Ship Siren Sound

Ship sirens use compressed air horns for alarms and signals. Unlike mechanical sirens, pneumatic alarm sirens can create a two-tone sound. Pneumatic sirens with horns are typically used on ships. The bigger the ship, the lower the sound of the horn. The Sounddogs Archive features some very nice recordings of ship horn sounds and pneumatic sirens. Below you will find an impressive example of a big ship\'s signal horn.

Ship Sirens And Horn Siren Sounds

Pneumatic alarm sirens can create enormous sound pressure and spread it across big distances thanks to the horns mounted on the top of the siren. The construction of pneumatic alarm sirens is different from mechanical sirens. While the mechanical siren creates the airstream with the help of centrifugal forces, the pneumatic alarm siren uses a compressed air canister to pump the airstream into the siren head.

Alarm Horn Siren

The air-powered alarm siren (pneumatic siren) is easily identified by the horns mounted to the siren's head. Similar to a mechanical siren, the air-powered alarm sirens create their signal by interrupting the air-stream cycle with the help of a perforated disc. The spinning disc inside the siren's head is called a rotor; it is electrically powered. The air-stream is directed through the holes in the rotor and external vents. The spinning motion of the rotor either opens or closes the holes, which creates the sound of the siren that is then directed to several horns. The air-stream that is needed for the operation of the siren is created by an Aerosol canister underneath the siren.

The main benefit of this type of siren is the extremely high sound level it creates. Pneumatic sirens can reach a sound pressure level of 130db (!) at a distance of 20 meters. The other benefit is the use of pressurised air. With the help of compressed air from a tank, these sirens can create a very high sound level almost immediately, which is very important for the proper operation of a siren. Pneumatic sirens also need less electrical power than mechanical sirens (but they do require more maintenance).
Many of these high-performance sirens were de-installed after the Cold War because they were no longer used. You can still see the pylons that those big old sirens used to be attached to (although nowadays they are more likely to house a mobile antenna than a siren).

Library Waveform Filename add Description info Channels Duration ShortID Category Subcategory
1 SoundStorm Library Sirens-MarineEmergencySiren.wav Sirens - Marine Emergency Siren - C U - Emergency Siren On And Off And Steady, Direction Of Siren Changes, Sounds Hand Held
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2.0 0:48

Alarm

Siren Ship

2 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipTugs.BBC.EC61Sa.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Tug"s Siren Sounds And Is Answered By Ship.
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2.0 0:14Alarm Siren Ship
3 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Rc.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Mary Ship"s Siren, Three Horn Blasts, Siganalling Ship Reversing.
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2.0 0:14Alarm Siren Ship
4 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Tc.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth II, Ship"s Siren, Three Long Blasts In Distance As Ship Leaves Port.
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2.0 0:13Alarm Siren Ship
5 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.ECD22.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Paddle Steamer, Hooter Sounded.
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2.0 0:07Alarm Siren Ship
6 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsCruisers.BBC.EC61T.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Cruiser"s Siren, Sounded Approximately Six Times.
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2.0 0:15Alarm Siren Ship
7 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsLiners.BBC.EC61Tb.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Unidentified Liner, Ship"s Siren, Sounded Twice.
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2.0 0:30Alarm Siren Ship
8 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Rb.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Mary Ship"s Siren, Two Horn Blasts, Signalling Ship Turning To Port.
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2.0 0:10Alarm Siren Ship
9 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Rd.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Mary Ship"s Siren, One Horn Blast, Signalling Ship Stoppping.
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2.0 0:09Alarm Siren Ship
10 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Sa.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Aquitania, Ship"s Horn, Sounded Several Times.
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2.0 0:43Alarm Siren Ship
11 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsDrifters.BBC.EC61Tb.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Drifter"s Siren, One Long Blast.
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2.0 0:13Alarm Siren Ship
12 SoundStorm Library Siren-DestroyerSiren-MCU-AB.wav Siren - Destroyer Siren - Medium Close Up - A Bit Comical
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2.0 0:09Alarm Siren Ship
13 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Se.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Ships" Whistles And Sirens Sounded Together.
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2.0 1:30Alarm Siren Ship
14 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Re.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Mary Ship"s Siren, Three Horn Blasts, Siganalling "farewell".
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2.0 0:39Alarm Siren Ship
15 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Td.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth II, Ship"s Siren, Seven Blasts As Ship Leaves Port, Close Perspective.
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2.0 0:12Alarm Siren Ship
16 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Sb.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Duke Of Rothesay, Ship"s Horn, Sounded Several Times.
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2.0 0:15Alarm Siren Ship
17 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Sd.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Cock-a-doodle-doo" Ships" Sirens Sounded.
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2.0 0:25Alarm Siren Ship
18 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsLiners.BBC.EC61Ta.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Unidentified Liner, Ship"s Siren, Sounded Once.
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2.0 0:21Alarm Siren Ship
19 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Rf.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Mary Ship"s Siren, Three Horn Blasts, Signalling Fog Warning.
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2.0 0:27Alarm Siren Ship
20 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Sc.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, Ship"s Siren, Sounded Once.
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2.0 0:07Alarm Siren Ship
21 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Ta.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: PAndO Liner Strathaird, Ship"s Siren, Several Long Blasts.
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2.0 0:14Alarm Siren Ship
22 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsDestroyers.BBC.EC61T.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Destroyer"s Siren, Sounded Three Times, Pause, Sounded Three Times, Pause, Sounded Three Times.
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2.0 0:13Alarm Siren Ship
23 SoundStorm Library Siren-DestroyerSiren-MCU-_1.wav Siren - Destroyer Siren - Medium Close Up - A Bit Comical
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2.0 0:10Alarm Siren Ship
24 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipTugs.BBC.EC61Sb.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Ship"s Siren Sounds And Is Answered By Tug.
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2.0 0:13Alarm Siren Ship
25 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Ra.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Mary Ship"s Siren, One Horn Blast, Signalling Ship Turning To Starboard.
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2.0 0:05Alarm Siren Ship
26 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsSirens.BBC.EC61Tb.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth II, Ship"s Siren, Four Long Blasts As Ship Leaves Port, Close Perspective, With Other Ships At End.
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2.0 0:39Alarm Siren Ship
27 BBC Sound Effects Library ShipsDrifters.BBC.EC61Ta.wav Siren, Ship: Siren, Ship: Drifters"s Siren, Sounded Four Times. (Astern.)
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2.0 0:07Alarm Siren Ship
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