Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Best sounding speaker mfg?

2876 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Oregon
  • 188 posts
Best sounding speaker mfg?
Posted by 5150WS6 on Saturday, January 13, 2024 1:09 PM

So I know the sound of a speaker is only as good as the source of the sound. And in my experience Loksound has the best sounds out there hands down. 

So just for the sake of argument, who makes the best quality speakers on the market? I always stick with Loksound for speakers too but thought I'd get some opinions. 

I just picked up a Athearn Big Boy from a guy and the sounds are dismal so I'm swapping out the decoder for Loksound and have room for dual speakers so I'm curious what speakers you guys are liking the best?

I don't mean to start a Ford vs Chevrolet argument, but would appreciate feedback :) 

Mike

Moderator
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 17,247 posts
Posted by tstage on Saturday, January 13, 2024 2:22 PM

Mike,

I would HIGHLY recommend speakers from Scale Sound Systems.  JT Burke is the proprietor and is a sound engineer by trade.  JT designs and 3D prints his own baffles for the speakers and they just sound terrific.

For your Big Boy you want the Boiler Barker speakers.  And there should be enough room in that monster to install two.  I did that in the boiler of a brass 2-6-6-2 Mallet and the chuff is full & throaty - even with the master volume set @ 50%.

I can't recommend SSS speakers highly enough.  You won't be disappointed.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,853 posts
Posted by maxman on Saturday, January 13, 2024 2:46 PM

tstage
I can't recommend SSS speakers highly enough

I know what you're trying to say, but............Big Smile

Yes, I know it is grammatically correct, but it always sounds wrong to me.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, January 13, 2024 3:19 PM

maxman

 

 
tstage
I can't recommend SSS speakers highly enough

 

I know what you're trying to say, but............Big Smile

Yes, I know it is grammatically correct, but it always sounds wrong to me.

 

That's because you must be auditorily incorrect. Smile, Wink & Grin

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, January 13, 2024 6:04 PM

tstage
For your Big Boy you want the Boiler Barker speakers.

I've installed a few 'boiler barker' speakers and agree with Tom that they make a big difference in 'locating' the sound closer to the source by having the speaker closer to the stack. Below is a brass hybrid BLI Hudson that I gladly removed the puffer thingy and replaced it with a boiler barker speaker:

This is the stock assembly with the smoke maker shown:

 J3a_upgrade-stock by Edmund, on Flickr

    —and replaced with, as I recall, a 21mm dia. boiler barker:

 J3a_SSS speaker by Edmund, on Flickr

Unless you're comfortable with tearing down your chassis to access the smokebox it may be a bit of a challenge for someone not inclined toward that kind of a project. The 'boiler barker' series are circular speakers designed for installing inside the boiler itself.

Sc ale Sound Systems also offers the aptly named 'Big Boy' speaker which I've used in several larger tenders. Here's one I'm fitting into a B&O EM-1:

 BnO_EM-1-DCC Tender by Edmund, on Flickr

Sometimes a weight has to be shifted around. JT has a tutorial on installing this speaker into, I believe, an Athearn Big Boy.

I haven't found the 'Goldilocks' decoder yet. They all have shortcomings or advantages and none seem to 'hit all the right notes'.

I have dozens of ESU decoders in both Select, V5s and Pilots. They're great for 90% of my first generation diesels and there's no denying the ability to load a completely new sound 'project' is a distinct advantage. When it comes to sound projects for North American steam, however, I find their sound projects sorely lacking.

For steam, Tsunami 2 is better but still not great. My personal preference is the WOWsound V4 decoder. Once you get used to the 'voice command' programming method, which I pretty much ignore but simply use the menu layout TCS provides with the decoder, you can really get some excellent results.

Whatever decoder you decide on there's no better choice than to  pair it with a Scale Sounds speaker.

Here is a sampling of some of the recent speakers I've yanked out of various HO locomotives and replaced with better sounding SSS speakers:

 Junk Speakers by Edmund, on Flickr

 

   Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Oregon
  • 188 posts
Posted by 5150WS6 on Monday, January 15, 2024 9:37 PM

Fantastic! Man I love this forum!

Have never seen or heard about Scale Sounds Systems but I'm all over giving them a try. 

Thank you guys for the recommendation!

Mike

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Monday, March 18, 2024 3:50 AM

What you are asking is highly subjective and personal opinion.  

 

I wouldn't say loksound has the best sound for everything.  It's very hit or miss depending on where the sound came from.  

 

It also depends a lot on how a speaker is used.   I have a QSI titan that has two 1.1"  high bass speakers in the tender.  You can quite literally hear it through the front door of the club at 4 watts total and down to 120Hz -6dB.  Soundtraxx with its adjustable Eq might come close.  But not in terms of volume.  

 

And paragon with rolling thunder blows them all away.  

 

But the favorite so far by most is the sugar cube speakers commonly available.  Soundtraxx sells them.  But they are limited in power.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    June 2022
  • 96 posts
Posted by IC_Tom on Monday, March 18, 2024 11:04 AM

tstage

Mike,

I would HIGHLY recommend speakers from Scale Sound Systems.  JT Burke is the proprietor and is a sound engineer by trade.  JT designs and 3D prints his own baffles for the speakers and they just sound terrific.

For your Big Boy you want the Boiler Barker speakers.  And there should be enough room in that monster to install two.  I did that in the boiler of a brass 2-6-6-2 Mallet and the chuff is full & throaty - even with the master volume set @ 50%.

I can't recommend SSS speakers highly enough.  You won't be disappointed.

Tom

 

^ This ... absolutely.

  • Member since
    October 2022
  • From: Pasadena California
  • 92 posts
Posted by BradenD on Saturday, June 15, 2024 6:49 PM

I'll second the quality of TCS Decoders for steam. However, I like ESU loksound for some steam locomotives. I chose it for my big boy as it has actual recordings from the engine. Not to say Soundtraxx doesn't but I don't like their sound quality and cost more for me.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!