All donations are securely managed through PayPal. Amounts donated are not published online.
Many thanks for your kind support.
Model Boats Website Team
Donation History
January 2019: 12 people December 2018: 6 people November 2018: 11 people October 2018: 9 people September 2018: 13 people August 2018: 5 people July 2018: 8 people June 2018: 8 people May 2018: 7 people April 2018: 21 people
Hi all, I may have missed a post on this subject but would like some advice on the best steam sound unit to use with my electric-powered Imara! I’d like it to be variable to connect with the speed controller, although this may be a challenge as it’s running two ESCs for the twin props.. Any help gratefully received. Rgds Eric
What an amazing bit of kit! I didn’t think of tanks, thanks Wayne! I’ll bear this in mind, as I’ve already bought a mixer unit for the motors.. unless there are any similar units that just do sounds?
Thanks Doug, I’d had a recommendation for these already, although their site mentions that they only work with their speed controllers... I may give them a try though. I’d really like to find one that has a sampled sound (for realism) rather than synthesised but bit found one so far! All the best to you too.. Eric
Hi Eric, I have a sound module from a specialist German company who only make electronic modules for models. I'll dig out some info / links (in English😉) and post/send to you. You could also look at the Graupner Sound module. On both of these you can load your own sound files in raw WAV format. There are thousands of these of genuine ships sounds on the WWW. Can send you some samples if you like. The advantage of the digital synthesised versions however is that they can be linked directly to the motor speed! If you mess with the replay speed of the WAV files they just sound daft 🤔 Or you have to find a way to synchronise separate start, accelerate and cruise sound files to the model speed. rather you than me Gungadin!😉
BTW: I'm not sure that the Action modules only work with their ESCs! As an electronics engineer I'm sceptical and will test that with other ESCs.
Cheers and HNY, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Hi Doug and Eric If you want synchronized sound they will be synthesised. I bought an original Action sound unit for my Trent lifeboat as the sound was sampled on the Whitby Lifeboat which is the model I built. The sampled sounds are all available on a disk and you can easily reprogram to any sound you require. The latest offering can reproduce two motors which is good for twin props where the engines are often changing direction when manouvering. You do need a large solidly mounted speaker to deliver the deep engine notes. My Noisy thing works with any rx and both brushed and brushless ESCs. I suspect that they are designed to link into the Action ESCs which may explain the situation. We did have a discussion re the Action twin ESC some time ago and I did note that the two positive and negative connections had to be wired correctly or risk damaging the output stage. Whatever you choose the sound will greatly enhance the models prescence.
Exactly! 👍 The advantage of the German sound modules I found is I believe that you can sequence the engine sounds start, run, idle, stop etc (or any others!) but I don't know yet if it is (or can be) linked to the ESC control. Had other things to think about recently 😉 I do know that they can be linked to other functions; e.g. crane, gun turret noise, when these are activated so it should be possible! Wishing a Happy and Noisy New Year, cheers Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Hi Eric, I've looked at the Action engine sound modules again and they are not restricted to any make of ESC. They take their control signal directly from the RX ESC channel and have a socket on board to connect the ESC, whoever's it is 👍😉 The sound is however synthesised to enable this. Dave's Action Noisy Thing is obviously the better choice than the Micro modules bur of course more elaborate and thus more expensive. Seems to be very similar to what I found here in Germany. Cheers Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
What I don't like about the 'Noisy Thing' is that apparently the engine sound stops for as long as you use any other sound; e.g. fog horn, ship's bell etc, so called 'General Sounds' in the Action description, if you use it in so called 'Throttle Mode', i.e. engine sound coupled to speed. In that case you may as well use a Switch module to connect the 'General Sounds' on separate modules to an amplifier with mixer inputs. The sound modules I found here (Germany) don't have this disadvantage. They have at least two output channels enabling a minimum of two simultaneous sounds. Specific sounds can also be coupled to switched outputs; e.g. to move cranes, gun turrets, or switch lights etc whenever that corresponding sound is actuated. Specific sequences of various sounds can be pre-programmed and initiated with one command using only one sound channel. Attached are extracts from the manual of a module from Neuhaus Electronics showing how to synchronise real engine sounds to the throttle. Needs a bit of PC work but no rocket science 😉 and the sounds are then linked to the throttle stick position. Send me a PM and I can send you details including source and operating manual. The Graupner module is very similar but I haven't experimented with it yet. Cheers Doug 😎
Attached Files - Click To View Large
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Doug Whilst I agree the sound systems you have found are excellent, am I right in thinking they are designed for the model truck market? I am sure they can be modified. There are circuits in Practical Electronics and I am just waiting for someone else to produce a working design smaller than a large mobile phone. The best steam sound unit I found for my tugs of the IMARA era came from Technobots, coupled to a 20Watt amp and 8" speaker. Sadly they no longer supply the sound unit, but there are other suppliers. If I recall one of our members was involved and I suggest you visit http://www.forge-electronics.co.uk/index.php. If you are using two ESCs you really need two units but one amp and speaker would be OK You did suggest similar using pre-amp mixer, which would allow mixing of other sounds.
On my lake you can hear this system from the middle of the lake 50 yds+ so I have an on/off switch if it causes nuisance!?!
I have the following in my steam tug 'Alte Liebe' and I purchased it from Technobots originally but it is now sold by its original designer who now manufacture its under the name of Forge Electronics. http://forge-electronics.co.uk/index.php/boats/combo-mk3 You can change from petrol, diesel or steam and change each type according to how many cylinders you want to use. Simple programming via a plug and unit sound is proportional to speed and has an idle mode in the static position whereby the piston stops in steam or if using petrol/diesel the 'engine' shuts down then as soon as it receives a throttle input the 'engine' cranks over. I think it is a great unit.
Thanks very much for this, I have a diesel unit from technobots and it’s excellent! I’ll look them up, glad you can still get them, as I’d noticed they don’t supply the steam unit any more.
Kind regards,
Eric
Just to update on the Technobots sound units. Alan Bond the original designer was selling under his Forge Electronics outlet. He has now, just passed on the future sales to www.scalewarship.com run by John Wills.
John is in the process of adding the units to his on line shop and hopes to be able to supply in the near future.
The units are very good and reliable and can produce very realistic sounds in line with motor speed. A separate 20 watt amp and 8" speaker on a baffle board works well for me in my Tugs.
Thanks Dave for letting us know - I only checked yesterday and had a good look at the Forge Electronics website. I only have a 50mm dia speaker in my large tug running at 6 volts and that is loud enough and I can hear it on t'other side of the pond, your set-up must be deafening 👍 Alan
Thanks Wayne, they sound amazing! Not sure if there’s a steam one, did you find one? What’s your experience of shipping times to the UK from China? Cheers, Eric
Hi Eric Chinamen all celebrating Chinese New Year so shipping delayed until they return to work. My experience is expect 20 days against the more common 10 days. Could be longer if your order is high value an attracts HM Customs interest!😭
1st Jan 2018 01:57
