dBA@1m) 14~15

Would two WD Red 3tbs make more noise than one WD Red 6tb?

I plan to decouple them from the frame to reduce vibration noise. I'm not sure if this is possible with multiple HDDs.. Which makes me lean towards the 6tb more..
Thanks

 

[raisonjohn]

Doubling the same/identical acoustic will increase the sound level with 3dBA. So, two WD Red 3TB at 13dBA ~ 14dBA each will have a total airborne acoustics of 16dBA ~ 17dBA @ 1m.

Since one WD Red 6TB has 14dBA ~ 15dBA @ 1m, then, the two WD Red 3TBs will make more noise.

 

[molletts]

I'd say yes, but the difference will be small.

The formula for working out the sound level in dB from multiple identical sources is Lt = Ls + 10 log n, where Lt is the total sound level, Ls is the level from one sourcce and n is the number of sources.

Here, in the best case, we have Ls = 13 dB; n is 2, of course. So Lt = 13 + (10 × log 2) = 13 + (10 × 0.301...) = 13 + 3 = 16. The highest value stated for the 6 TB drive is 15 dB.

These are extraordinarily low noise levels - if you're isolating the drives from the chassis and thus avoiding the "loudspeaker" effect of the case panels, you'll have to listen very hard to hear them in a normal room. My old 2.5" WD VelociRaptor is listed as having 29 dB noise levels and that's barely audible unless I deliberately quieten the room and turn off the PC's fans.

 

[zarmaan]

Two drives will take more power too which will increase the load on power supply too and will generate more heat than a single drive which in turn result in less efficient machine but will protect some data if 1 drive fails opposed to all the data at risk with a single drive.

 

[madmatt30]

^ I wouldn't even consider power to be an issues these - drives use 3.5w each - that's not going to make the slightest difference to efficiency or PSU temps.

Id always take a pair of 3tb drives over a single 6gb, smaller drives are generally more reliable & run cooler because the platter density is lower .
You'll also get better performance & if 1 drive happens to die you still have then other one.

Whats your actual use for these drives ??
Would determine whether id consider running raid or not

 

[zarmaan]

I meant hdd producing heat not psu temps rising.