Waverley West Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I have just got myself a new HST set with one SWD Class 43 V 4.0 decoder - I will be getting a second as funds allow. The advice I need is really about sound levels. The supplied speaker is surprisingly small - a round version of roughly 20mm dia. I have installed it under the large roof grills facing straight up but the sound is very tinny and not very loud, very subdued in fact, even with CV63 set to its maximum of 128. However the volume of the horns is superbly set and so this is a trait also demonstrated by my sound fitted Class 37s - loud horn, quiet engine. The speaker value is 4 ohm - is this whats holding the sound back - is that value too low? Is it just a cheap "slap it in the box" factory speaker that doesnt really suit this application meaning a speaker upgrade is always needed? The instruction sheet states speaker values must not exceed 8 ohm but that I could wire in 2 x 4 ohm in series or 2 x 8 ohm speakers in parallel. Not sure how to do this if this is even necessary. Has anybody ditched the standard speaker supplied by SWD/ESU and gone for something else which has released more sound and reduced the tinniness? Should I move the speaker away from the roof grills or try to encase it in some kind of sound chamber? Failing that perhaps Howes offer a louder version? Any advice from those in the know really appreciated. Hi ThaneofFife, There is plenty of room in the Hornby HST power (both dummy and powered) to fit a much larger speaker. I fitted both of mine with bass reflex speakers and am very pleased with the result. This is what it sounds (and looks) like... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrBntsMB1Dk Hope that helps! Cheers Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 try to encase it in some kind of sound chamber? You have fitted the supplied sound enclosure, I trust? It is a plastic round chamber which fits on the back of the speaker and MUST be airtight. I use Blu Tack but others use Black Tac. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Hi ThaneofFife, There is plenty of room in the Hornby HST power (both dummy and powered) to fit a much larger speaker. I fitted both of mine with bass reflex speakers and am very pleased with the result. This is what it sounds (and looks) like... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrBntsMB1Dk Hope that helps! Cheers Dave well no dave tbh. wheres the photo of the inside of the powered power car to show how youve done the installation? thats what would help. i already know what it looks and sounds like. can anybody else assist? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waverley West Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 well no dave tbh. wheres the photo of the inside of the powered power car to show how youve done the installation? thats what would help. i already know what it looks and sounds like. can anybody else assist? Sorry to disappoint you so much ThaneofFife. There is so much space inside both power cars that installation should not really be an issue with a normal decoder and speaker (even a bass reflex one). It's just a case of soldering the decoder to a bass reflex speaker, plugging it in and sticking the decoder and speaker inside the power cars using a sticky pad. I placed the speaker at the guard compartment end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Once I have sussed out how best to do this I will upload a photograph showing the inside of the powered car - this should invaluable to anybody else with the same problem in future. Letting the dog see the rabbit so to speak! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 after a little reading up and digging around on the net a pair of bass reflex speakers have arrived today from dcc supplies. the standard 15mm deep version is unlikely to fit so I opted for the slimline version measuring 58mm x 22mm x 9mm. £8.16 each. will post up some photos of the installation for anybody else still in the dark shortly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Hi ThaneofFife, There is plenty of room in the Hornby HST power (both dummy and powered) to fit a much larger speaker. I fitted both of mine with bass reflex speakers and am very pleased with the result. This is what it sounds (and looks) like... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrBntsMB1Dk Hope that helps! Cheers Dave Hi Dave Yes Great Youtube Pic of the HST Sound I have the same one in each Car and I am well impressed with it... Your Layout always looks cool... I take it you have recently moved or moved the layout in to a much larger room.... Do you have any plans to exstend your layout...? Great Photos and your layout is out of this would... Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waverley West Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Hi Dave Yes Great Youtube Pic of the HST Sound I have the same one in each Car and I am well impressed with it... Your Layout always looks cool... I take it you have recently moved or moved the layout in to a much larger room.... Do you have any plans to exstend your layout...? Great Photos and your layout is out of this would... Jamie Thanks Jamie. The HST does sound good with the bass speakers. I need to set the horn to only sound on the front power car (which I think there's a thread on on this site somewhere), but otherwise installation is pretty straightforward, as there's plenty of room in both power cars (for a change). Yep, I do have plans for expanding WW but I am also making other changes to the station area to make it a more accurate representation of the real track layout and make operation more prototypical as regards the inter-city trains. See my thread. Better go before I hijack this thread any more! Cheers, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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