Fabulous sound in 2-10-4

[Vidshooter]

For anyone installing sound in a Bach 2-10-4,  here's a suggestion:

Use a Hi-bass speaker and Hi-bass speaker enclosure.  Mount the speaker in the enclosure upside down, ie, with the solder pads outwards.  That makes it easy to solder to.

Araldite the speaker into the enclosure so it is an airtight fit.

Locate the speaker/enclosure with the enclosure end down in the front of the tender over the grill. It is just the right height and is held snugly in place when you tighten the screws holding the chassis to the tender body.

I used a QSI Revolution A and the sound is seriously loud and good.

[Doneldon]

Vid-

Hi bass speakers are almost SOP for locos, especially in smaller scales. Our speakers are so little that the bass needs all of the help it can get.

Regarding the decibels. Louder isn't necessarily better. For one thing, you increase the distortion as you increase the sound level. For another, most model trains are heard from the equivalent of a good long distance, enough distance that the sound is not roaring loud like it would be right next to the track. For example, suppose your ears are five feet from your model train. Well, five feet from a real train would be deafening but five feet in HO is like 435 feet in real life, much more than the length of a football field. Last, if several locos are running with loud sound the effect is of no sound at all, just an unpleasant cacophony.

It's your train, of course, so you can run it as loud as you want. But you may find that your experience is a little more authentic and pleasing if you dial it down a bit.

                                                                                            -- D

[Vidshooter]

Dear D,
I run it at about 15% max volume for all the reasons you state.
Having all that audio gain means that at low levels, you get an excellent sound.

It's like having a 500hp car.  You only use a bit of the power but its there if you want it.