Best Electronic Air Horn Tone?

[Federal_Agent]

Looking for the best PA/Airhorn or just Airhorn for usage with a Whelen SA315P siren speaker. I'm not authorized to use siren tones on this vehicle.


I like the Whelen tone and all well too familiar with it and on the fence about the Carson tone. Kind of looking for something unique from the common Whelen tone from emergency vehicles.


What is the most effective tone that demands attention that you like? Any links to video's and sound files would also be appreciated so I could hear the tone.


Thank you!

 

[philyumpshus]

I like Code 3's tone in their V-Cons, but it has to be certain models. (I found this out the hard way). It's a very low tone and is generally found on the V-Cons with hi-lo instead of Hyperyelp. Here's a video that demonstrates this nice low tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stfLR3gggXA&feature=related


Here's some advice about using an electronic air horn- don't buy the units made specifically for use as air horns. People have a hard time selling Whelen PA horns for around $100 yet you can pick up a beater siren for around $15 (check with Bill Skinner). If you decide to get a decent siren then you also have a bigger market upon resale because there's always someone looking for a siren but electronic air horns are a very niche product. Just my thoughts.

 

[Federal_Agent]

That's good advise and have been thinking along those lines as well. I'd prefer to have a remote controlled one where I could control the lights and the tones on a remote...


I've been looking at the Whelen HHS2200 where I can program and disable the tones via software. If there is another that I can disable the rest of the tones, I'd be interested as well.


I'll take a look at Code 3 and listen to the tone and decide if I like it.


Thanks for posting!

 

[Grotonems5]

Best electronic air horn I've ever heard! Federal Signal EQ2B

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7D41Rtnetc

 

[MESDA6]

+1 on the VCon. We have one on an older medic unit. The speaker is in the lightbar and the sound carries really well to the traffic ahead.

 

[gman021]

Whelen 295 hands down

 

[RL1]

I think the EQ2 is the best, but really like how you can program a Whelen with 2 different air horns.

 

[theroofable]

I like the code 3 vcon as well, we have it on most of our trucks. I also like the unitrol omega 90 airhorn. It is very deep and carries well. I DO NOT like the pa300 airhorn, it sounds cheap to me.

 

[JohnMarcson]

Whelen 295hfsc9 has by far my favorite airhorn tone... although I'd never buy one to use as just an airhorn...... what a waste

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2YxoBilpKw

 

[FDNY 10-75]

V-Con FTW!

 

[VolEms]

Whelen duel siren air horn tone.

 

[Henry455]

I have to say the Whelen Xecutor air horn:

 

[catfish]

I have to say the Whelen Xecutor air horn:

+1, thats amazing

 

[Medic1431]

I'd have to say the motorola systems 9000 air horn is my favorite

 

[theolog]

Code 3 V-Con or Touchmaster Delta.


Whelen 295 is ok but a little high pitched for my taste. The PA300 is a joke!


Of course the EQ tries to actually mimic a Grover stuttertone air horn and does a great job, but as far as electronic horns, Code 3 and Federal/Unitrol get my vote.

 

[theolog]

I'd have to say the motorola systems 9000 air horn is my favorite.

Good call! I used to LOVE those sirens.

 

[rwo978]

Good call! I used to LOVE those sirens.

Really, cuz I hate them!!! :thumbsup:

 

[TritonBoulder47]

This is a completely subjective topic... Do a search for airhorn tones and see which on YOU like the best... I see that you will be using a plastic speaker... Just remember that the tone of the aurhorn will be different between plastic and metal speakers...

 

[gman021]

Who the hell knew motorola had a siren. That air horn does sound pretty good.

 

[theolog]

They don't anymore. It was part of the Syntor 900 radios or whatever they were called. Radio, lights, and siren all controlled from one compact remote control head. The wail and yelp tones were superb. The yelp had kind of a "pop" to it like the Federal PA200. They were awesome, and ruged as hell. I worked for a sheriff's office that got at least 20 years of service out of those rigs.

 

[RL1]

They don't anymore. It was part of the Syntor 900 radios or whatever they were called. Radio, lights, and siren all controlled from one compact remote control head. The wail and yelp tones were superb. The yelp had kind of a "pop" to it like the Federal PA200. They were awesome, and ruged as hell. I worked for a sheriff's office that got at least 20 years of service out of those rigs.

I loved the tones and we have cars who just this year got new sirens, but just because we changed radio systems, not because anything was wrong with them.

 

[Rofocowboy84]

My Opinions (and replies to what people have listed as their fav....you can figure out who):


I hated Code3 sirens for the longest time, and I finally figured out why after realizing that I actually like their Wail & Yelp, and LOOOOVE their Hi/Lo. It's the air horn, I absolutely hate their air horn. To me, it's no better than a PA300 horn, which ironically enough, is a siren with only 1 fault, the horn.


The eQ2B horn is nice, in that it sounds like Grovers, BUT, the fact that they try to replicate the "squeak" of the air rushing through the horn at too low a pressure at the beginning ruins it for me. I love short taps of the horn, and with the eQ, you merely get the damn squeak, if anything at all...


Someone said they hated the Whelen horn. I'll admit, it's not the lowest pitch out there, but it's also not the highest, and to me it has a nice full bodied, sharp, gutteral sound. I realized this one day while driving through West Philly (and people wonder why working a prison wasn't much of a change for me, lol!). Wasn't even driving code, just sitting at a stop light with the windows down on a nice mid-spring day, and the HRN/SRN switch was still left on SRN accidentally. The light turned green, and the car in front of me didn't move for a good 3 seconds, so I just tapped the horn. The sound that echoed off the buildings was fantastic, IMHO. You're right, it's not the lowest, but it sounds damn good, and it works.


Carson is decent, but the sound seems a little....dull.....


Unitrol is pretty much tied with Whelen for first, and for the same reasons. My only complaint, which I've noticed mainly on the Deltas, is the same thing as the eQ horn. If you just tap the horn, all you get is a speaker pop. A split second later, you get the horn. It doesn't take long, but it's enough that if you just tap it, you don't get the horn sound. It is, however, effective for the random pedestrian who might not see you, but you don't want to deafen....

 

[gman021]

I feel like theres a difference between the old 295's and the newer ones. The airhorn on my 295HFS6 is amazing!!!!

 

[Rofocowboy84]

I feel like theres a difference between the old 295's and the newer ones. The airhorn on my 295HFS6 is amazing!!!!

It's possible. My SAR team's CV has a SLSA1, I never really noticed a difference with the HFSA1's that I used to use, I'll have to listen better next time...

 

[gman021]

Edit: I'm pretty sure they are different. Whelen has only been consistent with their wail tone in their sirens. All other tones vary a little depending on year. I'll be able to test this idea soon.

 

[RL1]

I feel like theres a difference between the old 295's and the newer ones. The airhorn on my 295HFS6 is amazing!!!!

It's true. I replaced an older 295 with one with programmable tones and kind of missed my old one. The air horn and other tones sounded better, but I really like having whoop and warble.

 

[swat247]

I have to go with the Federal Signal PA640. To me, the tone sounds really aggressive. Our older vehicles have the PA300 in them and the PA640 makes them sound wimpy

 

[Wailer]

None of the electronic air horn tones I've heard sound like an actual air horn (e.g. Federal smart siren, various Carson models, Code 3 V-Con & Mastercom). They sound like an electronic simulation of a buzzer, not a horn.

 

[Station 3]

only air horn i like is the Smart Siren air horn its the most distinctive one and aggresive one i have heard Why has not anyone mentioned it yet WTF

 

[Dr. Dennis Stouffer]

None of the electronic air horn tones I've heard sound like an actual air horn (e.g. Federal smart siren, various Carson models, Code 3 V-Con & Mastercom). They sound like an electronic simulation of a buzzer, not a horn.

I completely agree with Wailer. No electronic, so-called air horn sounds like an air horn. They all sound like buzzers. If you like the sound of the Martin Horn, the Pintsch Bamage MS300 sounds more like a Martin than do any other electronics.

 

[JohnMarcson]

I completely agree with Wailer. No electronic, so-called air horn sounds like an air horn. They all sound like buzzers. If you like the sound of the Martin Horn, the Pintsch Bamage MS300 sounds more like a Martin than do any other electronics.

Nothing electronic beats a real air powered airhorn........ I've seen some pretty decent buell and grover installs on POVs.

 

[gman021]

only air horn i like is the Smart Siren air horn its the most distinctive one and aggresive one i have heard Why has not anyone mentioned it yet WTF

Because its really bad. Sorry bra

 

[C420sailor]

Because its really bad. Sorry bra

+1. It sucks.

 

[Henry455]

I completely agree with Wailer. No electronic, so-called air horn sounds like an air horn. They all sound like buzzers. If you like the sound of the Martin Horn, the Pintsch Bamage MS300 sounds more like a Martin than do any other electronics.

Kind of like nothing electronic sounds like a real mechanical siren.

 

[Wailer]

Kind of like nothing electronic sounds like a real mechanical siren.

But some mechanical sirens sound better than others. Same goes for electronics.

 

[RES318CUE]

My personal favorite for sounding like legit air horns would have to be the Wolo Persuader series, there cheap, but damn are they loud. They resemble a dual buell setup... but again, theyre electronic.

 

[Henry455]

But some mechanical sirens sound better than others. Same goes for electronics.

Totally agree! Great music/sound is in the ear of the beholder.

 

[Rofocowboy84]

I completely agree with Wailer. No electronic, so-called air horn sounds like an air horn. They all sound like buzzers. If you like the sound of the Martin Horn, the Pintsch Bamage MS300 sounds more like a Martin than do any other electronics.

We're not talking about the two-tone martin horn shit, we're talking about the simulated air horn sound...