KemacPrr Correct the Direct is the one I use. For the RS-3 the number you want is the 73401. It's the Lok Sound Select 6 aux. --------------Ken
Correct the Direct is the one I use. For the RS-3 the number you want is the 73401. It's the Lok Sound Select 6 aux. --------------Ken
KemacPrr Correct the mini oval will fit in the RS-3 fuel tank not the small oval. If you mount the speaker in the fuel tank here is a suggestion. Cut a small piece of C fold paper towel to cover the holes drilled thru the tank. It will stop small metal particals from adhereing to the speaker magnet. I do not use a baffle or enclosure when using the fuel tank. The tank acts as an enclosure. ---------- Ken
Correct the mini oval will fit in the RS-3 fuel tank not the small oval. If you mount the speaker in the fuel tank here is a suggestion. Cut a small piece of C fold paper towel to cover the holes drilled thru the tank. It will stop small metal particals from adhereing to the speaker magnet. I do not use a baffle or enclosure when using the fuel tank. The tank acts as an enclosure. ---------- Ken
Ken...Just to clarify, the decoders are Lok Sound Select Direct, right (not the Lok Sound Select mini)?
KemacPrr The easist sound decoder install in a Bachman RS-3 or GP-7/9 is a Lok Sound Select . It will plug into the existing Bachman circuit board replacing the Bachman decoder. No modifications are required to the locomotive. In the RS-3 you need a 13mm round speaker for the fuel tank. The GP-7/9 uses a 1'' round speaker. Bachman left space in both models fuel tanks for speakers. I have used the QSI small oval speaker in the RS-3 fuel tank instead of the 13mm round version. You do have to do some minor plastic removal from the inside but the larger speaker puts out a better sound in my opinion. If you use the 13mm or 1'' speaker all you have to do is drill out the holes in the fuel tank bottom. I have put Soundtrax Tsunami's in the GP-7/9's but it does require removal of the factory circuit board and removal of some plastic under the cab roof to clear the seperate capacitor. Speaker install is the same . ----------------------- Ken
The easist sound decoder install in a Bachman RS-3 or GP-7/9 is a Lok Sound Select . It will plug into the existing Bachman circuit board replacing the Bachman decoder. No modifications are required to the locomotive. In the RS-3 you need a 13mm round speaker for the fuel tank. The GP-7/9 uses a 1'' round speaker. Bachman left space in both models fuel tanks for speakers. I have used the QSI small oval speaker in the RS-3 fuel tank instead of the 13mm round version. You do have to do some minor plastic removal from the inside but the larger speaker puts out a better sound in my opinion. If you use the 13mm or 1'' speaker all you have to do is drill out the holes in the fuel tank bottom.
I have put Soundtrax Tsunami's in the GP-7/9's but it does require removal of the factory circuit board and removal of some plastic under the cab roof to clear the seperate capacitor. Speaker install is the same .
----------------------- Ken
With or without baffles for both (RS3 and GP9)?
I think you mean a QSI mini-oval speaker will fit in the RS-3 fuel tank area, not the small oval.
Or do like others, offer all road names with or with out sound. Joe
Yeah, I noticed the/my Bachmann RS3 fuel tank speaker mount was small. Glad you mentioned the weak sounds ..... I was kicking around buying one with the sound and swapping shells with the Pennsylvania road name I have as a cheaper alternative (and virtually no hassle) to installing a full feature decoder and speaker in it. Don't understand why Bachmann didn't put sound in all RS3's they offer rather than half of 'em
ba&prr I thought the RS3 was like the GP7/9 in that it had a hole in the bottom of the frame for a 1" speaker. Nice install though. Joe
I thought the RS3 was like the GP7/9 in that it had a hole in the bottom of the frame for a 1" speaker. Nice install though. Joe
I recently installed a Soundtraxx AT-1000 in a new Bachmann RS-3. It took a bit of work doing. I used a small oval speaker from Tony's, mounting it above the truck. I modified the frame a bit to make it fit and give it more downward air flow. I made my own enclosure from styrene and covered the big holes on the sides of the truck, to keep the sound waves moving downward. Also, I replaced the Bachmann orange LED's with golden white ones.
I just installed a sound decoder in a Bachmann GP30. I posted the photos in the Bachmann forum in the general discussions : new sound traxx Joe
ba&prr The board I used is the one with the keep alive caps on it and yes those are the silver colored parts in the trough. Yes the speaker is in the fuel tank. I had trouble with the baffle because the speaker was a 28mm not a 1 inch( I measured it) must have been mis boxed. The speaker did not come with the wires on it. I had some burnt out 1.5 Volt bulbs and used the wires from them to wire in the speaker. I fed the wires down from the top. My next project for this loco is too add grab irons to it and re paint it. That is some time in the future though. Joe
The board I used is the one with the keep alive caps on it and yes those are the silver colored parts in the trough. Yes the speaker is in the fuel tank. I had trouble with the baffle because the speaker was a 28mm not a 1 inch( I measured it) must have been mis boxed. The speaker did not come with the wires on it. I had some burnt out 1.5 Volt bulbs and used the wires from them to wire in the speaker. I fed the wires down from the top. My next project for this loco is too add grab irons to it and re paint it. That is some time in the future though. Joe
Thanks again for the info!
ba&prr I know this is a late reply but here goes: I added sound Tsunami board style to my Bachmann GP7. Go to Bachmann trains web site and click on Ask the Bach-man. Click search. Enter GP7 sound install then BAPGUY for by or user name. My post should come up on top. Scroll down to see photos and how I did it. You may have to joint the forum to access this. I don't know. Joe
I know this is a late reply but here goes: I added sound Tsunami board style to my Bachmann GP7. Go to Bachmann trains web site and click on Ask the Bach-man. Click search. Enter GP7 sound install then BAPGUY for by or user name. My post should come up on top. Scroll down to see photos and how I did it. You may have to joint the forum to access this. I don't know. Joe
Not too late and appreciate the info.
I read your posts in the Bachmann forum (I registered there previously) and just to clarify - is the component laying in the trough you milled out of the frame the stay alive caps mounted to the board. Without something to gage perspective - and the silver color - I wasn't sure what I was looking at (you can tell I'm new to this.....).
2nd question - from your description of mounting the speaker am I correct you mounted it inside the fuel tank (after drilling the holes in the bottom) and fed the wires up through the chassis to the board?
3rd question - what was the reason you couldn't "get the baffle to fit" in the fuel tank?
4th question - does the speaker come with wire pigtails already attached or did you have to solder wires to tabs on the speaker - and if yes, what wire size (26, 28, ?) ?
I don't know what would be best for your Bachmanns but the following thread may be of interest where folks commented in general on their opinions on various decoder types.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/214272.aspx
I found the advice helpful when I wanted to convert a Kato RS2 DCC ready (8-pin) to non-sound DCC. I chose for that case a TCS, I think only about $32(?). I was not ambitious enough to attempt the tight fit speaker placement in an RS2.
As I've got into consisting, I'm not enamored of the Soundtraxx Tsunami diesel decoders (in my Genesis GP9). The horn is weak (may be part the speaker weakness) and the lack of CV6 (max speed) and CV5 (mid speed) adjustment mean speed adjustments have to be more complex (using CV29, CV25, etc).
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
I read through a January 2013 forum thread on replacing the Bachmann DCC onboard (no sound) decoders in the RS3 and GP9 new(er) models, with a NCE Bach-DSL mentioned among the options.
Having no experience with changing/replacing a decoder, is there a "best" relatively simple drop in full feature (reverb, speed step low, mid and high setting, etc.) decoder available for both the RS3 and GP9 I could install given my limited knowledge level? If I can master this then depending on cost I'd like to change the onboard DCC and crippled sound decoders in my (2) Bachmann FA2's and S2 switcher (really like the reverb effect in particular the stock decoders aren't capable of).