garyrobertson Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 After spending the past months putting together my first board (even now at 52 years old), I am now ready to use it for what it was intended.... namely DCC Sound. I am presently considering either the Hornby Duchess of Montrose or The Hornby Sparrow Hawk. Are there any recommendations out there about which one offers the best results (sound replication) or indeed if there is a better model out there to start with that will give me maximum impact !!! Would hate to be disappointed going forward... also trying to avoid quite expensive error in judgement. Kind Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Sound chips and the results from them are too hugely subjective to really help you much making a choice such as this. Even asking your supplier to run your intended purchases on a test track will not give very much help to resolve how it will sound on your layout. The best advice is to listen to as many recordings as you can of your chosen locos and then buy the one that gives you the sound project and drive-ability that you think will give you maximum enjoyment. Advice on here will range from disappointment to ecstasy about the same chip sounds. At the moment, all ESU sound projects are being revamped and re-written to encompass the latest release of the Loksound chip. This includes the Hornby offerings as they use ESU chips. The fitting of a version 4 chip is no guarantee that the project has been re-written either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrobertson Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Many thanks for your comments regarding this 'dwhite4dcc' I wil take these on board. Is there by any chance a database (via internet) of DCC Recordings that can be accessed to hear the range of sounds available for each loco ? Also... What is the process for updating chips once installed, can this be done via Railmaster software by any chance ? Kind Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Is there by any chance a database (via internet) of DCC Recordings that can be accessed to hear the range of sounds available for each loco ? No. YouTube might give you some idea. One can only listen to the project when it is actually running. Even then some of the YouTube stuff is on a rolling road and gives no idea of the throttle movements needed to get the sound effects. Also... What is the process for updating chips once installed, can this be done via Railmaster software by any chance ? Updating is called a reblow and can be done to any Loksound chip ( or indeed quite a few other makes ). Railmaster is not equipped for this. If you want to do it yourself ( not especially advised ) you will need to invest in and use some hardware and associated software. The alternative is to send the chip ( in the loco or not ) to a supplier who offers reblows ( not all do ). There are no shortcuts but with due diligence you will be both impressed and happy with the results. Most purchasers are. There is a skill to driving these sound chips and the more modern ones in ESU ( Hornby, Bachmann ) and Zimo are very sophisticated and offer many features that require some expertise to get the very best from. Easily learnt though usually by driving the thing and varying ones approach to that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrobertson Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Once again, many thanks for the useful and valued information. Gary Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 A location in your profile may be helpful. There may be a member near you who has one of the models you have mentioned? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrobertson Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 Good advice Pete, thanks............. Done ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Here's a youtube clip of Duchess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Redford Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Link to my Sparrowhawk vid on youtube Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrobertson Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 Thanks guys (Paul & Steve) this has been very helpful ..... watch this space ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Hat Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Sparrow Hawk.... better to get that chime whistled masterpiece.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrobertson Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 Sparrow Hawk.... better to get that chime whistled masterpiece.... Hi David Does the Sparrow Hawk have the Loksound 4 chip, I am told the Duchess of Montrose does. Gary. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Hi David Does the Sparrow Hawk have the Loksound 4 chip, I am told the Duchess of Montrose does. Gary. Anything less than a few months old will have to be a version 4 as the 3.5's disappeared at that time. Obviously, I have no idea of stock levels of the 3.5 chip at the manufacturer end. To be safe, you need the supplier to confirm to you in writing or in front of witnesses that the chip fitted is a V4 and that it has a V4 project loaded into it if that is what you want and cannot accept any other combination. Having the V4 chip is no guarantee that a V4 project is on it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
branch-line Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I have spent hours looking at various chips and setting them up and very few are correct out of the box, i.e. the Duchess on the clip sounds fine but the beat is wrong. In real life it has 4 cylinders and should chuff 8 times per wheel revolution. The one depicted chuff's between 5 & 6 times per revolution. To set them up carefully you need patience and a rolling road. Out of 15 I have converted only 4 have been correct out of the pack and these are "real" sound recordings not simulated. The problem with sound is it sounds good when first installed but you can get to hung up and try to go for perfection and thats when it can get silly. Having said that I think most of us are happy as the quality is good but the new Loksound 4 chip does offer a lot more than the 3.5 but its a pity Loksound don't offer a comparison between the 2 as its mostly trial and error on the V4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 . In real life it has 4 cylinders and should chuff 8 times per wheel revolution. Not so. Four chuffs per wheel rev. Loud because there are two cylinders exhaust for each chuff. The only loco that had eight chuffs per wheel revolution was the Lord Nelson class on the SR. Try here http://www.semgonline.com/steam/lnclass_1.html and look just under the Howard of Effingham pic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
branch-line Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Hi DWight I stand corrected, you are spot on. I spoke to my Uncle ( in his 90's) who used to fire these beasts on the Euston line and he confirmed your 4 beats per revolution on the Princess and Coronation Class. I assumed as 2 & 3 cylinder locos beat 6 to a revolution that the Coronation would be the same i.e double up. The beauty of these boards, we learn every day Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrobertson Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Thanks everybody for the advice etc, in the end I opted for the Duchess' and for a Bachmann Class 25/1 Diesel. Both sound great, and had whetted the appetite for further additions. Looking forward to the release of Bachmanns Class 40 D211 'Mauretania' (32-480DS) Also interested in the Black 5, but as Santa was especially good to me this year it will have to wait a while. Thanks again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.