Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 12,560
Likes: 799
From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Bacchetta Quattro, Catrike Speed
They all generally work the same way, but different manufacturers use different numbers of pawls, different springs, etc. Shimano tries to make theirs quiet. My somewhat perverse rule-of-thumb is that the more expensive the hub or freewheel gets, the louder it is.