Is the Avid IO fan quieter than the 192 fan?

[nst7]

There is a firmware update for the Omni that makes the fan very quiet and useable. Maybe the one you borrowed didn't have that. You also need to make sure it has proper ventilation.

[yellowshaman]

My omni had the newest firmware 10.2
running under hdx 10.3.3.

Omni standing free
with plenty cool air around.

It IS quite annoying regardless how low the noise is.
Im not a half deaf post guy who deals with machine gun /
explosion noise all day

but a musician \ recordist with very fine mics / ears who spends
days in the same small rooms like his converters.

These small issues really get on your nerves
because also small noises stack up
if you have them all over your tracks
and I dont want to engage an expander on
all my tracks...

[Meads]

Originally Posted by yellowshaman

Im not a half deaf post guy who deals with machine gun /
explosion noise all day...

I for one am a post guy who sometimes deals with machine gun and explosion noise all day, which is not making me half deaf (at least that's what I hear ), but I'm still annoyed by the fans.
Though I have to say that the Omni is less of a problem to me than the HD I/O. The Omni has been terrible prior to the update, but now I can live with it.
HD I/O fan is a nono.

[Eric Lambert]

If it's as simple to use a quieter fan as you're all reporting (and I'm sure it's true) then there's simply no excuse for Avid to stick with loud fans. Countless studios keep these interfaces within an earshot of their mix positions so the need for a quiet product should be obvious. That they haven't addressed it is concerning to me.

I guess I'll wait and see how quiet it is and if it's cripplingly loud then I'll look into the fan upgrade.

[Meads]

I opened a ticket with Avid support regarding the fan noise a few days ago, because I got my HD I/O just recently, and this ticket came with the purchase.

So far their only reaction has been telling me to contact my dealer in order to get a replacement unit to check, if the one I got has some kind of manufacturing issue.
Since I'm not from the US but ordered mine from there, this would mean a whole ordeal (a lot of time and money would go into this replacing process, and I cannot afford to loose either), so I hope Avid comes up with a different approach. Maybe I'll point them to this thread, to proof that I'm not alone and this surely is not a matter of a single manufacturing failure.

All I asked for has been if I can swap the fan myself without voiding the warranty. I'll keep you guys posted.

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by Meads

I opened a ticket with Avid support regarding the fan noise a few days ago, because I got my HD I/O just recently, and this ticket came with the purchase.

So far their only reaction has been to contact my dealer in order to get a replacement unit to check, if the one I got has some kind of manufacturing issue.
Since I'm not from the US but ordered mine from there, this would mean a whole ordeal (a lot of time and money would go into this replacing process, and I cannot afford to loose either), so I hope Avid comes up with a different approach. Maybe I'll point them to this thread, to proof that I'm not alone and this surely is not a matter of a single manufacturing failure.

All I asked for has been if I can swap the fan myself without voiding the warranty. I'll keep you guys posted.

I'm sorry to hear that. In my opinion, their suggested course of action is unacceptable. They're merely sending you on an overly complicated chase in hope that you'll give up and go away. They are well aware of the fan complaints.

[Meads]

We'll see, what's going to come of it...

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by Meads

We'll see, what's going to come of it...

Please let us know what happens.

[Meads]

I got answer today.

Let me quote the following part of it:

"As I'm sure you're aware, the generally accepted method for achieving optimum audio monitoring conditions in a control room is to have as much gear as possible installed in a dedicated machine room in an adequate operating environment. Because of this, there's no guarantee of the HD I/O operating noise being suitable for use in an acoustic monitoring environment. "

So in other words, Avid expect their customers to have a dedicated machine room, so that Avid don't have to worry about what kind of fans they use. They don't even give a hint to the noise the unit produces in any spec sheets I've seen.
So, you buy this unit for a few grand and suprise, surprise - it makes a lot of noise. You don't have a dedicated machine room? Well, tough luck and thanks for your purchase, though.

Take from that what you like.

And also the answer said, that if you replace the fan, the warranty will be void. That I can understand of course. They can't be held responsible if I mess something up during the replacement process.
That's way I offered them to send my HD I/O in (on their cost), including a better fan (on my cost), so they could replace it themselves. That should cover the warranty issue.

I'll keep you updated.

@AVID:

In my response I included a link to this thread.
It would be great if you joined the discussion with me and other users who are bothered by that noise.

[Eric Lambert]

That's the response I expected you to receive.

They could spend a little more (a couple of dollars) on a quieter fan and the issue, which affects hundreds upon hundreds and perhaps more, wouldn't be an issue at all. This is purely about profit. It's exactly the type of irreverence for their customer's needs which has changed the face of Avid over the past few years. Their response to you is an insult to me as well as I have no reason to build a machine room in my home studio. The ONLY noisy box (of 20 or 30) is the 192.