DCC Sound - or not!

[Dunmar]

Hi,

Having only started to exhibit my layout with DCC Sound would it be ok to run non-sound loco's during operation, Although I have been running both at home it seems to work okay! The reason I ask is that until I get round to fitting sound in more of my stock - and I have set myself a target! how would the punters react. I would be interested to hear what others think - both viewer and exhibitor!

Bill.

[roundhouse]

A large number of viewers like sound. On our layouts with sound we get a lot of attention even if its only a few of the locos fitted with sound.

 

My 1960's British layout has some of the locos fitted with sound. When there are no sound locos running then its noticeable that there are fewer veiwers.

 

Regarding nearby exihibtors, you will find mixed views. I remember setting up a friends layout in a small room at a show and most of his locos are sound fitted and the sound is fairly loud. When he put a loco on to test the layout and the sound started, there were a few groans from other exhibitors around us. Its not so bad in a larger hall.

 

I would also suggest that you dont have the volume set to maximum. Its a bit of a balance of being able to hear the sound in a noisy hall when full of veiwers and a quiet small roomed venue.

 

Most of our locos are set quite a bit lower than maximum and we try not to use the bell on our USA stock too much as that can be quite penetrating.

 

Ian

[Kenton]

A large number of viewers like sound.

And a large number of viewers don't. (again all the usual statistical evidence apply to both generalities)

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Though I suspect like most things there is a sliding scale between the extremes.

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The biggest issue is when watching one layout you hear all the inappropriate clanging, beeping and growling coming from the other layouts - sometimes at the opposite end of the hall. I am convinced that most operators are simply showing off their sound equipped system and turn the volume up (do not know how to turn it down/off)

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But having said, what may by some be seen as negative, there are some really well operated layouts with sound. Where there is though given to the neighboring layouts and the viewing public, and the sound does not stand out as a nuisance and suddenly stop as the loco is parked in the FY.

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By far the best layouts are those where the DCC on board sound is just a small background part of the show ... like the backscene.

[roundhouse]

 

<br /><br />

The biggest issue is when watching one layout you hear all the inappropriate clanging, beeping and growling coming from the other layouts - sometimes at the opposite end of the hall. I am convinced that most operators are simply showing off their sound equipped system and turn the volume up (do not know how to turn it down/off)

<br /><br />

 

 

I can recall a show we did a few years ago where there were three of us in one part of the show who had layouts with sound fitted locos.

 

We were drowned out by one of the other layouts!

[250BOB]

Bill,

Purely as a watcher, and not an exhibitor, I find it perfectly fine to see that some locos have sound and others dont on a layout.

 

Occasionally, there has been an odd loud sound layout, but that isnt often.  

 

Lets face it, sound is here to stay , and its going to become part of more and more layouts...its progress whether we like it or not....its a bit like the industrial revolution, unstoppable.!!

 

Sound layouts usually attract more and more viewers too from what I have seen....when done properly it adds an immense amount of realism....but operated poorly and its time to walk away.

 

Nothing worse than a loco still thrashing when its come to an abrupt stop.

 

I'm not a sound addict either......my layout is six years old.....has 40+ locos, but only 4 sound ones in all that time....and its not a cost issue stopping me having more....like Kenton says, it adds to the background like the backscene does.

 

Bob

[Dunmar]

Bill,

Purely as a watcher, and not an exhibitor, I find it perfectly fine to see that some locos have sound and others dont on a layout.

 

Occasionally, there has been an odd loud sound layout, but that isnt often.  

 

Lets face it, sound is here to stay , and its going to become part of more and more layouts...its progress whether we like it or not....its a bit like the industrial revolution, unstoppable.!!

 

Sound layouts usually attract more and more viewers too from what I have seen....when done properly it adds an immense amount of realism....but operated poorly and its time to walk away.

 

Nothing worse than a loco still thrashing when its come to an abrupt stop.

 

I'm not a sound addict either......my layout is six years old.....has 40+ locos, but only 4 sound ones in all that time....and its not a cost issue stopping me having more....like Kenton says, it adds to the background like the backscene does.

 

Bob

Hi,

 

I appreciate what has been said! We all have a responsibility with regards to the 'noise level' that sound can be achieved by DCC sound chipped loco's and like everything else that has been 'scaled' to achieve the required look - then sound should be considered as well.

But the aim of my posting was to determine if it were feesable to operate 'both' at an exhibition or keep them seperate? My own exhibition layout was very well received on it's first outing with sound and many of the viewers remarked that the level was in keeping with the size and scale!

Bill.

[roundhouse]

Bill

 

If you can have at least one loco with sound on the layout all the time then even if its not moving it will give a bit of background sound whilst other non sound fitted ones are in use. The problem I have with  my 00 British outline layout is that its difficult to keep a sound fitted loco on the layout all the time so it can go from sound to dead quiet. I think that is when people tend to walk away.

 

The problem with the various factory fitted locos it that there are different manucaturers sound decoders with different means of altering the volumes (many cant be done withou being put on a progrsmming track) and some will shut off the sound after a certain length of time and this some times is not easy to adjust.

 

British sound decoders tend to mainly be Loksound so this does make it easier to adjust most of them to the same  / similar settings. This is not so easy with the different types of factory fitted decoders in USA outline locos.

 

Ian