To the OP> I have used a mixture of Aio's and air coolers over my past few builds. I also have the components for a proper custom water cooling setup but never ever got round to it for whatever reason. This includes Phanteks and XSPC Raystorm cpu blocks, about 2-3 EK rads, 2 Black ice rads, xspc rads, D5 pump, tubing and distilled water most of which have never been used.
For Air coolers the most recent experience is with the Noctua D15 and D14 although in the past I have used Thermalright. For aio's I have h115i pro, x62 and Ek predator 360.
As for air coolers go the D15 met my needs more than the other air coolers. While the D14 is similar it doesn't play nice with tall memory sticks. I am about to try and cram a D15 into an Inwin A1 when it arrives.
SO while the Noctua looks big and is heavy which it is it securing method is really good and as good as any I have used so far. It's performance pretty much speaks for itself you can google it and I am sure it will turn up many results. Up to a certain RPM it certainly pretty quiet although I got to warn you the fans colour seems to upset people personally it doesn't bother me. For the aio's I use a H115i most of the time although from time to time I switch it out for the EK predator. The x62 is a dead duck unfortunately after I used it with a 5960k. It wasn't that old either.
Between the H115i and x62 I prefer the H115i. And that was after ditching the nzxt fans straight away from out of the box to ML140 pros. But the thing I dislike most about the two is the software you have to use. I don't want to use nzxt or deffo not corsairs. Performance wise they are more or less the same although the pump noise seems to be a smidgen quieter on the Corsair unit. I don't know about the H115i but I do know an x62 cannot handle a 5960x
Which brings me to the EK predator... So many members around here are more than familiar with the EK predator or should I say it issues. Having said that mine has been faultless. Although there is more significant pump noise (maybe just because it older) and I am not a fan of the EK vardars. I prefer my ML pros or Noctua fans. So it certainly noisier than my h115i and compared in context to the D15 it way noisier.
But it the only cooler I have (not including the watercooling parts I have never used) which can beat the D15 and not by a tiny bit but by a bit.