dimonic

I know they share a similar engine (the Sulzer 12LDA28 family), and within the limitations of DCC sound and tiny speakers, would it be reasonable to use the Brush 4 sound effects for the Peak? I imagine the horns would be quite different.

Absolutely agree - I like to stand very close to a loco, and hear it build to a crescendo and diminish to nearly inaudible - when it is a couple hundred yards (scale 2.4 m) away.

I was thinking this solution would be ideal for me (just building a layout), I have some 17 odd locos unchipped (and about 8 already DCC). However, I am in Canada, and here I can get Digitrax sound decoders for $63 (£38.50) with speakers. I imagine they are equivalent in quality - Digitrax has a decent reputation here. They do offer sound editing (although there is a $100 programmer required), and there are about as many enthusiast created sound files in BR outline freely available as the HM7000 has available from Hornby. Doing the math, using an Arduino based DCC+EX base station (which I already have), I would still save money buying the Digitrax offering, even if I buy the programmer. However the difference is small. It would come down to control preference - running DCC signals down the track and all that entails, what with boosters for large layouts/block sections etc, or control via bluetooth. At the end of the day, I will order one when it becomes available, and play with it head to head with a Digitrax decoder. I might also compare with a TTS while I am at it since I already have a couple. Hmm - seems like a job for a comparison video.

The problem here is that the sound file is not in fact being transmitted from the controller to the decoder at time of play. The sound is installed on the decoder, and played from there. One would have to play the sound to a woofer simultaneous with the play direct from the decoder, and I'm afraid synchronisation would be nearly impossible. What I am attempting is to use a 7.1 surround sound system around my layout using Soundscape Renderer, which is audio software with positional capability. With this I will render background sounds that are typically static (school playground, traffic noises, level crossing alarms, platform announcements, seagulls etc), and I will use the sound decoders for loco sound.

I fired off an email to Simon Kohler yesterday and received a prompt reply. My email asked: Will the new sound file format be open, so customers can create their own sound files,

Yes, me too! I am currently using the excellent bullhead track from DCC Concepts and PECO in 4 mm, but I think I would like to start collecting some things in TT - to build a small exhibition layout - or even take over when my 4 mm layout has run it's course.

I would to see these as I am now modelling the GC in Grimsby and Cleethorpes. I have ordered the Ratio LNER signal kit as a starting point - and I have a lot of GC signals to make! Sadly, your pictures don't display for me.