🎧 Small Sound Decoder Speakers | Which is the best??? 🎧

I'm fitting a Hornby sound decoder to a tender driven locomotive and I need a small speaker that makes an impressive sound to fit in the limited space available.
To find the best option I'm going to test 8 small speakers to see which one is up to the job by assessing them for price, loudness and sound quality.
Four of the speakers are kindly provided free of charge by Road and Rails hence this is marked as a paid promotion. Links to all the speakers below and if you need any further advice then please contact Road and Rails who I'm sure will be more than happy to suggest a speaker that complements your sound decoder and the model.
1. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
2. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
3. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
4. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
5. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
6. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
7. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
8. www.roads-and-rails.co.uk/col...
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:42 Testing Setup
02:10 Price
03:09 Speaker 1
03:43 Speaker 2
04:18 Speaker 3
04:50 Speaker 4
05:23 Speaker 5
05:56 Speaker 6
06:29 Speaker 7
07:02 Speaker 8
07:34 Loudness
09:18 Sound Quality
10:57 Final Scores
11:35 Summary

[@roadsandrails]

Thanks for the mention in the video! and posting all the links. You definitely are welcome to keep all the speakers. Richard

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks Richard! 👍

[@scottthompson7605]

Without doubt one of the best reviews I’ve ever seen on KZbin. Your video editing skills including the graphics are exceptional. The content was also very well researched and explained really easily to understand.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Cheers Scott! 👍😁 Really appreciate that.

[@raymondo162]

@@LittleWicketRailway I have to agree with scott - this video is exceptional on so many levels.........

[@LittleWicketRailway]

@Raymond Ashby Thanks Raymond!

[@the_failed_states]

Rob, I have to say, your channel is excellent. Absolutely packed with really useful information. The series you did on JRMI is outstanding. I'm wiring up 18 peco point motors with analog switching and I'm thinking, why the hell am I doing this!!! Argh - the money I've spent on bloody solenoids!!! Keep up the excellent work.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks, really appreciate that! I feel your pain. I've got a board full of solenoids that I wish were servos, but what's done is done.

[@matthewbannister5951]

Brilliant, useful review. Good idea.

[@TheRip72]

Excellent review, especially with the way you graded the speakers in different categories. The frequency response graphs were a useful way to explain their differences.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks 👍😃

[@modelrailwaytheeasyway9743]

Look forward to seeing the fitting the steam loco with decoder as I have a flying Scotsman tend driven that need converting.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Been messing around with this today. Total pain in the a** trying to use the Hornby sound decoder because it doesn't have speed control variables. Think I've managed to work round it just about.

[@DadCooks2]

Great review with great tests.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks 👍

[@dalegamble4535]

Really interesting & useful. Thank you!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching 👍

[@brucewoods9377]

Best review ever

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks Bruce! 👍

[@TDLfamily]

Very useful

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks 👍

[@shinvelcro]

Great review thanks. I still find them all to shrill for me personally, reminds me to much of people using there mobiles to try & play music 20 years ago =p Still, if I find #5 on a good sale any time I could be tempted.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

#5 is very impressive for the size. So is the IPhone speaker if you point it in the right direction 👍

[@TheRip72]

This was a review specifically on speakers for models with limited space inside, so all those the speakers tested are therefore smaller than ideal. If you can fit an EM1 or EM2, these sound a lot different.

[@alexandersweet1269]

Wow good review

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks! 👍

[@medwaypeninsulaMR]

Great timing Rob as I am looking for replacement speakers for my TTS steam loco decoders this was very useful and I have placed an order today. A Sugar cube and a small IPhone plus 3 bass enhanced for my Class 66s and have got the buy 5 pay for 4 discount. Cheers Kev

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Hi Kev! I hope you like those speakers. I put the IPhone speaker in Tornado this evening, such a dramatic improvement and it fits neatly in the smoke box alongside the decoder 👍

[@medwaypeninsulaMR]

Hi Rob The speakers arrived today so I’m excited to hear the difference 😀 I enjoy the format of your videos and I have been doing some catching up on the past ones. Cheers Kev

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Nice video .Like it very much thanks.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks Dave! 👍

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

@@LittleWicketRailway Always enjoy thanks

[@phil36310]

Hi, Interesting review and excellent top notch presentation ! For the price the TTS scores not bad but the small Iphone indeed is a winner. But when space allows I'd go for a 'Mega Bass' speaker - auditive wise. Never seen a measured test though. Thanks for sharing !

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks. Richard at Road and Rails has recently done a large speaker comparison on his channel that might be worth checking out. I agree though, the 'Mega Bass' speakers are the choice if you have space.

[@JohnPW22]

Hi great review, really useful as I've been trying to decide for my TTS 37, and I think I now know which speaker to go fot! Brill. Unfortunately, your links in the description are only showing the first part of the url - and not showing which is which, so I don't know which to click on - I'll try one and see where it takes me. Cheers!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

The Bass Enhanced speaker would sound great, but you might have room for something a bit a bit more beefy in a 37. I only looked at smaller speakers. Sure Richard would recommend something for you.

[@JohnPW22]

@@Andy1962-in-Kinross It's a TTS 37 chip - going in a Lima 37... 🤔

[@JohnPW22]

@@LittleWicketRailway Thanks. I've replied also to Andy below with a bit more info. Appreciate the help.

[@IronHorseRailways]

Come on... Be a legend and send me one of those speakers?!! I need to upgrade my first ever sound loco TTS speaker!! ;) I'll even pay the postage! 😃😃😃 Great comparison though mate!👍 The small iPhone internal was great! Small table 2 sounded horrific!!!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Haha, sorry, they will all be used somewhere. IPhone speaker was impressive 👍

[@IronHorseRailways]

@@LittleWicketRailway I know might need to order one... Tell you what, if you can, use the iPhone speaker to upgrade a TTS decoder that's FITTED into something small. See how much easier it is with a smaller speaker? Like the cab if a class 08/06/sentinel?

[@SkottTomas]

Great review. Have you tried the same setup with diesel sound? Perhaps it would be interesting to see if the ranking would be different?

[@JamesBondsSkyline]

I really enjoyed the review, it has given me some good intentions on smaller speakers to put in the collection with confidence on what they sound like. I only question the price tho. For example the ultra flat bass enhanced speaker can be purchased thru AliExpress, 2 for £3.02 with free shipping. Okay I will have to wait 2 weeks and I understand many can not wait that long and there will be a little tax on it (£1.25 last speakers I bought) but why the big mark up? I bought single iPhone speakers for £0.56 each.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Prices and speakers are all from Road and Rails, so I can't really comment on what the mark up is. It wouldn't surprise me if they were available cheaper from China, most things are, as long as the quality is the same then sounds like a bargain.

[@1701_FyldeFlyer]

I thought it very close toss up between the iphone speaker and the Ultra flat bass enhanced. Id go with the iphone speaker at it's nearly 4 quid cheaper.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

The IPhone speaker incredible for its size 👍

[@peterkrause5187]

Well done! Was that Audacity software?

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Yes, Audacity is great and free!

[@kevinpreston8812]

I have a question do you use Hornby points?

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Hi Kevin, yes, but I think I'm changing to Peco soon.

[@kevinpreston8812]

I have hornby point and motors to change them but the motors work perfect but when I put the points they don’t change them I’m using a hornby power pack.

[@cbaraciolli]

In the spirit of honest feedback for road and rails, product quality is good, delivery went well. However I wouldn't buy from them again as after sales service is all but non existent. This was my first venture into DCC sound installation. I asked a few questions about configuring wiring and a few other newby questions and got nothing. I had misplaced the function sheet, asked if I could have one emailed, nothing. In summary if your not at expert level and think you might need some help, look elsewhere.

[@robertgraffham6440]

Should have dumped that tender driven model in the rubbish bin! The most idiotic idea anyone ever did was this type of drive? Could just as well put a motor in the guard's van! :-(

[@LittleWicketRailway]

I tend to agree 👍