Camping with the Sound Police

SoundGuy wrote:
Sorry to disappoint but a friend owns an EX650 and while it is quieter than an EU2000i (of which I've owned 2 myself) it's NOT "silent" - NO genset is, other than when it's not running.

My SIG is SoundGuy for a reason, spent my career of 45 yrs in sound engineering ... and just for giggles I built an EU2000i Quiet Box just to see how "quiet" I could actually make that genset when running full tilt. The results were quite good, which anyone can view for themselves from the link in my SIG ... but it ain't "silent", nor more than is your EX650.

Of course the Honda EX650 is not "silent". But it's so quiet as to not be a bother to anyone except one who is perhaps sound paranoid and as such really hung up on a steady low level sound of any kind -> wait to those types graduate to tinnitus in their old age and let's see how they adapt in a hurry.

Our camping friends also have one of the rare EX650's and they used to run it whenever they wanted and wherever they wanted when camping with us. It didn't bother us at all ... we had to work to hear it. They even ran it late at night next to a camp host who said nothing because the hosts couldn't hear it. Another camper once came up to their (red colored) running EX650 and asked "what kind of generator is that ... we've never seen a generator that quiet ... and we have Hondas ourselves".

I also own and know how to operate sound meters (from my home theater hobby), but I have no need to measure our EX650 ... even if a meter would register it at reasonably spaced camp sites. FWIW, we ourselves take special pains to not camp in those kind of situations due to the racket that really irritates from idling diesel pickups, yelling children late into the evening, barking dogs, ATV's, outside rock music, loud campfire talk late into the evenings, and of course contractor type generators anywhere in the area.

However, the EX650 is only good for powering TV's, computers, fans, hair dryers set to low, and for battery charging. No A/C or microwave running with this little genny! What Honda needs to do is introduce a new variable speed portable inverter generator line that TOPS OUT at 53dB instead of STARTING OUT idling at 53dB. They do have one model that idles at only 47dB, but they need to add several more of various power ratings. I know that it can be done, as I've stood right next to and tried to hear certain ultra-low sound level high power commercial generators at shows, fairs, etc., that truly are the Sound of Silence.