Okay guys here we go.

What is your most "noisy" 8mm / 9.5mm / 16mm / 35mm / projector you have ?
What have you done to reduce the mechanical general clatter and whir and fan noises. These can be really distracting at times.
Also what is your quietest ?

Noisiest must be my GS-1200 Xenon due to the fan. Least noisy must be either one of my ST-1200's or my 16CL

My Copal CP-S402 is a bit noisy,sounding somewhat like a Panther tank rumbling down main street. I don't mind it too much and crank up the volume/tone to compensate for the racket.

The quietest and by far smoothest running projector ever by a country mile,not a small margin, is the Bauer Studio line machines. Nothing else really comes close.

Everything else by comparison, seems noisy to me though the Eumig S938 / 940 combo and the Agfa LS and LS2 get somewhere near at times.

I believe the Braun Visacoustic can run relatively quietly also but again not like a near New 610 for example.

I used the ST1200 last night and it runs smooth for an ST, but it annoyed the crap out of me last night listening to the running noise late on at night while trying to keep the sound track low while other family members are asleep. You really had to concentrate at times to hear the dialogue.

A xenon would be useless to someone in my situation where I have no separate screening room to shut out the noise.

That is where the unmentionable projectors come into their own in a living room. 23dba @ 2000 lumens!

By far the Elmo xenon gs, like an afterburner on a jet fighter. I think it could be made quieter with a bit a lagging and some bracing up of the panels that surround the fan
chute. Using the "henry hoover" the other day tells me it can be done, they are very quiet and noise friendly but are as good as any dyson cleaner, that are the equivalent
or the xenon in the vacuum world. I think i'll take the top off and have a look, might glean something from a look.

Oh God here we go again,YAWN, YAWN, YAWN.....Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Steve, if you find the subject matter boring, not created by myself I hasten to add, why not simply begin a new post on a subject matter that you are actually interested in?

Surely that is a better solution for the benefit of the forum rather than casting derision at David's topic.

Back to you David.
If you experiencing high levels of clatter that are definitely abnormal for any particular machine, it typically points to some form of shutter claw adjustment proving necessary.

It's amazing just how noisy a misaligned claw can actually be if it isn't striking the absolute centre sweet spot of the film frame perforation.
This applies to to both axial horizontal alignment as well as vertical insertion alignment.

Obviously the correct penetration depth on the film perforations is also a critical factor regarding a stable picture and reduced noise levels at the gate.

Get all of this right, and certainly on an 8mm machine, the projector should run as quiet where clatter is concerned as the cam and claw arrangement allows.

Claw tips with a chambered top and bottom edge also make for quieter running noise.

Fan noise is just that and cannot really be elevated in any way if you want the air throughout to be as the engineers designed it to be.
If you can find a modern day low noise pc axial fan that generates the same throughput as the existing one then that maybe an option if you can provide a supply for it through the switch and from the transformer winding tappings. Then you could, in theory at least, remove the main shaft mounted fan, but to me, it really wouldn't be worth the effort unless I was upgrading a machine into a HID model etc.

I find fan noise is secondary on all occasions to the noise from the gate from the claw in all machines.

I thought part of enjoying Film was the sound of the claw engaging the film, I'm obviously wrong, the tireless quest for a silent running projector is futile, you may just as well watch digital. You seem to be always working on your projectors, you mention on a thread today that Saturday night will be taken up working on a projector, when do you actually sit back and watch a film, without being critical about how the projector is running. These Rolls Royce projector's are very temprementel, or are you fiddling so much with them for perfection that you are actually causing problems?. Now I'll sit back and wait for paragraph after paragraph of you telling me why wow and bloody flutter is better on your projectors, two claws are the way, the list goes on, I use mine to watch and enjoy films, not watching the dam thing for every little hic-up, I had my projector for 36years, it's still got the same lamp holder, except for replacing a micro switch and dropping the lens myself, that's all that has gone wrong. I saw a picture of the lamp pin damage you posted on the other forum, if my projector did that to lamps I would be very worried.

They all do this at some point Steve. I'm not worried about this Steve as like I've said, once changed, I've never revisited one again.

Personally, I'm not a fan of projector noise when it drowns out the soundtrack when using the projector in the same room I'm viewing the film.

Tonight I will be changing the said lamp holder and then that hopefully,will be that for many many years to come where lamp holder issues are concerned.

If you have got 36 years from your machine using it for at least 3 features a week in the way I do mine, then you've got the best projector in the world there Steve if it never needs work doing to it in all that time.

Hats off to you!

I agree with Steve. The projector is a big part of the magical feeling for me. My GS-1200 is noisy, but I do not mind or even think about it when film is running.

Andrew You are very patronising remember you left the hobby, how do you know what I do with my projector, do you think your the only one who uses their projector three time a week. Oh and I replaced a cam follower so that's one micro switch, one cam follower and a dropped lens, not bad in 36 years eh?. I once ran the full feature of King Kong three times in one day for different people to view, I used to hire at least three features a week from the library,then the kids would always want to see a film, so I'd say the old girl has done me proud.

I do still use both our ST1200HD's and the main one has been in constant use for around 35-37 years, aside the service that Mr Parsons has done for me and the shutter mod and belts its still going today and is the one featured in my Bauer Vs Elmo you tube (scilly Video), same claw, same heads and it is very quite. I do agree that the Bauers are exceptionally quiet but i dont really think i ever recall any of the Elmo's or Eumigs being that noisey that they bother my audiences or me. At School i use to watch the projectors more than the films, they were crap films, but i do love to see and hear the machine rolling. For the most part every audience i have ever had are always quite amazed how,& i quote, "isnt it weird how the projector noise just dissapears when your watching the film".
When isay constant use its pretty much doing a minimum of 3-4 evenings for no less than an hour and often a full feature, 7pm to 9-10pm is my movie time.

Andrew I am really liking your replies here on this topic. I am not experiencing "clatter" on any of my projectors. If I were
they would be shunted off for service or sale. I was only generalising regarding the inherent noise of these mechanical
beasties. Your tips however are spot on and most useful.
I know a lot of you like to hear the sound of the machine in your rooms during a showing. However I do not as its a noise
pollution as far as watching the films go. That's one reason why we have Projection Boxes ( Booths) to cut down the noise.
The other reasons are Health & Safety ones. I too hate having to crank up the fader during a quiet passage of the film.
However I don't think its a necessary evil but a bloody pest. My favourite machine for super 8mm happens to be my
noisiest ... My Fumeo 9119. Thank goodness its not a Xenon version as in a domestic situation the noise pollution would be
a right pain I think. For decades Professional Cinema Projector manufacturers have tried to produce the most silent running projectors.
In fact things got so noisy in the Multiplex Projection Boxes the noise levels of all the machines were measured to make sure they were
within the Health & Safety limits for the Projectionist so as not to cause long term hearing damage and any future industrial compensation
claims. I often wonder what would have happened if we had to wear earplugs.
It kinda takes the " romance" of being a Projectionist away don't it. ... hahahahahaha !!!

Oh by the way I really loved the sound of the projectors when I was a kid and first got into the hobby.
However I grew up and now find most of them a pain in the you know what.
I am working on some form of "blimp" or "mini projection box" so I can keep the noise down in a small
15 foot by 10 foot room. I am sick of hearing the bloody things these days.
Mind you 40 + years as a projectionist may have something to do with that.

Steve I asked the question , IF You have used your projector.....

That doesn't imply anything, it is simply an enquiry. How that makes me patronizing is quite beyond me ???????

From the work needed on your Bell & Howell, for the time you've had it from your own words, it is a remarkable projector.

That's a compliment to your machine and ownership skills Steve by the way, just in case you find a way of twisting my words

David, I completely agree with all of those comments and your views on noise from projectors is obviously similar to mine.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some noise from them, after all that's what gives them character, just not what I consider excessive noise so the sound track HAS to be booming.

I would have to say that perhaps my Kodak Brownie Model 1 may be the loudest running machine, but it seems to operate as it should. The darn thing was built in the early to mid 1950's (it's no less than 59 years old), so I am just glad that it does still run in the present year of 2015!

I wonder if most of you would have been demanding your money back at the Cinema if you were exposed to the noise
of a Philips DP 70 projector showing a 70mm film in Stereophonic Sound if it was not in a Projection Box.

Yes Andrew I don't mind a bit of noise as they are machines after all. I still dream about owning a near silent running machine though.

It's out there David, that's for sure!

Bloody hell ! Andrew has got me thinking about a Bauer now. Is there no end to this. hahahahaha !!!

LoL. Please..not on my recommendation David. I couldn't stand the comeback! Ha ha ha

I only owned two Super 8 projectors, a Hanimex silent model; after 2 years I was getting fed up of being restricted to silent films, or digests with subtitles: I was in a better position, and bought my Eumig, it hasn't had as much use as Steve's projector, but it is 40 years old and only a sound head replaced. I used to find it noisy, which was distracting, but after a while got used to it. I was surprised that even before a service, my B&H 16mm was no louder than my Eumig, and now it is much quieter. It's just about right, I don't want noise to get in the way of enjoying the film, on the other hand I don't want silence. seeing and hearing the running of the projector is part of the enjoyment.

If I ever purchased a 16mm projector, I'd have to find one like you've got there Robert.

Does anyone know if the P8 pro runs relatively quietly?

Er, by the way, my Bauer got a full refund, a credit to Van Ek,
The problem was apparently that switch again. (mmmmm),
As everyone has said, projectors are of course personal favourite to each of us individually,k, if there was a "best one" we would all have one.
My own experiences are simple,
My Elmo's go on and on and with over 350 films,(bear in mind how often i use them,) no breaks at all in 35 years, i never left the hobby once, and i cant say i have ever been bothered about the sound of the machine, the projector running is a part of the romance of the old home reel cinema. I have never locked myself away in a booth, i like to be a part of my audience, (when there is one), i run my shows sitting very slightly forward of the projector, all i need to do is simply reach back, the separate amplifier is literally next to me so the volume and sound quality is controlled there.
The projector only gets touched to thread a film & switch it on and off.
If a silent machine is required perhaps a change to 100% digital projection?
If there is any noise other than the mechanism sound then there is a problem which, touch wood, i have to experience.