In the cooling market, Noctua needs no introduction, but the company is also known for its inconsistency when it comes to launching new products, and one of the best examples is the NV-AA1-12. This "airflow amplifier" remained on Noctua's roadmap for years, and now that it's on sale… the kit costs $100. The good news is that Noctua decided to share the files for printing the amplifier for free, and Major Hardware on YouTube decided to join in with a clone of the mount.
Just saying the word "Noctua" makes our minds explode into a torrent of beige and brown. But beyond the aesthetics of their fans (and the opinions they've generated online), there are two details everyone agrees on: they're premium products, and they work very well. Along those lines, the famous NV-AA1-12 airflow amplifier, which forces us to go back to Computex 2018 for official references, hit the market at a price of $100. The kit includes all the necessary elements (from the mount to the power supply)... but it's too pricey. The alternative? Print a 3D replica, of course.
Print your own Noctua airflow amplifier
The best part is that we don't have to struggle with the design, because Noctua itself decided to share the STL and STP files on the Printables portal for free. These files also let us modify the print scale: the dimensions are compatible with 120mm fans, but we can extend the parameters in the slicer to use 140 or 200mm fans. Another option is to download a remix that already includes those modifications.
Now, Major Hardware on YouTube was one of the first enthusiasts to try to clone the NV-AA1-12. His prototype works quite well, but when compared to the original design, it's clear there are many differences. This time, his project turned to the mount: his version has spaces for rubber feet, magnets, screws, cable ties, and 120 or 140mm fans. If you'll allow the redundancy, the mount doesn't require "supports" in the slicer, and shouldn't cause problems. Links below!
Download the amplifier: Click here
Download the mount: Click here
