I will order the Sound Units with the LokSound decoders. That could create another dilema. Perhaps I will like the ESU so well I will have to upgrade several other engines to the LokSound decoders.
I will add the keep alive caps as I have to my other decoders that needed it. I usually MU two engines together electrecally and address them both with the same 4 digit engine number. Twice the electrical pick up and I do pull long train sometimes. My Digitrax Empire Builder only has so many slots to assign engines to so I limit the number of slots each engine lash up takes
The point is thanks loads for the information.
Paul
Dayton and Mad River RR
Select series doesn't have much int he way of indexed CVs, the V4's do. The Selects that Bowser uses are very easy to program, no boosters are needed, and there's really just one CV that selects the prime mover, horn, and bell options.
ESU has proper sounds for the Bowser models, so I would hope they put the right ones in the factory installed decoders.
In a comparison video posted here a while ago, I think the ESU Alco sounds are much better than Tsunamis, and either is going to be better than the old LC series. The horns on the ESU decoders are much better than the pitiful attempts by Tsunami, and the motor control is definitely superior.
To be fair, I have the same loco with Loksound from Bowser that Tom has - and I have one I bought years ago that just has a motor decoder in it, and even the old one is extremely sensitive to dirty track, I was pushing it more than anything at the club show last weekend, when trying to switch the yard with it. It's a very small and lightweight switcher. The Centuries have a bit more heft and should do better.
I have one of the older Bowser locos with Tsunami, an FT. Frankly, I hate the thing. It doesn;t 'load up' when starting a train, it starts moving and THEN the prime mover ramps up - fine for a light loco move. ESU and QSI allow you to simulate a heavy load simply by adding some momentum to CV3. The Tsunami FT doesn;t sound a whole lot better than the one I have an old LC in, in a dummy unit with a BIG speaker. ANd despite much playing around with the reverb and equalizer (nice thing at least, Bowser used a full off the shelf Tsunami, not the stripper OEM versions Bachmann uses) the horn is still mush. I would be highly disappointed had I paid full price for this, but I got a powered B unit chassis WITH the sound for about what they sell the powered chassis for alone. I believe it may have been mismarked and priced like it was a dummy with sound, not powered.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
duckdogger ...can you provide the specific link to the site? When I Google ESU, I am unsure as to which link is the one.
...can you provide the specific link to the site? When I Google ESU, I am unsure as to which link is the one.
Done!
ESU Digital decoders - Instruction manuals
And here's ESU's main sound file page for all their decoders.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Cacole, can you provide the specific link to the site? When I Google ESU, I am unsure as to which link is the one.
If we can expand the subject a bit, ESU is the OEM sound for Rivarossi, Rapido, and Kato as I understand it. For Rivarossi steam specifically, does this suggest they have large US steam sound files? And does their articulated steam file accommodate the multiple cuffs of the articulated Big Boy and Allegheny?
You will not need a LokProgrammer unless you want to download and install a different sound file into the decoder. Regular CV adjustments can be made with any DCC system.
BUT you will need to download the LokSound User Manual from the ESU USA web site to know what each sound CV controls and their default values, because they use Indexed CVs for the sound effects.
Paul,
If you want to add and mix sounds then yes - you'll need the Loksound Programmer. For regular CV adjusting, your DCC system will handle it.
I'm guessing that the Loksound decoder in your C430 will be one of their Select decoders. I have one in a Stewart VO-660 switcher. Like all Loksound decoders, motor control is excellent; MUCH better than the Tsunamis. The sound - at least for the VO-660 - is far better, too.
FWIW, the Select decoders seem to be more sensitive to dirty track than other decoders. Because of hesitation issues, I ended up installing a keep-alive cap in mine, as per the instructions on pg. 17 of the Select manual. Cost in parts was $1.50. (The cap just fit inside the cab area.) No problems with hesitations now.
I was thinking of buying a pair of Bowser C430 engines with sound. They say they come with Loksound decoders. I do not currently have any decoders by that company. I have about 30 other sound decoders including Throttle Up! Tsunami and pre Tsunami and some LC series, as well as QSI decoders in some BLI engines. I have no problem programing any CV, but from what I gather I would need some kind of external connection plus some additional hardware to program the ESU decoders. Is this correct?
I cold always buy them without sound and upgrade them using the Tsunami that they sell with the correct engine sounds for that Alco locomotive. I wish Bowser had stayed with the SoundTraxx by Throttle UP!
Thank you very much for your constuctive inputs.