Return it and start over.

Noises are described in the owners manual

it was installed per installation specs, and GE says it's "normal". contractor says it will cost a lot to remove cabinetry. i wonder what db readings other people get on their refrigerators.

44 dB isn't that loud. Post a picture of the installation. You may have room for insulation.

44 dB is on par with very, very quiet dishwashers. I had to look for the red light to know that my dishwasher was running (before I tore out the kitchen so I could experience indoor camping ... I digress). I wonder if there is something about the frequency that bothers you? Does this model advertise anything special in terms of the type of compressor or motor it uses?

Unless you can identify excessive noise levels from this model, and KNOW that another model will be significantly quieter--you are likely to take an expensive trip out of the frying pan into the fire. Hopefully a pro here can suggest some sound dampening ideas.

thanks everyone. i could only put any insulating material behind the appliance, no room on sides. chocolate snap - why would it be expensive? GE will give me a full refund...thanks.

You’re over reacting. 44dB is quiet. Normal conversation level is 60. Get used to it. There isn’t anything out there that is silent.

TeeDee, I was imagining that any fridge that would fit your existing cabinetry, but that would also be quieter--would be more expensive. Plus delivery and install fees? But if you look at the specs for your existing fridge, and find a comparably priced but much quieter model--then it seems important enough to you to be worth a try :)

I only hear mine when ice drops or water is running through the line. It’s a KA counter depth. My dishwasher is 44 decibels, if my fridge ran at that too it would be unbearable, and that’s not hyperbole.

By chance do you wear hearing aids.? I am not that old and wear them. It is funny how sometimes the oddest things and are magnified.

44db seems to be a 'standard' cited by LG, for example, as a quiet level they are marketing as an accomplishment. LoDecibel™ Quiet Operation . . . . I wouldn't really care what is said about that. There are other manufacturers units that are quieter. You can choose one that meets your standard of quiet.