Dueling and sound. A query

[Cale Kral]

I've been lurking on the forums for awhile and reading as much as I can to learn about saber building/fighting/customization. One question I have yet to find an answer to. Is having sound in a primary dueling saber bad? I see alot of people talking about stunt sabers or Primary dueling sabers with no sound. Why?

[Luna]

Stunt hilts have longer battery life, is my best guess.

[Manroon]

They can have longer battery life, true, but Lith Ion helped alot with that one. Really, it's because stunt sabers are cheaper, and because many people who get sound, even when they know how durable it is, just don't get or don't want to risk putting that much money into a duel. Personally, I duel with my Obsidian all the time and it stacks up wonderfully to the challenge. So does my opponent's Consular. I don't often duel with my Econo-Sound rigged Prophecy V2 though, as, well... it's just too finicky. But that was an aftermarket home installed thing, not something US offered in the hilt. Which is WHY it's such a tricky hilt since I added that. lol

[Arakan Steele]

I'll warrant an edjucated guess here, as I'm new to the saber scene myself so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong... but it would seem like having the sound would be fine for the people actually dueling, but as an observer/audience unless you're standing right next to them it seems like they really wouldn't be able to hear them anyway.

So from a performance stand-point, it's not as important to have the sound if the audience can't hear it... again I could be wrong...

Also, I'm sure it also comes down to cost as well... if you're spending the extra $$$ on a really nice saber that you like as more of a costume prop, chances are you may not want to duel with that particular saber because it WILL fall out of your hands at some point and get scratched up. Therefore it makes sense to get a cheaper saber to use strictly for dueling that you don't care if it gets scratched up or not. And adding a sound card to it no longer makes it a cheap saber, since you've just upped the price by a good $100 or so. Leaving the sound out keeps it affordable and easy to replace if needed.

[Master Nero Attoru]

They can have longer battery life, true, but Lith Ion helped alot with that one. Really, it's because stunt sabers are cheaper, and because many people who get sound, even when they know how durable it is, just don't get or don't want to risk putting that much money into a duel. Personally, I duel with my Obsidian all the time and it stacks up wonderfully to the challenge. So does my opponent's Consular. I don't often duel with my Econo-Sound rigged Prophecy V2 though, as, well... it's just too finicky. But that was an aftermarket home installed thing, not something US offered in the hilt. Which is WHY it's such a tricky hilt since I added that. lol

This is pretty true.  It's not a durability thing, as the Obsidian board is pretty robust... it's more of a mindset thing.  People spend money on something and no matter how unlikely it may be, they don't wanna damage it.  Totally understandable.  I have a Luke V2 hilt with a Crystal Focus soundboard that cost me a pretty penny (dwarfing these awesome Ultrasabers prices) and I don't duel with it at all, even though I know I could.

Other people don't like the constant sounds in their hilts... it just doesn't do it for them.  Kham-Ryn Kurios has an arsenal of Ultrasabers, and none of them currently have soundboards installed.  For some people the sound just isn't as big a deal, for others the repeating clashes and hums become annoying.

Personally I like sound in my dueling sabers, it really makes it feel more like a lightsaber to me.  That's my own opinion, and while I know other people share it I don't expect everyone to do so.

[Master Uilos]

Other people don't like the constant sounds in their hilts... it just doesn't do it for them.  Kham-Ryn Kurios has an arsenal of Ultrasabers, and none of them currently have soundboards installed.  For some people the sound just isn't as big a deal, for others the repeating clashes and hums become annoying.

This is a big thing for a lot of us who perform choreo with  sabers. The soundboards actually detract attention from the action, and by the end of things the sound just gets grating.

I'd prefer sound on wall or belt candy, or something meant specifically for solo forms/katas. Something that isn't going to get wailed on and potentially breaks the soundboard.

[Master Nero Attoru]

This is a big thing for a lot of us who perform choreo with  sabers. The soundboards actually detract attention from the action, and by the end of things the sound just gets grating.

I'd prefer sound on wall or belt candy, or something meant specifically for solo forms/katas. Something that isn't going to get wailed on and potentially breaks the soundboard.

That's a very good point.  I don't have as much experience in choreo but I could certainly imagine why you'd want the attention on the visual aspect rather than the sounds.  All the hard work that goes into that kinda stuff should be fully appreciated without the distractions.

[Manroon]

@Steele: Believe me, the audience CAN hear that sound. lol Oh, sure, maybe a Stadium Audience would have trouble hearing it, but if you're dueling at a con or on halloween, maybe a small stage at an event.... I'd bet a saber they could hear it just fine. I use my Obsidian saber while riding a Skateboard down a main street with heavy traffic at rush hour wearing headphones and I can still hear the hum clearly. 

[Slaxxor]

Personally, it doesnt feel like a lightsaber to me without sound.

One of the main reasons I bought an Ultrasaber was because they are advertised as being "combat ready".  I know there is a small chance that the soundboard could be damaged by dueling, but thats what I bought it for.   I paid a whole lot more for my atv, and it gets way more abuse then a saber ever will. 

Its supposed to be a weapon, not a museum piece. 

[Waxman]

@Steele: Believe me, the audience CAN hear that sound. lol Oh, sure, maybe a Stadium Audience would have trouble hearing it, but if you're dueling at a con or on halloween, maybe a small stage at an event.... I'd bet a saber they could hear it just fine. I use my Obsidian saber while riding a Skateboard down a main street with heavy traffic at rush hour wearing headphones and I can still hear the hum clearly. 

Too true.

I too do the whole skateboard thing, or at least on a rip-stick because it looks futuristic like I'm a bounty hunter on a hover-board, or something.

I'm still trying to find someone else on a skateboard / rip-stick to have a light dual with while moving.

But back to the topic.  From my experience with having a saber without sound for a number of years I have to tell you that all of the people that have watched me and participated, they are way more attracted to the saber with sound as opposed to the one without sound, even if the one without sound is more durable or brighter.
Then again, for the sake of choreography I can imagine how annoying it may be for the user to have to turn off the saber just to say something or possibly even speak in a heightened voice just to speak over the sound.  It probably also screws up some of the sound-quality should a video-editor want to add their own "studio sounds" to the video they are producing.

[Jammo]

Stunts can be quicker... just sayin'.

[Manroon]

True. But Obsidians can block blasterfire and make force noises.

[Cale Kral]

See this is why I asked this question. After seeing my raven with sound I don't know if  I could order another saber without it.

[Stephen Strange]

I ordered both with sound.. I cannot imagine these sabers without.

Still...

I can see that during practice it can be distracting.

It might be nice if one of the switch functions would be able to turn the sound off... Especially handy for concentration during classes and the creation of a staged fight.