it saddens me when as modellers we don't take advantage of the-work-that's-been-done-before-us...
we as modelers Looooooove reinventing the wheel
my questions still remains about dividing frequencies among multiple speakers. One could imagine the P42 from Kato could certainly have the room to do this and benefit.
My apologies, I missed the initial question. Sure, one of the reasons Kato went with the powered-truck concept is to give bucket-loads of space for weight, electronics, and other stuff (like speakers). There are quite a number of modellers worldwide who are working with dis-similar-sized speakers in sets to create "pseudo crossover'd" speaker arrays, like bass-reinforcement in the tender with a Point-source in the smokebox. (Search Youtube for "ScoopMMR"). These ideas have been fleshed out in other threads here onlist in recent times, so no need for a thread hi-jack here.
I must admit I've yet to personally see a modeller use an actual purpose designed "passive cross-over", matched with a set of tweeter+woofer speaker drivers/enclosures, in a purpose-engineered loco shell. Apart from this taking a lot more effort than simply "plugging in an off-the-shelf sound decoder", it's unknown if the power-amps in the average decoder are up to the task of driving 2x speakers _plus_ the parasitic losses thru the "speaker level" crossover. (Sure, they'll make a noise, but distortion will be ever present).
In short, yes it's more than do-able,...
_if_ one is willing to put the time and effort in... ;-)
Now, back to the LokSound show... :-)
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
PS Yes, I can see 2x Tang Band 26mm aluminium coned HB drivers mounted "close coupled" in a Kato carbody loco... ;-)
I think it's only a matter of time before someone makes a 2 or even a 3 way miniature speaker system with appropriate crossovers and mini amps in the circuit that will fit our models.
I like your idea of a subwoofer array in the the tender of steam locomotives!
I wish someone would bring one or two steam locos that have really minimal space for adding sound to demonstrate how their product can do it. Seeing a decoder nestled in the palm of someone's hand is interesting but I'd rather see the concrete instead of the abstract. Articulateds are nice but not in the cards for my layout.
So, do we expect to see you at the next show roaming around with a partially disassembled MDC 2-trucker, for "live conversion examples" from the major sound players? ;-)
--two truckers a major pain for space. Climax, Heislers same issue...
Had never thought of bringing a loco to a show for live, on-the-spot conversion assistance; who's the lucky volunteer? (Would accept a video or two of really tough cases tho, worth their weight in decoders...)
My brass Overland B6s has a Loksound Select micro decoder in the ash pan under the motor and a 16mm x 30mm speaker in the tender. I did not want a big harness between loco and tender so there are just 2 speaker wires to the tender.
Someday I will put an LED and run two more wires to the back up light. But for right now it runs and sounds great. It is the largest speaker that would fit and I also made a styrene enclosure too.
Comments
But Prof...
we as modelers Looooooove reinventing the wheel
my questions still remains about dividing frequencies among multiple speakers. One could imagine the P42 from Kato could certainly have the room to do this and benefit.
2-way X-over'd speaker installs in Locos?
Dear Chris,
My apologies, I missed the initial question. Sure, one of the reasons Kato went with the powered-truck concept is to give bucket-loads of space for weight, electronics, and other stuff (like speakers). There are quite a number of modellers worldwide who are working with dis-similar-sized speakers in sets to create "pseudo crossover'd" speaker arrays, like bass-reinforcement in the tender with a Point-source in the smokebox. (Search Youtube for "ScoopMMR"). These ideas have been fleshed out in other threads here onlist in recent times, so no need for a thread hi-jack here.
I must admit I've yet to personally see a modeller use an actual purpose designed "passive cross-over", matched with a set of tweeter+woofer speaker drivers/enclosures, in a purpose-engineered loco shell. Apart from this taking a lot more effort than simply "plugging in an off-the-shelf sound decoder", it's unknown if the power-amps in the average decoder are up to the task of driving 2x speakers _plus_ the parasitic losses thru the "speaker level" crossover. (Sure, they'll make a noise, but distortion will be ever present).
In short, yes it's more than do-able,...
_if_ one is willing to put the time and effort in... ;-)
Now, back to the LokSound show... :-)
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
PS Yes, I can see 2x Tang Band 26mm aluminium coned HB drivers mounted "close coupled" in a Kato carbody loco... ;-)
Cool, Prof!
I think it's only a matter of time before someone makes a 2 or even a 3 way miniature speaker system with appropriate crossovers and mini amps in the circuit that will fit our models.
I like your idea of a subwoofer array in the the tender of steam locomotives!
Yep, it's just a matter of time!
Pete
Just once...
I wish someone would bring one or two steam locos that have really minimal space for adding sound to demonstrate how their product can do it. Seeing a decoder nestled in the palm of someone's hand is interesting but I'd rather see the concrete instead of the abstract. Articulateds are nice but not in the cards for my layout.
MikeM
MDC Shay anyone?
Dear Mike,
So, do we expect to see you at the next show roaming around with a partially disassembled MDC 2-trucker, for "live conversion examples" from the major sound players? ;-)
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
MDC, no (but maybe someday), PFM yes...
--two truckers a major pain for space. Climax, Heislers same issue...
Had never thought of bringing a loco to a show for live, on-the-spot conversion assistance; who's the lucky volunteer? (Would accept a video or two of really tough cases tho, worth their weight in decoders...)
MikeM
Stuffing decoders into small spaces.
Mike.
My brass Overland B6s has a Loksound Select micro decoder in the ash pan under the motor and a 16mm x 30mm speaker in the tender. I did not want a big harness between loco and tender so there are just 2 speaker wires to the tender.
http://s1081.photobucket.com/user/locoi1sa/library/Brass%20B6?sort=3&page=1
Someday I will put an LED and run two more wires to the back up light. But for right now it runs and sounds great. It is the largest speaker that would fit and I also made a styrene enclosure too.
It can be done and here is proof.
Pete