fx board differences

[Orpheus]

are there differences in the sound boards from fx sabers? i keep hearing people saying they have a luke rotj, or a maul sound board but i don't know if there is a difference
is there?

[LAN-ED-TUL]

yes theyre different. theres 6 batt models, and theres 3 batt models.

different voltages thru the years as they made them.

also different sounds. some might use the same for a couple different ones, and they kinda swap them around in different hilts.

[Ghostbat]

Yes, different sabers have different sounds.

I have only played with a few so far but from what I understand there is a light side and a dark side sound. The newer modular FX saber has a switch that lets you select either.

In general I prefer the dark side sound but it only has one clash sound instead of three which is a bit of a bummer.

[pipster79]

I like the dark side sound better as well, it has better swings. But i also hate how it has one single clash. The light side has a really nice hum, and i find my luke rotj it sounds the best in. Even though they all have the same sounds, the resonance in them makes the tone and volume different in them.

[Novastar]

Pip is right... that one clash thing on the "sithy" boards will drive you bonkers.

If I HAD to recommend FX boards, I'd say look for Anakin, Luke, Mace, Obi, and Yoda boards. They have the most clashes/swings. It is the Vader and Maul boards that have the "cymbal crash" clash sound that repeats ad infinitum, and one thing is for certain:

MR *SHOULD* have programmed in at least 2 or 3 more clash sounds. It's not as if the technology only allowed for one... duh, that was proven & verified via the "good guy" FX boards.

In my opinion, this was a MAJOR oversite and/or stupid mistake with the boards, and really ruins the "sith board" experience. It could have been corrected, but... NO. They've been the same since like 2000 or whatever.

Whee. A seven year ear-sore. Genius.

[pipster79]

Yes the one "symbol clash" has got to be the most annoying thing, I barely even turn my vader saber on cus of this.

was a very bad mistake indeed by MR. Very puzzling why they would have done this. Especialy over the 7 years they could have corrected this like novastar said...but nope still only one single annoying clashing symbol. I was greatly dissapointed when i turned on my vader saber for the first time to hear that repetative clash, over and over, and the more times i herd it the more i hated it

[Vazan Maceu]

I heard somewhere that the best one sound-wise is the Anakin ROTS, is it true? It´s a pity they didn´t want to fix the Sith ones...

[pipster79]

no not true at all, the sounds for all goodguy sabers are the exact same, only difference is the resonance for the speaker
any board u get of a good guy, either anakin, luke, obi wan, yoda, mace, will all sound the same. they all have the same sounds

[Novastar]

Pipster is right--especially regarding resonance. This is mentioned in some other threads about sound as well...

A great speaker + poor resonance = junky sound... ... whereas:
A decent speaker + "uber" resonance = very nice sound...

Case in point was one of my first Luke MR conversions. I had a Mace right next to it, and it was planned for conversion as well, but... anyhow I turned them both on at the same time, and suddenly noticed... "Hey... one sounds better. I think it's the bloody Luke!"

For about 20 seconds I just thought, OK better speaker. But then I stopped and went... wait a second... why the hull would they DO that? That doesn't make any sense. After all, they hadn't CHANGED anything in YEARS.

Anyhow... I swapped the battery/speaker packs. The "good sound" followed the Luke HILT/POMMEL. Hmm. Then I tried with 3AA packs with differing hilts--first Vader, then Anakin. Differing packs always sounded the same in the same hilt.

So obviously--it is indeed a resonance thing. :)

One thing to know--ALL MR saber resonance can be improved by drilling holes in the hilt in strategic places (let's say beneath grips, and through black grips where it's hard to see the new holes). Or, if you don't care about the perfect look, drill holes in between the grips.

The Vader can instantly be improved by just removing the T-grips... which reveals many holes for the grips! :) The Vader has some of the worst resonance until you do this... since it is SUCH thick steel! Those who have a Vader know... it's heavy. :) Strong as an Ox too...

Anyhow... yes. Resonance is where it's at. Gee, I wonder why stereo speakers have all that "box room" behind them, and the grilles? heheheh ;)