LokSound has announced a new decoder to be available this fall. Here is a link to a video interview at the National Train Show as posted by Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine:
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/MRHT_2009_NTS_ESU-LokSound
This is called the LokSound Select and sounds like it will be a good one, with a number of horns and prime movers available by just changing CVs. They will also provide much higher volumes, 4 to 8 ohm speakers and improved motor control.
Jerry
Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!
jwils1They will also provide much higher volumes, 4 to 8 ohm speakers and improved motor control.
Thanks for the info, Jerry. Improved motor control? Loksound already has superb motor control. If they can improve upon it...it will be even scarier than it already is.
And if they could come up with sound for a NYC L-4a Mohawk...I'd swap out my QSI sound decoder for one in a heartbeat.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage jwils1They will also provide much higher volumes, 4 to 8 ohm speakers and improved motor control.Thanks for the info, Jerry. Improved motor control? Loksound already has superb motor control. If they can improve upon it...it will be even scarier than it already is. And if they could come up with sound for a NYC L-4a Mohawk...I'd swap out my QSI sound decoder for one in a heartbeat. Tom
And if they could come up with sound for a NYC L-4a Mohawk...I'd swap out my QSI sound decoder for one in a heartbeat. Tom
The comment "improved motor control" made by their rep surprised me too. Not sure how they could improve it but that's what he said. Their display in the video showing slow speed at Step 1 was interesting. They were running uphill and maybe that's one area where the improvement kicks in. The Tsunami was running so much faster than the other two and he did say that they tried to adjust all three locos for their best performance.
Even with all the preloaded sounds I'm assuming that their programmer will still allow downloading sounds as they do now. He didn't actually say it but I got the impression that was the case. I hope so.
I hear nothing but great comments about their steam sounds but I wonder about diesel. I run only diesel and will be interested in how they compare with QSI, which I like very much.
Jerry,
I have a Loksound V3.5 in a PCM F3 A-B. The low-speed response is what you'd expect from one of their decoders and sound is VERY nice and full. I think you'll be happy with it.
Tom
I actually had a chance to view the video clip. Very interesting interview. The ESU Navigator is basically the Dynamis DCC system that they designed and built for Bachmann.
I'm glad to hear that ESU is still stressing the importance of good motor control in their sound decoders. For me, low-speed response is far more important than sound. (Sound is then icing on the cake.) I find the Loksound decoders (unlike QSI) need next to no tweaking right out of the box.
So, a (most likely, late) fall release on the new Loksound decoders. I may have to look into those more closely. Thanks for providing the link, Jerry.
I didn't think motor control could get any better!!
Maybe the price of v3.5 units will drop.
IMO, I find ESU is much better at diesel motor control than QSI, but the P2K SW9 was in improvement, and the Walthers H10-44 is great. Oddly,I like QSI's steam package better. I only wish the startup/shutdown could be configured in a simpler way, like the ESU.
Anyone know if you can add resistors to an 8 ohm speaker to get it to 100?
No way could they make better motor control! My PCM Y6-b with a Loksound decoder is currently pulling 50 car up grade at speed steep 1! If could move any slower it would be like watching paint dry, I have done that!
Loksound decoder in my Y6 plenty loud, one in the Big Boy could be a little louder, Y6 can drown it out at full volume but speakers are bigger.
I all so like the idea of different sounds with out down loading them. I love all the sounds of the Y-6b except the whistle. It sort of blows! That a joke son, don't you get it?
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
1948PRR I only wish the startup/shutdown could be configured in a simpler way, like the ESU.
davidmbedardEven with all the preloaded sounds I'm assuming that their programmer will still allow downloading sounds as they do now. He didn't actually say it but I got the impression that was the case. I hope so. No, you absolutely cannot assume that. The decoders come equipped with multiple prime mover sounds....so this says to me, you get what you got.However, it would be a nice feature. David B
David B
Well, we do have the answer thanks to Jeff Shultz who conducted the LokSound interview at the National Train Show. Here is Jeff''s response in answer to my question regarding capability of downloading different loco sound, other than the preloaded sounds:
"Yes, just like the Loksound 3.5 it is fully "programable" in that regard.Same hardware adapter but new (free for download) software."
Here is Esu´s own info on the "Select":
Loksound Select
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GraffenHere is Esu´s own info on the "Select":Loksound Select
Graffen,
Just curious as to why this info shows on the link you provided but when I log on to the LokSound website it doesn't appear?
jwils1 GraffenHere is Esu´s own info on the "Select":Loksound Select Graffen, Just curious as to why this info shows on the link you provided but when I log on to the LokSound website it doesn't appear?
Is it maybe because you are looking at :http://www.loksound.com/ instead of the Factorys own Website at: http://www.esu.eu/en/start/ ?
"The LokSound Select comes with a 32 MBit memory chip. The sounds stored therein are our own recordings which were made by using the latest recording equipment and have been digitally re-mastered for the best audio possible. The sounds are transferred to a class “D” audio amplifier via eight polyphonic sound channels".
David, I think that 32 Mbit memory is plenty of storage space for the sound-files. I´m not sure however, what they mean by a "class-D amplifier", anyone knows? Eight sound channels is interesting nevertheless.
A Class D amplifier drives the output stage with pulse width modulation, much like the motor drive on a DCC decoder. The output transistors are either full on or fully off, no in-between state so you can get more power out of a smaller transistor without overheating anything. This is is part why they can drive a 4 ohm speaker, yet not run too hot.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I know there are many wiring aids available but will ESU come out with transition plugs/harnesses?
The reason I ask is I have a N scale Concor GS4 with an 8 pin socket and this probably has the 6 pin plug.
John
duhhh? Why on earth would you want higher volume? The whole idea is to turn down factory volume until you hear at 1,000 scale feet what you would hear at 1,000 feet from a prototype, eh? Kids today turn volume up until their rooms, cars, and even bodies resonate with vibratory noise. We are trying to get away from that in our modelling, because at full volume in a sheetrocked room any more than a few locos at a time can be an awful lot of just noise that defies normal conversation or understanding the DS's orders John.
johncolley duhhh? Why on earth would you want higher volume? The whole idea is to turn down factory volume until you hear at 1,000 scale feet what you would hear at 1,000 feet from a prototype, eh? Kids today turn volume up until their rooms, cars, and even bodies resonate with vibratory noise. We are trying to get away from that in our modelling, because at full volume in a sheetrocked room any more than a few locos at a time can be an awful lot of just noise that defies normal conversation or understanding the DS's orders John.
I agree when turned up so high the entire room can hear every loco that is moving it become bothersome. The operator of the individual loco should be the goal.
There's two sides to the more output power, less heat design - if you run a normal levels instead of trying to deafen every bystander within a 5 block radius, it draws tha tmuch less power than a different design. Heck a Class A amplifier gets HOTTER the QUIETER you run it - my stereo in college could play cranked to full volume with the speakers out the window all day and be cool to the touch, yet if I put it on a quiet volume for background sound while I studied, you could fry an egg on it. Two things we want to minimize in a model railroad application - heat, and power draw.
David
I agree with you 100%. What made the v3.5 chips so great, was the ability to erase the chips, and customize the sound. I don't want a chip that has sounds that are not being used. I want high quality first rate sounds. Does anyone know of a release date? I heard the price will $100 MSRP, compared to the v3.5 at $140 MSRP. Does anyone have more information?
Cheers,
CASO
John, some people have observed that some decoders (of several makes and installations) seem to have maddeningly low volume for a certan feature, no matter what you do. For example, the horn/whistle on some installations doesn't seem to match, or to be manipulable, to get sufficient volume even when the master volume is set highest.
While I am in full agreement that generally decoder master volumes, or individual volumes, should be reduced to near 50% of their maximum, and I do that myself, in some case no amount of fiddling seems to bring one anemic volume, an important one, up to snuff. So I believe some folks complained to LokSound to get their overall volumes up, and to allow users to back off on individual sounds to suit their needs.
I have never had this complaint, or read of it, about QSI' for example, whose volume can shake the tender shell right off its foundation. And sound as bad as one could imagine.
-Crandell
Thats the decoder used in the new Rivarossi weathered Big Boy that MR featured a couple of months ago in the new products section. I'm waiting for mine as I think it will well be worth the wait.