You definitely hear this unit. Even for a low end unit I would not expect that level of sound emanating from a refrigerator. The sound is not a defect - they warn you about it in the manual.
Bought this in an emergency when previous GE died after more than 20 years of good service. This one is doubtful, Temperature regulation is poor in both freezer and refrig. Shelves are tricky to change. No owners manual, only a quick use brief paper.
Needed to replace a fridge in our home within a specific budget. This fridge met our expectations for the price and the glass shelves are exactly what we like. Another nice feature are the smooth handles. Thank you GE.