Sound Units

[George NormanParticipant @georgenorman68347]

Good Morning all,

I am Waiting patiently for Action Electronics Noisey thing II's come back into Stock for the past 6 months or so and there seems to be no sign of these being re stocked anytime soon.

Does anyone have any experience of other options out there. Looking for a Steam sounds for My Sir Lancelot Build.

I am looking now a Harbour Models Steam sounds which sound pretty good to me but on the expensive side.

Shame as the Noisey Thing II looked to be pretty good.

[George NormanParticipant @georgenorman68347]

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Dave Milbourn used to assemble a lot of the ACtion stuff so that may be one of the reasons for the delay.

Colin

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

The noisy thing sound unit is very good, using a real recording of a steam engine, mlne has been with Componantshop since last September for re- setting, they have told me that they are made in-house.

Eddie

[George NormanParticipant @georgenorman68347]

Thanks, Did not know the poor chap moved on.

Maybe I plug for one of those American units. The Steam sound is pretty good.

It did enquire and Covid and supply had a lot to do with the lack of these.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I'm just going to throw this into the pot for discussion or comment, I am not critisising!

In all my years at sea in harbours around the world I have spent many a happy hour watching ships from the decks of my own vessels. In all that time it has become fairly clear that, as a ship sails closely past you, there is invariably very little noise comes from it. I would suggest that the most noticeable noise is usually from medium or high speed diesel generator sets with the main engines producing no discernable sound outside the vessel. I accept they are all individual and pulse scavenge engines will make a slight rumbling from the funnel but, overall there is very little to be heard from even diesel main propulsion engines.

I have also stood next to a steam reciprocating engine as it was running and was surprised at just how quiet it was in comparison to a diesel engine so I really do believe that there would be no sound from a steam reciprocating engine outside the ship. The only noise in the engine room is when operating the reversing gear and opening up the steam again.

So why do we want to make our steam powered models sound so unrealistically loud?

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi Richard, you are right about the steam engines, having been making them for the past forty years you could hear a bark from the exhaust when pulling my hard, but with a triple expansion engine there would only be a slight mechanical noise from the moving parts and a bit of steam hiss, but fitting a sound unit gives a bit of atmosphere.

Regards.

Eddie.

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

The funny thing is Richard, is, when you have finished your watch and you are lying your head on your pillow in your bunk, fast asleep – it is amazing how quickly you wake up when the main engines stop for no reason. Your eyes are open even before you hear the alarm bells ring. The other thing is on your first few nights ashore at home you never sleep for the first couple of nights due to the fact of the silence.

Let me sleep tight to the sound of a Doxford.

John

Edited By John W E on 09/05/2021 15:43:01

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

George , Model Shop Leeds do a steam engine sound module for around £23 . No connection with the company . Trevor.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

A few years back we spent a lot of time travelling around Lake Lucerne on the old paddle steamers. Unless you were actually in the engine space they were pretty much silent. Even then it was just the occasional hiss.

Colin

[redpmgParticipant @redpmg]

And on the Waverley much more sound from the paddles rather than the engine………

The only external  loudish  sounds I have heard  locally in the Cape is a tonk tonking from some of the very old single cylinder engined fishing boats and from the twin diesel engined excursion boats – but those only as they get under way. Mostly Caterpillar engined but a couple fitted with Detroit Diesels.

Have one of Craig Talbot's original Action single cylinder diesel sound modules which sounds like the local boats.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited By redpmg on 09/05/2021 16:53:56

[George NormanParticipant @georgenorman68347]

Interesting views and thoughts chap, I can relate to the quietness of the Steam Ships when compared to a Railway locomotive.

I suspect the sound is more of a wow factor and to create an Atmosphere about the ship itself. I have a sound unit in my Talacre, Very basic one, Just about hear it when she is underway too.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Posted by John W E on 09/05/2021 15:34:09:

The funny thing is Richard, is, when you have finished your watch and you are lying your head on your pillow in your bunk, fast asleep – it is amazing how quickly you wake up when the main engines stop for no reason. Your eyes are open even before you hear the alarm bells ring. The other thing is on your first few nights ashore at home you never sleep for the first couple of nights due to the fact of the silence.

Let me sleep tight to the sound of a Doxford.

John

Edited By John W E on 09/05/2021 15:43:01

 

I know just what you mean John. A couple of memories to share with you:

One night at around 03.00 hrs I was in bed in my cabin with my wife on a big cruise ship. I was out of bed and part way into my boiler suit before "Red Parties" was called. When my wife asked me later what had woken me up before the announcement I told her it was the click of the switch on the PA system that can always be heard just before an announcement.

Another one was when I was on a very small cargo ship doing a ten day round trip between Portugal, Gibraltar and Ellesmere Port. I was still living at home at the time and my parents were only in Northwich so the Chief told me I could go home one night when we were in Ellesmere Port. They lived in the countryside and I could not get a wink of sleep all night as A) It was pitch black and we always kept our cabin doors open with a curtain across in those days and B) It was absolutely silent and I couldn't get used to it!

That particular ship had one of the last five Doxfords ever built fitted to it, a medium speed three cylinder engine.  I used to do my last rounds when I was on duty and simply lean over the railings and stare at the upper pistons flying around.  When the rings and the liner on the top piston started to wear she became very difficult to start.  The solution was to send the youngest, me at the time, to the top of the engine to pour engine oil from a bucket around the skirts of the top pistons to help seal them.  If you heard the hiss of the starting solenoid you got off pretty quick!

 

 

Edited By Richard Simpson on 09/05/2021 19:26:43

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Does anyone know what has happened to Componantshop? There website isn’t available and the phone does not connect.

Eddie.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Their website seems to be a little slow but it just worked fine for me.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Eddie

Just opened the website and logged on to my account.

I have noticed that the product list doesn't seem to work properly on my mobile device.

Tim

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

Hi Richard, funny you should mention 'curtain across the door' doing the Gulf run and we didn't have any air conditioning in the cabin (just in the bar – the most important place) and we were told to batten down all the deadlights and close all external doors and vents as there was a sandstorm coming! I remember being down the engine room and must have lost 3 stone, sweating that much – and remember the salt drinks they used to give us. Must have drank gallons of that stuff – and – when it was all over, walking along the deck and everywhere covered with a fine layer of sand. I wasn't keen on the Gulf runs

Happy days all the same

John

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Some of the links within the CS site don't work properly on my PC although it is usually possible to find what you want using another route.

Colin

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Thanks everyone, I will try again.

Eddie.

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

hi there

To get back on track – have you thought about using Forge Electronics? I know they mainly do diesel sounds but they do have one that is a combination sound unit and it may just fit the bill .

**LINK**

John

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Yes,I do have one of those, but it is not as good as the P110, but is better than some of the others.

Eddie.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.George,I have just spoken to Componantshop and they tell me that they are re-designing the P110 sound board, they don’t know when it will be available, but I think it is well worth waiting for.

Eddie.

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