Athearn Challenger Sound Quality Question

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Minuteman

QUOTE: Originally posted by bangert1

QUOTE: Originally posted by mkroeker

I posted some fairly detailed observations on an earlier post a day or two back regarding this issue under the header "Genesis Challenger Thoughts?", so I won't re-hash it all here. After about six hours of continuous running, the Challenger continues to please me and my young son with it's smooth operation and trouble free mechanicals. Running it alongside the BLI stable we have reveals how wimpy the sound system is, however. I am disappointed in the sound, as I have stated before. It is tolerable, but not up to QSI in any way. The locomotive's execution in terms of detail and finish cry out for a better sound chip. This is a beautiful loco saddled with a chintzy sound chip, IMHO.

Sorry about the email address not being posted. You can reach them at [e-mail]

We received your email and appreciate your input! Your comments have been passed to the president.


Athearn

The sound from the Challenger is only fair when compared to Lionel, BLI or the Digitrax sound. I do not use the Trix I own as a comparison, because they are single channel input and the bell stops when the whistle blows. The comparison would be very helpful to you.

The Challenger chuffs are not correct at all for an articulated locomotive, which will puff in and out of sync as it starts. Many of the other sounds are poor quality also. I have two of your new models and this small of a sampling could give me an incorrect impression, but any of the other units on the market make a good impression right from the start. Your engine looks good and I hope you address the sound problems as I am forced to replace the sound unit with the new Digitrax and the added price makes the whole deal much higher.

Larry Bangert





I emailed Athearn three times and received three replys. They are concerned and asked me to define my disappointment with the sound. I would ask again that everyone who is less than happy with the sound quality to let them know. My letter was given to their President according to their reply.
I did not post the replay, but it was good and seemed to indicate they are concerned.

Perhaps posting the Athearn E-mail address here...might prompt more of us to respond to them with our concerns???

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by graphiteRT

Did you happen to "pop the top" to inspect how the speakers are installed? I'm wondering if that is part of the problem, since I have the same decoder with a single speaker in another loco that sounds better. Is the Athearn dual speaker?

No, I have to say, I have not been tempted to open it up, at this point. When I went to pick mine up at the LHS a week ago, they had D&RG version on the test track. With my permission, and at my urging, their tech guy took my new UP out of the wrapper and put it on the test track. I think the staff was anxious to hear whether the D&RG Challenger that they had already listened to, was the exception or the rule. After hearing mine, they determined that there was nothing different or wrong with the Rio Grande. Both sounded equally, uh, disappointing. I think they were feeling a little apprehensive at my reaction, because the disappointment among the group of seasoned "listeners" was palpable, and I'm a frequent and good customer. They also knew how much I was looking forward to this item coming in, since I had pre-ordered it seemingly almost a year ago when the store owner had seen the blurb at a trade show. But hey, the sound is what it is. The loco is still a real "looker", and a marvelous runner. If Athearn senses enough disappointment, then maybe they'll offer an updated sound chip, or at the very least, do some comparative testing with the competition before going with the low bidder on the sound system. In answer to your question, I believe that both speakers are working as-designed, but it's akin to plugging both of your stereo speakers into the mono jack in terms of fidelity. Considering that a couple of years ago, we didn't really have options in HO as far as sound goes, it probably seems trivial to nitpick about something like this. I have a lot of O Scale stuff as well, most of it with premium sound, though some of my older stuff still has the original RailSounds or ProtoSound 1. If you are familiar with those and how they differ from current versions of each, then that's probably the best way to describe the subtle, yet noticeable differences in the QSI sound that BLI uses and the MRC sound that equips the new Genesis Challenger. Speaking in rough generalities, if QSI is the HO equivalent of Railsounds 6.0 then I'd rate the MRC at about Railsounds 2.0 in comparison. While I'm glad to have facsimile sound effects on my new Genesis Challenger, it coulda' been a contendah... with a better-engineered sound system.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bangert1

QUOTE: Originally posted by mkroeker

I posted some fairly detailed observations on an earlier post a day or two back regarding this issue under the header "Genesis Challenger Thoughts?", so I won't re-hash it all here. After about six hours of continuous running, the Challenger continues to please me and my young son with it's smooth operation and trouble free mechanicals. Running it alongside the BLI stable we have reveals how wimpy the sound system is, however. I am disappointed in the sound, as I have stated before. It is tolerable, but not up to QSI in any way. The locomotive's execution in terms of detail and finish cry out for a better sound chip. This is a beautiful loco saddled with a chintzy sound chip, IMHO.

I emailed Athearn three times and received three replys. They are concerned and asked me to define my disappointment with the sound. I would ask again that everyone who is less than happy with the sound quality to let them know. My letter was given to their President according to their reply.
I did not post the replay, but it was good and seemed to indicate they are concerned.

Perhaps posting the Athearn E-mail address here...might prompt more of us to respond to them with our concerns???

[Anonymous]

QUOTE:

Again, I have described the differences in sound quality between the the MRC chip in the new Challenger, and the QSI chip in the Lionel version in a previous post. Yes, the Athearn sounds like a Challenger with it's unique whistle, but the sound quality of the recording is flat, and toy-like compared to the QSI. There is no way to double-click the sound button on the remote to vary the whistle or trigger Doppler like you can with the QSI using their two-button hardwire interface. Another noticeable difference is the lack of phasing on the MRC steam sounds under-way, that is automatic on the QSI sound as the each set of cylinders moves in and out of sequence like the prototype. Even the recordings of virtually every steam hiss, pop-off, coupler clank are best described as somewhat "fuzzy", lacking the bark of the cylinders, the sound of steam pressure being relieved like the QSI seems to have captured fairly well in small scale. I'm not Athearn-bashing here. I have a ton of their stuff, including Genesis steam and diesels. I am a fan, or I wouldn't have pre-ordered one of the Challengers when I first saw them announced nearly a year ago. I think it's marvelous in every way. But the sound system falls short of the competition, in my opinion, after comparing it side-by-side with it's contemporaries. If someone else out there has both the QSI equipped Challenger and the MRC equipped Challenger, then I'm sure you already know what I'm talking about.

Did you happen to "pop the top" to inspect how the speakers are installed? I'm wondering if that is part of the problem, since I have the same decoder with a single speaker in another loco that sounds better. Is the Athearn dual speaker?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

"how wimpy the sound system is"
But does it sound like a Challenger?
About a month ago Athearn told a dealer the the sound "is proprietary made exclusively for the
Challenger".

My material did not include the warranty/instruction card as specified by the manual.

Did anybody receive their's?

Master Modeler brakie has promised us his Athearn evaluation. Perhaps any time soon.

Again, I have described the differences in sound quality between the the MRC chip in the new Challenger, and the QSI chip in the Lionel version in a previous post. Yes, the Athearn sounds like a Challenger with it's unique whistle, but the sound quality of the recording is flat, and toy-like compared to the QSI. There is no way to double-click the sound button on the remote to vary the whistle or trigger Doppler like you can with the QSI using their two-button hardwire interface. Another noticeable difference is the lack of phasing on the MRC steam sounds under-way, that is automatic on the QSI sound as the each set of cylinders moves in and out of sequence like the prototype. Even the recordings of virtually every steam hiss, pop-off, coupler clank are best described as somewhat "fuzzy", lacking the bark of the cylinders, the sound of steam pressure being relieved like the QSI seems to have captured fairly well in small scale. I'm not Athearn-bashing here. I have a ton of their stuff, including Genesis steam and diesels. I am a fan, or I wouldn't have pre-ordered one of the Challengers when I first saw them announced nearly a year ago. I think it's marvelous in every way. But the sound system falls short of the competition, in my opinion, after comparing it side-by-side with it's contemporaries. If someone else out there has both the QSI equipped Challenger and the MRC equipped Challenger, then I'm sure you already know what I'm talking about.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mkroeker

I posted some fairly detailed observations on an earlier post a day or two back regarding this issue under the header "Genesis Challenger Thoughts?", so I won't re-hash it all here. After about six hours of continuous running, the Challenger continues to please me and my young son with it's smooth operation and trouble free mechanicals. Running it alongside the BLI stable we have reveals how wimpy the sound system is, however. I am disappointed in the sound, as I have stated before. It is tolerable, but not up to QSI in any way. The locomotive's execution in terms of detail and finish cry out for a better sound chip. This is a beautiful loco saddled with a chintzy sound chip, IMHO.

Thank you for the update. I am on travel and wanted a second opinion to my impression. I did not get to see your post since I can't read this daily, but will go and read the post. I was disappointed to say the lease getting two of the Athearn engines with full expectations of Athearn being close to equal to the BLI sound. I already got rid of the Trix with the sound installed because of its toy like sound quality. In all fairness to the Trix engine, it runs better than any other product I own, but it needs SoundTrax installed.

I emailed Athearn three times and received three replys. They are concerned and asked me to define my disappointment with the sound. I would ask again that everyone who is less than happy with the sound quality to let them know. My letter was given to their President according to their reply.
I did not post the replay, but it was good and seemed to indicate they are concerned.

[Anonymous]

"how wimpy the sound system is"
But does it sound like a Challenger?
About a month ago Athearn told a dealer the the sound "is proprietary made exclusively for the
Challenger".

My material did not include the warranty/instruction card as specified by the manual.

Did anybody receive their's?

Master Modeler brakie has promised us his Athearn evaluation. Perhaps any time soon.

[Anonymous]

I posted some fairly detailed observations on an earlier post a day or two back regarding this issue under the header "Genesis Challenger Thoughts?", so I won't re-hash it all here. After about six hours of continuous running, the Challenger continues to please me and my young son with it's smooth operation and trouble free mechanicals. Running it alongside the BLI stable we have reveals how wimpy the sound system is, however. I am disappointed in the sound, as I have stated before. It is tolerable, but not up to QSI in any way. The locomotive's execution in terms of detail and finish cry out for a better sound chip. This is a beautiful loco saddled with a chintzy sound chip, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Heard one at the LHS the other day. Wasn't that impressed. I have an IHC 4-8-2 that has been retrofitted with a MRC sound system. The IHC sounds better, IMO, but that's hearing them at different times and different places. My Challenger should arrive mid-week and then I can side-by-side compare. If the rumors are true and the Athearn is using the same MRC decoder, then maybe it's a speaker install issue or with some tweaking the Athearn can be made better.

I do like the detail of the Athearn, but not willing to have inferior quality sound. Maybe I've become too spoiled with the BLI cab forward, which has oustanding sound[:D]

[Anonymous]

Please give me your opinion of the sound quality of the new Athearn Challenger if you have received you engine.

I purchased two and wrote Athearn immediately and got several responses back from them. They were listening and seem to want my opinion about the new product.

I would like to know what you think about the sound and DCC installation.

I received two calls from other modelers about this problem and would like to know what everyone thinks about the sound.

Larry