Fitting TTS decoders to other locos.

[WilliamDavid]

I have just fitted a couple of Gadwell decoders to two of my Hornby A4s.

The Gadwall, and indeed, the Flying Scotsman, are fitted with 28mm speakers with an enclosure, the tender bases being moulded to position these.

Higher end locos are designed to take a 28mm speaker without the enclosure, clamped in position by a shaped steel plate. This does go together, just.

The sound is not as good as the Gadwall, and way inferior to my Golden Plover fitted with a Sugarcube speaker

As there is no room for a Sugercube, so how do I seal the back of the speaker to improve bass.

The moulding is full of openings, and I would appreciate advice from anyone who has done this.

 

 

[Fishmanoz]

There's been lots said about sealing the back of speakers on here, found a couple with a simple search on sealing, and you could try seal too in post contents.  Blu-tak seems to be favoured, not forgetting around the wires.

[Howbi]

@WilliamDavid............I cut a piece of self adhesive felt, like the stuff you fix underneath furniture........the sound reproduction has improved so a simple solution........HB

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[WilliamDavid]

I love the confidence in the search function. Never works for me.

I have been with this forum for years, and can't recall it coming up.

Thanks howbiman, damping the rear may well be an option.

I feel Hornby have made a poor design for this feature.

[96RAF]

As I have said many times about TTS, the enclosure is there for a purpose and sealing the speaker front from back is essential for good acoustics, else as you have found without it the sound is poor.

 

You can make your own custom enclosures from plastic Humbrol pots, which are exactly the right diameter for TTS sepakers.

 

With regard to the search facility less is more we you ask a query and try the search both in title and text areas.

[WilliamDavid]

My point is the higher range Hornby locos are not designed to take the enclosure, just the 28mm speaker. The tender is the enclosure.

This means that when people start fitting the soon to be released TTS Decoders, they will have this problem.

I have decided that the best option is to discard the cheapo speaker (the one I have just purchased from Rails of Sheffield distorted, fortunately had a spare) and fit the Sugarcube as I did on the Golden Plover.

I was wondering how other users are dealing with this particular issue.

[96RAF]

I think you are wise WD in fitting a sugarcube or even the smaller Zimo one rather than the speaker on its own when there is not enough space under the weight for the standard TTS enclosure.

 

Discarding the weight is an obvious simple way out, but this may affect the tender ride, although if the chassis is metal then this is less of a problem, more so if the chassis is plastic.

 

Fitting a cube speaker may mean having to chop the coal hopper to suit.

[Howbi]

There may be no need to discard the weight, just stick the cube speaker of suitable size on top, as in this example of my 2P loco tender with TTS and a brick speaker.........HB

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[96RAF]

Types of weights vary from the standard sheets of iron in HBM's picture to sculpted cast weights seen in some service sheets.

.

The type of weight will obviously affect the intended speaker installation.

[2e0dtoeric]

Having read the thread, it is nothing to do with TTS! It should really be titled - 'Fitting speakers to locomotives', as the problem applies to both TTS and 'full' sound decoder speakers!

[WilliamDavid]

It is to do with TTS and the problems in mounting its speaker to Hornby's own locos.

[choralc]

HB, I very much like the installation and am considering replacing 20+mm round speakers with sugarcubes or similar and that includes TTS kits when they come along.

 

As an aside about buying sound and speakers. I bought an LMS twin from RoS and asked for their recommended sound chip and speaker. They sent a Class 37 sound which I have no problem with but the kit comes with a rectangular speaker even though I pointed out that the model has a 27/28mm round speaker mounting screwed onto the body. They said it would fit so I bought it.

 

Removed the speaker mounting as I saw that the supplied rectangular speaker enclosure would obviously not fit. The body would not fit back on so I emailed them and they said remove the speaker mounting (as I had done) and remove speaker from its enclosure and secure everything with blutack! Yes it now fits but that's not how the supplied speaker is meant to be fitted so I ordered a sugar cube as the round speaker mounting also secures the fan just visible through the grill and will leave the loco in manufacturer's specs.

 

The moral is that unless the model comes with factory-fitted sound after market fitting should be expected to require some problem solving. Also, perhaps the way the manufacturer fits a sound installation may only be the cheapest way and not necessarily the best.

[96RAF]

Agreed choralc

when TTS retro kits come out then people must be prepared to do a bit of inventive installlation work if the loco isnt exactly per the original TTS spec loco fit.

such things ever were and ever will be In any hobby.

Rob