Modulators and 12 Port Sirens Question.

[TNSirens]

Here is a question I have been wondering about for a while. I live about 3 minutes away from three modulators. However, when our cities sirens go off (there are 9 or 10 sirens including the mods in city limits) I cannot hear any of them at all. I can, however, hear an STH-10, a Model 5, and possibly a 2001 DC (the STH-10 being the closest). The thing is, all of these sirens are about 5 minutes or farther from me. Are modulators really quite? Or are 12 port sirens louder? My guess is that since the STH-10 and model 5 have a lower tone, they carry their sound farther, but I may be wrong.

-Connor

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I live in a county that has all Federal Signal. =P

[Chicagosiren-hunters]

From experience, a Modulator can be moderate in terms of loudness, but it really depends on the number of cells. How many cells do the ones by you have? Another factor is pitch; Modulators have a higher pitch (Ab) than the aforementioned mechanicals (F), so the higher sounds have a harder time with distance. Finally, it all boils down to electronic versus mechanical. Mechanicals have a clearer tone that isn’t amplified through a speaker, so it is easier to propagate further.

[coastalsyrolover]

I’m speaking truth here and not bashing anything: I’ve found modulators to be far inferior to mechanical sirens. The ones here in the northwest hiccup and have a tone that’s much more shrill than a 2001. And even higher pitched in some cases. The only electronic sirens I’m really a fan of are whelen and Iforce.

That being said modulators are useful for the voice capabilities and the ability to play other sounds through them. But I can definitely hear the whelens and 2001s in the area I was in over the closer 2 cell and common (8?) cell modulators.

[TNSirens]

From experience, a Modulator can be moderate in terms of loudness, but it really depends on the number of cells. How many cells do the ones by you have? Another factor is pitch; Modulators have a higher pitch (Ab) than the aforementioned mechanicals (F), so the higher sounds have a harder time with distance. Finally, it all boils down to electronic versus mechanical. Mechanicals have a clearer tone that isn’t amplified through a speaker, so it is easier to propagate further.

Two of them have two cells, and one has three. They actually tested the sirens a few days after this post, and I could kinda hear them for once, but the STH-10 and Model 5 still almost covered them up. Turns out, the campus they are located at did a few minor upgrades and tweaks! I am pretty sure I live closer to the three celled one.

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My city has all Federal Signal.

[Tyler]

From experience, a Modulator can be moderate in terms of loudness, but it really depends on the number of cells. How many cells do the ones by you have? Another factor is pitch; Modulators have a higher pitch (Ab) than the aforementioned mechanicals (F), so the higher sounds have a harder time with distance. Finally, it all boils down to electronic versus mechanical. Mechanicals have a clearer tone that isn’t amplified through a speaker, so it is easier to propagate further.

Two of them have two cells, and one has three. They actually tested the sirens a few days after this post, and I could kinda hear them for once, but the STH-10 and Model 5 still almost covered them up. Turns out, the campus they are located at did a few minor upgrades and tweaks! I am pretty sure I live closer to the three celled one.

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My city has all Federal Signal.

Well if they are campus sirens, then you aren't really meant to hear them in that fashion anyways. They are for the campus, not the city.

[DJ2226]

Pitch plays a big factor into it, but if they are only MOD1004's and a MOD2008 they are going to be eclipsed by the others in a hot second. They are not meant to compete head to head with a STH-10 or Model 5 and definitely not a 2001 of any model or generation for that matter.

[nvanw27]

I'd say that the modulators are really quiet compared to the Mechanical sirens. We're talking about an itty-bitty Modulator up against a 120+ decibel siren. It's like that video that featured a Kendallville Banshee & Screamer near each other. The Banshee completely overpowered the screamer, simply because it's smaller and was not designed to cover a large area.