Are quiet aquarium filters actually quiet?

It depends heavily on the model. Oase canister filters draw near-universal praise for silence across r/PlantedTank and r/Aquariums, while HOB units like the Marineland Penguin and Tetra Whisper get mixed reports: reviewers note the motor may be quiet but water trickling into the tank can be audible, and some units get louder after a few months.