I just listened to TCS's promotional video of their first WOWsound decoders.Though I don't have a great sound system on my computer,the Berkshire sounded quite real,at least to me.Their first offerings will hit the market in May.Who's willing to try the first ones?
Since their motor decoders are terrific, I'd be open to trying one. I would have WAAAAAY higher expectations from them than I would MRC.
And it looks like TCS is starting out similar to what Soundtraxx did a few years back offering a light, medium, and heavy steam decoder:
http://tcsdcc.com/public_html/Zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=46_94_95
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
They had one looping their demo track at Springfield in January. It sounded pretty good to me.
I was more interested in their new line of Keep-Alive decoders, though. They aren't sound units, but they have some that are very small and will fit more easily in the small locomotives that have the most problems with power dropouts.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MB,
I just installed a KAM4P-SH in a Bowser PCC trolley and it works great. When you remove the trolley from the track, it takes ~1 minute for the headlight and interior LEDs to completely discharge.
The KAM decoder is smaller than the KAT decoder and has the capacity of "6-15 seconds without power", which - IIRC - was calculated while running a locomotive at speed step 010. I was able to pick up my KAM4P on eBay for $10 off MSRP.
Sound comes down to the speaker itself too. The best sound decoder out there will still sound like a cow farting if you use the cheapest speaker you can buy with the change found in the hay bale. Although it would sound better, it still wouldn't be much better to use that milk change on a sound decoder but sell the farm to buy the best speaker
If TCS makes some diesel noise I would get one.
Berkshiresteam:
I think that if our speakers could mimick the base notes found in a cow fart we would probably be pretty happy! Sorry, couldn't resist!
You make a good point.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Berkshire steam makes a good point. Not only the expense of the speaker is not the deciding issue on sound quality but the relative size of the speaker. Always fit the largest speaker you can. Sound chambers are a must. Are two smaller speakers better than one large one? I don't think so. The surface area of one large rectangular speaker that fits in the same space as two round speakers would be greater and thus move more air. The expensive so called deep bass speakers have not impressed me and the large movement of the cone causes too much flutter for my decreasing hearing.
I would like to try one but have not seen a listing of whistles available.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
I have the TCS light steam decoder ordered. I can hardly wait for it to arrive and I can install it. If it is as good as their other decoders, I'll end up with a bunch of them.
According to TCS, they have a diesel sound decoder in the works with plans for a fall or end of the year release.