Bigger fans are not only quiter in dB per airflow, but they sound quieter due to the nature of hearing different frequencies. Lower frequencies sound less appearant than high pitched ones.
Also, you have to have about 10 times the fans for it to sound twice as loud. So if you go to a fan that's a little better than half as loud, and use 10 of them instead of one, it will be quiter. Why?
doubling the amount of fans gives you 3 more dB. 3 dB is a doubling of sound pressure. 10dB sounds twice as loud. So compared to one fan, 2 fans is 3 dB louder, 4 fans is 6 dB louder, 8 fans is 9 dB louder, still not twice as loud sounding.
Long story short, more slow fans better.
If Apple wasn'y limited by making pretty computers, they could have achieved this with 2 120mm fans.