It is the same as running an older batch S9 with two boards (8THs), except silent. And they pull 2/3s the power of the older S9s as well.
Its design is probably unnecessary in a warehouse, but perfect for the living room.
The T9 is close, but it still uses dual fans. I wonder if the Avalons are quiet enough, but somehow doubt it. Someone told me 65db, which is 10db above the R4.
The fan on the R4 should be run at 100% by disconnecting the control wire, they are very quiet even at the max 3200rpm (i saw another (slower?) batch running max at 3000rpm).
Compare it with the useless A3 and tell me they were worth more spending resources than this. An Scrypt model using this same design would have probably been great as well.
I guess in the end you have to get a T9/S9 and put it inside a cooler box with holes and thermal insulated ducts...
Avalons aren’t going to be quiet enough for the living room like you said; they’re still industrial grade machines just like the S9s, though they are indeed somewhat quieter than the S9s. Every decibel counts in home mining, though, so if you aren’t going for the living room approach, the Avalon or S9 is fine for the garage or basement as long as there is adequate airflow coming in and heat extraction out.
There’s no need for the R4 in a warehouse considering you get way better bang for your buck with alternatives like the S9, T9, A8xx, etc.