Vixen Horns sells some of the cheapest complete train horn kits around, and the low price is real. The catch is that the cheapest listing is often horns only, and even the full kits still have to be wired and plumbed into your truck. Here's what you actually get from each Vixen configuration, what it costs once it's installed, and how that compares with a battery train horn.
Horns Only vs Full System: The Listing That Trips People Up
Vixen sells the same quad-trumpet horn several ways. The trumpets are identical across these listings: four metal trumpets of 13-3/4, 11-1/2, 9, and 7-1/2 inches with a 12V solenoid. What changes is what comes with them. Here are the sale prices on Vixen's own site as of 10/30/2026:
| Vixen listing | What's in the box | Tank / pressure switch | Sale price |
|---|---|---|---|
| VXH4124B (horn only) | Quad trumpets, solenoid, 6 ft of air line, mounting hardware | None. Vixen notes "Onboard Air System Required" | $91.67 |
| VXO8210/4124B | Horn + 150 PSI compressor, 1-gallon tank, gauge, pressure switch, horn button | 1 gal; switch turns on at 90 PSI, off at 115 PSI | $170.97 |
| VXO8315/4124B | Horn + 200 PSI compressor (23 A draw), 1.5-gallon tank, gauge, switch, safety valve | 1.5 gal; 120–150 PSI switch | $243.17 |
| VXO8330APRO/4124B | Horn + 200 PSI compressor, 3-gallon aluminum tank, remote intake filter, safety valve | 3 gal; 170–200 PSI switch | $360.47 |
The $91.67 horn can't make a sound by itself. It needs a compressor, a tank, a pressure switch, and wiring, and Vixen sells each of those separately: the VXC8301 200 PSI compressor alone is $141.27, and a 1.5-gallon tank kit is $68.37. Building up from the horns-only listing ends up costing more than buying a kit that already includes everything.
The other surprise is pressure. The entry-level VXO8210 kit is sold as a "150 PSI" system, but its pressure switch shuts the compressor off at 115 PSI and turns it back on at 90. That means the horn runs on 90 to 115 PSI of stored air, not 150. To get a tank that holds 150 to 200 PSI, you have to step up to the 1.5- or 3-gallon kits, which cost more. We explain why pressure matters for tone and volume in how much PSI a train horn needs.
What Installing a Vixen Kit Actually Involves
Vixen calls its kits "a full train horn system, ready to install." That's accurate, but "ready to install" still means a real project:
- Mount the tank and compressor somewhere solid on the frame or in the bed, then run air line to the horn solenoid.
- Seal every threaded fitting. The 1.5- and 3-gallon kits include thread-sealant tape or liquid sealant for this.
- Wire the compressor. The 1-gallon kit's parts list includes a 30 A in-line fuse holder and a horn button, but no relay or main power wire. Vixen sells those separately in its VXK7599 wiring kit ($47.78), which includes 16 feet of 10-gauge wire, a 40 A relay, and 40 A fuses.
- Plan for the current draw. Vixen's 200 PSI compressor pulls 23 A from the truck's 12V system and is rated for 100% duty only at 100 PSI.
- Drain the tank. Each tank comes with a drain valve or drain nut, because compressed air leaves moisture in the tank that has to be let out regularly.
Industry install guides put a typical train horn installation at 2 to 4 hours if you do it yourself, or 3 to 5 hours at a shop. At a 2026 independent-shop labor benchmark of about $140 an hour, a shop install adds roughly $420 to $700. Our battery train horn vs compressor-and-tank kit guide covers the long-term maintenance side in more detail.
Real Cost: Vixen Kit vs Battery Train Horn
Here's the cheapest working Vixen quad setup next to our quad battery horn, comparing complete systems:
| Cost item | Vixen VXO8210/4124B kit | Quad Train Horn for Milwaukee® 18v Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Horn + air source | $170.97 (1-gal tank, 90–115 PSI) | $245, compressor built in |
| Wiring / relay | $47.78 for Vixen's VXK7599 kit (or source your own) | None, the tool battery powers it |
| Install | 2–4 hours DIY, or about $420–$700 at a shop | None, works out of the box |
| Published loudness | No dB rating on Vixen's product page | 140 dB rated |
| Remote | Wired horn button | 160 ft wireless remote included |
| Total, DIY | About $219 plus your weekend | $245 plus a battery if you don't own one |
| Total, shop-installed | About $640–$920 | $245 |
Vixen backs its products for 12 months for the original buyer. Its warranty specifically excludes installation charges, so if a part fails, you pay again to have it swapped. If you do the work yourself and already have tools, the Vixen kit is the cheaper buy by a few dollars. Once you pay a shop, it costs two to four times as much. The one extra cost on the battery side is the battery, which is sold separately. Most people shopping this category already own a few.
The Quad Train Horn for Milwaukee® 18v Battery uses four metal trumpets in four sizes and runs on any Milwaukee® M18™ pack without an adapter. Versions are available for DeWalt® 20V MAX™, Ryobi® ONE+™, and other battery platforms.
Where the Vixen Kit Still Makes Sense
The budget air kit isn't a bad product, and there are buyers it suits better than a battery horn:
- You want it permanently on one truck and wired to a horn button in the cab.
- You want onboard air for other jobs. Vixen's 3-gallon VXO8334BI kit ($416.57) adds a tire-inflation kit with a 35-foot coil hose and a blow gun.
- You like wrenching and treat the install as part of the fun, not a cost.
It's the wrong choice if you want one horn to share between a truck, a boat, a UTV, and a tailgate, or if you don't want to drill, wire, or drain a tank. Sharing between vehicles is where a battery horn has the clear advantage. If you're weighing other low-priced options too, our look at whether cheap Amazon train horns are worth it covers the listings that are cheaper still.
Want the 150 dB Class? Step Up to the Extreme Series
Vixen's more powerful 200 PSI, 3-gallon kits run $360 and up before wiring and labor. If that's your budget, a battery horn in that price range gets you our loudest tier instead. The Extreme Series Train Horn for Milwaukee® 18v Battery is rated at 150 dB, uses upgraded metal trumpets for a lower tone, and costs $365 with nothing to install. It includes a 160 ft remote, and a 2,000 ft long-range remote is available as an upgrade.
For a side-by-side of every tier and battery platform, start with our complete train horn buyer's guide.
FAQ
Does a Vixen train horn come with a compressor?
Only the full-system "VXO" kits do. The "VXH" horn listings, like the VXH4124B, are horns only and need an onboard air system that you buy separately. Check the title: full kits say "with ... tank and ... compressor."
Is the Vixen 1-gallon kit really 150 PSI?
The compressor is rated at 150 PSI, but the kit's pressure switch runs the tank between 90 and 115 PSI. For 150 to 200 PSI storage, look at Vixen's 1.5-gallon (120–150 PSI) or 3-gallon (170–200 PSI) kits.
How loud is a Vixen train horn?
Vixen's own product pages for these quad kits don't publish a dB rating, so we can't give you a verified number. Reseller listings quote numbers, but resellers often copy specs from each other, so treat those with caution. Our quad battery horns are rated at 140 dB and our Extreme Series at 150 dB.
What's the cheapest way to get a working train horn?
If you do the install yourself, Vixen's 1-gallon kit plus a wiring kit comes to about $219. If you'd pay a shop, a battery horn usually costs less overall, because there's nothing to install.