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Setup time and noise: what the listings claim
Updated
Setup claims on these listings run 15 to 20 minutes, and owners mostly back that up for the Bambu Lab printers. Noise is where claims and owners split most. Only the A1 mini listings give a number, 48 dB or less, and owners of the A1 mini disagree on how quiet it is.
Setup: claim vs owners
| Printer | Maker claim | What owners report |
|---|---|---|
| A1 mini Combo | 20 minutes to first print, pre-assembled | About 15 minutes |
| Bambu Lab A1 mini | Simple setup, automatic calibration | About 15 minutes |
| Bambu Lab P1S | Set up in 15 minutes | Easy setup |
| Creality Ender 3 V3 SE | 3 assembly steps, 20 minutes to first print | Easy to set up |
| ELEGOO Centauri Carbon | Fully assembled and pre-calibrated | 30 to 45 minutes |
| FLASHFORGE Adventurer 5M | One-click automatic printing | Easy, ready soon after unboxing |
- A1 mini Combo claim20 minutes
- A1 mini owners15 minutes
- P1S claim15 minutes
- Ender 3 V3 SE claim20 minutes
- Centauri Carbon owners30 to 45 minutes
Setup is not the same as learning. The first print is fast. Learning bed adhesion, supports and slicer settings takes days. Several owner summaries mention bed adhesion problems on the Ender 3 V3 SE, Adventurer 5M, P1S and Centauri Carbon.
Noise
- A1 mini: the listings claim 48 dB or less with active motor noise cancellation. Owners disagree, and several report a high-pitched sound.
- A1: the listing mentions active motor noise canceling but gives no number.
- Centauri Carbon: some owners find it quiet, others very noisy.
- The rest: the listings we read give no noise figure.
A dB claim is only useful if you know how and where it was measured, and the listings do not say. Fans run the whole time a print runs, and prints can take hours. Plan for a machine you can hear from the next room.
Where to put it
- Creality's manual asks for a ventilated, cool, low-dust spot on a stable surface. A wobbly table hurts print quality.
- Bambu Lab's A1 FAQ gives 10 to 30 C room temperature and humidity under 85%.
- Not in a bedroom. Noise is one reason. Fumes are the bigger one. See the safety guide.
Easiest start on these listings: the Bambu Lab A1 or Bambu Lab A1 mini. Caveat for both: open frame, so PLA and PETG. See the comparison.