Noctua makes some really good heatsinks. It's my understanding that most users don't need liquid cooling. When would you say someone needs to switch to liquid cooling?
My guess is that a big noctua heatpipe heatsink would keep a CPU from throttling most of the time and do well cooling it, but it would probably be loud when it has to get rid of a lot of heat. The great thing about liquid coolers is they can get rid of more heat with less fan speed and end up quieter (if the pump isn't loud).
You also need good air flow inside the case. Something like big tower with plenty of empty space and additional case fans. If your case is tiny, liquid cooling might be better.