What is your favorite siren port ratio/interval?

[Mark N]

Since i'm planning a wooden air raid siren I'm making soon, I'm not sure if it's better to make it 9/12, or 6/8, or even 3/4. I would do a low one since it wouldn't take as long to cut out all the blades, and this siren is hard to make. The motor i'm using can't be more than 4000 RPM or the wood will fly apart. So do I have to use 9/12 for a slow motor, and what if I used 6/8 or 3/4? I prefer low pitched sirens but I want it to be loud too.

You could supercharge it.

[EOWS1212man]

1. 9/12 (SD-10, 500-T, P-10, Allertor 125)
2. 8/12 (Cyclone, P-50, Soundmaster)
3. 4/5 or 8/10 (Model 2T, Hurricane, Some Thunderbolts)
4. 5/6 (Most Thunderbolts)
5. 10/12 or 20/24 (XT22, 500-T, CLM, Mobil-Directo)
6. 7/10 (H.O.R. Vertical Sirens, H.O.R. Super Sirex)

[Liquid_Pooterbear]

I found this video of an awesome sounding 3 port siren: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9p143MN ... B69256AE7A

[Liquid_Pooterbear]

This one is 2 port: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3XZGb8F ... B69256AE7A

[Jared H]

8/10 technically shouldn't be eerie because that is a major third, which is a happy sounding interval

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9wuwv7j-KE
now tell me that doesn't send chills down your spine.

[STK-10]

Gotta say the 9/12 ratio on a 15 horsepower motor. Giving a higher, subtle but noticeable pitch change. Second is the screeching of the P-50 or Cyclone, which are 8/12. And last the raspy 10/12 of a Mobil Directo or a 500 series.

[archizackture]

I definitely prefer 10/12, I think it's the most startling and alarming interval. I do have a personal preference for single-tone 8-port sirens though, their wail and ambiance is elegant and especially spooky. I remember one time as a child when I was laying in bed unable to sleep and the Sentry 10V a couple miles from the house went off, I got the most insane chill up my spine and it took quite a while longer for me to sleep.

[FirenadoEAS]

My favorites are 8/10, 10/12, 8/12, and 8 port. I do hold a grudge against 9/12 sirens, because they sound like something out of a rock song or whatever.

[SirenMadness]

I do have a personal preference for single-tone 8-port sirens though, their wail and ambiance is elegant and especially spooky.

I totally agree with your thoughts on the single-tone sirens. There's something frightening about a single low tone set to fast wail.

As far as the ratios, it'd be a tie between 8/12 and 9/10 for me, the latter sounding somewhat like a Model 76.

[Allenorgan42099]

Personally, out of all the dual tone ratios, I like 9/12 the best. It sounds kind of creepy, though not as creepy as the 7/10 tritone. The 9/12 sounds harmonic yet creepy at the same time. And it tends to sound more like some kind of machine or ambient noise at a distance than a siren.