Accurascale class 37 speaker setup

[pheaton]

Hey All,

 

coming back to the hobby after a period away beating the living daylights out of 26043 (see my blog)

 

anyway....i recently purchased a SH accurascale DCC sound 37, and thought i would do a bit of research to see what is going to drop through my door....

 

came across this video...

 

 

now not too concerned about the bogie issues....and the manufacturing issues we have all been there, forums like this are just for problems like that... :)

 

what concerns me is the following

 

at 21:30 he explains that accurascale are asking people to reduce the master volume....because the speakers have been wired in parallel leading to a 2ohm impedance across the loksound 5 chip....this means that you are exceeding the maximum impedance by 50% which is beyond the design spec of the loksound chip.

 

am i right in thinking that the main speaker has to have a sugar cube in parallel for this to work? because im still concerned that whatever the volume level, the impedance load across the amplifier is still going to shorten the life of the chip severely?

 

have any others out there altered their speaker setup?

 

[Dougjuk]

Check the new ESU 8 ohm speaker instead of the Accurathrash EM1 so setup would be  4 ohms

Edited February 16 by Dougjuk

[pheaton]

Was that a drop in replacment for the sugar cube @Dougjuk do you have any details?

 

 

[Dougjuk]

NO it replaces the EM1 speaker leaving the sugar cube as is...   New speaker coming from ESU now .  Unplug the old one plug in the new one.  Clips work the same on both and that it sorted.

 

Road and Rails have listed it as incoming now

 

ESU Speaker 24x55x8.6mm, 8 Ohm, Passive Radiator 50346 (Due Q1 2024) | Roads And Rails (roads-and-rails.co.uk)

 

Edited February 16 by Dougjuk

[McC]

You won’t have any issue with the configuration and the system has been deployed identically in the 55,92 and Irish A class and a lot of. 37s to great success 

The entire platform is designed to an ESU specification and will not reduce the life of your ESU loksound or anything else. You can safely ignore any scaremongery or poorly informed social media and if you face any issue we’d be happy to provide you with support. 

[Dougjuk]

16 hours ago, McC said:

You won’t have any issue with the configuration and the system has been deployed identically in the 55,92 and Irish A class and a lot of. 37s to great success 

The entire platform is designed to an ESU specification and will not reduce the life of your ESU loksound or anything else. You can safely ignore any scaremongery or poorly informed social media and if you face any issue we’d be happy to provide you with support. 

 

I don't doubt about your support at all, I am a happy customer.

 

I was testing the new 8 ohm speaker having been given it at Warley and spoken with the ESU guy there.

 

Its just an option if people are worried..

 

regards

 

Doug

 

 

[McC]

1 minute ago, Dougjuk said:

 

I don't doubt about your support at all, I am a happy customer.

 

I was testing the new 8 ohm speaker having been given it at Warley and spoken with the ESU guy there.

 

Its just an option if people are worried..

 

regards

 

Doug

 

 

 

As i said there is no cause for worry. We can also supply an 8 ohm speaker if anyone is unduly concerned 👍

[SRman]

With the much older ESU LokSound v3.5 decoders, recommended speaker impedance was 100 ohm, but ESU tacitly approved of running two 100 0hm speakers in parallel, reducing the impedance to 50 ohms, but the proviso was that one had to reduce the volume to below 50 (out of 64 which was the max for v3.5 on CV63). In practice, I found that many of my dual speaker locos with v3.5 decoders were perfectly loud enough at values of about 25 to 30 in Cv63. All are still running happily today.

ESU do seem to build in a large tolerance for going over their "safe" recommendations, having done these things in their own locomotive products too. As DougJUK suggested, if anyone really is panicking about this, fit an 8 ohm speaker into the bay instead of the EM1/Accurathrash speaker.

I have done this in one 37 with an alternative sound file installed, where the bass of the Accurathrash was a little too much. Even so, that can now be toned down by adjusting CV196 for bass and Cv197 for treble with the latest ESU firmware.

For the record, none of my Accurascale 37s are running at full volume anyway, because I nearly always find that a little too loud for my tastes. Many non-Accurascale locos with ESU v4 and v5 sound decoders are running at volumes between 90 and 130 (out of 192), which renders them satisfactory to my ears.

[rorz101uk]

On 17/02/2024 at 09:55, McC said:

 

As i said there is no cause for worry. We can also supply an 8 ohm speaker if anyone is unduly concerned 👍

Could you put this accessories page on the website? The consumer could have the choice either a 4ohms or 8 ohms speaker? 

[McC]

19 minutes ago, rorz101uk said:

Could you put this accessories page on the website? The consumer could have the choice either a 4ohms or 8 ohms speaker? 

 

Once it's packed as an accessory and in the warehouse, we will.

[dasatcopthorne]

I wanted a refund for my 37 because reducing the volume to allow the loco to run was not satisfactory in my eyes.

However, they would not accept that I could have a refund  so it went back to them. Two weeks later and its back and cured. However, the quality of sound is not upto scratch. I'm beginning to think this is a sound file by ESU. Good sound on start up and pulling away. Tickover is barely audible thought. Its going to be sold and will be the first and last AS loco I own.

 

Dave.

[charliepetty]

On 23/03/2024 at 20:15, dasatcopthorne said:

I wanted a refund for my 37 because reducing the volume to allow the loco to run was not satisfactory in my eyes.

However, they would not accept that I could have a refund  so it went back to them. Two weeks later and its back and cured. However, the quality of sound is not upto scratch. I'm beginning to think this is a sound file by ESU. Good sound on start up and pulling away. Tickover is barely audible thought. Its going to be sold and will be the first and last AS loco I own.

 

Dave.

[charliepetty]

The Legomanbiffo one is far better and programmed to work the model. So as you are a good customer, send it too us for a 'FREE' reblow to a better sound.  Please pop in a £5.00 please to cover the postage.

 

I have lost count of how many we have reblown and supplied for these models.  Charlie

Edited March 25 by charliepetty

[dasatcopthorne]

Very kind of you to offer Charlie and much appreciated.

 

Unable to take up the offer though, as I just couldn't stand the set up, it was so bad. It's now with a new loving owner and I made £10.

 

Thanks once again Charlie.

 

Dave Smith

Edited March 26 by dasatcopthorne

[Dougjuk]

That's a shame, where as I reckon Legomanbiffo is the top sound available  (my opinion don't shoot me) my 37001 is going fine and sounds fine with its default sound.  If that changes I will reblow with Legomanbiffo.

 

But it is because I have changed the EM1 speaker for an ESU 8 ohm speaker (the new passive one) myself after being turned down by Accurscale for a replacement.  My friend Rob wrote to them and was sent 2 replacement EM1's rated at 8 ohms.

 

I only hope the 31 and the 50 are being built to the 4 ohm limit.

I have decided in future to buy my locos without sound and sort it myself.  Even the Bachmann ones as I prefer to have an ESU chip rather than the Zimo.  And that is only because I have an ESU Lok Programmer.

 

regards

 

Doug

 

[dasatcopthorne]

The AS Class 37 was my first ever Factory sound fitted loco.

In the past I have always fitted my own using Legoman chips (34 now) and I've learnt my lesson the hard way. 😭

 

Back to Legoman as I need a re-blow or two soon to keep up with developments.

 

Dave.

 

 

 

[55020]

I too have been a fan of Legomanbiffo's superb sound files for many years.  However I really enjoy the factory fitted speaker and sound installations in the Accurascale 55s and 37s. 

 

Variety is the spice of life they say, which is something I think also applies to sound files.

 

 

Steve

[BoD]

On 25/03/2024 at 13:39, charliepetty said:

The Legomanbiffo one is far better and programmed to work the model. So as you are a good customer, send it too us for a 'FREE' reblow to a better sound.  Please pop in a £5.00 please to cover the postage.

 

I have lost count of how many we have reblown and supplied for these models.  Charlie

Am I correct in thinking that that doesn’t solve the impedance problem though.

[Kaput]

15 minutes ago, BoD said:

Am I correct in thinking that that doesn’t solve the impedance problem though.

 

No but I'm fairly sure the actual sounds on Biff's project are louder so the decoder can have its volume turned down and be plenty loud enough.

 

Using Biff's sound in my 37 (the Accurascale decoder is chilling in the box) and it sounds great and I prefer most of the lighting function set up (i.e. one function turns on the markers/headlight/desk light). Only downer is because Biff sets up proper push/pull modes to get the lights at the correct end working I need to get Caroline fitted with sound so I can still play with the horns when the 37 is pushing :D

 

Debating getting the 8ohm version of the ESU speaker just for peace of mind about the impedance though.

[charliepetty]

You will not have an issue wityh our set up, but if you want the older EM1 speakers, let me know:

 

https://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=223_239&product_id=431

[SRman]

I have two with Accurascale sounds, two with Bif's sounds, one with ESU hi-fi sounds, and one with Jamie Goodman sounds. I believe Jamie Goodman did the Accurascale factory sounds but the one I got separately seems different in subtle ways. I have experimented with speaker setups and am still doing so, but at present, I think the ESU passive speaker seems slightly better than the EM1 style speakers. I found very little difference from removing the sugar cube speakers from two of the locomotives, especially as ESU's updated firmware allows the bass and treble outputs to be tweaked (CVs 196 and 197). I did replace one of the sugar cubes again, but one loco still doesn't have that. I also tried a pair of 4 ohm bass enhanced speakers from Roads and Rails in series in one, but decided the ESU speaker was better.

Of the sounds, all have their strong points. The idle is a little quiet on the Accurascale factory ones, Bif's 37/0 and 37/4 - 37/6 both have great turbo sounds and the thrash is good, the ESU hi-fi has a good balance (with a couple of quirks) and the Jamie Goodman separately supplied sound has great top end thrash and a good booming exhaust - I think this one is my favourite, but there's not that much between them, they are all good.

 

These are my own opinions, and I am aware that sounds are very much down to personal perceptions and opinions, so I don't expect everyone to agree with me. Having tried variations on all of the above suppliers of the sounds, plus the different speaker combinations, I really like having the variety, and wouldn't swap any of them out. I will continue to try different speakers, though.
 

[Dougjuk]

12 hours ago, Kaput said:

 

No but I'm fairly sure the actual sounds on Biff's project are louder so the decoder can have its volume turned down and be plenty loud enough.

 

Using Biff's sound in my 37 (the Accurascale decoder is chilling in the box) and it sounds great and I prefer most of the lighting function set up (i.e. one function turns on the markers/headlight/desk light). Only downer is because Biff sets up proper push/pull modes to get the lights at the correct end working I need to get Caroline fitted with sound so I can still play with the horns when the 37 is pushing :D

 

Debating getting the 8ohm version of the ESU speaker just for peace of mind about the impedance though.

 

I have to say the 8 ohm ESU speaker is ok and has not taken much away at all.

 

In fact in one of my older Bachmann 37s I had a large Zimo double dumbo installed in the fuel tanks for a test I replaced it first off with the 8 ohm ESU speaker in the tanks with a smaller  single limo in the rook it sounded very good.

 

However once i got hold go the 4 ohm large ESU speaker I changed it for the single speaker in the fuel tanks, I am quiet pleased with the result and might look to do more.

 

I plan top catch up with Rob and his WHL v4 layout to see what the new 8ohm EM1's sound like.

 

regards

 

Doug

 

 

[zr2498]

On 27/03/2024 at 00:10, SRman said:

I have two with Accurascale sounds, two with Bif's sounds, one with ESU hi-fi sounds, and one with Jamie Goodman sounds. I believe Jamie Goodman did the Accurascale factory sounds but the one I got separately seems different in subtle ways. I have experimented with speaker setups and am still doing so, but at present, I think the ESU passive speaker seems slightly better than the EM1 style speakers. I found very little difference from removing the sugar cube speakers from two of the locomotives, especially as ESU's updated firmware allows the bass and treble outputs to be tweaked (CVs 196 and 197). I did replace one of the sugar cubes again, but one loco still doesn't have that. I also tried a pair of 4 ohm bass enhanced speakers from Roads and Rails in series in one, but decided the ESU speaker was better.

Of the sounds, all have their strong points. The idle is a little quiet on the Accurascale factory ones, Bif's 37/0 and 37/4 - 37/6 both have great turbo sounds and the thrash is good, the ESU hi-fi has a good balance (with a couple of quirks) and the Jamie Goodman separately supplied sound has great top end thrash and a good booming exhaust - I think this one is my favourite, but there's not that much between them, they are all good.

 

These are my own opinions, and I am aware that sounds are very much down to personal perceptions and opinions, so I don't expect everyone to agree with me. Having tried variations on all of the above suppliers of the sounds, plus the different speaker combinations, I really like having the variety, and wouldn't swap any of them out. I will continue to try different speakers, though.
 

I adjusted the bass and treble on a newly install V5 for an MPV. A big improvement. Can I assume that I would need to update the firmware on Acc 37 decoders if I am to adjust CVs 196 and 197. I do have a Lok programmer so that should be easy enough.

[SRman]

3 hours ago, zr2498 said:

I adjusted the bass and treble on a newly install V5 for an MPV. A big improvement. Can I assume that I would need to update the firmware on Acc 37 decoders if I am to adjust CVs 196 and 197. I do have a Lok programmer so that should be easy enough.

 

You would most probably have to update the firmware. I had to with all of mine. As you say, it is easy enough, and quite painless! 😁

[97406]

By way of an alternative, I recently upgraded a couple of non-sound 37/0s to sound using an Accurathrash speaker and the Legomanbiffo Accurascale 37 decoder (due in part to the AS one being out of stock on the website) and they work fine, as do the official AS ones. It’s great to have 2 different sets of sounds, and I’ll be dabbling with some of the other Biff 37 sounds for my other 37s in due course. No 2 locos were the same in real life and it’s great to be able to replicate this.