nitrosportsandrunner

those on here who know me know ive been complaining that traxxas hasn't released anything new....or at least nothing new that I think the hobby actually needed.

email in my inbox today...click on it expecting another re-purposed chassis (well, there is one) but finally there was something new, something the hobby could use from a major brand....a sound system.

The slash now includes a sound module. it gets signal right from the Rx to replicate speed and even shift points. It even uses the 3rd channel rocker switch so you can "put the truck in neutral" and rev up the motor.

There are very few sound modules on the market...well only 2 that I know of. The uber expensive Tamiya system, and the affordable but more complicated Ramtech systems. ramtech systems require you put wires inline with the motor wires...instead of getting signal from the Rx. Also, it has a board which has little protection, fine for a rock crawler but not so good for a high speed basher.

I am still confused on 1 point, the pics on the site show a single box (which I assume is waterproof) but no speaker is pictured?

At any rate, a slash with real sound Fx is cool. And if that sound module can be slapped into most any RC as I assume it could be, then that is even better.

nitrosportsandrunner

not bad traxxas, not bad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g43Yy-TKkQs#t=16

nitrosportsandrunner

ah, google search I found my answer.....the sound module sits on the chassis and has 2 outputs.....which go to a front and a rear speaker that are mounted to the body.

"The On Board Audio system controller mounts to the chassis, but that’s not where the sound comes from–it’s wired into a pair of speakers that are mounted inside the body. A connector allows you to remove the body easily with the speakers attached."

according to traxxas this version of the 2wd brushed slash will be $299. I just looked and $250 seemed the going rate on ebay for the current version. $50 increase isn't bad. And I guess this new version will include a slightly better 4amp battery charger as well.

I am going to wait and see what the module/speakers go for when people start parting out these models on ebay.

SyCo_VeNoM

interesting

Lars from Norway

But only one type of engine sound as it appears to me? A bit lame to have a V8 in a rallycar with (in real life) 4 cylinders... But a cool gadget indeed.

nitrosportsandrunner

true, and there is more variety with the Ramtech ones (boat engines, V8's and a few others and you can adjust the Idle speed)

But who knows, traxxas has rally cars, maybe if the new slash sells well they will make a rally (hopefully 4cyl turbo with full misfire system) version.

Another difference between ram ones ive seen (not ramtech as id stated before) is it has 2 speakers. Im wondering if they emit exactly the same sound or if they are slightly different to improve the realism?

I did just find another system (via google search) This one has gas and desiel sounds with 2 modes...drift and rally. It is also a LED module. Ive not seen anyone used but the cost doesn't seem to bad : https://9rc.com/9turbo/index.php?mai...ac97c1255b31f9

rally:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opXYsIYeUB8#t=147 crawler:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Hb2JYNsZA#t=18 I don't think those sound as good as the traxxas one does. So, if traxxas were to make crawler and rally versions of the sound module it could be pretty awesome.
Also, the traxxas one is waterproof...something I haven't seen in any other modules out there.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

I'm totally gonna buy one for my Mini Revo!

phmaximus

Lol, I don't know about that one...

Large Larry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5-zSb_isRE

butt_housed247

on a serious scale trail truck or something along that line something like this could be pretty cool. but on something like a slash that's just a basher and often times being run off in the distance where you would only able to hear it as it went zooming past you, it's just stupid. and if you can turn the sound way up to hear it, your neighbors would just get pissed.
i see having speakers mounted inside the body being problematic. slash's are crash happy. those things are going to come out and get broken.

not a bad idea, just bad execution.

nitrosportsandrunner

I was also thinking that having the speakers inside the body could go bad.
Based on the video tho, I don't think the speakers are overly loud....I don't think it would bother neighbors. Its not like a nitro truck or a lawn mower or something like that. In the fly-by parts of the video you cant really hear the truck until it gets within 10-15 feet.

Still, I think engine sound FX are something many have wanted, or would want if they knew they could get it in RTR form (or at least a form that would be easy to install into any model)

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

I think it's pretty cool! I'm a Lucas Oil Short Course fan and love watching those machines getting big air and scrapping in the corners, and the sound of those 900HP V8s is pretty awesome. The Traxxas sound module sounds pretty good in that regard. I think it'd add some fun to the experience. But yeah, I'd also like to see it having a choice of a V8 or a 4-cyl racing motor of the turbo-charged rally type. And hey, how 'bout a Formula 1 sound? Overall, I think it's kind of a fun thing. But mounting speakers under the hood can be problematic unless you have something like a Slash that has room under the body. Mounting the speakers to the BODY? I can see the acoustical advantage, but I'd like to see how they actually mount to it. And I'll bet the speakers have paper cones which wouldn't fare well if they got wet. Polypropolene cones would be better. The sound & light module in the 2nd vid looks pretty cool, having all those lights. The rally car sound is about right, but didn't sound as good as the Traxxas unit's V8 sound as far as sound quality.

Maj_Overdrive

My Feedback: (11)

This system is kinda interesting, especially the part about using the third channel for neutral "revving" the fake engine. Honestly though I was expecting a different reaction, I thought most would find this to a be gimmick. I mean a sound system on a basher? Kinda cool for the first couple battery packs when run close to you but after that? Not knocking the system or anyone, just surprised how much and how many people want this for other than a scaler type vehicle.

nitrosportsandrunner

I wouldn't be surprised if most are excited because it could mean a "scaler" sound system is on the horizon. For a big Rc company to release an affordable system is LONG overdue IMO. I totally agree that on a basher a sound system is cool the first few packs and then after that is still kinda cool but it will lose some of its luster.
Now, traxxas past releases of radio/iphone crap IMO is a gimmick...it adds nothing to the hobby. The sound system adds a touch of realism, and anything that can do that adds to the hobby.
Boats and planes have had some sound systems for a while now. And Tamiya has had a sound system but it was not an affordable one.

In a time period where scale rock crawler trucks are HUGE as are other models made to look like 1:1 vehicles, adding some realism to short course trucks makes sense. Heck, half the reason SCT trucks hit is huge is they combined the bashing of stadium trucks with the looks of a real 1:1 vehicle. Giving another layer of realism to a SCT just adds a touch more to it.

to EXT2rob, while I cant say for sure, im assuming that since traxxas says the new system is waterproof that the speakers must also be so. Traxxas showed it splashing threw water pretty good. They have been in the game long enough to know better than to advertise a model doing stuff you cant really do with it (false advertising) so the speakers should be able to handle water just like the rest of the electronics.

Personally im not as excited about this specific system, as I am the fact that a big name company has finally made an affordable system. Someone had to do it first, and for traxxas it made sense to do it to their best selling model. And since they still refuse to make a scale crawler they couldn't do a normal V8 motor. But now that a system is out....and assuming it sells well.....I see more systems (either from traxxas or someone else) on the horizon.

phmaximus

I don't get it, most of u guys hated the Traxxas telemetry and that was actually useful. this thing pointless,,, 100% gimmick

sound units are old, generally they are for ultra scale vehicles. I honestly don't see them been very useful on a basher?

butt_housed247 touched on a good point..... Are u even going to hear it????
sure in the video it sounds great.... But are u going to hear it from more than 3 feet away? Don't know about u guys but when I'm bashing, generally the car is nowhere near me...... But if somehow it was loud enough to hear wouldn't it be just annoying??


I honestly don't see traxxas making one for crawlers, well not anytime soon, and the one they have sounds all wrong for a crawler

Large Larry

It's a straight up gimmick, but still kinda cool. I see it does have volume adjustment buttons so if you crank it up to 11 it might be heard from a reasonable distance. I don't think this type thing would suit scalers even if didn't sound like a throaty V8 as it's just a full throttle type of noise. I see it as more for kids anyway so I'm not trying to judge it by my standards. I am interested to see some videos of it when it hits the public, in the video it says "actual on-board audio" but I get a feeling that the "actual" sound was edited in.

nitrosportsandrunner

I suppose it is point of view.....to me telemetry is a gimmick....but then, I have no need of it.
sure, sometimes when trying out new gearing or a new motor I need to check the motor / esc temps, but a $20 temp gun does that.
Otherwise, the other info from the telemetry is useless to me.
Maybe racers can find some of that other info useless....but I bash and rock crawl. None of the other info will mean much to me.
But, even for just bashing my SC10, I would enjoy it sounding like it has a motor. Obviously you wont hear it very well when it is more than 25' away from you, but Id think even on the average race track you could always hear it a little bit. Any added realism is a plus IMO.

Technically, the telemetry is more "use full" but wont add anything to my RC experience because that info doesn't add to the fun. Imitation 900hp engine, that will add to the fun.

Large Larry, I too wish to see some home brew footage. If I find a traxxas system for sale on ebay that I can afford, id like to put it on my SC10. I do wonder tho, how that 3rd channel neutral switch works....not sure if it will work with ESC's other than traxxas'

nitrosportsandrunner

oh, to add to the question of volume...it cant be that loud, in some of the video shots you can hear the whine of the titan 12t/transmission noise.
But, its not like it could have very large speakers. None of the sound systems I have seen had anything bigger than a 3 or maybe 4 inch speaker. some use 2'' ones.

john01374

Saw this at IHobby yesterday. They had one setup that you could play with.

I was so annoyed listening to the thing after 5 mins I walked out of their booth.

Sounds like crap in person and got old really fast. All the 10 yr old kids loved it..

nitrosportsandrunner

so, the sound FX wasn't that good? I do think it is harder to get good engine sounds (rpms, load, shift points) with a high speed truck than a crawler.
10 year olds likely do make up a good chunk of slash owners.
Sad to hear that it wasn't that good in person

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, that's too bad it sounded funky in person. I watched a video of a guy who developed another sound module, where he was demonstrating the sounds. Initially powering it up and at idle it sounded OK, but with throttle, you could tell all the software did was increase the pitch of the idle sound, which made the "under power" sound SEEM electronic, it was nowhere near as normal sounding as the Traxxas vids. That said, I'd probably agree that the sound in the Traxxas vids is dubbed.

SyCo_VeNoM

I was gonna say I could see my little nephew loving it

phmaximus

Ok cool, so I'm not the only one that's very suspicious on the sound in the video...
It defiantly sounds dubbed or Edited


After reading through a manual personally I'm more excited about the new high current connectors

phmaximus

Here is some more info

phmaximus

But this is what I'm talking about..... It's straight up clever.

http://traxxas.com/products/parts/ac...es/hcconnector