Cooler Master Wavemaster Mod.

[Boyo]

I want to get the Cooler Master Wavemaster, and mod the side panel with a window. The Wavemaster stock cooling is 2x 80mm front intakes and 1x 80mm exhaust. So I would like to place a fan intake in the window. My heart is telling me to put in an 80mm fan so it doesn't take up too much space and detract from the eye, but I am unsure of that size. Could any give me some advice?

I don't actually own the case yet, so I can't tell from pictures if I can mod the rear to allow for 120mm. Does anyone know if that can be done? If not, any ideas about a blowhole and size????

Appreciate any help......

 

[N H O]

to answer your question, no you cannot mod a 120mm in the back b/c there isnt enough room on the back panel which is attached to the mobo tray, but you can mod a top 120mm blowhole and i would recommend that

 

[Boyo]

I didn't think you could change it to 120mm, but I wasn't sure since I was looking at pics. Any thoughts regarding the 80mm intake in the window?

Thanks for the advice on the blowhole...

 

[TheDoucheMan]

I know its not too [H]ard... but you can get a windowed side panel for it IIRC.

Just FYI

 

[ElektronikSeraph]

80mm on the side should be fine, and for the record, there is another 80mm exhaust on the top of the case. At least, that's how my pal's is, and he doesn't mod.

 

[Boyo]

80mm on the side should be fine, and for the record, there is another 80mm exhaust on the top of the case. At least, that's how my pal's is, and he doesn't mod.

Really???? All the specs that I have reviewed have shown 2x 80mm front intakes and 1x 80mm rear exhaust. I'll look into this a little deeper, so thanks for the info.

 

[Boyo]

80mm on the side should be fine, and for the record, there is another 80mm exhaust on the top of the case. At least, that's how my pal's is, and he doesn't mod.

You are correct. I just went to the Cooler Master web site and the 80mm top mount is listed as optional. In all the sites I have been to, not one has mentioned this option. Thanks again for the tip.......

 

[ElektronikSeraph]

You are correct. I just went to the Cooler Master web site and the 80mm top mount is listed as optional. In all the sites I have been to, not one has mentioned this option. Thanks again for the tip.......

A lot of sites only list what fans are included, and it might not come with a fan mounted up top but it does have the mount for it. Glad I could help.

 

[~GoaT~]

if you're somewhat handy with a dremel or have the patience for a nibbler you can put 2 80mm on the back easily.

 

[Boyo]

I'm not totally sure about this mod. How badly do you think the noise levels will be with this case mod? 2x 80mm front intakes, 1x 80mm side intake, 1x 80mm rear exhaust, 1x 120mm blow hole.

What do you guys think????

 

[N H O]

it depends on which fans you use

 

[furi.kuri]

If this is any indication - My WaveMaster has 2x 80mm intake front, 1x 80mm exhaust rear, and 2x 120mm exhaust top and it's virtually silent. Of course I have all CoolerMaster silent blue LED fans, and that has a lot to do with it. The one thing I will say though - The intake sucks. You could get Vantec Tornadoes and it would still suck, because the only ventilation CoolerMaster put up there was a single column of holes (10-12 total I estimate). Granted, it's stealthy and looks pretty cool, but it's not all that fantastic for cooling... I'm actually beginning to think I may be better off with the top fans being intake, but I'm not big on defying the laws of physics.

So yeah, if you can, go for a blowhole. The case does come with an 80mm bracket (which replaces the top-mounted I/O ports) in a color which matches your case, but I don't think it comes with a fan. Your side panel intake idea is good and shouldn't be too difficult to pull off if you can get your hands on a Dremel, but personally I'd rather just cut blowhole(s), get equal if not better performance, and go for one of their windowed side panels. Of course you could just cut the plastic but, well, I think this post has gone on too long already without me voicing my opinion on aesthetics vs. performance...

Hope that helped!

 

[Boyo]

If this is any indication - My WaveMaster has 2x 80mm intake front, 1x 80mm exhaust rear, and 2x 120mm exhaust top and it's virtually silent. Of course I have all CoolerMaster silent blue LED fans, and that has a lot to do with it. The one thing I will say though - The intake sucks. You could get Vantec Tornadoes and it would still suck, because the only ventilation CoolerMaster put up there was a single column of holes (10-12 total I estimate). Granted, it's stealthy and looks pretty cool, but it's not all that fantastic for cooling... I'm actually beginning to think I may be better off with the top fans being intake, but I'm not big on defying the laws of physics.

So yeah, if you can, go for a blowhole. The case does come with an 80mm bracket (which replaces the top-mounted I/O ports) in a color which matches your case, but I don't think it comes with a fan. Your side panel intake idea is good and shouldn't be too difficult to pull off if you can get your hands on a Dremel, but personally I'd rather just cut blowhole(s), get equal if not better performance, and go for one of their windowed side panels. Of course you could just cut the plastic but, well, I think this post has gone on too long already without me voicing my opinion on aesthetics vs. performance...

Hope that helped!

Furi, thanks so much for your post. It's great to hear from an actual owner of the Wavemaster, and what are your thoughts on the case. I was afraid of the intake being an issue, so that is why I would like to put in a side intake to help with the cooling. I also want to go with a 120mm blowhole, but on I want to keep the I/O ports on top so I won't go dual.

The fans you are using are the exact fans that I picked to go with the case, so it was great to hear from you that they are in fact quiet. You never really know just by going with the manufacturer's specs. That really was also a big concern on mine, so that one less thing to worry about.

I found out that you can buy a Cooler Master window panel so you don't have to mod the side panel. I don't know what they were thinking when they made them though, but they come in cheesy pastel colors. What happened to clear??? I would snap up a window panel in a second if they made clear, but I'm not going for the Miami Vice look with the pastel colored windows...

Thanks again for your help. I feel a whole lot better, so I'm going to put in an order and get the Wavemaster.

 

[Boyo]

I forgot to ask one other thing.....With 5 fans (4x 80mm, 1x 120mm) does anyone use or recommend me using a front panel fan/temperature controller???

 

[vanilla_guerilla]

since they are mostly 80mm fans, they will have to be turned up pretty high anyway for them to do any real cooling. i would try to mod the back panel to take 80mmx2 fans. here is a pic of a window i put in my wavemaster when i was using it prob 2 years ago. it doesnt look too tough, at the time i could only get windows that used the thick type of gasket. the window came with a pre drilled blowhole. the top i/o port can be swapped for a cage that will hold an 80mm fan, that is unless your psu is too long, then it wont hold anything. coolermaster does NOT sell side panels with windows for this model. at least they didnt as of last december. i used a dremel to cut the hole. if you do this, make sure you mask the whole side of the panel. the finish can scratch pretty easy. also, this is the opposite of a tool-less case. absolutely everything you do on this case needs to be done with tools. wait until you try swapping out the front fans. the entire front of the case has to be disassembled with allen wrenches, phillips and slot screwdrivers, the "tombstone" and the top and bottom aluminum plates have to be removed. you can get really nice aluminum bezels for your drives that have the coolermaster logo on them at either frozencpu or performancepc.

 

[Boyo]

since they are mostly 80mm fans, they will have to be turned up pretty high anyway for them to do any real cooling. i would try to mod the back panel to take 80mmx2 fans. here is a pic of a window i put in my wavemaster when i was using it prob 2 years ago. it doesnt look too tough, at the time i could only get windows that used the thick type of gasket. the window came with a pre drilled blowhole. the top i/o port can be swapped for a cage that will hold an 80mm fan, that is unless your psu is too long, then it wont hold anything. coolermaster does NOT sell side panels with windows for this model. at least they didnt as of last december. i used a dremel to cut the hole. if you do this, make sure you mask the whole side of the panel. the finish can scratch pretty easy. also, this is the opposite of a tool-less case. absolutely everything you do on this case needs to be done with tools. wait until you try swapping out the front fans. the entire front of the case has to be disassembled with allen wrenches, phillips and slot screwdrivers, the "tombstone" and the top and bottom aluminum plates have to be removed. you can get really nice aluminum bezels for your drives that have the coolermaster logo on them at either frozencpu or performancepc.

Nice pic. Gives me an idea of why mine will look like. I am going with the same color too. I noticed you put 2x 80mm side air intakes. Did that help you with keeping the case cool, because I can always go with 2 side intakes too. Looking at the back, adding another 80mm looks like a real pain, although from the way you described the case, the whole thing is a pain. I may just keep looking.

 

[vanilla_guerilla]

do yourself a favor. get one of these

the wavemaster was nice a couple years ago, but 80mm fans just dont do it anymore. also, the chassis is ancient, they have been using it in there cases for at least 4 or 5 years. and i dont know if this makes a diff to you, but it weighs a goddam ton. the aluminum is THICK. the finish on mine was a little crazed on the top panel, and had some chipping near the door hinges. and i got it shipped from directron in double boxes with packing material between the boxes. which means it prob made it thru q.a. at coolermaster like that. the gigabyte has 3 silent 120mm fans, you can get one with a mesh side panel (get that one). about the same size as the wavemaster, but seems to be laid out better because there is much more room. no removable mobo mount like the wavemaster, but there is so much room it doesnt matter. except fot the mobo screws, it is tool-less. prob same price or cheaper than the wave.

 

[Bbq]

I still rather have the coolermaster. It's just what I have, want, wanted, posses, and am happy with.

 

[Boyo]

do yourself a favor. get one of these

I had one of those just like that, but my wife got him in the divorce. Oh, you mean the Aurora case!!! Nice job with the window. I much prefer that than the mesh sides I have seen. It looks a lot cleaner with better lines. I looked into the Gigabyte, so I may have to look into them again.

I don't know how furi got 2x 120mm blowholes on top, because I did some checking and with my Enermax Liberty 620W, I can't get a 120mm over the I/O port. It will hit the fan, which means that I would have to take apart some of my 5.25 bays to move the blowhole over. And at this point, this little dream project of mine is turning into slave labor.

 

[vanilla_guerilla]

as a guy who used one for a year, i would advise looking for something more modern and practical. the wave is casing my son's pc right now but he can go months without opening the front door and go the rest of his life without taking the side panel off. it looks ok, but its loud and heavy, and very hard to mod. kind of like a cadillac.

 

[furi.kuri]

Furi, thanks so much for your post. It's great to hear from an actual owner of the Wavemaster, and what are your thoughts on the case. I was afraid of the intake being an issue, so that is why I would like to put in a side intake to help with the cooling. I also want to go with a 120mm blowhole, but on I want to keep the I/O ports on top so I won't go dual.

The fans you are using are the exact fans that I picked to go with the case, so it was great to hear from you that they are in fact quiet. You never really know just by going with the manufacturer's specs. That really was also a big concern on mine, so that one less thing to worry about.

I found out that you can buy a Cooler Master window panel so you don't have to mod the side panel. I don't know what they were thinking when they made them though, but they come in cheesy pastel colors. What happened to clear??? I would snap up a window panel in a second if they made clear, but I'm not going for the Miami Vice look with the pastel colored windows...

Thanks again for your help. I feel a whole lot better, so I'm going to put in an order and get the Wavemaster.

You never really need to worry about Cooler Master fudging the numbers on their fan specs... Be wary of companies like Thermaltake that are more well-known for it. Rest assured though, the silent LED fans are fantastic... You may want to go ahead and get a 6-pack of 80mm's to save yourself a bit of money.

The problem with the window color is easily solved. First off, I'd just like to say that the blue looks fantastic, but then again I simply like that color, not to mention it matches all the lights in my case. If you want clear though, look no further than a PPCS modified window - http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...th=282&zenid=04ef287151a187bc7b08d5463a0a60f7

The unfortunate part? They'll run you $50 unless you want just the window. You can then either cut your stock side panel with a Dremel or other power tool or buy a windowed panel, buy the window, and swap them out. They'll also drill fan mounts in there if you want them for $15.

Overall my thoughts on the case - It's a quality build, and you can't find that just anywhere. You have the convenience of a sturdy removable motherboard tray, top-mounted I/O ports, a thick aluminum chassis, and thumbscrews all over the place so you needn't pull out a screwdriver. The only problems I've had are with its size... It's small. Not like real small, but smaller than a lot of the newer cases on the market. It's fortunate that it does have the removable motherboard tray, but still you may want to rethink your purchase if you're looking to cram 5 hard drives, 2 CD/DVD burners, a big PSU, dual graphics and a sound card in there. It's a quality case, yes, but there are decent quality full towers out there as well, and for a similar price. Are they as high quality? Personally I don't think so, but if you need the room, get something bigger. If not, you just purchased yourself a little piece of case design history

Best of luck!

 

[Boyo]

The problem with the window color is easily solved. First off, I'd just like to say that the blue looks fantastic, but then again I simply like that color, not to mention it matches all the lights in my case. If you want clear though, look no further than a PPCS modified window - http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...th=282&zenid=04ef287151a187bc7b08d5463a0a60f7

The unfortunate part? They'll run you $50 unless you want just the window. You can then either cut your stock side panel with a Dremel or other power tool or buy a windowed panel, buy the window, and swap them out. They'll also drill fan mounts in there if you want them for $15.

Overall my thoughts on the case - It's a quality build, and you can't find that just anywhere. You have the convenience of a sturdy removable motherboard tray, top-mounted I/O ports, a thick aluminum chassis, and thumbscrews all over the place so you needn't pull out a screwdriver. The only problems I've had are with its size... It's small. Not like real small, but smaller than a lot of the newer cases on the market. It's fortunate that it does have the removable motherboard tray, but still you may want to rethink your purchase if you're looking to cram 5 hard drives, 2 CD/DVD burners, a big PSU, dual graphics and a sound card in there. It's a quality case, yes, but there are decent quality full towers out there as well, and for a similar price. Are they as high quality? Personally I don't think so, but if you need the room, get something bigger. If not, you just purchased yourself a little piece of case design history

Best of luck!

I have 2 HDDs, 1 Optical, I GPU, 1 Sound and an Enermax Liberty 620W. It's the PSU that is causing me problems with the top blowhole. It's too big to mount a 120mm over the top I/O ports... How were you able to fit 2x 120mm blowholes up top?

Then vanilla_guerilla is posting that the case is a PITA, just trying to change out the front fans. Did you have the same problem as well? Read his post and tell me what you think.

I know with the stock cooling system, the case is a disaster, so I need to get some more fans in there. And, no, I'm not doing water cooling....I'm back and forth with this case. Let me know what you think. Thanks, furi......

 

[furi.kuri]

I have 2 HDDs, 1 Optical, I GPU, 1 Sound and an Enermax Liberty 620W. It's the PSU that is causing me problems with the top blowhole. It's too big to mount a 120mm over the top I/O ports... How were you able to fit 2x 120mm blowholes up top?

Then vanilla_guerilla is posting that the case is a PITA, just trying to change out the front fans. Did you have the same problem as well? Read his post and tell me what you think.

I know with the stock cooling system, the case is a disaster, so I need to get some more fans in there. And, no, I'm not doing water cooling....I'm back and forth with this case. Let me know what you think. Thanks, furi......

The front fans can be a bit awkward to replace, but I've seen worse setups. Again, it's all going back to the size of the case really... Past the initial installation of the motherboard and PSU, the WaveMaster isn't exactly a fun case to work with. It's great initially, but as the hardware piles up and the cables get more and more twisted together, things get a bit messy. The key in my mind is to mod, then install, then do everything within your power to avoid any massive hardware overhauls.

The two fans I was able to fit by lining the first flush against the side of the PSU cage. The second is right next to it, and with an A.C. Ryan grill on top, it gets within a quarter inch or so of the extruding metal piece at the top and front of the case (just above the door). It actually fits and looks quite nice... Of course I have a 450w OCZ Modstream so it's quite a bit smaller than the Liberty, and that may in fact be the only reason I was able to mount dualies.

I'll get some pics up in the next few days if I can manage to get my hands on a digital camera.

 

[Boyo]

The front fans can be a bit awkward to replace, but I've seen worse setups. Again, it's all going back to the size of the case really... Past the initial installation of the motherboard and PSU, the WaveMaster isn't exactly a fun case to work with. It's great initially, but as the hardware piles up and the cables get more and more twisted together, things get a bit messy. The key in my mind is to mod, then install, then do everything within your power to avoid any massive hardware overhauls.

The two fans I was able to fit by lining the first flush against the side of the PSU cage. The second is right next to it, and with an A.C. Ryan grill on top, it gets within a quarter inch or so of the extruding metal piece at the top and front of the case (just above the door). It actually fits and looks quite nice... Of course I have a 450w OCZ Modstream so it's quite a bit smaller than the Liberty, and that may in fact be the only reason I was able to mount dualies.

I'll get some pics up in the next few days if I can manage to get my hands on a digital camera.

Thanks for all the details, furi. Some pics would be awesome too....appreciate all the help and advice.