'Factory' sound vs. custom-options...

[flexible_coupling]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is an oft-repeated/'boilerplate' kind of thread - I flicked through the first few pages of threads and had nothing jump out at me to the same topic (I'm new here!). I'm getting back into modelling after a 5-year lapse - broadly 'late BR blue' era, most-likely a small fuelling-point depot at the end of a branch, I expect. I won't have an outrageously large collection to begin with, so I'm quite comfortable with the idea of spending the extra coins for DCC sound more-or-less straight up. Definitely be DCC control. 

 

The curiousity spawns from a few half-hearted responses about the quality/performance of the factory-installed decoders in some locos (I expect it's a 'your mileage may vary' scenario and not a comprehensive mark against all factory-fitted units!) and what seems to be a large cost-increase in Australian retailers between DCC-ready (unfitted) and DCC sound locos. There's also all likelihood that some locos/liveries that I want won't be available in a DCC sound option, so I'd have to DIY.

 

Is there much, aside from small cost-margins, to be gained from cooking up your own DCC sound/decoder installations? Motor/loco performance, speaker sound quality/projection? Or are the factory-fitted locos going to give a better result? And is there 'unseen' incompatibilities (not that I can imagine much with NMRA standards down throats these days) that might cause hassles with, say, a factory Hornby DCC sound loco and something with alternative-brand decoder and speaker rig-up?

I do high-voltage valve audio assembly as my 'other' hobby and have done my fair share of brass-soldering kit construction in the past, so 'a bit of extra work' is not really a barrier. Just like to be getting the right advice from people that have been doing this for a while 

[dasatcopthorne]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is an oft-repeated/'boilerplate' kind of thread - I flicked through the first few pages of threads and had nothing jump out at me to the same topic (I'm new here!). I'm getting back into modelling after a 5-year lapse - broadly 'late BR blue' era, most-likely a small fuelling-point depot at the end of a branch, I expect. I won't have an outrageously large collection to begin with, so I'm quite comfortable with the idea of spending the extra coins for DCC sound more-or-less straight up. Definitely be DCC control. 

 

The curiousity spawns from a few half-hearted responses about the quality/performance of the factory-installed decoders in some locos (I expect it's a 'your mileage may vary' scenario and not a comprehensive mark against all factory-fitted units!) and what seems to be a large cost-increase in Australian retailers between DCC-ready (unfitted) and DCC sound locos. There's also all likelihood that some locos/liveries that I want won't be available in a DCC sound option, so I'd have to DIY.

 

Is there much, aside from small cost-margins, to be gained from cooking up your own DCC sound/decoder installations? Motor/loco performance, speaker sound quality/projection? Or are the factory-fitted locos going to give a better result? And is there 'unseen' incompatibilities (not that I can imagine much with NMRA standards down throats these days) that might cause hassles with, say, a factory Hornby DCC sound loco and something with alternative-brand decoder and speaker rig-up?

 

I do high-voltage valve audio assembly as my 'other' hobby and have done my fair share of brass-soldering kit construction in the past, so 'a bit of extra work' is not really a barrier. Just like to be getting the right advice from people that have been doing this for a while 

Hi F-C.

 

How about a name?

 

Anyway. I started 18 months ago with the BR diesel sound bug and bought a couple of Factory fitted locos. Great.

 

|Factory sounds fall a long way short of good IMHO and I soon became less than happy when I heard other 3rd party sound projects and started to investigated these.

 

To cut a long story short, I wouldn't buy a Factory fitted sound loco at all now. I'd only end up having the chip 're-blown'.

 

It's so easy, in general, to fit your own.

 

So I buy the loco I need, buy the chip to fit, get mostly base-enhanced speakers from DCC Supplies and fit it all myself. Piece of cake in 98% of locos.

 

After further experience, I have also settled on one supplier's sound projects. This ensures that all your locos use the same function buttons for the same sounds. You try and remember all the combinations of buttons for say, 5 differing sound supplier's chips. Not easy!

 

I'm now up to 10 locos and have standardised on sounds by Legomanbiffo. You won't be disapointed by them. You can see them on Youtube. Look out for the videos loaded up within the last 12 months or so, so that you get an idea of the latest sounds available.

 

If you go down this route, you will find help on here on how best to fit individual locos if needed. Just ask.

 

 

Best of luck

 

Dave Smith

[flexible_coupling]

Informal, I am! John Timms, too used to internet anonymity!

 

So the "sound files" and speaker response were the primary shortcomings in your experience, I take it? I would certainly expect that I'd "stick" to a particular brand/line of products for congruence in my fleet - I have read good things of DCC Supplies in my lurkings on here, will check that out. 

If it has any bearing, I expect to buy a NCE Power Cab system (most likely the standard 2A setup - 1-2 locos moving at any time and a not-outrageously large layout as dictated by my play-space!). 

[Nigelcliffe]

 

After further experience, I have also settled on one supplier's sound projects. This ensures that all your locos use the same function buttons for the same sounds. You try and remember all the combinations of buttons for say, 5 differing sound supplier's chips. Not easy!

 

 

Whilst it is simple to use one supplier for compatibility, the two main sound chips around, ESU and Zimo, have extremely flexible function mapping which would allow the end user to move just about any sound and/or other output to any function key.   So, if a loco is not set so the buttons fall where you want them, you can move them with CV changes with any decent DCC handset.  The downside of making the changes is complexity of all the CV changes required.

 

- Nigel

[Dunmar]

Hi,

I agree in principle with Dave and Nigel - however you should take the time out and listen to whats on offer!   going to exhibitions and ask questions- most operators are very helpful. Staying with the one type of decoder is what I haven't done - I have Howes, Legomanbiffo and Digitrain Zimo's it really is what YOOOU! want out of it. There is so much help and advice out there you can 'tap' into. As for changing CV's - I made a point of understanding them before I made the changes - some are easier than others!

I am using the Prodigy Express at the moment but am thinking about changing to the NCE powercab as I only run one loco at any one time on my layout. ( Kinlochewe ).

All the best with your purchases!

Bill.

PS. Never had a factory fitted loco - prefer to do it myself.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

It is fair to say that compiling your own sound projects using your own sounds can be a time consuming and expensive process with many pitfalls en route.

 

RTR comes as factory fit or dealer sourced. Both require a good speaker install which you don't always get when you expect it. As to the quality of or even efficacy of sounds from either market........well that can be in the ear of the beholder as can volume levels and all the other variables such as the difference between a heavy train hauler on a large layout and the branch line shunting layout.

 

It is also fair to say that a lot of same class locos fitted with a factory sound chip will, of course, sound much the same.

 

For brevity, buy a factory fit sound equipped loco and, once you have found the pitfalls and dislikes about that, approach your local dealer to see who he uses for sound projects. If you are truly in Australia and looking to model UK outline diesels, your postage bill for sending and or sourcing new sound projects that suit your taste might well be high.

 

Before you do that though, try sealing the factory speaker install properly or substituting the existing speaker for another after market one. Learning how to do speaker installs and play with CV's to alter functions is more important than the sounds themselves in most cases. For manufacturers and indeed dealers, expediency as to the budgeted cost of installing a sound decoder might well outweigh the desire to do the best they possibly can.

[Pete Mc]

I am modelling br blue to sectorisation in n gauge and started to convert my own stock sometime last year.I know have a dmu,sprinter dmu,a hst and 3 different classes of loco in my fleet which have been converted to dcc sound.I have sounds from 3 different suppliers,these being SouthWest Digital(installed in a Dapol mk3 coach),Digitrains(Zimo MX648 installed in a Farish class 37 and 50,Loksound v4micro in a 121 bubblecar) and a Loksound v4 micro with Legomanbiffo's sounds(fitted in a Farish class 40).

 

Now my reasoning for not using the same sound files is this,no locomotive was the same,sure they look the same,have the same engines,but they have slightly differing characteristics and through age and wear and tear sound ever so slightly different.I know that there aren't that many different producers of sound projects,but it wouldn't sound right to have 3 of the same classes of loco ticking over,sounding identical because,after all,they were maintained by humans so may have slightly faster or slower engine idle speeds and and a different rate of notch up on acceleration due to either worn out or new power units.

 

This is why I will have sounds for my loco's from different producers.

 

Pete