DCC sound decoders for US diesels

[GEOEng03]

Morning,

Hope you're all keeping well.

 

I have posted a question regarding MTH DCC Ready Dash-9 in the DCC Fitting forum, have added a shortcut here, in case someone can help from those who do the US hobby and may not read all forums. Be great if someone could help.  Leaning towards the TCS WOWSound for these, any experiences with the MTH locos.

 

Also, How easy are the older Athearn SD70ACe locos to fit with the TCS system - any experiences, I may have missed reading through these notes.

 

 

Cheers

[F-UnitMad]

I've no experience of MTH locos (either in HO or O) but I have a TCS Wowsound decoder in an Atlas O scale GP35 and would highly recommend it. "Wow" is pretty near the mark, the sounds are very good and the programming fairly straightforward, following the manual and the on-board voice directions. The decoder is for HO, but the loco has it's two motors wired in series, so despite being O scale it doesn't draw anywhere near 1amp anyway.

 

Edit, have read your other post and I think yes, if you want alternate-flashing ditch lights they have to be wired seperately, so you'd need a 6-function decoder to accomodate 5 sets of lights. That assumes the ditch lights are only on the front of the loco.?

Edited August 4, 2020 by F-UnitMad

[newbryford]

MTH seem to be a bit "weird" if you're used to DCC

Their decoders are designed for use with the MTH DCS and they do say that some functionality may be limited when used on NMRA DCC systems.

 

+1 for TCS Wowsound -  have fairly comprehensive fitting guides on their website and if a loco isn't on there, drop them an email for advice - they usually point you in the direction of an identical fitment to similar chassis/loco.

[GEOEng03]

On ‎04‎/‎08‎/‎2020 at 21:16, F-UnitMad said:

I've no experience of MTH locos (either in HO or O) but I have a TCS Wowsound decoder in an Atlas O scale GP35 and would highly recommend it. "Wow" is pretty near the mark, the sounds are very good and the programming fairly straightforward, following the manual and the on-board voice directions. The decoder is for HO, but the loco has it's two motors wired in series, so despite being O scale it doesn't draw anywhere near 1amp anyway.

 

Edit, have read your other post and I think yes, if you want alternate-flashing ditch lights they have to be wired seperately, so you'd need a 6-function decoder to accomodate 5 sets of lights. That assumes the ditch lights are only on the front of the loco.?

Thanks for that.  I have just brought a 2nd hand loco (Genset) with their sound in, so will give that a try and see what I think. 

It's good that you can use the smaller board for a larger scale.  Assume that it can cope well with the bigger draw from the unit then?

 

Yeah, that is the conclusion I have come to, so no 4 function decoders can be used that I have.  Think i'll shift these on to fund some others. 

Cheers

[GEOEng03]

On ‎04‎/‎08‎/‎2020 at 21:23, newbryford said:

MTH seem to be a bit "weird" if you're used to DCC

Their decoders are designed for use with the MTH DCS and they do say that some functionality may be limited when used on NMRA DCC systems.

 

+1 for TCS Wowsound -  have fairly comprehensive fitting guides on their website and if a loco isn't on there, drop them an email for advice - they usually point you in the direction of an identical fitment to similar chassis/loco.

Cheers Mike. It does seem daft that you have to plug additional wires in above the dcc socket that they have provided, perhaps a 21pin would have been better to enable the additional functions without soldering and splicing decoder wires.  Will look to just plus standard chips in these and have them in a consist.  Have brought 5 Dash-9 at a good price, one of which is sound fitted (DCS) and the rest DCC Ready.

 

Thanks for that as well.  I find there website very useful, but a bit irritating when the price changes as you go through the buy it now screen.  when you factor in the motherboard, the prices sits above UK sound, but I can understand this when each chip has so many sound sets as standard.  Agreed as well, the guides are fab and better than most UK how to, for one place anyway.

VCheers

[z4driver]

If it's the Atlas Genset, the ditch lights are wired so that each ends lights come on together. To get them to flash alternatively, you, either, have to fit separate LEDS or score the led circuit board to break the common link and solder in a 3rd wire. Each ditch light has to be wired to a separate function. I did the latter when I fitted mine with a Tsunami 2 decoder.

[GEOEng03]

2 hours ago, z4driver said:

If it's the Atlas Genset, the ditch lights are wired so that each ends lights come on together. To get them to flash alternatively, you, either, have to fit separate LEDS or score the led circuit board to break the common link and solder in a 3rd wire. Each ditch light has to be wired to a separate function. I did the latter when I fitted mine with a Tsunami 2 decoder.

Ok, thanks for that, very useful to know. Will check that out, when it gets tested.  Lovely looking loco, needs a bit of further detailing, but looks good.  I am sat on the fence with Atlas and struggle to decide how accurate they are when compared to others sometimes.

Was it straightforward with the Tsunami fitting.

Cheers

[newbryford]

Although I like the TCS Wowkits, I wasn't impressed at the Atlas Genset installation.

It all goes well until you come to select the prime mover sounds - there isn't a sound set for the Genset diesels.......

 

They are Cummins QSK19s, so should sound like a UK Voyager unit.................

[z4driver]

12 hours ago, newbryford said:

... there isn't a sound set for the Genset diesels.......

 

That's one good thing about the Tsunami 2, it does have the right sound set and you can hear the 3 diesels starting up in sequence as demand rises.

[GEOEng03]

On 06/08/2020 at 13:22, z4driver said:

If it's the Atlas Genset, the ditch lights are wired so that each ends lights come on together. To get them to flash alternatively, you, either, have to fit separate LEDS or score the led circuit board to break the common link and solder in a 3rd wire. Each ditch light has to be wired to a separate function. I did the latter when I fitted mine with a Tsunami 2 decoder.

Have got around to testing the today and it's as you said, the ditch lights are on at both ends, so I will have to open up and do one of the modifications you've mentioned. Though I'm a bit hesitant as to which is easiest, latter I think. However, the chip in, is a TCS not Tsunami.  

 

Will go back in the box for now and I'll revisit another day. 

 

Cheers for the advice 

[GEOEng03]

22 hours ago, newbryford said:

Although I like the TCS Wowkits, I wasn't impressed at the Atlas Genset installation.

It all goes well until you come to select the prime mover sounds - there isn't a sound set for the Genset diesels.......

 

They are Cummins QSK19s, so should sound like a UK Voyager unit.................

So, is it worth getting a Tsunami chip and then placing the TCS in one of the SD70s I have? New to this for US, and it doesn't seem as interchangeable as UK is for sound chips. 

 

Must admit that it was odd to hear the decoder talk to me. Will have a play with the manual

Cheers 

[GEOEng03]

Hi, 

I just wondered if anyone had any experience or views on the Digitrax - 16 Bit Series 6 Decoder (SDXH166D).  It seems a very good price for a sound decoder, but i am not sure how good it is, compared to others such as Tsunami and TCS.  The price suggests that it may be more generic, although you can it appears select a number of sound files for use and is 'plug and play'. 

Cheers

[Alcanman]

Hi, Can anyone confirm that Atlas are now fitting ESU Loksound V5s in their Gold series locos.

 

I recently read a review of the Atlas U23B in MR and the reviewer mentioned a V5 being installed.

 

The Atlas  website still refers to ESU Loksound Selects being fitted for new loco announcements.

[Alcanman]

On 06/12/2021 at 15:06, Alcanman said:

Hi, Can anyone confirm that Atlas are now fitting ESU Loksound V5s in their Gold series locos.

 

I recently read a review of the Atlas U23B in MR and the reviewer mentioned a V5 being installed.

 

The Atlas  website still refers to ESU Loksound Selects being fitted for new loco announcements.

After much searching, I've finally got an answer to my question. 

 

Atlas Gold locos have had Loksound V5 sound decoders fitted to locos released in the last 12 months. This is good news, mainly because with the V5, ESU have eliminated the humming/buzzing sound caused by the BEMF circuitry, that afflicted some locos fitted with Select decoders. I had an Atlas GP40-2  where the buzzing was audible above the loco sounds. I found it so irritating that I eventually sold the loco. More recently purchased Atlas locos have been quieter.

 

I do wish Atlas would update the loco specs on the website.