Besides Digitrax as far as I know, I'm not aware of a vendor that makes changeable sound decoders. For HO scale. I have a Digitrax PR3 with SoundFX and Soundbug decoders.Tsunami Soundtraxx decoders are great but overpriced and I don't think the pre loaded locomotive sounds are changeable, then there's MRC, but yet again not changeable. I'm looking for a vendor that makes sound decoders that have the ability to download different locomotive sounds.
To my knowledge, only LokSound and Digitrax are upgradeable.
i think QSI might be but be never looked into them.
Simple solution is to go to the different sites and look.
If you think Tsunami are over priced, wait until you see prices for some of the LokSound decoders.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Ah, Loksound and QSI. I heard them, but haven't looked into them either myself which I should find out soon enough. Oh and by the way it's for HO scale. Thanks for your input though.
Loksound has 2 lines. The Loksound V4 is completely customizable, as to indivuidual sounds and the 'script' that determines which sound plays when. This is like the Digitrax ones, but somewhat easier to do (but still not 'simple'). The Loksound Select series work like QSI, you can change the complete sound set but not alter individual sounds or the 'script' Each sound set has multiple horns so you can get the correct one set by using a CV. This is more like how QSI works - you can change the entire sound set. Pretty easy to do.
None of them work the same way - to do change sounds on the Loksound decoders you need the Loksound Programmer hardware and software. To change QSI, you need the Quantum Programmer.
I have decided to use nothing but Loksound. Their sounds are as good if not better (especially the horns) than Tsunami, and the motor drive beats them all. Plus there's never a speciifc variation 'out of stock' because the physical decoders are all the same, you just load what sounds you want. As such, I invested in the Loksound programmer hardware and added it to my program track setup.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
alloboard Ah, Loksound and QSI. I heard them, but haven't looked into them either myself which I should find out soon enough. Oh and by the way it's for HO scale. Thanks for your input though.
Yep, you gotta venture out of the Digitrax camp more. There are other manufacturers of fine motor and sound decoders out on the market.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Even Soundtraxx Tsunamis are upgradeable/changeable. Just send them back to factory after contacting first.
Richard
You're right. I should venture out of the Digitrax market. besides I had to RMA 4 which includes a 3 DH165A0's and an SDH164D of their decoders. Their SDH164D's dont work well with LED's
alloboard You're right. I should venture out of the Digitrax market. besides I had to RMA 4 which includes a 3 DH165A0's and an SDH164D of their decoders. Their SDH164D's dont work well with LED's
For standard decoders, I prefer TCS.
I thought I would add that QSI, shortly after the law suit over BEMF was settled between them/Lionel and MTH back in 2006, offered an upgrade chip for those who had purchased QSI-equipped locomotives during the time period of the trial. It wasn't much, maybe $25 and they provided a plastic claw tool to safely lift the chip off the board so that the new one could be inserted.
That is the only upgrade of which I am aware, although I do know many sound decoder distributors do custom sound file installations, or provide them for people who buy their hardware and firmware (including upgrades to those).
Crandell
None of the Digitrax decoders work well with LEDs, other than simple on/off lights. NCE and TCS work much better with LEDs for effects functions - TCS has a CV you can adjust to set the 'dim' level of the function to fine tune it to specific LEDs or bulbs.
TCS has far superior motor control to Digitrax. Anything I have without sound has a TCS decoder, they are the only ones I use any more. They are coming out with sound decoders this year, don;t have a lot of information yet as to whether they will be user customizable or not, nor any samples yet to hear what they sound like.
rrinker None of the Digitrax decoders work well with LEDs, other than simple on/off lights. NCE and TCS work much better with LEDs for effects functions - TCS has a CV you can adjust to set the 'dim' level of the function to fine tune it to specific LEDs or bulbs. TCS has far superior motor control to Digitrax. Anything I have without sound has a TCS decoder, they are the only ones I use any more. They are coming out with sound decoders this year, don;t have a lot of information yet as to whether they will be user customizable or not, nor any samples yet to hear what they sound like. --Randy
TCS really does a good job. I've not seen anyone criticize them and I've seen more agreement on their performance than any other DCC product.
Train Modeler For standard decoders, I prefer TCS. Richard
Then rejoice, ye of little audio, for unto us TCS sound is given!
Well, you can hear the sound for free, as I did at the Springfield show in January. For the decoder, you'll have to pay, and also wait a while. They had a medium steam engine running on their loop at the show, and it sounded very good. These should be out mid-year, and others will follow. I'd imagine it will take them a while before they have a large number of locomotive types available.
They said they'd be priced comparably to other good sound, like Tsunamis.
There is some info on their web site, but not much the last time I looked.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
As much as I love Loksound, they have yet to update or replace the over-digitized chuff sound file for the 2-8-2 Mike. Everything else (bell, steam hiss, brake screech, coupler clank, etc.) sounds great.
I will look forward to hearing TCS's medium steam at some point. I assume they will try and make it customizable like the Tsunami and Select decoders.
I've been hearing about that TCS allot. Besides I currently transitioning away from Digitrax onto TCS.