Have any of you installed the latest LokSound decoder, the Version 4 and its variants suitable for HO? If so, are you happy with its characteristics? To what do you object if anything?
Crandell
Not yet but I'm plannign on getting some. Between the Select and V4 they have the sounds I need, and their motor control is always great. Plus someone ehre remarked that they DO properly 'load up' when momentum is used, like QSI and unlike tsunami.
I'm considering standardizing on them and spending the money on a Loksound Programmer so I can just find the cheapest source of decoders and load whatever sound set I need. Select Series work like QSI - you can load the entire soudn set but not alter it. V4 works liek the older ones, you can customize the sounds if you like, as well as just load premade sound sets. They have a downlaod available of all the bells, whistles,a dn aux sounds across their entire line, so if one of the sound sets you want has the wrong whistle, you cna swap in the one you want, if it's in their library. I just installed all the software to play with it, and while their Alco 244 ser doesn;t have a M3RT1 "tilt" horn, they DO have one in their library so with the Programmer it is a simple task to swap horns.
--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 have a couple of them, and they are REALLY good! Much better than the 3.5 actually, so there IS a reason to upgrade to say the least......
Both in driving characteristic and sound quality do they come out in front!
I would strongly recommend the Lokprogrammer though. The programming is so easy with it, and the same for soundloading.
The only drawback is that they could have been cheaper!
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Thanks, Gentlemen. I have four locomotives that came with the earliest LokSound decoders, a Trix Mikado, a Trix GG1 electric, a Rivarossi 2-6-6-6, and the PCM Y6b 2-8-8-2 Mallet. Although they won any motion contests hands down, for whatever reason I didn't like the sound files on the Mikado and on the Allegheny, so I had Tsunami's installed in both of them. It is a bear to get Tsunami's to start out slowly and smoothly, but if one is willing to tinker, it can be done...I did it with my former Stealth J Class from BLI. On the other hand, the LokSounds are Class 1 right out of the box...they are amazing.
I retained the sound files in the PCM Y6b because they are quite good...to me. Way better than the Rivarossi Allegheny...that was bizarre! I, too, Randy, would like the best for standardizing, and so far LokSound seems to be it. And you do get what you pay for in many ways. I think I will install a LokSound in a refurbished BlueLine A Class that is coming my way. I feel that ESU LokSound has done a good job for the N&W fans out there.
Graffen I would strongly recommend the Lokprogrammer though. The programming is so easy with it, and the same for soundloading.
I have a question about the programming and support. My experience with LokSound is exactly one decoder that I volunteered to change the horn sound on for a friend. I believe the decoder was a 3.5.
First I had a problem identifying which programmer I had (it was borrowed and the person I borrowed from didn't have the instructions). I know that the website has a how to identify it page, but the problem I had was that the borrowed programmer did not have the identification on it that looked exactly like the sample photos.
So I took a shot and selected one of the programmer downloads. When I started getting things that said achtung, nein, and verboten, I figured out I had made the incorrect selection. But even when I made the correct selection I seemed to get screens that had a mix of english and german(?).
Then I started reading the website for information. They have a FAQ page that was okay. But on the contact us for information page I believe that there was a statement that said something to the effect that you can ask your question, but if the answer is on the FAQ page we won't answer you back. That didn't sound very encouraging to me. And then when I did call I found out that there seemed to be only one person who could answer my questions, and he was away for a personal emergency. (I didn't have a problem with that because I know stuff happens.)
Anyway, I did muddle through getting the sound changed but only after I erased all the sounds a couple times. I really didn't find the programming process easy, and there did not seem to be any explanations that I, a novice, could follow.
So, the question becomes have they made the programming process easier with the new decoder version, or is it still the same as the 3.5?
Thanks
I downloaded the programming software and opened a few sound projects that I downlaoded, and if you go to the sounds section it was really easy to swap a different whistle for the one already in the project or whatever.
Actually programming a complete sound, with all teh rules and so forth, looks to be a bit more difficult, but it's put together with building blocks with an associated sound , action, and conditions.
-Randy
I've installed 4 or 5 of the new LokSound Select decoders and can say that they are excellent, but they have a very limited range of available sounds for U.S. steam locomotives. LokSound Select seems to be much better than other brands in their support of dual-speaker installations.
The Select is made in China, but they very obviously use a much more qualified manufacturer than that other company whose decoders frequently become smoke generators.