The Siren Board

Hello all!

I just had a quick question in regards to the Westminster Chime tone module in the Siratone controller. Why does the 612 chime sound so off key but when the chime plays on the 1212 it actually sounds like Westminster Chimes. Just curious as to why they sound different.

Apologies in advanced if this has been brought up

Thun-1003guy wrote:Hello all!

I just had a quick question in regards to the Westminster Chime tone module in the Siratone controller. Why does the 612 chime sound so off key but when the chime plays on the 1212 it actually sounds like Westminster Chimes. Just curious as to why they sound different.

Apologies in advanced if this has been brought up

Are you going by a recording of the chimes? If so, then I wouldn't trust it. The modules should sound alike, but you have to factor in, the condition the speaker drivers are in, and the weather conditions (yes they can affect sound). In theory, the two should sound the same, but there are a few factors that could change everything drastically.

Keep in mind that if they have older controls, they will sound like this.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPP0ROrcqjk

If they have newer controls, they will sound like this. This is how they will also sound on Modulators and DSAs.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTi5mUgjmb8

I do understand the Westminster Chimes sound different on the Ultravoice controllers compared to the Siratone Controller. But what I am asking is why does a EOWS 1212 chime with Siratone controls sounds on key compared to an EOWS 612 with Siratone controllers as well. If you look up a 1212 doing the chimes you'll see what I'm talking about. It's chime is on key compared to the 612 chime as seen in the Circleville EOWS 612 picture you posted

My question is why is the chime pattern different on a electronic outdoor siren than on a chiming clock?

I can sort of see what you're talking about. Here's a video of a 115 doing the chimes, which does sound a bit better.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GppKatk_JrU

While in this video, the 1212 sounds closer to the 612s.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBJemglfsnM

It could also be taken into account that the 612s rotate so the sound will sound different when the siren head is on axis with the camera microphone. Don't know how true this is but it's a possibility

Thun-1003guy wrote:I do understand the Westminster Chimes sound different on the Ultravoice controllers compared to the Siratone Controller. But what I am asking is why does a EOWS 1212 chime with Siratone controls sounds on key compared to an EOWS 612 with Siratone controllers as well. If you look up a 1212 doing the chimes you'll see what I'm talking about. It's chime is on key compared to the 612 chime as seen in the Circleville EOWS 612 picture you posted

Pure coincidence, probably set different, but I don't know. Either way, the siren head does not matter at all about how it sounds, it all comes down to the controller when it comes to electronic sirens(unless it was popping).

Just to give a heads up, there were revisions of those siratone controllers over the years since the eows was an experimental siren and was a rushed product by federal that used different tone control circuitry starting with the eows c/b* cabinet which was used on the early 1212 and 115. i have one of these control cabinets that came with my early eows 1212 that was part of the zimmer plant system. Then came about the model: EOWS* control cabinet that had the rotation circuitry built in for the eows 612, but also later 1212's were shipped from the factory with model: EOWS* controls but the rotation circuitry was not to be hooked up obviously. to my knowledge there are two eows westminister tone modules for the eows siren controls that are interchangable with the selectone, there is the tm-12 tone module which is the half hour/half step chime module and then there was the harder to find tm-12 rev.a module which has the regular full westminister chime melody. keep in mind age and heat and other enviromental factors will cause the factory siratone controls to fluctuate in pitch and tone because of bad caps, bad pots, loose connections, and the fact that most of them are over 30 years old now.

later eows* cabinet badge (credit to EL1998P71 for the picture)


insides of EL1998P71's cabinet


picture of the insides of my cabinet


my early eows 1212 control cabinet badge

Eeyoreluvsme wrote:Just to give a heads up, there were revisions of those siratone controllers over the years since the eows was an experimental siren and was a rushed product by federal that used different tone control circuitry starting with the eows c/b* cabinet which was used on the early 1212 and 115. i have one of these control cabinets that came with my early eows 1212 that was part of the zimmer plant system. Then came about the model: EOWS* control cabinet that had the rotation circuitry built in for the eows 612, but also later 1212's were shipped from the factory with model: EOWS* controls but the rotation circuitry was not to be hooked up obviously. to my knowledge there are two eows westminister tone modules for the eows siren controls that are interchangable with the selectone, there is the tm-12 tone module which is the half hour/half step chime module and then there was the harder to find tm-12 rev.a module which has the regular full westminister chime melody. keep in mind age and heat and other enviromental factors will cause the factory siratone controls to fluctuate in pitch and tone because of bad caps, bad pots, loose connections, and the fact that most of them are over 30 years old now.

later eows* cabinet badge (credit to EL1998P71 for the picture)


insides of EL1998P71's cabinet


picture of the insides of my cabinet


my early eows 1212 control cabinet badge

Do you have a video of your cabinet?