sound systems (any good)

[Phil 9]

I have seen many videos but I have never seen one for real. How do the perform in the real world? Can you hear it during an entire flight or do only get the effect on a low pass

at a club is it drowned out anytime an ic engine is started

[Peter Marsden]

We're currently potentially losing the right to fly IC at our site so I've been messing about with sound systems.

Spent a fortune, achieved very little other than burned out speakers/transducers.

They all sound impressive indoors, or even in the garden. Not bad in the pits either, but in the air? - waste of time.

I've since fitted one to the input jack of my 1980's 'Ghetto Blaster' utilising a slave Rx. Now we're talking! I place this next to me when flying and have to turn the volume down! Just wish I was bright enough to be able to adjust the volume dependant on where the plane was in the sky. I'm not good at operating the 'sticks' and trying to turn a volume control on the Tx at the same time!

Will I stick with this method? Seems unlikely.

I did hear a very loud and realistic 'Foamie' the other day. It's a Yak (9?) and at full throttle it really howls. Some say it's a feature of the airframe, others that it's the timing being out on the ESC.(?)

I've also seen a reasonable attempt using flappers on the motor (like playing cards in the bike wheel) but think it'll wear out real quick.

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Sounds like a good idea, the blaster the other side of the runway and the volume adjusted by the feedback from the aircraft receivers 

reception signal, sorry but I don't know the name for it, in French it's the rssi signal.

[Don Fry]

RSSI in English as well, received signal strength indicator.

[Chris Walby]

Off topic, just make sure the IC stuff does not make a nuisance and complies with relevant guidance.

 

I have heard a few good sound systems, but many like yourself promise much, but deliver little in practice.

 

I think you have to incorporate all the mods and tweaks to get the best out of the sound systems like cutting lumps out of the model and incorporating diaphragms to maximise the sound level from the model.   

 

PS - for smaller models there is a significant weight penalty of the sound system as a factor to consider. 

[Cuban8]

Those I've heard in airframes that are taxiing around on the deck sound reasonably good when up close but just don't seem to have the sound energy (or whatever the correct term is) to carry any distance - not much cop when in the air and no better than a cheap transistor radio playing at a distance.

To be fair, there are a few examples of sound systems on YouTube that perform way better than those I've come across in  the past - maybe things have improved to a degree and if one is willing to spend ££££s. Are they worth bothering with though? Electric power whether in models, motor vehicles and in particular motor sport simply sounds thin and anaemic despite very high performance (Moto E is a perfect example and why it attracts very little interest) so if one is looking for some 'soul' and not just convenience, there's no substitute for IC. - Sorry Greta.😉

[MattyB]

27 minutes ago, Cuban8 said:

Those I've heard in airframes that are taxiing around on the deck sound reasonably good when up close but just don't seem to have the sound energy (or whatever the correct term is) to carry any distance - not much cop when in the air and no better than a cheap transistor radio playing at a distance.

To be fair, there are a few examples of sound systems on YouTube that perform way better than those I've come across in  the past - maybe things have improved to a degree and if one is willing to spend ££££s. Are they worth bothering with though? Electric power whether in models, motor vehicles and in particular motor sport simply sounds thin and anaemic despite very high performance (Moto E is a perfect example and why it attracts very little interest) so if one is looking for some 'soul' and not just convenience, there's no substitute for IC. - Sorry Greta.😉

 

I am not disagreeing that sound systems are currently disappointing - I had one a few years back, and whilst it sounded great up close, at any distance it just faded away very quickly. However, trying to claim the average glow or petrol 2-stroke has "soul" is really stretching things; whether glow or petrol, to the vast majority of ears they sound nasty even if well silenced. It is very noticeable that those who do like the sound and smell of two strokes grew up with them in their youth in the 40s-early 90s; it's the nostalgia factor in the main.

 

Four strokes (especially multi-cylinders) are a different kettle of fish - they do make a great noise that even many non-modellers often enjoy - but I would personally take a "thin and anaemic" sounding e-powered aircraft over any 2-stroke every time. The non-flying public certainly agree - just look at how many clubs have had issues with IC noise complaints down the years. 

Edited February 13, 2023 by MattyB

[martin collins 1]

When my pal and i started flying electric Waaaay back when it first was used in model planes, Nimh cells and brushed speed 400/600 motors we were the only ones to do so at our club, all the others said `it don`t sound like a real plane`, most of them were flying noisy 2 strokes, as MattyB said, they were deluded if they thought their models did! Ian Ranson used to fly some nice scale 100" electrics, i remember him flying a Heinkel HE 111 with a sound system many years ago, again pre brushless/lipos and as it taxied out it sounded great, in the air it could still be heard though probably could have done with a bit more volume, he also had gun fire for strafing and bomb drop noise. As he taxied in it had an authentic shut down sound before he flicked another switch and it played the opening tune from the Battle of Britain movie. Needless to say we were all very impressed! 

[Don Fry]

Ancient petrol head. Unlike the chairman of the BBC, I declare an interest.

Also deafish. ( that’s broken ears deaf, not wishing to be a bit deaf, as a member of the American Government wishes to claim his religion.

My deafness is engines and rifles, and a few years driving/thrashing a Leyland J4 prisioner carrier round a city. Diarrhoea on wheels.

WHY NOT, 2023, earphones, do technology to get it to know when to be noisy in the earphones, including dacadacadacadac as needed. Bluetooth, everyone gets the noise, if wanted.

 

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Maybe a bit of a safety concern if pilots have reduced hazard perception due to wearing earphones or headsets. 

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Seen plenty and to me they're a waste of money/time and are a weight penalty, but to some it's part of what they enjoy, tinkering with stuff fitting it in models, turning up at field with a grin on the chops " Have you heard this" ? Yes Bill sounds just like a Merlin. 😉

 

Same with I.C, do they have soul ? Absolutely, to some, it's what they enjoy.

[MattyB]

7 hours ago, Don Fry said:

…WHY NOT, 2023, earphones, do technology to get it to know when to be noisy in the earphones…

Any telemetry capable TX capable of running Lua scripts (e.g a Frsky or Jeti set) could be made to do this today using a combination of an onboard GPS sensor and the throttle position as inputs to the mixer generating the sound. I suspect it would be a royal pain in the posterior to tune the response initially (it would have to take into account the rate of change of distance, direction and height in order to determine the volume at any given moment). The only major challenge might be latency on the telemetry, but in terms of the technology it’s eminently possible and exactly the sort of project that the community that thrives around the open firmwares would enjoy.
 

Ps - You could even simulate the spluttering cough of a dead stick if you added a telemetry current sensor as well, though some might think that was taking it a bit far! 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by MattyB

[GrumpyGnome]

One earpiece, OK; the thermal glider guys have been doing it for years.  Two? No! We need pilots to communicate with each other.......

[Don Fry]

8 hours ago, Martin Harris - Moderator said:

Maybe a bit of a safety concern if pilots have reduced hazard perception due to wearing earphones or headsets. 

Now Martin, we are talking about an adult male who does TakaTakaTaka as he strafes an enemy bean can across the field. I would be far more worried about mental health issues. 
 

[Allan Bennett]

5 hours ago, Don Fry said:

Now Martin, we are talking about an adult male who does TakaTakaTaka as he strafes an enemy bean can across the field. I would be far more worried about mental health issues. 
 

 

I'm really pleased with the Benedini sound system I have in my Magnatilla.  It also has a machine gun sound which is coordinated with a flashing bright LED in the muzzle of the gun.  Brings a smile to the faces of many of our club members when it's flying, and can be heard when in the sky, sometimes even when there's a glow model flying too!

[Christopher Wolfe]

No sound system required for this excellent model of a Sea Fury.

Just a healthy bank account 🙃

 

Sea Fury with radial engine

[John Minchell]

On the subject of wearing headphones or ear buds on the flight line take a look at bone conduction headsets, loads available and "Shokz" being a popular maker.

They leave the ears uncovered and work better in my case than conventional headphones.

I now use them Bluetooth connected for hands free phone in the car, as well as flying GPS competition gliders.

Removes all issues with hearing landings called or shouted warnings from others while you are flying.

John M

[Ron Gray]

Laser 200 in-line twin, best on board sound system I have!

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Ron Gray

[Jon H]

2 hours ago, Christopher Wolfe said:

No sound system required for this excellent model of a Sea Fury.

Just a healthy bank account 🙃

 

Sea Fury with radial engine

 

Just a point on this video, its actually the reduction drive and prop that make it sound so good. The engine note is not usually the cause of problems with our models and its actually the propeller. The whining of the propeller tips at high velocity cause most of the noise so reducing this propeller tip velocity is a good way of reducing noise. If that same engine has a small 2 blade prop running at higher rpm it would howl like crazy. 

 

As for the sound system thing. If you want to be able to hear it at the distance you would an ic engine then it will need to be as loud as an ic engine and need be noise tested like an ic engine. Consequently, if the locals object to the noise of ic they are likely to object to your now loud electric model as well. 

 

It might be better to have some sort of dialogue with the complainants and find out what it is they are so upset about. Is it actually ic models being noisy, or is it that one guy with a very loud model who keeps buzzing their house? Or, do they just not like model flying. If its the latter, and it usually is, you are on to a looser no matter how you deal with it. 

[leccyflyer]

On 14/02/2023 at 07:22, Don Fry said:

Now Martin, we are talking about an adult male who does TakaTakaTaka as he strafes an enemy bean can across the field. I would be far more worried about mental health issues. 
 

You're never alone if your inner voice can chip in with that TakaTakaTaka at the appropriate moment. Check your surroundings before letting it out though - I was told to "Grow Up" last week, right in the middle of a dead cert kill. There was me thinking that the whole toy aeroplane thing was an antidote to that whole growing up thing. 😉

[Christopher Wolfe]

20 hours ago, Jon - Laser Engines said:

 

Just a point on this video, its actually the reduction drive and prop that make it sound so good. The engine note is not usually the cause of problems with our models and its actually the propeller. The whining of the propeller tips at high velocity cause most of the noise so reducing this propeller tip velocity is a good way of reducing noise. If that same engine has a small 2 blade prop running at higher rpm it would howl like crazy.

That is a great observation Jon.

 

So, could this lead to a solution to Phil 9's problem?

 

Fit an (maybe 400 kVA) electric motor with a reduction gearbox and a scale prop and rely on the prop noise for the sound effects?

 

Just be prepared for the torque swing in takeoff 🙃