Sound: Elite v Select

[garrytheskate]

Is the sound better on the Elite Controller than the Select ?.   What can the Elite do that Select Can't. ?

[Dungrange]

1 hour ago, garrytheskate said:

Is the sound better on the Elite Controller than the Select ?

 

With DCC Sound, the sound comes from the decoder fitted in the locomotive.  The quality of the sound is therefore dependent only on the make of the decoder and the speaker that you choose to fit in each locomotive.  You won't get the same quality if you fit Hornby's TTS compared to a Zimo or ESU Locksound decoder, although a speaker upgrade would help if you want to go the TTS route.  The quality of sound is therefore independent of your choice of command station.  The only relevance that sound has to the choice of command station is how easy it is to access the higher function numbers. 

 

I don't know how you access, say, F21 on either Hornby controller as I don't own either, but it looks to be the same on both.  I suspect the Hornby controllers require you to press the Function button once followed by a number 0 to 9 to access functions F0 - F9 and press the function button twice followed by a number 1 to 9 to access functions F10 - F19 and pressing the function button three times would allow you to access F20 - F28.  Personally I'm not that keen on that approach.  I purchased the Sig-na-Track ACE2 (https://www.signatrak.co.uk/products/ace-dcc-controller-accessories/dcs2044-ace-15-48) because the ACE2 touch screen allows all function buttons to be displayed on screen simultaneously, which makes it easier to activate one sound after another, with fewer button presses (ie one button for each function / sound rather than two, three or four).  I can also name all of my function buttons with what they actually do.  It would therefore be worthwhile considering more than just the Hornby models.

 

2 hours ago, garrytheskate said:

What can the Elite do that Select Can't. ?

 

The Elite can control two trains simultaneously, whereas you only have control of one on the Select.  The power supply for the Select is just 1 Amp (enough for about three locomotives) whereas the power supply for the Elite is a 4 Amp supply, and therefore able to control more locomotives and accessories (although a higher current power supply can be purchased for the Select).  The Elite seems to be able to retain more locomotive addresses in memory and control more accessories.  It's a better controller, but obviously more expensive.

[RAF96]

You can use the Elite 4-amp PSU with the Select.

Depending upon the firmware state of either device depends upon what range of sound functions you can control.

Elite supports all 29 function if firmware is at v1.4 or better.

Select supports all 29 functions if firmware is at v1.5 or better. Select at v1.6 can also change CVs.

As stated the quality of sound is dependant upon the decoder and its speaker as well as how the speaker is mounted in the loco.

 

Edit - Select cannot handle loco addresses outwith range 1-59 or points outwith range 61-99. Elite can handle any address long or short and any number of points.

Edited April 26, 2020 by RAF96
Typo plus more info