Motor sounds.
It's a big part of what drives our enthusiasm for motorsports of all types.

When I was a kid, I wanted my bike to sound like a race car. So, my dad cut pieces of a plastic Crisco can lid and put one on the frame for the front and rear wheel spokes to hit. Man, it sounded great, but I wanted it louder, so I told my dad. You want it louder huh? He put four on each wheel. It sounded okay, more like rain, but, man, it was hard to pedal. I think he had a good laugh while he was taking them back off.
Later I got a Roar Power(pronounced Raw Power). It was cool because you reved it up like you were reving a motorcycle, and it sounded like a race car. I loved it! It was a permanent fixture on my bike until the first week of middle school.

Now let's talk slot cars.

No one I know really likes the AFX bleacher motor sounds.
The best I've heard has been the MagnaSonics. Not too impressive alone, but we ran a class of them, and it's the coolest thing to hear 4 of them going around the track together.

Now we have all these computer programs with the motor sounds on the lap counters. It's pretty cool, but with all this technology, should be better. So far, my favorite sound has been the "Vintage Sports Car" on LapTimer2000. There is probably better stuff out there.

What kind of motor sounds have ya'll found?

What technology is available?

Please feel free to tell your stories about motor sounds you made or heard growing up, or on your track.

Thanks,
Rich

I was thinking this exact same thing this week -- That there has to be a way to wire up some speakers and a sound device to trigger as a car goes past a certain spot on the track. Like the 'vroooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmm' you get as a race car passes by your spot in the stands each lap.

I also had one of those sound things on my bike as a kid -- it lasted a full day before some little b*****d stole it Parkway Pool while I was swimming with my best friend. I never got another one. :(

It would seem that the best system would trigger off each individual controller. Imagine engine sound revving up or down in sequence with the "throttle" of each car. So, the system would have to be parallel with the controller. I don’t know how to do this but the result would be sweet.

Russ the Hutt :drunk::hat::freak::dude::tongue:

I remember seeing Jason Boye's LeMonzaco track. It had a sensor in the tunnel that would trip the high whine of a F1 car going through.

Here's a model train supplier with some neat lighting effects. It has motion activators that could be used to trigger sounds. http://www.berkshirejunction.com/

Jim

What technology is available?

Learned about this audio technology during the heyday of competitive Hot Wheels racing. It's called "LipZoom Special Edition" and involves the finest technology ever invented, or created, or evolved - depending on your view of the world, life, and origins of the universe in general.

LipZoom Special Edition is highly scalable and infinitely adaptable. And green I might add! At the lower end of the audio settings dial we have "Motorboat" and 'Piper Cub." These sounds are achieved with the sound producing device in the closed position excepted for the sound modulators, which are allowed to vibrate slightly to accentuate the desired effect. There is a warning label on the box about not introducing foreign substances, like crackers or chips, into the sound chamber prior to using LipZoom SE. Same warning applies for Starburst and Smarties candy, basically anything that leads to a slobbery sound chamber environment is to be avoided. Safety first!

Turning up the dial to "Big Block" and "Road Bike" involves keeping the sound modulators in a fixed position and increasing the bias and pitch on the rear audio emitter. Depending on the quality and tuning of the emitter, you may be able to achieve "Rice Bike" and even "Modern F1." Gear shifting sounds are a bonus feature.

Employing an array of loosely synchronized, cooperative multitasking emitters with LipZoom SE can accentuate the overall audio impact and lead to the desired multi-channel aural raceway concerto. What's especially attractive about the LipZoom SE, assuming the "no cracker" rule is strictly observed, is the ability to overlay "Commentary Sounds" on top of the race sounds that are produced by the devices. The library of commentary sounds, while somewhat inarticulate and only vaguely resembling real human speech, include frequently heard phrases such as "Boogity Boogity Boogity" and "Tight In - Loose Off." There's even a library of legacy and archaic sounds from Historic F1 that have not been heard in many years yet still evoke those warm and nostalgic feelings, like "Overtaking" and "Passing."

In summary, the LipZoom SE is a fun and environmentally friendly way to introduce racing sounds into your race program. It not only makes the race more fun, but puts everyone in good spirits. Batteries not included.

It would seem that the best system would trigger off each individual controller. Imagine engine sound revving up or down in sequence with the "throttle" of each car. So, the system would have to be parallel with the controller.

This is what I was thinking too. It would seem that something would be possible. As a matter of fact, if the tech was small enough, could be hooked up to a chassis, much like the lights on top of a Magnatraction police car. Rare earth magnets have made smaller cell phones possible, and their speakers would be loud enough.