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Crash-n-Burn

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It seems to me, based on personal experience, that red motor formulations (red lines, red lightning) are consistently the loudest in their respective and equivalent case set. Smokeys and Sparkies sounds disproportionately quiet.

Agree? Disagree? What are your favorite motors from a noise/sound perspective? Please add Loki formulations (and any other manufacturer) in, I'm not as familiar with them but didn't intend to limit this to CTI/AT.
 
I like the loud crackle of any sparky motor. Those seem louder to me than a smoky sam. Maybe it's a pitch thing. Also, I thought CTI White Thunders were supposed to be louder than smoky sams?
 
Loudest - research motors running at high pressures.
Push up the pressure beyond the relatively tame pressure that commercial loads run and you'll crank up the noise.
 
Loudest motors? The 12 or so N5800's going off in the Wildman drag race from 2011 at MidWest Power 9. The videos just do not do justice to the sound pressure level. [video=youtube;9Ojliv026YA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ojliv026YA[/video] Kurt
 
To me, Sparky motors seem louder. Otherwise it seems proportional to the newtons of thrust at liftoff.
 
Crash-n-Burn said:
...but didn't intend to limit this to CTI/AT.
Click to expand...

Shoulda probably been a discussion that grouped motors by size or something, but in keeping with the trend that "Mine is bigger than yours", I would choose the Saturn 5. Close second is probably the Space Shuttle or some Russian candle. :)
 
Last edited:
jimzcatz said:
Without a doubt the classic AMW Skidmark is the loudest. Especially the M2200.
Click to expand...

I had heard it discussed that motor will be long remembered and unlikely replicated in the future. Something about the batch of Ti used that can't be duplicated? After being around a few years I have the impression that APCP motors can
be like a fine wine. A batch can turn out to be really impressive and due to perhaps subsequent subtle changes in reagents (unbeknownst to the motor maker) maybe not so cool in the future. Kurt
 
A Contrail 54mm hybrid Sparky motor with a N2O fill of 800-850psi is a very loud motor with a unique high pitch scream component in the spectrum.
 
Loudest are the research that hit a pressure spike spitting out part of the liner or whatever. Probably as close to a cato as you get without it being one.
 
mccordmw said:
I bet this one rocket was hella loud!

[video=youtube;YmlgN4DRk2Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmlgN4DRk2Y[/video]
Click to expand...

Wow that was an awesome flight! Never seen it before so thanks for sharing.

In general, to me the sparkies are the loudest. It's a different kind of loud I guess but I do enjoy them nonetheless.
 
The higher the thrust, the louder the motor sound level.

For a given thrust, the higher level of combustion instability and afterburning, the louder the motor sound level.
 
Banzai88 said:
Shoulda probably been a discussion that grouped motors by size or something
Click to expand...

Yeah that was what I intended with the phrase "respective and equivalent case set". I get the idea that bigger is louder.

To redirect, which of the 54mm 3 grain motors is loudest? Seems there was a vote or two for whites.

Any difference on 38mm 3 grains? Do you feel there is consistency in noise (sparky is always the loudest in every case length)?
 
If you really wan to hear loud, static test on the ground.
When they fly away, the noise level goes down quickly.
When you burn the whole thing on the ground you'll be surprised how much noise you are missing when they fly.

So - High pressure motor being static tested gets my vote.
When we static tested a "P"....WOW!
 
Last edited:
Crash-n-Burn said:
It seems to me, based on personal experience, that red motor formulations (red lines, red lightning) are consistently the loudest in their respective and equivalent case set. Smokeys and Sparkies sounds disproportionately quiet.

Agree? Disagree? What are your favorite motors from a noise/sound perspective? Please add Loki formulations (and any other manufacturer) in, I'm not as familiar with them but didn't intend to limit this to CTI/AT.
Click to expand...


Smokey's to me typically sound quiet. White Lightning is a pretty good roar, and I'd say Loki White put out a good amount of noise.

Sparkles tend to make a ton of noise to my ear. Skid mark, Dark Matter, Spitfire...all really loud head turners.
 
FredA said:
If you really wan to hear loud, static test on the ground.
When they fly away, the noise level goes down quickly.
When you burn the whole thing on the ground you'll be surprised how much noise you are missing when they fly.

So - High pressure motor being static tested gets my vote.
When we static tested a "P"....WOW!
Click to expand...

Fred is 100% correct. Test on the ground if one wants loud....... But there's not the fun of watching it fly.........Seeing it go and making one proud....... Running around to see where it lies.

In reality with Research it is sometimes prudent to static test before flying the configuration and risking a bunch of pricey hardware. Better to just blow a case than a case and a rocket. Kurt
 
Fred is 100% correct. Test on the ground if one wants loud....... But there's not the fun of watching it fly.........Seeing it go and making one proud....... Running around to see where it lies.

In reality with Research it is sometimes prudent to static test before flying the configuration and risking a bunch of pricey hardware. Better to just blow a case than a case and a rocket. Kurt

Flights usually shortly follow a successful ground test ;-)

There is a chicken coup nearby where we test - you should hear then squawking after a big ground test stops ringing through the valley.....
 
Vmax and sparkies seem to be the loudest to me. C-star have a good roar to them as well (my favorite propellant).
 
Ratt hybrid, actually 2 of them. Almost 130db (measured)
[video=youtube;xirKHQjEHng]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirKHQjEHng"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirKHQjEHng[/video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirKHQjEHng
 
Now that is cool. Are those motors even still around?

There's a 4x cluster of these that has been done as well.
 
Either a H1000 Teeling Tech or a Gumby, I can't remember the size but boy, it was loud!
 
kramer714 said:
Ratt hybrid, actually 2 of them. Almost 130db (measured)
[video=youtube;xirKHQjEHng]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirKHQjEHng"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirKHQjEHng[/video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirKHQjEHng
Click to expand...

cannot agree more. clustering hybrids is like talking the devil when he is pissed off...
 

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