Speaker choices

[fishindogwood]

So as far as the best choice for speakers, I have several Athearn Genesis GP38-2,GP 9s and a few Atlas C420, C30-7, RS3 that are non DCC as I am going with Railpro. Question is, should I use iPhone 4 speakers that seem to be widely touted or should I order OEM speakers and baffles from manufacturers for each loco? Looking at 13 to 16 locos to convert.

  Jim

[TwinStar]

Jim:

I'm installing speakers today in fact. In the past I've used Rail Master, RailFlyer, and a few other odd brands. I've replaced the factory speakers in my Proto 2000 and BLI E units with iPhone 6S speakers and use the narrower iPhone 4 speakers in my GP7/9's. I have not been disappointed. I just finished installing two 6S speakers in a P2K E7 that I'm about to post a different question about.

Jacob

[KPack]

Don't bother getting OEM speakers and enclosures.  They cost a lot and sound equally mediocre.

Either get some iPhone speakers like Jacob said, or get some "sugar cube" speakers from Digikey: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/knowles/2403-260-00071/423-1200-ND/4376274.

At ~$2 per speaker for the above you can't get much of a better deal.  Build your own enclosure using styrene.  The small size makes it easy to install multiple speakers in most locomotives.

-Kevin

[William Brillinger]

Shameless Plug:

You can buy a 4 pack of iPhone 4S speakers from PDC.CA for $6 US including shipping:
http://pdc.ca/rr/catalog/product/railpro-and-accessories/51

[nodcc4me]

iPhone 4s speakers sound great, but they will not fit in many diesel engines without some serious modification. Those sugar cubes look good.

Kevin, can you post a picture of one of your baffles?

[KPack]

Al, this thread shows the enclosures I build: http://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php/topic,202.0.html.  Next time I build one I will photograph the steps involved and how to do it.  It is very easy.

I basically take strips of 0.030" stryene that are ~5mm in width (we dentists work in millimeters).  Cut pieces that are just longer than the sides of the speaker.  CA the strips to the speaker, and trim off the excess with a sharp blade when dry.  Use a file or sandpaper to smooth off the edges and the open bottom so it is flat.  Then use styrene cement to seal the corners from the inside and glue the open end down onto a piece of 0.030" styrene.  When dry, cut it off of the styrene sheet with a sharp blade, use a file to clean the edges.  Done.  I usually will make batches of 2-4 when I do this.

-Kevin

[nodcc4me]

Thanks for the description Kevin. I remember that thread now. 
I'll be ordering some sugar cubes and styrene.

[fishindogwood]

So KPac, am understanding that the enclosures you are building for the sugar cube speakers are totally enclosed with speaker firing inside?
 
   Jim

[KPack]

Jim, I've done it both ways.  In the end I found it easier to have the speaker facing in so I can easily solder the wires to the connectors on the outside.  If you have the speaker facing out , then you have to pre-solder wires onto it, drill a hole in the box for the wires to exit, and seal the hole with silicone. 

The sound comes off of both sides of the speaker so it really doesn't matter which side is in and which is out.  It's just easier to have the back of the speaker pointing out.

-Kevin

[Josephbw]

Thanks for joggin my noggin Kevin. When I was making my speaker enclosures I brought the wires out through the sides and the front of the speaker was open. I knew that speakers would project from both sides, but it never crossed my mind while I was building the boxes. Old age and senility sneaks up on you when you least expect it. 

[nodcc4me]

Kevin, when you use two sugar cubes do you mount them in the same enclosure facing each other or do you enclose them in separate baffles?

[KPack]

Al - I use separate boxes for each speaker.  The thread I linked above is basically how I do all my installs....two separate speaker boxes, one up front and one in the rear.  Two sources of sound causes it to be heard right in the center of the long hood, right underneath the exhaust (just like it should be). 

When I install four speakers I do the same, but with two separate speakers up front and two separate speakers in the back.

-Kevin

[nodcc4me]

 I'll have to try that.

I received my sugar cubes today and made my first baffle. It's solid and sounds good, except that the prime mover makes a crackling sound as it starts up and when running at high revs. The horn and bell sound very good. Any idea why it's crackling?

[KPack]

Al, what prime mover?  If you're talking about the 645 roots, then the crackle is in the recording itself.  Also, the sound will be different once the speaker is installed in the model, so don't judge anything until the speakers are glued down and the model is fully put back together.

-Kevin

[nodcc4me]

I started with the stock diesel engine prime mover, which crackled. Today I tried all the available EMD
prime movers. Each one had varying amounts of crackle but the 710 sounded the best. I had the speaker velcroed onto the only spot under the cab of the H16-44 that had room. I removed the Velcro and glued it in place, avoiding getting glue on the wires that passed under the center of it. Now it sounds much better.

These sugar cubes sound quite good for their size. I understand why you make them up in batches. Thanks for your help Kevin.