After reading so many comments of "my 360 is absolutely silent when the dvd drive is not running" over the months, I have to know.....how silent is "silent"?

I'd say mine is quite loud with just the fans running (probably around 30db, louder than my computer, which hovers around 20, 22.)

I found it extremely annoying for movies, and would put it behind/under furniture (but still well ventilated) to dampen the sound.

Does anyone have a decibel meter to test their fan noise?

How about everyone else's 360's? How much sound do yours make?




And for those who have one - how much sound does the fan in your HD-DVD add-on make?

After reading so many comments of "my 360 is absolutely silent when the dvd drive is not running" over the months, I have to know.....how silent is "silent"?

I'd say mine is quite loud with just the fans running (probably around 30db, louder than my computer, which hovers around 20, 22.)

I found it extremely annoying for movies, and would put it behind/under furniture (but still well ventilated) to dampen the sound.

Does anyone have a decibel meter to test their fan noise?

How about everyone else's 360's? How much sound do yours make?




And for those who have one - how much sound does the fan in your HD-DVD add-on make?


Clearly, this is only an academic question, since your 360 is now on e-bay. BTW, since both of my tympanic membranes were shredded the first time I turned it on, whatever level of noise it produces, is no longer an issue.

After reading so many comments of "my 360 is absolutely silent when the dvd drive is not running" over the months, I have to know.....how silent is "silent"?

I'd say mine is quite loud with just the fans running (probably around 30db, louder than my computer, which hovers around 20, 22.)

I found it extremely annoying for movies, and would put it behind/under furniture (but still well ventilated) to dampen the sound.

Does anyone have a decibel meter to test their fan noise?

How about everyone else's 360's? How much sound do yours make?




And for those who have one - how much sound does the fan in your HD-DVD add-on make?


I thinks you gots a lemon... And the HD-DVD drive is quiet..

pretty damn loud, thats my only complaint with the machine. other then that i love it

Clearly, this is only an academic question, since your 360 is now on e-bay. BTW, since both of my tympanic membranes were shredded the first time I turned it on, whatever level of noise it produces, is no longer an issue.

Ah, the "find all posts by this user" search option. Academic the question may be, but I still wanted to know, because I will eventually get another 360 (when zephyr is readily available).

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your tympanic membranes. Just don't go buying Bose speakers or anything due to your hearing loss :p

My drive is loud, my fans are loud, even the fan inside the power brick is loud on mine.

My HD DVD drive is quiet though.

My drive is loud, my fans are loud, even the fan inside the power brick is loud on mine.

My HD DVD drive is quiet though.

That's strange, my power brick makes no noise at all. My 360 is loud, but my HD-DVD drive was louder.

I have my 360 on my desk next to my monitor (http://perfectcr.com/images/Westy4big.JPG) and I cannot hear it when not running a game. Totally silent. The only time it is loud is when a game is running in the DVD Drive.

Ah, the "find all posts by this user" search option.

Nah, I just remembered reading one of your posts on another thread.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your tympanic membranes. Just don't go buying Bose speakers or anything due to your hearing loss :p

Back in the day when 901 series speakers occupied a fair number of dorm rooms, those of us who knew better had a saying that you may or may not be familiar with: "No highs, no lows; must be Bose"........but yeah, the 360 at full tilt, sounds like a blender working up a frozen Margarita.

loud when its loading or when i play gears but i dont hear it when volume is blasting or getting my arse handed to me. lolz

I hope they fix in the newer versions.

I have my 360 on my desk next to my monitor (http://perfectcr.com/images/Westy4big.JPG) and I cannot hear it when not running a game. Totally silent. The only time it is loud is when a game is running in the DVD Drive.

Like the original xbox, I think we're dealing with systems that shipped with a quiet fan, and others that shipped with a louder one. There's no way you'd think mine is silent if it was sitting in the same place as your current one.

Nice TV by the way. :) I enjoy my 1080p Westinghouse (http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/5689/gamingtp3.jpg) as well. (my cable management has improved greatly since I took that picture.)

Mine is pretty darn loud, even just sitting in the dashboard. I have a pretty dusty place, though, lving as I do in NYC. You should see the grime on the outside of my window frames!

My first unit wasn't nearly as loud, but it crapped out on my after about three or four months. This one has lasted a lot longer, and never had a problem, so I don't mind the loud fans! :)

My 360 is silent. And don't even talk about when my 5.1 system is in use.

I previously posted this when asked about the sound level of the HD DVD drive.

_______

Taking measurements 1 inch from the middle front of units (I took measurements so close as I couldn't get a level at a distance greater than about 6 inches). The 360 is placed horizontally with the HD DVD drive on top of it. Caveat: I have the analog Radio Shack SPL meter. All these measurements ended up being taken at the lowest range on the meter-while these numbers are probably close, I'd suspect the meter is most accurate in the middle of its range.

Everything off: <50dB (my meter doesn't go lower)
360 on in dashboard (HD DVD unplugged): 56dB
360 playing TW07 in startup screen (HD DVD unplugged): 65dB
360/HD DVD on in dashboard (discs in both): 56dB in front of 360/ 54dB in front of HD DVD
360/HD DVD both on, playing TW07 in startup screen: 65dB in front of 360/58dB in front of HD DVD
360/HD DVD both on, playing Serenity HD DVD at menu screen: 56dB in front of 360/55dB in front of HD DVD
360/HD DVD both on, playing Serenity HD DVD in movie: 56dB in front of 360/55dB in front of HD DVD

Simply put, the sound level is like what it is when you're in the dashboard. The HD DVD drive is nearly silent.

I previously posted this when asked about the sound level of the HD DVD drive.

_______

Taking measurements 1 inch from the middle front of units (I took measurements so close as I couldn't get a level at a distance greater than about 6 inches). The 360 is placed horizontally with the HD DVD drive on top of it. Caveat: I have the analog Radio Shack SPL meter. All these measurements ended up being taken at the lowest range on the meter-while these numbers are probably close, I'd suspect the meter is most accurate in the middle of its range.

Everything off: <50dB (my meter doesn't go lower)
360 on in dashboard (HD DVD unplugged): 56dB
360 playing TW07 in startup screen (HD DVD unplugged): 65dB
360/HD DVD on in dashboard (discs in both): 56dB in front of 360/ 54dB in front of HD DVD
360/HD DVD both on, playing TW07 in startup screen: 65dB in front of 360/58dB in front of HD DVD
360/HD DVD both on, playing Serenity HD DVD at menu screen: 56dB in front of 360/55dB in front of HD DVD
360/HD DVD both on, playing Serenity HD DVD in movie: 56dB in front of 360/55dB in front of HD DVD

Simply put, the sound level is like what it is when you're in the dashboard. The HD DVD drive is nearly silent.

Wow, so much for my 30db estimate. I guess I'm a really bad judge of sound levels. IMO anything more than 25db (about as loud as my PC) is unacceptable for HT purposes...let's hope the 65nm process on the zephyr and the redesigned hardware will solve some of the sound problems.

Your readings pretty much prove that my HD-DVD drive was defective though. That thing was just as loud as the 360! :eek:

Wow, so much for my 30db estimate. I guess I'm a really bad judge of sound levels. IMO anything more than 25db (about as loud as my PC) is unacceptable for HT purposes...let's hope the 65nm process on the zephyr and the redesigned hardware will solve some of the sound problems.

Your readings pretty much prove that my HD-DVD drive was defective though. That thing was just as loud as the 360! :eek:

Note the distance I took the readings at- 1 inch from the front center of the console. I would have preferred to take readings from my couch, but my SPL meter only went down to 50dB. I'd guess your estimate is close from a normal seating position.

My now defunct launch 360 was unacceptably loud, at all times. I just got a refurbished unit, and it's much more quiet. I can now at least download something in the background and watch TV without jacking up the volume to hear the dialog.

My 360 is very quiet when the DVD drive is not spinning for a game. Xbox 1 games are pretty quiet too since they don't run the drive as fast. The DVD drive has two noise settings for me, 1) noticable (with little to no other ambient sound) and 2) ridiculously loud.

2 is the result of the chrome plate on the DVD drive vibrating against the face plate. Either a piece of scotch tape over the chrome & faceplate when playing a game or just playing around with the faceplate resolves 2 back into 1 for me.

A new chip won't make most 360's quieter unless they improve the DVD drive. Maybe they could make a slot loading one? A new chip would help with heat and fan noise for those that truly have loud fans.

my 360 when on the dash is just a tad louder then my xbox1.

Stick in a DVD and the things takes off. WAY too loud. Toshiba drive in mine.

The power brick....doesn't make a sound.

Very loud...I've updated my media room construction plans because of this thing.

Mine is super loud, almost to the point of having buyers remorse. :mad:

My 360 is pretty quiet, but compared to my PS3 that thing is dead silent. :p I've never had a problem with the HD drive though, I never hear anything come out of that.

I have had two 360s now. The one I have now is quieter than the previous one. They were both purchased at the same time. One from walmart and the other overstock. The one from overstock was quieter. Don't know why.

Mine is quite loud as well. So much so, that I did not even buy the HD DVD add-on because my wife and I refuse to have it running while watching movies. I zone out on the games however, so I only really notice it during load times on Oblivion.

Mine is quite loud as well. So much so, that I did not even buy the HD DVD add-on because my wife and I refuse to have it running while watching movies. I zone out on the games however, so I only really notice it during load times on Oblivion.

While the DVD drive will always be loud, for movie use it looks like there is a way to get a much quieter console-

1)Keep buying and returning 360's until you find one that has acceptable fan noise levels (because it appears that they vary between units)

2)Keep buying HD-DVD add-ons until you find one that has acceptable fan noise levels (because these vary too)

That's what I'll be doing once the Zephyr and Halo 3 come out.

Mine is quite loud as well. So much so, that I did not even buy the HD DVD add-on because my wife and I refuse to have it running while watching movies. I zone out on the games however, so I only really notice it during load times on Oblivion.
The HD-DVD drive is near silent.

The HD-DVD drive is near silent.

Some are, but several people (including me) seem to have bought lemon ones - mine was just as loud as my 360 (I could tell it was because I had it in a different part of the room, thanks to a usb extension cable)

Midnight Launch 360 , fans are not bothersome but the drive is pretty loud with a 360 game (and some games are louder than others) . I do not use the 360 to watch movies but normal dvd's are much quieter than 360 games .

----- Jason