Yes that's exactly what the previous owner paid when he changed the manifold. That was done at 101k it's now on 124k and 27 months since I've owned it.
Mine does sound like it's coming from the top front, when I get back in a few days I'll try putting water on the belt to see if it changes note. Even my work colleague said it sounds like a fan belt slipping, but due to lack of room in the engine bay, the noise could still resonate from a different location.