the successor to the awesome mugen2b is out, same cooling capacity, lost 24 grammes of weight, but the sound levels have increased quite a bit, all info from hardware.info
full detail below

weight: 846 grammes (29.8 ounce)
dimensions: unknown
fan: scythe slipstream 300-1600RPM
cooling
http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/gra ... 0FF,0000FF

http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/gra ... 0FF,0000FF

sound levels
http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/gra ... 0FF,0000FF

http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/gra ... 0FF,0000FF

though the prestation of the mugen3 is still top noth for its price range, it has become less intresting for silencers, or even normal user with its high sound levels...
what do you guys think?

Welcome to SPCR,

http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/123042/scythe-mugen-3#tab:fotos
Here are some pictures: http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/954019-scythe-mugen-3-first-pics.html

I'm curious about the mounting bracket, and what the base surface is like?

The change in sound performance should be solely related to a change in fans, correct? Shouldn't swapping it out for two slower Nexus or slipstream fans fix that?

It looks like a sound development of the Mugen 2. Though the cooling isn't improved there are other aspects that can be just as important. Hopefully SPCR can review it and compare the noise and cooling with referense fan(s). We do of course want to see push-pull low speed fans for instance. In the meantime there is always Google translate.

Looks like they removed a fair amount of fin and upped the top speed on the fan to compensate.

But the low end of the PWM fan seems to be the same. So perhaps except at high heat loads this heat sink will be as quiet as the old one, even with the stock fan.

http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2146/3/ ... genmodules

I just installed a Mugen 3 in an Antec P183 case on an I7 920 (Gigabyte GA-X58-UD5 MB).

I had to get rid of the noisy stock Intel fan. I've put up with it way too long.

I'm using the Mugen 3 with its stock fan and it's very quiet. From a foot away you can't hear it. My Samsung HDs and (now) top mounted Scythe Kama Flow 2, 900 RPM fan are now the most prominent noise sources and they're both very quiet.

The stupid giant memory heat sinks forced me to use the Mugen 3 fan in a pull configuration. the photo shows why.



At the same time, I tried a smaller solution in my Antec P150 PC. I tried a Scythe Samurai ZZ on an I7 950 on a gigabyte GA C58A-UD3R. The Samurai ZZ has no clear noise advantage over the stock Intel fan. It runs at over 1700 rpms to keep temperatures at around 45c.



I'll be ordering another Mugen 3 unless someone has another recomendation for the P150 (that uses a PWM fan).

In summary, The Mugen 3 is Great - The Samurai ZZ not so good on an I7. I'll likely move it to an older computer.

PSUs used:
Antec True Power new 550 (soooo quiet!)
Seasonic S12II 520 (just as quiet as the antec). I'm very happy with both.

Other thoughts: I know the Noctua coolers are very popular, but I want to use the PWM connector so the MB controls the fan.

That's a monster I thought my Noctua NH-U12P SE2,TRUE where huge.

Hi

I can install the fan of my mugen 3 in either push (not much room left) or pull configuration.

I've installed in on a i5 2500k without OC and I'm mostly thinking about low CPU usage.

It's in a solo II case with the default case fan.

What will be the best from a silence point of view?

Just to revive an older thread, and to bring more info about this ignored cooler. There are very few reviews and no spcr interest to wright about it.
My experience with the mugen 3 (3100, rev b) is bad. Just bad:
1. It has a concave base: verfied with my own eyes both with a metalic ruler and from the footprint of the paste on the socket. It creates a lake of thermal compound in the middle of the base that transfers 0,0 heat. Despite that it cools just like the stock i5 cooler.
2. It needs a high speed, high pressure fan to cool effectivelly.
3. Push pull config works better, 5 - 10 deg c better. It depends on fan speed see 2.
I would not recommend it and regret buying it.

Uhh, that sounds bad. Then the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO + a good aftermarket fan is the way to go if the budget can only stretch to 50 USD.

ghia -- your Mugen 3 is a perfect candidate for lapping.

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx ... 433&pgno=0 -- this article analyzes results obtained after lapping the HE base... and also the CPU IHS.
http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/lapping/

But why should you have to? Aren't there similarly priced high-performance HSFs out there that are flat, right out of the box?

Ralf Hutter and MikeC,

I admit thinking about lapping but did so very briefly.
For the joy of silence and safety I will replace the mugen 3 with a new cooler worth whatever money I have left.

I thought Scythe were serious about their coolers, but it seems that they are not. It explains their recent lack of success at the top. I still love, praise and will keep my Ninja but I would never pay for another scythe cooler to soon.

So, to pay for my bad decission I will endure "poverty" and will sacrifice money from elsewere just to buy a Prolimatech Genesis cooler.

End of story!

If the cooling performance isn't sufficient/you are not satiesfied with the product, i'd first contact my shop and try to get my money back. If the retailer cannot get me further, I'd probably contact Scythe Eu Support for further assistence.

Any product I pay for should at least function as described, because the money i gave for this product did.

It's actually only $37, which is really cheap considering its fan & performance (when the base is flat) and since ghia already has it in hand, why not is my thinking. I probably would try it -- if only to try lapping for the first time. My guess is that if the non-flat base is the only real problem, the cool/quiet performance would jump to champ class.

Just for the fun of it (and the experience) I will eventualy lap the base. I hate to mount - dismount - mount -....the cooler endlessly. Don't think is good for the motherboard.

I believe that the concave base is the only problem. It is not the first cooler I mount on a MB. I believe there is enough thermal compound (1 drop in the centre), the cooler is propelly instaled (there is only one way you can put the wings, the backplate and screws on it), the fans work and are installed the right way, there is no overclocking, power saving options are all enabled (cpu voltage goes down below 0.8V). What else?
Plus I saw the print of contact cpu-cooler: it's ugly; i'll try to take a photo.

For my peace of mind I'll buy a new cooler, tested and verified, reviewed by others. Most likelly a prolimatech genesis +2 14cm fans (what is the actual spcr champion by the way?.

Hi masters and friends!

I'm looking for answers about the CPU coolers. My desktop PC is malfunctioning, I need a new one, and I bought the Audioengine A5+ after I red the review of SPCR. The A5+ sound excellently so I want for my new PC a very good cooling and a very quiet working.

I've red about the skill of the Mugen 2 to perform very good using 2 fans even at low voltage. Elsewhere I've red Mine 2 is better (about 2-3 degrees) than both Mugen 2 and Mugen 3.

I'm considering the possibility to buy a Mine with 2 or 3 Nanoxia fans (they are half the weight of the normal fans) because I found a Mine 2 at a lower price than the Mugen 3 (35 € against 40/50 €).

What do you suggest me? Mine II with 2/3 fans or Mugen III with 2?

P.S.: for the SPCR staff: thank you for reviewing Audioengine A5+ because you convinced me to buy it and now I'm very happy.

A little up!

Mine 2 vs Mugen 3... It's probably not a big difference in either cooling or noise (when the fans are slowed). Keep in mind that a fan with a fin stack on both sides will always be a bit louder than one which is blowing into the fin stack and open on the other side. Assuming some speed. At super low speeds (say <700rpm) there should be no audible difference. But you're running 2 fans anyway... I'd go for the deal you found.

ps -- glad you found my review of the Audioengine A5+ useful. I'm still using the samples.

http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/2682/2/ ... gh-edition

Friend of mine runs a Frantic Design R3 with an AM3 based phenom 3.5ghz quad, and he's decided the stock cooler is way too loud.

The entire rig is pretty good, and from listening to another rig with the exact same setup (except a slightly better psu) and a mugen 2, I think he's right that it's the cpu cooler making a fuzz.

Unfortunately the mugen 2 is no longer around so he's looking at the pcgh edition.

What he wants is a readymade kit that he can attach to his cpu, which will cool the same but be more quiet. Price isn't really important so long as we stay within the 'bigass air cooled heatpipe-based cooler' category, so yeah. Will the mugen 3 pcgh work for this?