i just upgraded from my shockers to a k3a up close i cant tell to much a diffrence which is louder to be honest and i have 1/2 going to each bell. i do feel like the sound of the k3 carries out more and further tho and also seems to echo more off buildings and parking garages i like the tone that the k3 produces more then the shockers . shockers give a deeper tone to the k3s.but the k3s to me sound well like a real train … do u guy sfeel the same way about the loudness of k3 and shocker to both be very loud upclose but the k3 carrying the sound further?
what psi ru hittin the k3s at?
i think the K3 is
much louder you
figer its the real
deal lol.
If you can’t tell much difference between the K3 and the Shocker, then there’s something wrong with your setup.
I was a little dissappointed with my Nathan K5LA when I first got them. I was use to the Shockers. After a few days, I realized it was a whole different animal. I know the Shockers have more bass whereas the K5LA carries so far. I had to have a buddy drive my truck a few times and pass by me to be able to really notice a difference. I am running a 20 gallon tank with 1/2" line. The K5LA has totally been rebuilt. I was running 200 psi at first which made them squeal too bad. Once I put 150psi in them, I got the bass tone and it carries for miles. You can listen to some of my videos on here where I compared the sound of my Nathan K5LA and my Shocker set on my Brother-in-laws vehicle.
I’ve been doing a bunch of reading and came across some threads about the increase in volume with bigger airline and fittings. Obviously the fittings & line to each bell is big enough, but what is the smallest fitting between your tank and the manifold? I can post a link to a thread if you want - let me know.
The thing that looked weird in your install pics is the plugs on the manifold. They look like regular PTC fittings. At the risk of stating the obvious, if those aren’t plugged, you’re losing a TON of air.
150 half inch line from tank to horns nothing smaller then 1/2 inch at all
I feel the same way. I stood outside my vehicle when my shockers XL and K3L was blasted… The shockers were louder to my ears… I’m not sure why. 
yea i checked for air leaks today there were none i mean dont get me wrong the k3s are loud they set off alarms and make peopels mouth drop and echo very much more then the shockers but i just felt like my car vibrated a bit more with the shockers then the k3s maybe this install went tighter and cleaner less vibration i dunno i did battle a train today passing by me slowly and mine were louder i think by FAR TOO but i guess they have there horns toned down… luckly i get to meet up with the guy who sold them today be and he is Pro at this and he will let me know if im good or if somthing is failing in my setup … but i do like the sound of the k3s more then shockers and they do such down air maybe its because i went from 5/16 to 1/2
now ya got me thinkin you see i
got a good ear for train horns now yes
senes i own the S4
shocker xl my self
i think its louder
you see my good buddy diesel sniper
owns a K5LA and i
think its funny he and i wudd honk at
each other and my
horns wer louder thin his but he dos not
have his 1/2" hooktup yet i know the
airchime is a lot louder and has a
nice sound to and
the shocker is ment
to be loud lol i agree with buck
fever the shocker is
more lower pich i know the S4 is.
peace
and like buck sead
the K5 is a hole
other horn this is
my op the only train
horn i know of that
can pull off shave
and hair cut dam good is nathan airchime K5 Lol.
but the K3 is good
to onsley i more a
K3LA fan my self
thats why i wont one
so bad.:D.
peace
do you guys reccomend going to 175 psi with the k3s? or would that somewhat take away the nice chime that they do put out to me i feel like 200 psi would be pushing it and as buckfever said they would be louder yea but as far as loud goes yea i want them to be loud but also to sound like a real train and not to be overdone .
150 psi is what most people on the forum recommend running a K3 at. I remember reading anything more will slightly distort the sound. I myself thought about going to 175, but I’m happy with 150 psi.
who saw k3 plastic?
Shockers = plastic
K3 = aluminum
K3 ftw!!!
is that was a k3 that sounds Terrable!
ive run my k3la from 110psi to 185psi and the tone didnt change or distort. my k3 is an older horn and not a new horn in my opinion the new k series sound like crap.
i dunno i have seen charts with graphs and sound db rating and the k3 was 7 or so db louder then the k5 also i see some people have said that the k3 was louder then the k5 but the k5 was more musical just my thought fill me in if im right but that is whats going around