Scythe Kaze Master II Fan Controller Review

Scythe, known for their cooling products and accessories such as heatsinks, fans, and fan controllers, has recently added a new fan controller to their products. The fan controller featured today is the Kaze Master II, the successor to the original Kaze Master. Let’s see what Scythe has to offer with their newest addition to their fan controller line-up.

Specifications & Features

(Courtesy of Scythe)

Scythe Kaze Master II Specifications
Model NameKaze Master II
Model NumberKM05-BK (Black)
Dimensions (W x H x D)148.5 x 42.5 x 63 mm | 5.72 x 1.67 x 2.48 in
Display Dimensions (W x H)114 x 20 mm | 4.49 x 0.79 in
Length of Control KnobsRetractable
DC Input5 V or 12 V (From PC power supply unit)
DC Output3.7-12 V (±10%)
Number of Fan Channels4 (12 W max per channel)
Fan Speed Range0-9990 RPM (Displays in 30 RPM increments)
Number of Temp Channels4 (0-100 °C | 32-199.9 °F)
Weight215 g | 7.58 oz
Accessories6x Temp Sensor, 4x Fan Cables, Power Cable, 4x Screws, Manual
  • Size & Retractable Knobs – The Kaze Master is designed to be installed into a 5.25″ bay. As sticking-out control knobs would interfere with front panels of computer cases (not being able to close them), the Kaze Master II is equipped with retractable control knobs to make the usage with such models possible.
  • LCD Display – The LCD-display lets the user check both fan rotations and the temperature. It is further possible to choose between Celsius and Fahrenheit.
  • Spin Up Voltage – The adjustable voltage range is between 3.7 to 12 volts. But as fans tend to have problems to “get going” in the lower ranges, this function ensures a 12 volt supply right from the start before settling down to the user’s set, desired voltage.
  • Heat Alarm Function – The Kaze Master II offers a wide range of adjustable temperature settings for the alarm to sound. The user can choose between 55 – 90 °C (131 – 194 °F) in steps of 5 °C (41 °F).
  • Power Feed Control – In case the Kaze Master II detects no fan movement for 15 seconds, for safety reasons the power supply will be cut automatically.

Packaging & Accessories

The Kaze Master II box is very informative and showcases the fan controller and its features well. The front of the box shows a picture of the Kaze Master II and lists four new features at the bottom. The back side shows an image of the back of the Kaze Master II with close-ups of the heatsink and dip switches. There’s also “outside of Japan” warranty information and warning info listed on the back. The sides list the specifications and the included accessories.

Box Front
Box Front

Box Back
Box Back

Box Left Side
Box Left Side

Box Right Side
Box Right Side

The controller itself and accessories are protected by foam with the controller being isolated from the accessories to prevent any scratches to the unit. The included accessories are: the poster-like manual, Molex power cable,  four fan cable extensions, six temperature sensors, and screws for installation. Interestingly, there are six temperature sensors included even though the Kaze Master II is only a four channel controller. It’s always nice to have extras in case one quits working or gets lost.

Box Opened
Box Opened

Contents Removed
Contents Removed

The Kaze Master II

After removing the Kaze Master II from the plastic bag and peeling off the protective layer on the front face, the  sleekness of the Kaze Master II is apparent from its perfectly flat and glossy finish. One of my favorite features of the Kaze Master II is the retractable knobs. The retractable knobs serve a couple purposes, one is to allow the Kaze Master II to be used with cases that have front panel doors. Cases with front panel doors have always annoyed me because I couldn’t use typical “knobbed” fan controllers with them, but Scythe has found a solution to that problem with this implementation. The other upside to retractable knobs is that you can set the fan speed you want, then retract the knobs so they can’t be turned accidentally.

Kaze Master II
Kaze Master II

Kaze Master II
Kaze Master II

Knobs Out
Two Knobs Out

Knobs Out
Two Knobs Out

Turning the Kaze Master II around, we can see the alarm speaker, dip switches, temperature sensor connectors, power connector, and fan connectors.

Kaze Master II - Backside
Kaze Master II - Backside

Switches Close Up
Switches Close Up

Installation

Installation is standard as far as 5.25″ bay device go. Removing a spare bay cover and side panels from the case, slide the controller into place, and mount it with the four included screws. Pretty simple. In my opinion, the Kaze Master II looks really nice, especially when the knobs are retracted and the entire controller is flush with the front of the case.

Installed Kaze Master II
Installed Kaze Master II

Kaze Master II Installed, Knobs In
Kaze Master II Installed, Knobs In

Kaze Master II Installed, Knobs Out
Kaze Master II Installed, Knobs Out

Testing & Functionality

Test Setup

  • Scythe Kaze Master II
  • SeaSonic SS-250SU (jumped with a wire for stand-alone operation)
  • 7x Scythe Gentle Typhoon AP-15
  • 1x San Ace 109R1212H101
  • 9-way Fan Splitter
  • Fluke 115 True RMS Multimeter
  • Fluke 52 II Thermometer
Test Setup
Test Setup

Display & Alarm

The display is very clear and easy to read. There aren’t any options for different colors like other fan controllers out there. The fan RPMs are displayed in 30 RPM increments, and the temperatures are measured to a tenth of a degree. The temperature sensors are pretty accurate compared to my Fluke 52 II with a K-type probe, the difference is under 1 °C between the two.

Temperature Display with Celcius
Temperature Display with Fahrenheit

Temperature Display with Celcius
Temperature Display with Celcius
Kaze Master II vs Fluke 52 II
Kaze Master II vs Fluke 52 II

Typically, when checking viewing angles, the LCD screen is the limiting factor. However, with the Kaze Master II, the screen sitting back away from the front surface is what limits it. The LCD screen itself doesn’t change at different angles,  but the screen is unreadable at extreme angles because the screen sits back away from the front surface and the frame block the view of the screen. You can tell in the pictures below that the top half of the RPM reading is cut off by the top part of the front frame.

Angled View, Knobs Out
Angled View, Knobs Out

Angled View, Knobs In
Angled View, Knobs In

The alarm works well and as advertised, sounding whenever a channel is reading 0 RPM or it has reached the set temperature. The beeping is quite loud, so it should definitely get your attention if you’re in the same house as the controller. Setting the alarm is pretty simple due to the use of dip switches. The first three switches control the temperature at which the alarm will sound, the fourth switch controls the temperature units, and the fifth switch turns the alarm on and off. Below is an excerpt from the manual on setting the dip switches.

Dip Switch Settings
Dip Switch Settings

Channel Load -vs- Voltage

The following chart shows the voltage drop as the channel load increases. The green line is just a reference for the 12 V rail when the PSU has nothing plugged into it, which is 12.30 V. The red line line shows how the input voltage (12 V rail) changes as the fan controller is loaded. The blue line shows how the output voltage to the fans changes as more fans are added to the channel. So what we want to look at is the difference between the input voltage (red) and the output voltage (blue). The voltage drop varies from 0.07 V to 0.91 V as the channel’s load varies from 0.996 W to 12.216 W.

Here’s the hard data used to make the chart above, plus a couple more metrics calculated from the recorded data. If we look at the voltage drop as a percentage, we have 0.57-7.52% voltage loss depending on channel load. I also listed the voltage drop per 1 W of channel load for each increment and it averages out to be 0.066 V lost per Watt of load on the channel. Also, this voltage drop is within Scythe’s rating of 12 V ± 10% (10.8-13.2 V).

Fan Specifications
Fan Specifications
Recorded & Calculated Data
Recorded & Calculated Data

Conclusion

Scythe’s Kaze Master II is a very sleek and capable fan controller. It can control up to 48 W of fans across four channels (12 W per channel), which should be enough power for the majority of users. The alarm is a great feature to let you know something is wrong in case temperatures get too high or the RPM reading reaches zero(0) for some reason. The “Spin Up” voltage starts fans that require more voltage to start than to run, in the situation where there are high-powered fans turned down below starting voltage during operation. The dip switches makes it very easy to set the display and set the alarm, much better than the jumpers used on the original Kaze Master. My favorite feature of the Kaze Master II is its retractable knobs; I can’t count how many times I’ve been annoyed that cases with front doors and fan controllers with knobs are incompatible with each other if I want to retain use of the case door. As far as I know, it’s the only knobbed fan controller suitable for people with a door that covers the 5.25″ bays on their case.

The downside to the Kaze Master II is that it can have quite a bit of voltage drop under load up to a maximum of 7.52% of the input voltage, that’s almost a 1 V drop. So, if you are maxing out your channels with fans and plan to run them at full speed, then expect to be running your fans closer to 11 V than 12 V. Remember, this voltage drop is within Scythe’s rating, so the controller is performing as advertised. This drop in voltage isn’t a “deal breaker” for me, since, realistically, I won’t be maxing out all four channels at once, and most other users won’t be either. Rather than putting all fans on a single channel to max it out, the fans can be spread across the four channels to reduce to voltage drop. So, the 7.52% voltage drop is a worst-case scenario.

A quick search shows that the Kaze Master II can be had for around $50 ± $2 ($52.99 @ newegg.com), a little more than I expected for a controller with 12 W channels. However, the controller does have some nice features and looks great, which could justify the price.

Overall, the Kaze Master II is a good fan controller from Scythe and a definite step up from the original Kaze Master. I think the Kaze Master II could be a little better in the channel rating and voltage drop department for the price, but it performs as advertised and works well at what it’s meant to do, control fans.

– Matt T. Green (MattNo5ss)

About Matthew Green 57 Articles
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Avatar of Lyian
Lyian

Member

550 messages 0 likes

Not bad, but i still think i prefer the Fan Controller FC5V2.

Although i thought i would need a controller, currently with just case fans, my mobo has enough connections to handle all my fans, so ive not bothered to get one. If i decide to add lights and such tho i may get one.. but i dont see me needing one anytime soon.

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Avatar of Robert17
Robert17

Premium Member

3,689 messages 130 likes

Nice review. I had looked at some samples and reviews of "knobbed" controllers as I like the knobs myself for various reasons, even on autos and appliances. But couldn't see fitting a knobbed controller into my Phantom (with the door intact). So just a few weeks ago bought an Aerocool Touch 1000 (which performs as advertised) to add more fans, and probes, in excess of what NZXT provides as a built in controller. Reading your review, hmmm, too bad I didn't wait as I like what I see here. Even some old-school dippies.

Thanks again Matt.

:D

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Avatar of EarthDog
EarthDog

Gulper Nozzle Co-Owner

76,468 messages 3,203 likes

Nice review and controller Mattno! :)

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Avatar of MattNo5ss
MattNo5ss

5up3r m0d3r4t0r

8,808 messages 0 likes

It's really hard to choose between the Kaze Master II and FC5v2. I have the FC5v2, and I'll be keeping it so I won't have to worry about channel wattage if I add and/or upgrade my fans. I have quite a few fans including high powered ones as well.

I really like the knobbed controllers over sliders and touchscreens as well, and the dip switches are SO much easier than trying to fiddle with jumpers in cramped spaces.

This controller is actually for sale in the classies right now, and I plan on putting any profit back into the frontpage.

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