Sound for N scale

[Anonymous]

Someone on another thread mentioned that there is sound for N scale. They said that it does not go in the engine but would go into a freight or passenger car itself. Does anyone have any experience with this. Would it be as loud as sound in O or HO? Who manufactures the cards and or speakers? Are there RTR freight or passenger cars that incorporate sound? Thanks for the help in advance.

[cacole]

I don't think you would be a very happy camper if you could find an N-scale sound system. The key to any sound system is the speaker, and HO scale just barely accommodates 1" diameter speakers. Speakers for N-scale would be so small that they would probably sound horrible and have very low volume.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jdoll

Someone on another thread mentioned that there is sound for N scale. They said that it does not go in the engine but would go into a freight or passenger car itself. Does anyone have any experience with this. Would it be as loud as sound in O or HO? Who manufactures the cards and or speakers? Are there RTR freight or passenger cars that incorporate sound? Thanks for the help in advance.

1. remember loud isn't necessarily (usually isn't) the same as good.
2. Simple physics say no to N-scale on both counts. A standard speaker generates sound my moving air. More air moved louder sound. A 1/2" speaker is going to sound squeeky reguardless. HO is just tollerable sound wise.

My father liked sound and has N-scale so I am experimenting with a double dekcer stock car that has four 3/4" speakers mounted vertically in it. Also trying some transducers (the things that make sound in cellular phones), and piezo elements (the sound producers used in greeting cards). The sound decoder is in yet a second box car. So the loco always has to have the stock car and box car behind it. Also having trouble keeping good electrical contact with the box car. sigh .. not fun ... not easy .. expensive ... and really really not even close to OK quality. I am ready to give up and try a system where the speakers are mounted on the layout and track the locomotive's transponder. Locomotive tells the DCC which section of track it is on. The DCC tells the computer and the computer routes the sound to the speaker next to where the locomotive is.

[rrinker]

At one of the big show in Timonium Maryland, the guys who make that speedometer advertised in MR were there (the name escapes me for the moment). They had a small N scale demo layout set up running DCC. The One train was pulled by a PRR E-unit....WITH SOUND! It sounded suprisingly good, for something so small, then I was shown the secret - the entire fuel tank area was taken up by the speaker, so it had a speaker about as big as you'd typically put in an HO diesel. This wouldn't work for hood units, but you probably could fit a relatively large speaker in an N scale steam tender.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Fleischmann have brought out some N-scale German locos with sound - the one I've seen reviewed was a pair of BR218 diesel-hydraulics - one powered, the other a dummy with the sound unit. Sound performance was thought to be pretty good considering the size of the speaker. I would be tempted to buy one of these but for the price!

[Anonymous]

I have read that Intermountain is planning a release of either ft's or f9 sound equipped N scale units,knowing the quality and detail they are famous for I would keep an open mind till they release futher news.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. It sounds promising for the future of N and sound.