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4 Responses to DCC Loco Speakers
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To a large extent the sound quality is going to be determined by the enclosure it is in. The same speaker can sound very different depending on the enclosure. I have found the I Phone 4 4G speaker to be very good in installs in larger locomotives. They can be shortened by up to half their length and still produce a decent sound. They are available on line for a very reasonable price.
There are also manufacturers that specialize in small speakers and their products are generally very good. Search for them on line but they will be pricey.
The generic ones tend to be hit and miss but the enclosure could be the culprit.
In some cases small sugar cube speakers have a frequency range between 400htz. 10,000 htz. and are about . 7 watts on average.
HERVEY says “enclosure”. I like to say “baffle”. If a speaker is open, it needs a baffle. So if these two words are the same. He’s right. The speaker must be enclosed/or baffled. And that alone, makes a huge difference in sound. As for how to tell before buying, you must ask some knowledgeable people. I am not that knowledgeable, just know about baffles on speakers.
The basic problem is that tiny speakers tend to be more resonant at higher frequencies, therefore tend to sound tinny. Better (that is, expensive) speakers should be specified as having a particular frequency range.
To avoid tinny sound, you want good response at low frequency. So look for the speaker with the range going to the lowest frequency.