Rob Hayes Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Hi all I have just stumbled accross this page on soundtraxx... does anyone know more about what this is or relates too. It lists clearly LNER A4 among otheres. Do soundtraxx do an lner sound. If so on what decoder. I cant find more info.. Cheers Rob http://www.soundtraxx.com/surround/surlist2.php?s=whistle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ngtrains.com Posted September 30, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 30, 2013 Read a bit further into the page........ The UK sounds are only on their Surroundtraxx system. This isn't a decoder but a fixed to the layout system that has multiple speakers so the sound moves around the layout as the loco's do. I believe it only works with Digitrax systems using transponding, or some such, to know where the loco's are. The more details you want are on the menu block to the left of the page you sent a link to They do not do UK sounds on a decoder that they sell although they have been involved with Bachmann and the sounds on some of their steam loco's. They did come to the UK a couple of years ago to do a load of recording. I met up with them when they were at the NYMR and I arranged access for them to record on the Festiniog Railway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hayes Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Fantastic I hope they do eventually release by roy sounds. The soundtraxx sound fantastic. Thanks for the info I see what you mean now. I just got took to that page from google so I was unsure what it related to. Cheers Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Many, many years ago, and several owners back in history, ZTC used to sell a version of the Soundtraxx sound decoders with some "UK" sounds on them. I wrote the JMRI/DecoderPro file for them after a request from an owner of several of the decoders. I've never heard one played, but I believe it was done by using the usual Soundtraxx generic steam generating noises, with a few UK whistles added on top. So, its not like a typical UK decoder where people get concerned as to which loco was recorded to produce the sound file (whether anyone can really tell when running on a layout is debatable ). My guess is that the SurroundTraxx system is using those whistle noises as it's UK option. When I looked some time back, the sounds were the same as those I put in the DecoderPro file for the ZTC decoders. Note that a handful of large pacifics from the UK have done rail tours to the US, so the US modellers have an excuse for running a Flying Scot or similar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hayes Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 very informative nigel. I would be happy to have a soundtraxx with just uk whistles. they sound great. Its nice to have actual recordings but I never loose site of the fun factor, as you say when scaled down the sound is a novelty some being better than others. As long as its got a convincing chuff and nice whistles I am happy. I thought I would ask as I know tsunami sountraxx decoders offer many sounds to choose from within the decoder. I was hoping it might had been a new addition of whistle sets to the existing decoders. In time perhaps. Cheers Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ngtrains.com Posted October 1, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 1, 2013 The decoders Nigel refers to were a previous generations of Soundtraxx decoder and technologically way behind what a Tsunami is capable off. Once they had done the decoders for ZTC I was pressing them to do me some UK Narrow Gauge sounds and they were very reluctant. Any UK company trying to persuade them to do them would have to be ordering in large quantities. At the time of that discussion they were saying that the sounds using in the old DSD decoder would need recording again as the quality wasn't good enough for the Tsunami. That conversation was before I arranged for them to record on the Festiniog but nothing has ever come of those recordings anyway ( they did get a double Fairlie sound track that went something like "chuff, chuff, bang, silence" when they wiped out a quite expensive microphone on Garnedd Tunnel portal). I am a little mystified though of why you are so interested in the Tsunami with British sounds on as it has been surpassed in sound quality,, features and performance but other more recent decoders from the likes of ESU and ZIMO all of which have excellent UK sounds available for them simply because they allow users and third parties to upload sound whist Soundtraxx do not. Certainly if the D&RGW C class and K class sounds of matching quality were available in a ZIMO decoder I would be using that instead of a Tsunami (sound file for the K & C are available on ZIMO but they are an old generation sound project which doesn't make best use of the latest decoders) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Soundtraxx are producing the decoders for Bachmann's forthcoming 'economy sound' fitted r-t-r locos. Bachmann has announced that they will have limited features and range of sounds. They are not user programmable, so what you get is what you keep. Provided the basic sounds work OK (the US equivalent they have done for Bachmann in America apparently 'chuff to a halt') they should introduce 'sound fitted' to a different audience, where budget is more of a factor. The ZTC branded decoders from Soundtraxx were quite good for their time, but things have moved on greatly. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hayes Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Hi the reason I was interested is that I have many A4s and like to have varied personality were possible. I am a zimo ESU user but I have been impressed with tsunamis when installing them for people good sounds and the effects unit for reverb is cool. I just take a keen interest in different options I do think it would be nice if they would let us programme our own sounds. The best A4 sounds I have got so far is the digitrains and SWD, I am impressed with what I have herd from keytes. The howes one however does not sound right to me. The whistle does not sound good. I quite like Hornby's efforts but it needs work. I would like to know of any other A4 sounds there are. Cheers Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Hi the reason I was interested is that I have many A4s and like to have varied personality were possible. I am a zimo ESU user but I have been impressed with tsunamis when installing them for people good sounds and the effects unit for reverb is cool. I just take a keen interest in different options I do think it would be nice if they would let us programme our own sounds. The best A4 sounds I have got so far is the digitrains and SWD, I am impressed with what I have herd from keytes. The howes one however does not sound right to me. The whistle does not sound good. I quite like Hornby's efforts but it needs work. I would like to know of any other A4 sounds there are. Cheers Rob The A4 is the sound buffs nightmare. With the Gresley conjugated three cylinder valve gear and a chime whistle both the chuff rate and the whistle are quite unique to the loco. Add in the differing chuff cycle due to valve gear adjustment being awry and various modifications added to the loco plus some very opinionated drivers as to style and the desire to have all the locos sounding different is not really easy to provide. Above all though, this is THE loco to which generic sounds are just not right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hayes Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 The A4 is the sound buffs nightmare. With the Gresley conjugated three cylinder valve gear and a chime whistle both the chuff rate and the whistle are quite unique to the loco. Add in the differing chuff cycle due to valve gear adjustment being awry and various modifications added to the loco plus some very opinionated drivers as to style and the desire to have all the locos sounding different is not really easy to provide. Above all though, this is THE loco to which generic sounds are just not right. Aye I agree with all that, but yet thats another part of which draws me and makes me love A4s they are different everytime. The whistles sound very different on bittern, sir nigel, usa, and mallard being the most different of the lot from what I have heard. I hear all of them no-longer have original chimes and have br chimes, however mallard is the most original of them all and as its whistle is so different sounding I wonder if this is the only true lner chime in existance. I have been most impressed with swd and digitrains, the howes I have not heard much of. I have been developing my own sounds for a while for an A4, or A4s, I would be happy to create many a4 sounds to give variety, I have a recording studio and access to an eventide harmoniser which I am sure no other dcc sound supplier will have the use of. The eventide i use for recording and mastering my musical projects and live guitar work, they are used in all top studios and radio stations and film studios to get things to sound right, What I have noticed as a musician is dcc sound does not sound right due to sharp cut offs and a lack of natural reverb which even when you think its not there it really is, I am working on trying to make each sample sound like its recorded in open air, it makes a huge difference to whistles and things sound different on a summer day to a wet winter day. I think the technology has got a long way to go to get perfection, I just think its fun and good to mess with, If someone has lots of sound recordings they are happy for me to play with and use I will happily have ago, but I wont promise perfection, as you say the conjugated valve gear is a hard thing to understand in reality never mind trying to replicate that in a model. I am happy to get 6 beats per rev a nice sounding chuff and hopefully a responsive coasting action. on top of that all I want is hissing noise, drain cocks, injectors, water, coal and loads of whistles, As for coupling and buffering up that I am not bothered about, I would rather have more whistles, or a random environment noise like birds singing or something random and funny no one would expect to hear like the thomas the tank engine tune haha. Can anyone give me a list of sound suppliers, So far i have. howes, keytes, dc kits, swd, digitrains, dcc concepts, coastal dcc, youchoos, mrsoundguy any more ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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