Speaker Replacement

Hardware help and support for the FrSky Taranis
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Scott Page
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Speaker Replacement

Post by Scott Page »

I wanted a better speaker. One that would play music over the sound of the 100cc monsters @ our field. One that has better fidelity than the stock speaker. One that I could understand. O ya -- did I say louder?

Here is my test of the Stock speaker using my iphone "Decibil Ultra" app. I measured with the speaker and mic 12" apart for consistancy. I used a 60 second constant Middle C tone for testing. It's in the file attached called Test.zip.
This is the Stock Speaker:
Stock.PNG
The first speaker I tried was one recommended on RCG.
I got 10 speakers for $6.
First try.png
Ebay.PNG
This was a big improvement in volume - up about 11 db so I was pretty happy... for awhile.

Then I wanted more. More volume, and more clarity. So I bought It's a CUI inc. CLS0362MA-1-L152 from digikey mostly because the product data sheet looked so good http://www.cui.com/product/resource/cls ... 1-l152.pdf.
MFG_CLS0362MA-1-L152.jpg
MFG_CLS0362MA-1-L152.jpg (38.19 KiB) Viewed 18439 times
Digikey.PNG
A bit more volume, and much better sound. I thought my journey was done.

Lexm from Australia convinced me to try one more speaker. His reason - bigger magnet - better sound. He's right! A monster 2 watt 8 ohm speaker. Everything to this point has been .5w 8 ohm.
speaker.jpg
Ready for Tx.JPG
Mounted in a cut off epoxy mixing cup or medicine cup.
New.PNG


Holy Smokes! Clarity is incredible. and 92db. A huge jump in volume and Clarity. I can even feel the sound when I play "Another one bites the dust" with full volume.

I included two zip files -- one is the middle C tone I used for the testing - the other is Auld Lang Syne formatted for the Taranis so you can ring in the new year with a new transmitter. :mrgreen:
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auld lang syne.zip
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Test .zip
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Scott Page
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Scott Page »

Daedalus66
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Daedalus66 »

I installed the same speaker and got excellent results. It cost me under $5 on eBay. Had to turn down the volume!
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by mmatheny »

Where did you get it for $5?? It is over $10 on that link!
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Scott Page
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Scott Page »

After I posted the link (also on RCG) a bunch of people ordered and overnight the guy doubles his price.

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Scott Page
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Scott Page »

Scott Page wrote:After I posted the link (also on RCG) a bunch of people ordered and overnight the guy doubles his price.

His price is back to $5.31
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Daedalus66 »

This is where I got mine from for under $5.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2W-8-Ohm-Alum ... OC:CA:3160
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Hawk600 »

Here is it for $5 and change but comes from China :(
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2W-2-Watt-4-Ohm ... 4ac2fa4117
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by sevensixty »

I don't suppose anyone knows the diameter of the stock speaker? I want to make an adapter but would rather not open up my taranis until I need to.

Thanks in advance
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Speaker Replacement

Post by Daedalus66 »

About 23mm, but that isn't the dimension you need. The stock speaker fits inside the mount, whereas the pill bottle adapter goes over the mount. So you need to open it up to do the measurement. It only takes 5 minutes, after all. And you need to understand the layout in there.

The only caution about opening the Tx is to be sure to note the positions of the switches, as it's easy to turn them around when reassembling. That requires another removal to fix them.
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by ShowMaster »

With the case face down the two switches need the brown wires up to be correct. Personally, the first time I opened my case I used a sharpie and wrote "up" on the switches. No guessing after that. Brown wire terminals up so far as long as Frsky keeps the color code.


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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by ARMAGUEDON »

I made the mod all simply incredible thank you scott
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Last edited by ARMAGUEDON on Sun Feb 02, 2014 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Spoogy
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Spoogy »

I did this too a sometime ago already. Sound is a lot better than any of those previous speakers. Also radio volume can kept so low now, that it has made this annoying buzz go away. Still the voice can be heard loud and clear. :)

Thnx for the tip, Scott!

-Spoogy
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by ShowMaster »

Scott Page wrote:O ya, I got the speakers from
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310641974590?ss ... 1497.l2649
Old post Scott but I have a question about it. I ordered 3 right after you posted the link. The specs looks good and the speaker was listed as 8 ohms. When they got here there wasn't any printed ohm value on them. I just installs them and have been happy. Lately the discussion has been that they aren't 8 ohms. I measured mine with my ohm meter and get a 3.80 ohm value. I'm assuming it means I have 4 ohm speakers installed if my DC meter is close enough to the the real impedance value.
Do we think the audio amp IC can hold up driving a 4 ohm speaker now?
I haven't look at the ic's model number to look it up.
No easy way of making the speaker 8 ohms without a level drop.
SM


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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by jhsa »

You guys better find what IC it is and the specs, and see if t can handle a 4 ohm speaker.

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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Flaps 30 »

ShowMaster wrote:
Scott Page wrote:Lately the discussion has been that they aren't 8 ohms. I measured mine with my ohm meter and get a 3.80 ohm value. I'm assuming it means I have 4 ohm speakers installed if my DC meter is close enough to the the real impedance value.
I have one of the speakers that Scott used along with a few of the flat 'pancake' speakers. The pancakes are marked as 8Ω and they measure just under 7.6Ω the one mentioned here measured the same as yours SM.

Slightly off topic - I did fit the one that Scott used, and it did give a small increase in volume with a fair amount of distortion when compared to the pancake style ones. The pancake one is what I left in.. This is on a 9X with a Megasound card that has an LM386 on board. So in a way it verifies why the extra volume and like others I didn't bother to measure the speaker before it was installed. I took the Ebay description as being correct.
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by ShowMaster »

I'm a little concerned now that I've actually measured the speaker as 4 ohms with my ohm meter..
So far I haven't played any long background music at a high level.
I don't know the audio IC number and was hoping one of the beta testers would volunteer that info before i open my case.
Looks like I'll be changing speakers again?
What's our choices as I haven't kept up.
Maybe I'll go back to the greeting card speakers as a quick fix. They're driven by an IC and a 3 v button battery so probably 8 ohms or higher. They are pretty loud.
SM


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MikeB
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by MikeB »

Audio chip is a TPA711, same as is on the SKY board (and 'PRO). The datasheet says it can drive 700mW into an 8 ohm speaker when running from 5V. On the Taranis, it is running from 3.3V, so maybe it can handle a 4ohm speaker. On the SKY and 'PRO it is running from 5V.
It is rated for a supply from 2.5V to 5V.

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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Flaps 30 »

Not sure if I like 'maybes' Mike.. :) Looking at the data sheet it does ring alarm bells, as it doesn't show any data with a load below eight Ohms.

This is the speaker I used (which look like the first ones that Scott tested) on the 9X and I suspect that it might fit the Taranis -----> Small Horn 0.5W 8 ohm
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by ShowMaster »

Thanks for verifying the IC number Mike. Yes I see 4 ohms isn't on the spec sheet at all, even at 3v.
So maybe adding several ohms in series would raise the impedance to 6 ohms and not reduce the audio level too much. Some current limiting at least. It is a larger speaker than the original with a larger magnet.
Adding 4 ohms while I'm at it. That or wire two speaker in series side by side? That should spread the audio around. Ok, gone too far.

I guess I'll have to find some bench time. Rats, another project added to the to do list. For now I'll keep the volume level just loud enough to hear and no continuous BG music. I'll hold off buying new speakers until this is worked out. I've got to measure the greeting card speakers impedance (I guess we call it resistance now) with my ohm meter. It did sound ok when I originally tried one.
My lab time has been limited lately and that's not helping.
Thanks flaps30 for the speaker link. I need 2 so I'll hold off ordering while this topic and options heats up.
SM


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MikeB
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by MikeB »

I haven't had time to do any calculations, hence the maybe!
Datasheet says 700mW @ 5V into 8 ohms, 250mW @3.3V into 8 ohms. So you might expect 500mW @3.3V into 4 ohms.
A quick calculation suggest the 5V and 8 ohms is a peak current of 414mA, while 3.3V and 4 ohms is a peak current of 350mA (feel free to check these values!).
Also needed is a chip power dissipation calculation to make sure that is also in bounds.

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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by LTMNO »

I have installed this speaker and it works beautifully. I don't play music but I turned down the volume to 2 and its still very loud and clear.
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Speaker Replacement

Post by ShowMaster »

Mike verified my speaker of 4 ohms is on the edge. What I did was add a 2.2 ohm in series and listed to the audio. That gave me 6.2 ohms. My ear didn't hear a big change. I then added a second 2.2 ohm and I then heard a drop. I tried a 1 ohm resistor and that was good. So I now have 7.2 ohms measured at the speaker connector board. I think that's close enough to 8 ohms that the amp shouldn't overload, especially on 3 volts.
The speaker has enough gain that it's not at full volume to start with.
SM


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Scott Page
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Scott Page »

I have been unavailable the past few days - and returned to find this fiasco.

Well, it turns out that when I looked into it further it gets more convoluted. The first (at least) speaker that I received from that ebay source was indeed 8ohms and it was stamped on the bottom. (see photograph) I 3 more and there were still two unused - in the wrapper. (piece of cardboard and saran wrap) The two that were not used looked virtually identical with a casual look, but they test @ 3.5 ohms and they are not marked on the bottom. I recall that just after I posted about using that sources speaker they listed a quantity of zero for a few days (maybe less) and then had speakers again. It would seem that those that got the first batch may have gotten actual 8 ohm speakers as I did for the upgrade I made and tested - but those which came later (of which I have two) are look alike speakers, but not 8 ohm speakers.
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Speaker Replacement

Post by ShowMaster »

I forgive you Scott for getting the only 8 ohm speaker. The add suckered us all. Mine in cardboard had no stamped value and I didn't check.
If I had I would have sent them back with a thumbs down review. Too late now.
For now the added series 3.2 ohms is still loud and I feel safer.
Even with almost half of the audio wasted in the resistors, the speaker seems to have more level than the stock one.
Ok, how about DIY a 4-8 ohm transformer now? I'll never have time to fly.
I guess my labor is worth more than a new $5 speaker?



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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by LTMNO »

Oh brother, now I have to take the radio apart to check. I will report back.


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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by MikeB »

You may NOT be wasting half the audio. The speaker is inductive, so the voltage across it is likely to be out of phase to the voltage across the resistors. You may well be only 30% down.

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Scott Page
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by Scott Page »

ShowMaster wrote:I forgive you Scott for getting the only 8 ohm speaker. The add suckered us all. Mine in cardboard had no stamped value and I didn't check.
If I had I would have sent them back with a thumbs down review. Too late now.
For now the added series 3.2 ohms is still loud and I feel safer.
Even with almost half of the audio wasted in the resistors, the speaker seems to have more level than the stock one.
Ok, how about DIY a 4-8 ohm transformer now? I'll never have time to fly.
I guess my labor is worth more than a new $5 speaker?

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This speaker was first recommended by another RCG contributor but I'll not throw him under the bus and name him. I made the mistake of taking pictures and doing a DIY post. I wish I could get some retribution on the seller I have a friend with one in his Tx and I have two that are useless to me. Maybe I can find his address and hire some kids in his area to take a dump on his porch.
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by LTMNO »

Great... thanks to some guy from the Tri-Cities, a year after the Taranis comes out I finally take the plunge and buy one... The first mod I do is change the speaker... and all this time, I had a bad one...
No 8Ohm Markings..
No 8Ohm Markings..
Thanks :lol:
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Re: Speaker Replacement

Post by LTMNO »

ShowMaster wrote:I forgive you Scott for getting the only 8 ohm speaker. The add suckered us all. Mine in cardboard had no stamped value and I didn't check.
If I had I would have sent them back with a thumbs down review. Too late now.
For now the added series 3.2 ohms is still loud and I feel safer.
Even with almost half of the audio wasted in the resistors, the speaker seems to have more level than the stock one.
Ok, how about DIY a 4-8 ohm transformer now? I'll never have time to fly.
I guess my labor is worth more than a new $5 speaker?

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Hi ShowMaster,
Could we just clarify the mod to fix the speaker.
Did you place 2x or 1x 3.2K ohms resistor to the brown and red lines?

Thanks in advance for clarifying.
Custom 9x with M64/Telemetry Mod

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