Luismariadarlene
Member
Hey guys I had a ss installed in my car but removed it to Install a cen com gold I will be buying, in your opinion which one is better? I em a whelen guy that is why I em changing it out 
What is better cen com gold or SS
- Thread starter Luismariadarlene
- Start date
Cencom Gold. It's more versitile, has more outputs, and in my opinion, is just plain made better and lasts longer. I've installed hundreds of both the SS and Cencom over the years, and the failure rate for the SS is probably triple that of the Cencom. Some say that the Siren tones are better on the SS, so if that is important to you, that may sway you.
Luismariadarlene
Member
Well I like the tones on whelen sirens more than the federal tones I would run my whelen 295 sl100 for the tones and just use my ss for lighting
Cecom Gold. I had a SS2000 and in my new car I now have a Cencom. I love it have not had any problems with it. I also like how you can put Menchanical on the Cencom.
MPD 818
Member
I personally prefer the SS. I was not impressed with the Cencom. It is nice how you can program everything through the computer, but on the flip side I have seen a lot of Cencoms have software issues later on down the road. I also like being able to run what I want to the SS instead of like the Cencom having wire outputs for every output, then if you don't need them you have a bunch of extra wire hanging out of the control box.
Just my opinion.
Just my opinion.
It also depends on what siren you like . I had the SS and I now have the Cencom I like the sound of the Whelen Siren better. I also think its louder I have 2 speakers . I have spoken to many freinds who say the SS is a 100watt siren. I had 2 spkrs on my SS since Fed Sig states its a 200watt siren. In NY a lot of EMS Vollies like the SS since it sounds like NYPD, they only use the SS.
RebelLiners
Member
fleetcomm
Member
I have installed lots of both and I like the Cen-com because it is more flexable on what you can do with it and I have had almost no problems with them and I don't like the way you have to connect the lightbar wires to a smart siren.
I like the Smart Siren more, for one, very simple reason: It's easier to find good deals on them.
EVModules
Member
I like the SS because it pretty much has everything you need whereas the Cencom requires external relays for some functions, even the horn ring! In my opinion, it's badly designed, requires a computer to program, control head feels cheezy, and you need more parts to make it equivalent to the Smart Siren. Other than the main power lead, the SS comes with enough wiring you need. Installation & programming time is far shorter with the Smart Siren also.
RebelLiners
Member
Well I just Purchased bolth:suicide: I guess I will decide I got the Whelen CenCom Gold Siren and the Federal SS2000SM Smart Siren:drooling:
RebelLiners
Member
I have had both and I liked the SS2000 more. Ability to program on the fly. I think it was louder than the CCG. SS parts are cheap if you want to change stuff. I started out with a really old SS2000 past warranty, I ended up frying the brain by accident. I bought a SS2000SM brain on here and used it with the SS2000 control head. Pretty cool to be able to interchange parts like that. CCG at a good price even used is hard to come by but SS can be had for around 200 bones on here. Like EVModules said, there are relays required and other components required to make it function as a SS2000 does from the factory. I hated having to bring out my computer and all that just to change one setting.
NHFDFF81
Member
I like the CenCom.... the only Smart siren I would buy is the platinum if I was running a Federal Signal convergence lightbar... All you have to do is plug the cable from the lightbar into the platinum and then everything is computer controlled but then again so is the new Whelen Saphire that is to be released soon! all you have to do is plug in any Wecan bar directly into the unit.!, for what you are doing I would go CenCom - JOEYD
JohnMarcson
Administrator
Luismariadarlene said:Hey guys I had a ss installed in my car but removed it to Install a cen com gold I will be buying, in your opinion which one is better? I em a whelen guy that is why I em changing it out
Better in what respect? Both have their good qualities..... this will come down to a matter of personal opinion.... which features you like best etc. If you have both, try both and make up your own mind.
Well, for once I've come across something totally out of my expertise. I have heard the Smart Siren tones and don't like them. Is this God model a Federal unit also? Aside from some of the units with mechanical tones, I don't like the newer breed of sirens, as they're all powered by microprocessors, not true siren amplifiers as we had with the old Interceptors, Directors, etc. The one exception there is SVP's SS700. It sounds quite decent. I had an EQ2B siren in one of our ambulances a few years ago and loved the siren sounds except for the yelp, and the airhorn tone was awesome. What I didn't like, and the reason we ditched it, was the size of the amplifier. It's as big as an old Motorola trunkmount radio! I have heard, though, that Federal has reduced the size of the amplifer on the new-generation of EQs, but haven't seen or heard one. I know everyone nowadays likes the convenience of the relatively low-amp draw of these new units, but you can get a good siren sound and good switching from an old Federal PA1000. And they sound very good!
Sigma Safety
Member
RebelLiners
Member
Luismariadarlene
Member
CenCom Gold anyday i have had both installed in my vehicles and i can say that i like the way my cencom had performed for my need over the SS
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