Synology DS1513+ NAS Review

1. Introduction2. The Synology DS 1513+3. The DiskStation Manager4. Testing Methodology and Performance5. Acoustics, Temperatures and Power Drain6. Conclusion7. View All Pages

We take the issue of noise very seriously at KitGuru and this is why we have built a special home brew system as a reference point when we test noise levels of various components.

Why do this? Well this means we can eliminate secondary noise pollution in the test room and concentrate on components we are testing. It also brings us slightly closer to industry standards, such as DIN 45635.

As this can be a little confusing for people, here are various dBa ratings in with real world situations to help describe the various levels.

KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refridgerator
50dBA – Normal Conversation
60dBA – Laughter
70dBA – Vacuum Cleaner or Hairdryer
80dBA – City Traffic or a Garbage Disposal
90dBA – Motorcycle or Lawnmower
100dBA – MP3 player at maximum output
110dBA – Orchestra
120dBA – Front row rock concert/Jet Engine
130dBA – Threshold of Pain
140dBA – Military Jet takeoff/Gunshot (close range)
160dBA – Instant Perforation of eardrum

Under idle conditions the system was nearly inaudible. Fully stressed the double 80mm fans speed up quickly although it would easily get drowned out by the humming of PCs in an office.

We measured 30 watts when leaving the system to idle and 53 watts under load.

The fans provide a decent amount of airflow and kept the drives cool, peaking at 32°.

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