Remember folks - the Noctua heatsink is good because of the fans attached to it. Things have changed a lot since it was released and there are a ton of good options out there that perform on par and better than it without the massive size. NZXT Havik 140 and Coolermaster TPC 812 come to mind.
*edit*
Also, if you have something like a Hyper 212, you can upgrade it with some better fans and get dramatically different temperatures. Static pressure > everything when you're talking about heatsinks and radiators. Most of the fans that are sold alongside these coolers really aren't designed all that well for them. Noctua NF-F12s, Scythe GT's, Bitfenix Spectre Pros, and even Yate Loons are great choices if you want a bit more out of your current 120mm heatsink.