overkill56,
This is a very good topic. The wildlife caller comparison that we will be releasing sheds a lot of light into this subject. The first thing that has to be done with any system is to design it with the absolute best playback possible. If someone picks up one unit that just has some small speakers in it, and compares it with another unit that has a larger speaker, the one with the larger speaker may sound louder, depending on the size of the amp that is used. For those that only use a small amp, with not enough drive for a loud speaker, it may seem loud, but in all actuality, it could be distorted sound, which appears louder. In actuality, the when the volume is compared to a unit that is not distorted, the db output could be the same, or even more, from a speaker that is not distorted. Amplifiers in a unit are key to producing loud, undistorted volume.
With that being said, the FX series of callers are using 15 watts of amplifier, not 1.5 watts as some others. We have come to realize over many years that the majority of predator hunters out there want a portable system that is capable of putting out loud volume if needed. So, we designed it to be a compact caller to suit the majority, but also addressed the minority by giving the FX series of callers enough amp to provide loud, nondistorted volume by adding a large external speaker, which turns the FX series of callers into an entirely different animal. That, coupled with the fact that it can be used with an external power source for even louder volumes yet, make it a system that addresses everyone's needs. When plugging a 12 volt gel cell battery to the unit, more voltage can be supplied to the amp, as a freshly charged 12 volt battery can actually supply up to 14 volts of power to the amplifier.
Also, the FX series utilize 2 different types of speakers to address the different frequency response of a variety of animal sounds. The majority of distress animal sounds fall into the range that is handled very well by the horn speaker. But, there are sounds that do not reproduce well at all through this speaker, such as low frequency bear sounds, lion sounds, etc. This is where the cone speaker picks up on the shortcomings of the bell speaker. However, the cone speaker is not capable of producing the volume that the horn speaker is, so, by using both, you get the best of both worlds.
All that I know so far about the Gametraks unit is that it is made overseas, and appears to use nothing more than cone speakers. There has simply been no new technology in speakers, other than maybe different composites available in cone speakers. We, by the way, are using a mylar cone speaker, not paper, as it is better from an environmental standpoint.
I am replying to this to try and explain any misconception that you may have with the speakers that are available today, the same ones that have been offered for years.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
