H80i Advice - Noise Levels

I've just ordered a new rig and am really battling with myself over the CPU cooler option. the full spec is on the left and is amendable until the rig goes into production. I know I've ordered the 3570k but I intend to run it at stock speeds for the foreseeable so Hydro cooling isn't essential straight away, I was thinking of waiting until I need to OC the CPU.

I'm wary of the Hydro series for two reason; water in my rig would inevitably equal disaster (if something can go wrong to me, it will), but noise levels play a big part too. I've read that the H Series can be noisy through both the fans and the pump. The wife moans about the slightest noise from my PC (she moans about everything, I'm already onto a loser) so I'm trying to keep the rig as quiet as possible for as quiet a life as possible.

If anybody has an H80i and could offer any input I'd be really grateful.

I have the 80i on a fx4170, working temps run low to mid 30's with a pump speed of 2100rpm. The fans run at 1000+/- rpm. The system has a very low noise level. You can hear it in a silent room but if you have normal activity you do not hear it. I use Corsair Link2 to control the fan and pump. When you first boot the fans and pump run full speed for 4-5 seconds, sounds like a jet spooling up for takeoff.

The 80i has quality hoses and clamps, I don't think you need to worry about leaks.

Time to live a life without any restrictions; time for the wife to go. . . he made me do it

linnemeyerhere said:

Your options are taking the stock fans of the H80 and slowing them with resistors for real cheap or replacement with precision fans like Noctua's or just forgo water for a complete noiseless Noctua air cooler.

Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler - Newegg.com

You can control the stock fan rpm with Corsair link, a free software D/L from Corsair.

Thanks for all of the replies, much food for thought there. And while Lee's solution was probably the most desirable, it's also the least likely to happen.