BossHorn 5-Trumpet Train Horn for DeWalt 20V Battery Review

Methodology

This review aggregates publicly available information from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings, and verified user reviews. We do not perform hands-on testing. Last reviewed: September 6, 2026. Our primary source is BossHorn’s official product page for the 5-Trumpet Train Horn for DeWalt® 20V batteries, cross-checked against BossHorn’s homepage buying guide, its DeWalt®-battery collection listing, and the product pages for the sibling Quad, Extreme, and Dual models. Every number below is a manufacturer claim unless stated otherwise, and we say so where it matters.

Quick verdict

This is the odd one out in BossHorn’s lineup: a five-trumpet, battery-powered horn that costs more than the four-trumpet Quad, carries the same 140 dB rating in its spec table, and is the one model the brand’s own homepage tells shoppers to skip. BossHorn says the on-board compressor can’t push enough air for all five trumpets, so the tone ends up thinner and higher-pitched than it should. The hardware itself is the same proven platform as the rest of the range, with three volume levels, an encrypted remote, a 1-year warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee. We rate it 3.4/5: a functional, well-backed product whose main selling point (a fifth trumpet) is undercut by the manufacturer’s own candor, and whose product page advertises three different decibel figures.

One naming note: some listings describe this unit as part of the “Boss Series.” On BossHorn’s site the Boss Series is a separate 2026 four-trumpet model with its own product page and a higher price, and the 5-trumpet is listed separately under its own name. We treat it as its own model here.

What it is

The 5-Trumpet Train Horn for DeWalt® 20V batteries is a handheld, cordless train horn built around an impact-driver-style polymer housing. A small on-board compressor feeds five powder-coated aluminum-alloy trumpets in staggered lengths of 14, 12, 10, 8 and 5 inches. You clip on any DeWalt® 20V MAX™ pack from 2.0 to 12.0 Ah, then fire it either with the trigger or with the included 433 MHz wireless remote. There is no air tank, no wiring and nothing to install. BossHorn describes it as pre-built and ready to use straight from the box.

Its audience is the tailgater, boater, hunter or prank-video creator who wants a train-horn sound without mounting anything to a vehicle. That is the same audience as BossHorn’s Quad and Dual models, which is why the value question below matters so much. For a general comparison of portable formats versus a vehicle-mounted air system, see our air vs. battery guide, and for the whole brand lineup see the BossHorn brand hub.

Specifications

All figures are from BossHorn’s official product page unless noted. Where the page contradicts itself we list both values.

Spec	Value
Sound output (spec table)	140 dB max, test distance not disclosed
Sound output (page header / bullets)	150 dB advertised; long description says “up to 130 decibels”
Volume levels	3 (full, medium, soft); graphic shows roughly 110 / 130 / 150 dB steps
Trumpets	5x aluminum alloy, powder coated, 14” + 12” + 10” + 8” + 5” (header); spec table still reads “4x”
Tone	Described as low pitch, “freight train horn deep low tone”
Sound delay	Zero, instant (claimed)
Audible range	Up to 1 mile (claimed)
Power source	DeWalt® 20V MAX™ battery, 2.0–12.0 Ah, aftermarket 20V MAX™-compatible packs accepted
Runtime (6.0 Ah, claimed)	500+ short blasts or about 200 sustained 2-second blasts
Battery protection	LED low-battery indicator, auto-cutoff at 15%, deep-discharge protection
Motor protection	Smart overheating protection with automatic shut-off
Remote (included)	1x wireless, 433 MHz encrypted, 160 ft claimed range, 23A 12V remote battery included
Remote (optional)	Long-range remote, 2,000 ft claimed
Housing	Impact-driver-style, impact-resistant polymer
Weather resistance	Splash-resistant (not waterproof)
Weight	4 lb without battery
Dimensions	14 x 6 x 12 in
Finish options	Black ($270), Chrome ($290), Red ($290)
Warranty	1-year full warranty on the horn unit; batteries and chargers excluded
Returns	90-day money-back guarantee
Shipping	Free US shipping; same-day dispatch on orders before 2 PM Pacific
Assembly	Assembled in the USA (Los Angeles) from domestic and imported parts
Customer rating on product page	4.75/5 from 8 reviews

On the remote range: the add-on selector on the product page says “Remote Control (300ft),” while the technical specifications table, the feature bullets and the FAQ all say 160 ft. We use the 160 ft figure because it appears in the spec table, and we flag 300 ft as a likely template carry-over from the newer Boss Series page, which advertises the longer-range 2026 remote.

What’s in the box

Per the product page’s own FAQ (which, tellingly, still says “Quad horn gun”):

• Fully assembled 5-trumpet horn unit, 4 lb without battery
• Five powder-coated aluminum-alloy trumpets, pre-mounted
• One wireless remote (160 ft claimed), with its 23A 12V remote battery included
• 1-year warranty and 90-day money-back guarantee paperwork

Not included: the 20V MAX™ battery and charger. Both are sold as optional add-ons at checkout, and BossHorn notes that any DeWalt® 20V MAX™ pack you already own will work.

Pros

• Real metal trumpets: five powder-coated aluminum-alloy bells in a 14-to-5-inch spread, not plastic
• Three volume levels let you run a soft setting indoors or at close range and save full power for outdoors
• Encrypted 433 MHz remote is included at no extra cost, and multiple remotes can be paired
• Works with any DeWalt® 20V MAX™ pack from 2.0 to 12.0 Ah, including aftermarket packs, with a claimed 500+ short blasts on 6.0 Ah
• Battery and motor protection: 15% auto-cutoff, LED low-battery light and overheat shut-off
• Strong backing for the category: 1-year warranty plus a 90-day money-back guarantee and free shipping

Cons

• BossHorn’s own homepage says to skip the 5-trumpet because the compressor can’t feed all five bells, leaving the tone “thinner and higher-pitched than it should” be
• Three different decibel figures on one page (130, 140, 150 dB) and no test distance for any of them
• Costs $55 more than the four-trumpet Quad for DeWalt® batteries, which carries the same 140 dB spec-table rating
• Spec table and FAQ are copied from the Quad page (they still say “4x” trumpets and “Quad horn gun”), so buyers can’t fully trust the page as a spec sheet
• Battery and charger sold separately, and the 1-year warranty excludes them
• Splash-resistant only; not a boat-deck or rain-storm tool

Alternatives

All three alternatives below come from the same DeWalt®-battery collection on BossHorn’s site, so remotes, volume levels and warranty terms are identical. The differences are trumpet count, rated output and price.

• BossHorn Quad Train Horn for DeWalt® 20V batteries, $215. Four aluminum trumpets (14, 12, 8 and 5 inches), the same 140 dB spec-table rating, the same 160 ft remote, and $55 less. BossHorn’s homepage ranks it second in its lineup for loudness. In our opinion this is the model most 5-trumpet shoppers should actually buy. Our review: /reviews/bosshorn-dewalt-quad-train-horn-20v/
• BossHorn Extreme Series for DeWalt® 20V batteries, $300. Two 14-inch and two 12-inch trumpets, rated 150 dB, and described by the brand as low-pitched. Only $30 more than the 5-trumpet and rated 10 dB higher. Our review: /reviews/bosshorn-dewalt-extreme-train-horn/
• BossHorn Dual Train Horn for DeWalt® 20V batteries (2026 model), $160. Two trumpets, rated 130 dB, the entry-level option of the group. Our review: /reviews/bosshorn-dewalt-dual-train-horn-2026/

Why does a fifth trumpet not help? A train horn’s character comes from several trumpets of different lengths sounding together as a chord, and each bell needs a minimum airflow to speak at full volume and pitch. A battery-driven on-board compressor has a fixed output, so splitting it five ways instead of four starves each trumpet. That is exactly the failure BossHorn describes, and it is why more trumpets are not automatically louder. Our single vs. dual vs. quad trumpet guide and the chord and trumpet tuning explainer go into the acoustics.

Install / compatibility notes

There is nothing to install. The unit arrives assembled, and per the product page it is ready to use as soon as a matching battery is seated. A few practical notes drawn from the product page:

Battery platform

DeWalt® 20V MAX™, 2.0–12.0 Ah (aftermarket-compatible packs accepted)

Runtime (6.0 Ah, claimed)

500+ short blasts / ~200 sustained 2-second blasts

Activation

Trigger, or 160 ft encrypted wireless remote

Auto-cutoff

At 15% battery charge

Thermal

Automatic motor overheat shut-off

• Battery sizing. Any 2.0 to 12.0 Ah pack fits. Bigger packs mean more blasts but add weight to a unit that already weighs 4 lb bare. The 500+ short-blast figure is quoted on a 6.0 Ah pack, and BossHorn notes output may vary with the battery’s state of charge.
• Battery costs. If you don’t already own 20V MAX™ tools, budget for a pack and charger, which the warranty does not cover. Our cross-platform battery guide compares the three ecosystems BossHorn supports most widely.
• Volume discipline. Use the soft level indoors; full power is for outdoors. BossHorn’s own safety notice says its products reach up to 150 dB SPL and that exposure at or above 140 dB can cause immediate, permanent hearing damage. See our hearing-damage guide before you hand this to a kid at a tailgate.
• Weather. Splash-resistant, not submersible. Fine in drizzle; not for an open boat in spray. Our waterproofing guide has care tips.
• Legality. As a handheld device this is not a vehicle horn, but local noise ordinances still apply, and mounting it on a truck brings vehicle-horn rules into play. Start with our legality overview and your state page.
• Storage. The page advises removing the battery when the horn is stored.

How honest is the decibel rating?

We give BossHorn credit for two things: the technical specifications table on this page commits to 140 dB rather than the 150 dB in the banner, and the safety notice openly states the SPL range. We take points off for the rest. No test distance is published for any figure, the description text still says 130 dB, and the “Boss Series vs. everyone else” comparison block embedded on this page advertises 150 dB, a 300 ft remote and a $365 price that belong to a different product. HornBlasters, a competitor, has published a long argument that undisclosed-distance decibel claims are the norm in this market and mislead buyers, and this page is a textbook example of why. Our advertised vs. real dB guide explains how to read these numbers, and our how to measure train horn dB article shows what a meter at a stated distance actually captures.

The bottom line, in our editorial opinion: treat this as a 140 dB-class portable horn with an unusual bell count, priced above the four-trumpet model the manufacturer prefers. If you want the biggest visual statement and don’t mind paying for it, it will do the job. If you want the best sound per dollar on a DeWalt® 20V MAX™ pack, buy the Quad or step up to the Extreme.

Sources

• BossHorn — 5-Trumpet Train Horn for DeWalt® 20v Battery product page — all specs: 140 dB spec-table rating, 150 dB header and 130 dB description text, three volume levels, trumpet count/sizes/material, 160 ft and 2,000 ft remote options, 433 MHz encrypted remote, 2.0–12.0 Ah compatibility, blasts per charge, 15% auto-cutoff, overheat protection, splash resistance, weight, dimensions, pricing and finish variants, warranty and money-back terms, shipping, included items, 4.75/5 customer rating from 8 reviews, safety notice, “Quad horn gun” and “4x” template text
• BossHorn — homepage buying guide (“Which horn is the loudest?”) — lineup ranking (Boss Series, Quad, Dual) and the “Skip the 5-trumpet” statement about compressor airflow and thinner, higher-pitched tone
• BossHorn — Train Horns for DeWalt® 20v Battery collection — current DeWalt®-battery lineup and prices: Boss Series $385, Extreme $300, 5-Trumpet $270, Quad $215, Dual $160, plus long-range and extra remote add-ons
• BossHorn — Quad Train Horn for DeWalt® 20v Battery product page — Quad’s 140 dB rating, four-trumpet sizes (14/12/8/5 in) and $215 price used in the Alternatives section
• BossHorn — Extreme Series Train Horn for DeWalt® 20v Battery product page — Extreme’s 150 dB rating and $300 price used in the Alternatives section
• BossHorn — 5-Trumpet Drill Train Horns collection — the dedicated 5-trumpet collection page currently shows no products, supporting our note that the model is de-emphasized
• HornBlasters — Why fake decibel ratings mislead buyers — third-party (competitor) position on undisclosed-distance decibel advertising, cited as context only

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