Replacing HL Speaker
 

Trying to decide whether this is worth ordering, and was wondering if anyone has used/modified this speaker from the Shack? http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062620#

If so, how's the clarity/bass quality in the device?

It definitely looks small enough to fit with in the hull and has a separate power source of 9v, somy assumption is that it's a step up over the HL setup.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

If you get one let us know how it works for you. This combined with Davids DBC might be worth exploring.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

I certainly don't know and haven't tried it. However the output is only 200 mw and I doubt that the speaker is any better than the HL one. I've just received this device with the aim of installing it in my HL Tiger (probably with just 1 speaker) at some point. Haven't got that far but it certainly works well with my MP3 player. Sounds remarkably good for its size amazingly enough.

Apart from costing less than $2, I think its output is 2 watts (10 times more than the RS one) so it's potentially at least twice as loud. More so, in fact because it's a stereo amp. Also the speakers have what appear to be properly designed enclosures. That doesn't seem to be the case for the RS one. It works off 4 AAAs, 6 volts externally or 5 volts via a supplied USB connector.

[link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FDTNZK/ref=oss_product]Cheap Amp at Amazon[/link]

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Not being an audiophile, is the problem here the speaker, or is it what the speaker is attempting to play?

Obviously good sound can be had out of tiny speakers, but are the sound "files" (however they are done) that Heng Long uses simply junk in terms of the quality in the first place?

Obviously it could be one, the other, or both, but every time I see a speaker thread, I wonder if the HL audio will ever sound "good"...

I know some people have replaced the speaker and said it was an improvement, I'm not sure I've seen anyone who has said it was as it should be.

Not trying to dampen anyones enthusiasm, I just have little income I can expend on stuff like this, so if there is a way to make it sound better, I'd like to know. I can't afford to buy things just to try them out.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

I'm considering a similar change in speakers... other that have already done it will add in, but from past comments read most say that it will give you better bass with a decent speaker and enclosure

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Well, I purchased the Radioshack speaker/amplifier that I inquired. Only got it because it was on clearance at my local RS. So,.......

Pass.

It's horribly loud with distortion cranked up.

I'll keep it anyway, cause I'm a gadget nut. But, it appears that the built in speaker cannot handle what the internal amplifier can put out. So, I wonder if I gut the internal speaker and replace it with a slightly bigger one that is 4 to 8ohm rated rather than the 16ohm speaker in this device. Then use this device in conjunction to the HL board.

I'm not electronically inclined, so I'm not sure if it's worth the while or will work at all.

Here's the actual specs of this device.

Speaker is rated:
16ohm
0.5w

Amplifier:
Input sensitivity:1mV
Input impedance: 5k OHMS
Power output: (1khz): 200mW (16 0hm load) &lt;&lt;<not to="" speaker="" the="" of="" restriction="" limited="" is="" this="" if="" sure=""></not>Distortion: (1KHz): &lt;2% THD @ 200mW &lt;&lt;&lt;<frequency i="" it="" what="" for="" response="" frequency=""></frequency>9v battery

I also ordered this today, coming from HK..... http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Stereo-Port...item27af006f70
it's gonnna be atleast 2 weeks for it's arrival, but I think this has the best potential and will likely be able to fit both speakers in the tank due to it's size. It's a whole lot more powerful than this RS amplifier with a superb frequency rating and at 4 watts total, (2 watts per speaker).....with a signal rating of 90db! This sucker better be as louds as the specs claim!

If it does need help to add a little more umph in the bass, then I'll modify the housing to suit a better enclosure, but we'll see.

But, at less than10 bucks...can't really complain too much.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Good question.

From what I gather, most of the complaints seem tosurround people seeking more realistic sounds rather than a dislike for the sound quality in general...at least in the newer boards. I want my speaker to drown out the grinding soundof my metal motors. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard. More bass would be lovely as well. My hope is to amplify the sounds coming from the built in amplifier in the HL board. Someone with and audio/circuitry background could probably do this for a few cents/dollars by modifying the board with new semiconductors and variable resistors, but I just don't have that knowledge. So, the only route is to purchase a speaker set with a built in amplifier.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Although Heng Long gears are not whisper quiet, you should be able to reduce the noise coming from them, so they don't sound like they are grinding. Chances are you will have to shim them with washers. Also try breaking them in using a a mild abrasive kitchen cleaner. The stuff used to clean glass cooktops is mildly abrasive and is water soluable for easy clean up when you are done. Lightly oil the bushings and apply teflon gear grease to the gears, and you should notice an improvement. You will still hear them, but they will whirr instead of grind.

I had one gear box that was extremely noisy, and I was sure it would self destruct if I left it. I had it apart about five times until I finally got it quiet. If they sound horrible then something is misaligned and you should spend some time tweaking them. OR buy an upgraded gear box set from Asiatam or Mato:D

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Now that was extremely helpful and great info for a newb such as myself!

I recently had a terrible issue with a motor that was making horrible noise right out of the box. But I didn't know any better and assumed this is how they should sound.I've only had my tank for 2 weeks and drove it maybe 10 to 12times total. Finally it locked up and I couldn't find anythingwrong with the gears. I mean, I seen slight wear onthe 3rd inner gear, but nothingthat would cause the problem I was havingof lockingup.Their was a lot of shift in 2 of the gears, so I shimmed them with washers, but still no dice. While running the motor to figure out why itwould stopafter a few rotations, I had a chance to notice thedifference in loudnessbetween theproblem motor and the one working.

I had to finally contact Phil at Rctankwars. (That dude is awesome) He sent me out a replacement and I sent him back the whole motor, in hopes he could tell me what actually went wrong. But apparently, I guess it was because the gears needed to be shimmed?

Although I just got my motor replacement yesterday,I screwed up the idler. Stripped the screw and now Ihave to drill it out. I also need to geta tensioner(since I have no idea how to make my own), the tracks keep slipping at 98 links and 97 is too tightand makes thetracks pop and crackle.

Anyway, how is the abrasive used? Just run the gears for a considerable duration to promote some control wear?

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

I heve had good luck using computer speakers just remove them from the box and use them with a box in the tank made with card board. Most of them i have found soung alot better and are plenty loud just hooked to the hl board. All the henglong gearboxes i have had needed to be rebuilt by drilling the shaft holes out oblong to remove the slop and soldering in place then shims then valve compound then take apart and clean after that they run ok.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

If it's the gearbox noise that bothers you, have you thought about replacing them with the RCC steel gear boxes? Bill even has them in 3:1 now. Very quiet running. I don't have a video, but maybe someone can post one.

http://www.rccommand.com/Tank%20Upgrade%20Parts.php

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Make sure your gears are all aligned and you have the spacers installed where needed to prevent sideway slop back and forth. Check the motor alignment . It can quite easily be skewed. The metal towers are not that stiff. A light twist might be required to get the pinion meshing properly with the first gear. Once you are happy with everything, put some mild abasive in the gear train, and run them for 20 minutes. Wash out all the abrasive cleaner and lube them. You should hear quite an improvement. In some cases I have had to solder the brass bushings into the tower. to stop them from moving around. If you get a little slop in the bushings it can be enough to get the gear off of being true and you get the grinder action again.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

There is one thing most if not everyone one the forum is over looking. A 16 ohm speaker will handle so many watts, just the same as a 4 or 8. the difference is a 8 ohm speaker has less than twice the resistance than the 16 so it is double the draw on the amp. A 4 ohm would be 4 times the draw. This can emediately fry the already weak amp that is in the board. Dropping the ohms will not make a one watt amp sound lopuder, it can actually make it sound worse, because of the added work the amp must perform. The best thing to do is find a higher watt rating amp. I have seen 10 watt small amps that are very easy to build kit projects. The trick would be for some of our 14 and 18 board guroos to figure out how to slave it to the board. Then you can use a much better small speaker. And they do make very good for lack of a better word Micro speakers. I have been a musician for over 30 years and this is very basic stuff. Like I siad , it is just a matter of finding a way to incorperate the amp into the sound circuit of the 14 or 18 board.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Ern is very correct, Bill's 3:1 steel gear boxes are excellent peices. Very strong and quite quiet. Best of both worlds.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Thanks alot Ern for the suggestion. I didn't realize there was a more quite metal motor.

Panther, I agree with you. This is definitely why I am adamant on using a speaker with it's own dedicated amplifier. This shouldn't have any affect on the HL amplifier since it's just using the passing signal.

I finally got around to testing the Radio Shack speaker amp. I spliced a female 3.5m jackand connected it to therx18 boardto make this easier on me. I will say the result of the RS speaker amp threw me off a bit. It was atleast 2 times louder than the standard HL speaker. But really lacked in bass. The RS amp could barely be at full blast before painful distortion kicked in. But overall, an improvement over the standard HL.

Since I spliced the female jack into the rx18, it let me try a few other portable speakers. The results were not so good, although they are bass heavy and clean sounding on the intended devices, they really lacked volume using the HL board.

I suspect this is because they were portable STEREO speakers rather than mono. But, not cutting up my portable bose and sony speakers for this.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Dedmon, it's not that the motors are more quiet, but the steel gears themselves. The metal used in the HL gears, and I believe their design itself, is a cause of a lot of the ringing noise we hear. My first tiger still has the metal gears and it's obnoxiously loud. I also remember a thread a year or so ago where Pzrwest filled the backs of the gears with some type of resin to deaden the noise made from the gears and he said that was helpful

Found it... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_73...tm.htm#7318309 He just used silicone caulking to fill the gears

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoRdi...eature=related

with google translate


' Tiger I RC 1 / 16 engine turret modified to install a loudspeaker, 12cm in diameter. This video compares the sound of a standard HP with its HP improved by 12cm '

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Thanks for the clarification.
I don't think I would try the caulk. I can't see that lasting more than one run and causing additional problems with the caulk pealing and adding debris in the teeth.

I got my replacement motor attached to my board and it's whisper quite. Unlike my original gearbox that is significantly louder, almost grinding sound. I added washers to prevent sliding, but it's still loud as heck! Added some axle grease and it's still loud. I'm quite concerned about this one going out too, just when I got the new one. The teeth appear fine, but I'm too inexperienced to really know what I'm doing.

All this modification stuff that's being suggested, does very little without tutorial for newbies.

Looks like I may have to shoot for the steel gears at rccommand sooner than Iwould like.

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Is that 12cm speaker hooked up directly to the board? No other modifications required?

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Hard to tell, maybe pm the guy at youtube. Just came across it when searching 4 vid's of tanks from rctank.de

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

OR... there's always the Creeping Death Thunder 1 system!

http://creepingdeathrc.netfirms.com/...products_id=62

RE: Replacing HL Speaker
 

Interesting. Didn't hear much difference on my laptop but, of course, it it has tiny speakers. However on my desktop which has a respectable sound system, the bass improvement was very clear. Also not obvious, but it looks like the speaker is in an enclosure. It's hard to get good results otherwise.