Best Sounding Saw - Help Spend My Money

[RED-85-Z51]

Best sounding saw Ive ever heard is my Tanaka ECS415. For a smaller displacement saw, it has a very interesting muffler design, and gives it a unique exhaust note. Not so much loud, just throaty, and NOT raspy.

The Poulan 306A had a neat sound to it as well.

 

[artie__bc]

They're not cheap, but I love the sound of an 090, especially at idle.

 

[Timberhauler]

Anyone know how the two cylinder saws sound? Are they different?

Ever heard of a Yamaha Banshee??...It's a two stroke 350cc twin cylinder quad.I always thought it was the most coolest sounding engine on earth..There is nothing like the sound of any twin cylinder 2 stroker.....My favorite sounding chainsaw was a Super Mac 250.....But I guess you're looking for something a little more readily available.I love the way my 088 sounds as well.

 

[PES+]

They go for big money now but the Sachs Dolmar rotary engine when tuned properly and with good seals sounds very much like the Banshee.....the only problem is they don't sound like that very long

 

[Leebo]

They're not cheap, but I love the sound of an 090, especially at idle.

Amen, artie. Just sounds great at full throttle...but best at idle.

 

[bcmktg]

Dad's PL-5

I am flattered to think that Dad's old Remington PL-5 sounds good to someone else besides me. I guess it ain't just sentimentality after all. I know one quality about the sound of that saw that I hadn't considered until I had it around other saws of virtually ever make and model, most of them newer — it is the sound of lower-rpm broadband power with an unrestricted muffler. When you plop that old PL-5 into a log and get the cutting speed balanced with the rpm and torque of the engine, it is easy to keep the same rpm nearly all the rest of the way through the log. I think what Brandon heard that seemed to stand out from the rest of the saws he had been hearing all day was a comparative absence of large rpm fluctuations while working its way through the log. That doesn't mean it was really ripping through the log, though. Most of the newer saws in the same displacement range were twice as fast. btw, I happen to think Brandon's saw (I think it was a Dolmar *gasp*) sounded sweet. Man, that thing would scream.

I remember when I was first learning how to use a chainsaw. Dad used to say "You can either work IT or it will work YOU." "Learn to let the saw do the work the best way it can and don't bog it down... it's not good for it.""....and don't forget to push that oiler button every once in awhile." You know how Dads are....

Al

 

[bobbyb13]

Remington Logger

I have the PL5 and PL4, Find you a Remington Logger, I have had a bunch of people walk over at shows just to see what it is and listen to it. I've seen them on Epay several times. Just finished one off there that I got for $66.00 total cost. 65.5 cc 4 cu. in. 6500 rpm. Best sounding old rumbler you'll ever hear.

 

[parrisw]

For a good sounding "play toy" the older (80cc or bigger) Macs would be good

Agreed, I just got a old Mac 250 80cc, its dam loud but sounds very cool, I ve never used it yet but I have run it a few times.

 

[Scooterbum]

Agreed, I just got a old Mac 250 80cc, its dam loud but sounds very cool, I ve never used it yet but I have run it a few times.

I've got a couple of the old 80cc Macs.They definately have their own sound.
Not a fast saw by any means.but when you drop that old heavy bastard in a log it just eats.............That's with .404 chain of course.
Alot of fun to run but I wouldn't want to all day!!

 

[parrisw]

Ya its a interesting saw, very heavy. Im very curious to see how it cuts wood.

 

[Scooterbum]

Ya its a interesting saw, very heavy. Im very curious to see how it cuts wood.

Really want to have fun?
My 250 has a 16" bar with .375 and a 9 pin sprocket.

 

[hanniedog]

Disston DA211 with its 2 cylinder Merc. Reminds me of going fishing with my grandfather. Just a bit heavy on the power to weight ratio though.

 

[WRW]

Disston DA211 with its 2 cylinder Merc. Reminds me of going fishing with my grandfather. Just a bit heavy on the power to weight ratio though.

I like the old macs & homelites & stihls, but that gets my vote.

 

[rxe]

Alpina 0-70

My Father had an Alpina 0-70S - 75cc saw, it has no chainbrake so it is confined to "special occasions" only. Idle is a lovely sound - a deep bass "bong bong" noise that carries really well on a quiet day. Full power just sees the "bong" noises merge into a single stream of noise, but the bass is immense.

The muffler is factory standard, but it looks "ported" - there is an unbaffled pipe sticking out which is nearly an inch in diameter. It sounds far more meaty than, say a Stihl 660 or 880. Great saw - can't get parts for it though.

 

[parrisw]

Really want to have fun?
My 250 has a 16" bar with .375 and a 9 pin sprocket.

Mine looks to have a 24" bar with 404 chain.

 

[spike60]

I agree with the earlier posts nominating the Stihl 041. Homelite XL12's with the straight port muffler have a nice bark and are good at irritating the neighbors. My McCulloch ProMac 850 has a nice throaty sound that carries well in the woods.

But one of my favorite sounds is the "whistle" that seems to accompany most of the current Huskys and Reds. It is a result of the Air injection/Turbo air intake. I've often wondered if that sound is just a coincidence, or if it is engineered in. I've actually asked a few times and got nothing but strange looks in return.

 

[chainysaw]

If you can find one and actually get it to start the sound of an old pioneer is awesome!

 

[McC]

I have videos with sound for several of the saws mentioned so far. You can see and hear them on youtube. Just search for me under macandmall. If you want an inexpensive saw, the Mac 250 sounds great, and if set up with good chain and 9 pin sprocket like scooterbum and me both have they will surprise you and the 041's/372's. Mac 250 video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54v0dIoPz_8 The old homelites like 7-21, super 55 wiz, super 77 really wind up, and the mufflers, well, what mufflers. If you want to spend some money, go Mac BP1, Dolmar KMS-4 (rotary). Both are truly unique.
Scott

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Another vote for the 041...probably because it's my Dad's saw and it was the first chainsaw I was exposed to 25+- years ago.

My modded 084 runs a close second.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I pulled the audio from video of my 084. This is my first attempt at this. Hopefully it works.