# Phoenix



## rocketrider (May 6, 2008)

I have a Aristo FA/FB/FA and want to install Phoenix sound.


Will the Phoenix drive three speakers?? I was going to install the board and speaker in the FB and speakers in each FA unit.


What do you think??


Thanks





Ralph


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Ralph 

You can drive more than one speaker, BUT you must not exceed the capabiltiy of the Phoenix sound cards amplifer. There is a link on Phoenix's site addressing multiple speakers. In short if the requirement for the speaker is 8 Ohms, you should not exceed same. Multiple speakers that total 8 Ohms are plausible. 

Michael


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You won't get any more "power" from multiple speakers, so the effective volume from 3 speakers properly configured will be no more than a single speaker. (considering you are using the same total impedence). 

So if you are looking for more volume, this is not the way. If you are looking to "spread the sound out", well it is an approach, but now the horn and bell are coming from 3 locomotives, definitely not prototypical. 

Running lower impedance than specified can damage the unit. 

Regards, Greg


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

How about feeding the Phoenix output to the speaker in one engine and also into a small power amplifier. The output from the amplifier would then be sent to the speakers in the other 2 engines.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Posted By Bill Swindell on 05 Mar 2012 10:46 PM 
How about feeding the Phoenix output to the speaker in one engine and also into a small power amplifier. The output from the amplifier would then be sent to the speakers in the other 2 engines. 
That would work. The only other way would be to find three 2 or 2.5 ohm speakers, which I don't think exist. 

It's not "prototypical," as Greg mentioned. In real life only the lead loco in a consist blows a horn or signals in any other way, and would aa "B" unit even have a horn? But you would have motor sounds in all three. 

Alternatively, you could put a less expensive soundcard, like a Dallee, in one or two of the locos, and set it up so it only makes an engine sound. The fact that it sounds somewhat different would be an advantage. The A and C units could have the Phoenix sound, and the B unit could have the Dallee


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

This brings up an interesting MU question I have for the DCC guys. When I MU phoenix equipped locos (not DCC) and want to operate sound I turn off my own triggering of the horn and bell for discrete button pushing action on the slave locos with only the lead triggered, however I like the auto horn/whistle to sound for forward and reverse. My question, when configured for DCC is the auto horn/whistle for direction (2 or 3 blows/toots) disabled automagically for all the slave locos or is this a manual reconfigure of the card in DCC too? 

I know the Phoenix system offers a bit more when set up for DCC (more triggers for sure), just wondering if this is also supported somehow. I know, I'm lazy for not manually sounding direction!







Thanks in advance, 

russ


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That's a great question for the Phoenix guys, but the last loco that had a Phoenix 2k2 running DCC did it's toots in forwards and reverse as well as responded to the DCC commands. 

I'd ask that specific question and be sure to specify the model when asking them. 

One thing is that running it under DCC, the 2k2 did not understand advanced consisting, just the old style brute force one. 

Greg


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

Thanks Greg. Makes me think I shouldn't be so lazy and just sound the whistle/horn myself for locos that I consist frequently!


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