I was wanting to replace the speaker in my Lionel Conventional GP-38 (The one with trainsounds) as there is to much feedback causing me to turn the volume way up to hear the sounds. I want a good quality speaker that has little feedback. The one in there now is a 8 ohm .5 watt speaker and is 2" wide. Any thoughts?
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If you are getting feedback, it not likely the speaker, but the signal going to the speaker.
How does one overcome that problem?
Describe what you are hearing. Is it the variable screech, like when someone is too close to a microphone, or a rocker holding his guitar close to the amp?
Depending on the height limitations, the Baby Fat Boy or the Fat Boy from Lionel is what you need when you replace the speaker. An enclosure will also help, space allowing. Here they are(attached), Boxcar Bill sells them reasonably priced.
But, even though a better speaker would enhance the sounds, you need a clean signal first. (as Sinclair already mentioned.) Check for some easy items first. Remove the shell and check the connections of the wiring harness and any other wires for a loose connection. Check the collector wires to board and the common wires from the trucks. Test it with the shell off after checking the connections.
Was it always this way or is this a new problem?
What's the model number?
The problem is static. Lots of static. So much that when at slow speeds, all you here is static instead of the rpms. It has always been a problem. The engine is from set no. 6-30158.
With some alligator clip jumpers, you could power the engine for testing. Then try turning the volume pot to hear if that changes the static. Like a bad volume control on a radio. That would rule that out. If that changes the static, a shot of Radio Shack tuner cleaner & lubricant may clean up the volume pot.
Check the sound on\off switch also.
Static is typically from bad\loose connections. Check them as I previously mentioned.
The baby fat boy would fit in the fuel tank area. No room for an enclosure, but would improve the sound quality.
Of course, there is some static in the RS4 sound, nature of the beast.
Of course, there is some static in the RS4 sound, nature of the beast.
I have always wondered why the Lionel boards static is as high as it is? Is it from the way the board is designed? the way it plays the recordings?
They seemed to get it lowered with each new release of RS, right?
First step is to determine if its the speaker or amplifier. If you have any kind of speaker laying around you could unsolder one of the leads from the train speaker and connect the leads to a computer or stereo speaker using clip leads.
Normally static is from the source though a speaker with a loose voice coil can rub on the magnet giving a static like sound.
Pete
Of course, there is some static in the RS4 sound, nature of the beast.
I have always wondered why the Lionel boards static is as high as it is? Is it from the way the board is designed? the way it plays the recordings?
They seemed to get it lowered with each new release of RS, right?
Yep, the latest Legacy stuff has very clear sounds. As you say, each version of RailSounds improved the sound quality. I don't know why they started with the high level of background static.
I guess I should have read the initial post describing it was trainsounds. Sorry.
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