Great sounding old Smith & Wesson siren still in use in 2004

cromwell

Member
Aug 30, 2010
166
Finland, Europe
Hello!

I just wanted to post a link to this youtube clip where you can listen to a very old Smith & Wesson siren on a old ladder firetruck... In the video (please watch the whole video from beginning and turn up speakers) you can clearly hear the difference on the todays sirens and the "old school" siren... now, that´s a siren!!! The video is from Finland.

 
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HCSO249

Member
Jul 17, 2016
128
MISSOURI
I understand what ya mean! The only sirens that sound right to me are Federal PA20's & PA200's. Growing up in SW Minnesota just about everybody was using one model or other of Federals but mainly 20's 200's & PA1000, which waas just the 200 with light controls (probably already knew that)....at any rate. The first time I heard a Whelen siren I thought it sounded like aliens were invading earth. What a crappy sound. But that's just my opinion, but understand how you feel. :)
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
It sounds like my Magnum IVB. It has the same deep choppy sounding yelp. The Bs were the last version of the Magnum series.

I also have a Magnum IV, and it sounds more like the late 1960s Federal Director and Interceptor sirens with the slow rising low-pitched wail and yelp tones.
 
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cromwell

Member
Aug 30, 2010
166
Finland, Europe
Yes, it could very well be a IV B or maybe this V B model?

as11.postimg.org_hty6mvv0v_magnum_siren.jpg

These sirens were all 75W right? The sound on the siren in the video sound at least that it like was 300W =) ....compered to the 100W sirens on the vehicles that drove away first.
 
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Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
all in the speaker placement
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
Yes, it could very well be a IV B or maybe this V B model?

as11.postimg.org_hty6mvv0v_magnum_siren.jpg

These sirens were all 75W right? The sound on the siren in the video sound at least that it like was 300W =) ....compered to the 100W sirens on the vehicles that drove away first.
Yep, that's the one. Mine is the same except that it has a wired in mic and no hi-lo tone. I think the sirens operate at 75 watts with one speaker and 100 watts with two speakers.
 

HCSO249

Member
Jul 17, 2016
128
MISSOURI
Ive got a S&W unit somewhere but needs wiring before I can figure out if it works or not. Anybody got plug / wiring info handy? It was a freeby since it didnt have harness. Dont recall model but remember it was gray and main controls were rotary switch vs push buttons. Now that I think about it, I will likely re-do setup to make it same as a PA300 plug once I get pin-out
 

Sparky_911

Supporting Donor
May 15, 2013
2,648
Central Illinois
That's old school fo' sho', lol. That wail sounded good but the yelp is meh in my opinion. Anyone else think that was probably the largest single firehouse they've ever seen?

HCSO...I have an old S&W 800 that I know most of the pinout...
 
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Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
The 800 (i.e. the one with the rotary switch) is a newer model and has high-pitched wail and yelp tones.

The Magnum series sirens have low-pitched wail and yelp tones. The early Magnum series sound like late 1960s Federal electronics and the later models sound like the one in the video.
 
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