Decoder with sound recommendations

[Santa Fe all the way!]

Hello, model railroad he's been on the back burner for me for a few years. I have a few of the old athearn Genesis F-3 and F7's with the MRC sound. I'd like to upgrade these to something that sounds better could I get some recommendations on decoders that are fairly easy to install maybe even plug and play?

[MisterBeasley]

I particularly like my ESU Loksound decoder and my newer Soundtraxx Tsunamis.

You should explore replacing your speaker as well.  That can make a big difference.

[tstage]

Here's a couple:

• Loksound 5
• TCS WDK-ATH-3 - [TCS installation how-tos: F3A/F3B,F7] - The motherboard isn't necessary but will make it more plug 'n play.

I installed the TCS WDK-ATH-3 in a F3 and it sounds great.  For the B-unit I installed a motor-only TCS A4X decoder.  I love the excellent motor-control of the Loksound & TCS decoders.

Tom

[Santa Fe all the way!]

Thank you! Do you think I should replace the speaker? If so, do you have a recommendation?

Do you have any idea which tsunami would work well in my older Genesis F units?

[gmpullman]

Santa Fe all the way!

Do you have any idea which tsunami would work well in my older Genesis F units?

I have installed several Tsunami2 PNP, EMD boards in several of my Genesis F units.

https://soundtraxx.com/products/tsunami2-digital-sound-decoders/tsu-pnp/

There is an EMD-2 sound set for these as well but are loaded with more modern EMD prime movers so be careful to order the (885013 EMD) one with the 567 prime mover.

As much as I admire the Loksound 5 decoder, in my experience at least, it is becoming more essential to have a LokProgrammer in order to fully fine-tune them. TCS WOWsound is very capable, too and if you can learn to use the Audio Assist programming you'll have a good experience.

All 3 of these manufacturers offer an "Athearn form-factor" decoder that would physically replace the older MRC one.

I like to use JMRI Decoder Pro and have found the Tsunami2 decoders fairly easy to customize using the Decoder Pro software.

There is a nice cut-out toward the rear of the Athearn frame that allows for a decent-sized speaker there.

IMG_1909 by Edmund, on Flickr

I used a mill file to enlarge it slightly and fit a 28mm hi-bass speaker in there.

IMG_2849fix by Edmund, on Flickr

IMG_1910 by Edmund, on Flickr

I've cobbled together various speaker enclosures depending on what's on hand or which particular speaker I'm using.

IMG_2854fix by Edmund, on Flickr

In B units I'll sometimes add an additional sugar cube speaker as well. I have not personally used them but I plan to order some soon from this outfit that I've read good reviews from.

https://www.scalesoundsystems.com/

 

Good Luck, Ed

 

[Santa Fe all the way!]

Ed Thank you so much for taking the time to post all that info. I will look into your suggestions

[Overmod]

Ed, I'll let you do the actual investigation and appraisal as you're better qualified -- but TCS was working on a JMRI-enabled programming utility that sounded very much like an open version of what Lokprogrammers do.  That was far along enough to be in testing a few months ago - if even a beta is available it ought to ring considerable bells for the OP and perhaps many others here.

[gmpullman]

Overmod

but TCS was working on a JMRI-enabled programming utility that sounded very much like an open version of what Lokprogrammers do.

Yes, that sounds promising. I know Rapido is working with TCS on a "Loksound-compatible" decoder from the ground-up.

Of course, the downside is that as each iteration comes to market there's just one more learning curve and one more variant added to an already cluttered roster.

At last count I have about 200 sound locomotives in the roster and decoders from possibly six manufacturers, each of those having five or more variants as their product line "matured"

I'm way past the point of "standardization" 

Ed

[rrinker]

 That Loksound-alike decoder from TCS was, as far as I know, not going to be an item you can buy, it was just a way for Rapido to have a second source (and get sounds from different locos, where TCS might have connections that the ESU people in the US don't - but the same works both ways). There was a Rapido video on recording sounds from the OC&T MLW M420 with TCS. 

 The software in question is something TCS is calling the TCS Depot. Right now the main purpose is for installing firmware upgrades in the UWT-100 universal throttle. They say they are going to add other stuff as well. Nothing about it being open, just that it can interface to your layout via WiFi or USB like JMRI. If it's going to allow sound uploads to the WOWSound decoders, I would hope they have some proprietary communications option like ESU has, because uploading sound files using NMRA methods will take weeks.  That's why reading and setting all the CVs in a Loksound decoder is much faster with the Lokprogrammer - it uses ESU's proprietary data transfer to read and write all the CVs.

 The original WOSound decoders had an SD card in them to hold the sounds, but it was under the shrink wrap. Seemed odd to me that they did not make this accessible to be able to change the sounds. Not sure if they still do it that way or have implemented a flash chip on board or what.

 Another advantage to not being independently wealthy - I started getting sound locos very slowly, so I never had a chance to build up a fleet of mixed up all over the place decoders before being able to pick one and stick with it. 

                              --Randy