CLUN CASTLE - DECODER SOUND TRACK

[Compbck]

Following the purchase of Hornby's Clun Castle complete with sound, I would like to start installing sound on my other loco stock.

I have three other Hornby Castle Class 4-6-0 locos and a Hornby Grange 4-6-0 loco, which would probably benefit from having the same sound decoder as Clun Castle installed.

There are a number of pre-programmed LocSound V4 decoders available, which have sound tracks for generic 4-6-0 & Manor Class 78XX locos.

Does anyone have any idea which sound track is included on the Clun Castle LocSound decoder which would certainly be a good place to start experimenting.

 

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

This is Hornby's own decoder project. Like all manufacturer's sound projects it is not available to buy separately. It can be obtained from Hornby direct but only as a warranty replacement.

 

As an educated guess, the sounds in this decoder are likely supplied pre loaded from ESU or a franchised supplier and probably direct to China to be installed in the finished product. The whole supply chain will have been set up for a large batch, not single supply retail.

[Compbck]

This is Hornby's own decoder project. Like all manufacturer's sound projects it is not available to buy separately. It can be obtained from Hornby direct but only as a warranty replacement.

 

As an educated guess, the sounds in this decoder are likely supplied pre loaded from ESU or a franchised supplier and probably direct to China to be installed in the finished product. The whole supply chain will have been set up for a large batch, not single supply retail.

Thanks for your response - I was aware that Hornby do not sell sound decoders as separate items, but having browsed the many suppliers who sell pre-programmed decoders to the general public for a range of locomotive types, I am assuming that in the interests of cost-effective savings, Hornby may well have used a pre-programmed LocSound V4 Sound Decoder, from the range that is available to the public.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

Thanks for your response - I was aware that Hornby do not sell sound decoders as separate items, but having browsed the many suppliers who sell pre-programmed decoders to the general public for a range of locomotive types, I am assuming that in the interests of cost-effective savings, Hornby may well have used a pre-programmed LocSound V4 Sound Decoder, from the range that is available to the public.

 

RTR suppliers may well sell the pre programmed decoders to the general public but the sound projects themselves are guarded almost as well as the crown jewels. Without doubt Hornby will have commissioned some one to make the necessary recordings and compile them into an acceptable commercial project. All of this would have one eye on copyright law and another on keeping costs down and yet another on quality control to maximise market share.

 

There is no crossover between the manufacturers sound projects and the extensive RTR dealer compiled market. I doubt there ever will be.

 

As a rule, if you purchase an RTR sound decoder from any supplier it will be unique to that supplier. If you wish yours to be different in some way you will need to speak to the dealer who is offering the project that you want and request your changes. If they are available, the dealer will be only too happy to oblige you. You can also send existing decoders to be re-blown with dealer projects with loss of the original.

 

Manufacturers sound projects are fixed and no variations are available from the respective manufacturer. Even if you buy more than one model of a particular class of loco from a manufacturer, they will sound identical.

[Compbck]

To complete this post - today I took delivery of a ESU LocSound V4 decoder that has been pre-programmed by Howes Models Ltd of OXON, with a BR/GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 soundtrack.

 

I have managed to get it neatly installed in the tender of a Hornby "Windsor Castle" loco, and early signs are that the decoder has very realistic sounds, and in comparison with the Hornby Clun version in my opinion definitely has the edge.

 

Howes Models have a very wide range of sound decoders, and certainly one to fit in virtually all of my fleet.  At £123 (fairly costly), but the quality of the sound tracks means that I will certainly be purchasing a few more.

 

Here endeth my search.

[Simond]

As a postscript, I have a Howes look sound v4 in my O gauge Malcolm Mitchell King.

The loco has an ABC gearbox and Canon coreless motor.

 

Seems to work very well, despite being aimed at the 4mm market - I needed to recalibrate the "chuff" to the wheel position but this is well explained in the ESU manual. I didn't need to consider magnets and wheel pickups. I used the larger ESU speaker - 28mm I think.

 

I have a similar chip & speaker in my 28xx, this loco also has a coreless motor. In both cases, the effect of opening and closing the throttle gives a very satisfying change in the sound - as a result, I'm a total convert to sound, and will, bit by bit, modify the rest of my fleet. Next will be my Ixion Fowler, which will be my first investigation of Zimo sound decoders - I'm optimistic here as as nearly all my locos have MX61 decoders, with which I have been very pleased.

 

Merry Christmas!

SD