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Hornby TTS VHornby Digital Sound


DonnyRailMan

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Now Hornby have brought out the TTS Sound making two systems with Hornby Digital Sound is there a big difference .

Yes I know your talking £ 100/150 ish in price for the so called better system Digital Sound Hornby`s original system

but is it really WORTH the extra money over the TTS. Would you pay the extra £ 100 if say Hornby produced say two versions

 P2 Prince Of Wales one with TTS Sound and also with Digital Sound.

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The TTS Sound is supposed to be slightly inferior, not being properly synchronised with the wheel revolutions, multiple sound playing is limited, and apparently there is no sound at all on a DC layout. I believe the ability to change cv's is limited as well. It's a great way for younger modellers to enter the DCC sound market, but I would say most experienced modellers will still prefer DCC sound.

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The TTS Sound is supposed to be slightly inferior, not being properly synchronised with the wheel revolutions, multiple sound playing is limited, and apparently there is no sound at all on a DC layout. I believe the ability to change cv's is limited as well. It's a great way for younger modellers to enter the DCC sound market, but I would say most experienced modellers will still prefer DCC sound.

 

That is pretty much it - the list I have come up with from testing many of these models is:

  • Slightly inferior sound quality
  • Steam loco sounds not properly sycronised with wheels
  • Multiple Function Sounds cannot be played together - they will play over the "main chuffing" sound
  • No sound on DC.
  • Limited CV Changes - although I haven't properly explored this yet, I know at least the volumes of each sound and the acceleration/decceleration can be edited - can anyone elaborate?

The decoder can be retro fitted with lights (none of the TTS models feature them - yet). Good points include the fact that most of the loco's have between 15 and 20 functions (more than some premium loco's we get through) and obviously the price!

 

In answer to your question, no I personally wouldn't pay the extra for a top of the range DCC loco when these are available, although the sound quality is slightly inferior - and I think most of our customers agree, we sell TTS locos 20:1! It does all depend on your personal preferences though.

 

Hope that helps.

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I think it depends on whether people model steam or diesel era. For steam locomotives I think the limitations in TTS do mean that there is still a good argument for buying full fat sound for those who want sound equipped locomotives. For diesel however my own personal opinion (and it is just my opinion) is that TTS works very well and well enough that I really do not see the point of spending a lot more for the more expensive option. I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of sound anyway but at the TTS price it does add fun value.

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I think it's in the ear of the beholder...

 

I have a TTS gadwall that we love. However, when we had friends visiting, we put it next to a youchoos equipped jubilee. Even the non- steam fans could hear the difference and all of us preferred the jubilee. That said, the TTS gadwall is hugely enjoyable to operate, particularly with the chime whistle

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This has been discussed elsewhere and my firm beliefs are that the price of the original sound producers is being kept artificially high, part of the reason given then was the exchange rate which has since fallen but DCC sound hasn't fallen proportionally. The rate is important because most sound decoders are produced in the Eurozone or the USA.  Make of it what you will.

 

All I can say is Well done Hornby for TTS

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Dose it really cost all that extra between TTS Sound and Digital Sound to produce .

To me it's a bit like Hi Fi and numerous other specialized interests.

Past a certain point it becomes a law of diminishing returns.

It is also a case of the cost of research for a small market rather than the actual manufacturing costs.

Bernard

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I wonder how Hornby's TTS compares with Bachmann USA "Value" sound?

Again a budget price.

 

Keith

Some time ago, I was curious enough to try Bachmann USA cheap sound. Please bear in mind that a postage stamp could accommodate what I know about Anglo-American railways. I went for an F7 because, to my mind, it looks as that sort of diesel should. Unfortunately, only the B (cabless) unit was available at first and it only has engine sound. Eventually I did end up with two A (cabbed) units and two B units.

 

My subjective opinion is that sound reproduction is good and I'm disappointed that Bachmann did not pursue cheap sound in its UK models. Compared to Hornby sounds, it has far fewer options: engine, bell and horn but there is a controllable headlight as well. The instructions set out some fiddling in order to get the engine start sequence to work with an NCE controller but I haven't succeeded. I get engine running sounds or nothing.

 

I have no idea what cheap Bachmann USA steam sound is like. For what it's worth, I find Hornby TTS diesel sound quite acceptable (my main gripe being that it is only installed in poor models) but steam sound is not because the exhaust beats quicken in steps rather than continuously and (as has been pointed out here) don't synchronise with the wheels. It bothers me enough that I discard the Hornby decoder and install a more expensive one.

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Weren't Bachmann supposed to developing such a chip, that could also work on DC too?  :scratchhead: We became retailers for them post that announcement so I'm not sure of the details...

 

 

I think it was 20 and 37 that were to have them fitted, it was dropped probably 2 years ago now. 

 

 

http://www.gaugemaster.com/news/New-Economy-OO-DCC-Sound-Locomotives-Announced-By-Bachmann

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It may not cost much to create the sounds on the decoder, but remember what's is involved in the cost.

 

The cost of the decoder

 

The cost of recording the sounds,  may involve having sole use of the Loco involved for a day or maybe more, that would involve paying ( Driver training course cost up to £350 approx. per person, can be 6 involved on , so cost est £350 X6 = £2100 ) one off I know. Locos aren't cheap to run especially steam. 

 

Development cost of preparing files for the decoders.

 

The one off capital cost off buying the equipment ( Once its bought its bought Cost, but may need updating as time goes on )

 

So initial cost may be high to us individuals but the sellers are there to make money ,hence the cost.

 

Even so I do think that prices for the end product is on the high side and if reduced more would be sold.

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Was talking to some people yesterday and they where saying that is does not cost any more to produce the Digital Sound at £ 100s mark than it does the TTS Sound system.

That'll be essentially true for the hardware, decoder and speaker, and physical installation on the model

 

There will be a large cost difference in the sound project. Expensive process to do it 'bespoke' by recording sounds from an operating loco and then editing and compilation of the project for the decoder, as against a low cost generic sound package created in a lab.

 

If the 20:1 sales figures quoted above for TTS vs 'full fat' are in any way representative, I foresee 'full fat' sound departing the general OO RTR arena fairly briskly.

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If the 20:1 sales figures quoted above for TTS vs 'full fat' are in any way representative, I foresee 'full fat' sound departing the general OO RTR arena fairly briskly.

 

That figure is representitive of our personal sales, just to note, although Sawyer Models above also report they can't get enough of them too, and I'm sure its not just us! :)

 

However I don't think full fat sound will depart the arena entirley - you always have customers who have slightly deeper pockets that prefer the better quality - however I do think the amount of models with it will reduce.

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I have a Bachmann class 40 (albeit reblown by Howes) and a Hornby TTS 40. There really is no comparison between the two for sound quality, the Bachmann is in another league. For play value the two are closer, the TTS responds well to the controller and is convincing in operation. Will I buy another Hornby Class 40 TTS? Probably not. By the time I've brought the ex Lima model up to Bachmann standards I will have spent another £50 on parts (lazerglaze, paint etc) which will bring the entire loco up towards the £125 mark and it still won't sound as good or run as well as the Bachmann which can be had for less than £190 if you shop around.

 

TTS is good play value but I don't think it is going to replace bespoke DCC sound anyday soon.

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I would think a reasonable part of the cost differential is in the base decoder. TTS is a one time program unit, so you get what you got. Full fat decoders are reprogrammable so they must be a few bob dearer at source.

Add to that the sophistication level of the kit(s) required to blow the sounds onto each decoder type and what detail those sounds encompass and I can see a good few pounds difference between development and production costs of TTS and full fat and that's before anyone in marketing decides to put their xxx% mark up on the price based on lets charge what we think we can get for it not what the product costs to produce and/or is worth.

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