I bought a nice new/old Rivarossi cab forward thinking I would add Dcc and sound. But as I was running it to break it in it occurred to me how nice it was just listening to the wheels on the tracks and the smoothness and quietness of the engine.
I have now decided to turn off the sound of most of my engines for awhile.
Don't get me wrong, I love sound but no sound at times can be very soothing.
I turn mine off. After about 15 minutes of running the layout it gets old. Sometimes I let a train run laps while I'm doing other things I use the sound on my switcher in the yard and that's the only one that stays on.
Wayne
So, you guys are paying a pretty hefty premium when buying locomotives that have sound decoders, and then turning them off and complaining that the sound is annoying ????
Why do you buy them in the first place?
I love the addition of sound effects myself...
Love steam engine sound. Not that useful when i'm testing out newly laid track, though. Sometimes silence is golden.
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Yes, but I'm finding that harder to do. When I mute, the BEMF buzz comes through, so I have to leave some of the sound on to conceal the shortcomings of the motor control part of the decoder.
Of course I operate at 20 mph and pull 8 cars, so I hear the buzz. If I pulled a 30 car train at 40 mph, all of the mechanical racket might make me think that the decoder is actually running silently.
- Douglas
I consider the miniature "clickety-clack" of HO sectional track to be just a scale version of the real thing, and it's absence on longer stretches of flex track representative of more modern welded rail. I will add off-track sound as I complete my rail laying this winter, but not as an internal modification to my engines. The clamor of the workaday world is noise enough to many of us, such that we hunger for the peace of quiet tranquil time after we close our front door. I sometimes watch the evening news with captions and no sound, so as to enjoy that blessed silence without compromising my ability to keep informed. With a model railroad, while scaled electronic sound may add atmosphere for some hobbyists, I prefer to use my own imagination to enrich the operating experience. Living just a few hundred feet from a CSX mainline, my imagination is reinforced (and pleasantly so, I may add) nightly as a mixed freight and an automobile dedicated freight make their way through suburban Tampa as I rest.
Three silent cheers for solitude
Cedarwoodron
I do not buy sound engines or decoders. I like quiet and I have been less than impressed at the sounds I have heard. However I would enjoy sounding the horn at grade crossings.
DAVID FORTNEY I bought a nice new/old Rivarossi cab forward thinking I would add Dcc and sound. But as I was running it to break it in it occurred to me how nice it was just listening to the wheels on the tracks and the smoothness and quietness of the engine....Don't get me wrong, I love sound but no sound at times can be very soothing.
I bought a nice new/old Rivarossi cab forward thinking I would add Dcc and sound. But as I was running it to break it in it occurred to me how nice it was just listening to the wheels on the tracks and the smoothness and quietness of the engine....Don't get me wrong, I love sound but no sound at times can be very soothing.
I totally agree, David. I tend to enjoy sound for short spells then I just turn it off. I have found that I really enjoy the clickity-clack of the wheels going over the track joints - just like on the prototype. It's soothing and rhythmic...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Doughless Yes, but I'm finding that harder to do. When I mute, the BEMF buzz comes through, so I have to leave some of the sound on to conceal the shortcomings of the motor control part of the decoder. Of course I operate at 20 mph and pull 8 cars, so I hear the buzz. If I pulled a 30 car train at 40 mph, all of the mechanical racket might make me think that the decoder is actually running silently.
Doughless,
I guess I have silient decoders because my locomotives are extremely quiet when the sound is turned off.
Wow, I have been talking about this for years.
I live near the B&O and PRR Northeast corridor trackage, my work travels take me within ear shot of the tracks on a regular basis.
And I always notice the track sounds more than the locos when I hear a train passing in the distance........
And so it is on my models as well. I like the excitement and action of Class I mainline railroading, and my layout is designed for multi train operation even without a "crew".
Double track mainline, deticated display routes for multiple trains, as well as "operating session" capabilities for 8-10 operators/trains at one time.
The last thing I want is anywhere from 5-10 of those sound systems going at once, even in 1000 sq ft room.
And I too love the sound of the metal wheels on a 50 car train as it makes its way around the layout.....
So that's why I skipped DCC and sound and put my time and money into signaling and CTC ......
And I do like the idea of whistles and horns at crossings........I have plan for that........
Sheldon
I find myself turning the sound off, so my most recent purchases are DC only. I add a silent decoder, and i'm happy.
I turn mine off around 30-45 minutes.
Funny thing..I still enjoy the gear to shell noise a Athearn makes.Of course 90% of them had weight added to the inside top of the shell and they run much quiter.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I thought I just repiled to a thread such as this.
I don't do DCC and sound. A concious descion that I made.
Reading numerous threads on burnt decoders, trouble speed matching, sending them back to the Mfg/Dealer for service and waiting weeks/months plus the cost invvolved and my desire as well for less noise, it was really a no brainer for me.
I do have an MRC sound system for Locos that only get used when my Grandson is here. He like blowing the horn for the Diesels and the whistle for the steam locos.
I have model railroaded for years and do not want to convert, I am very satisfied with my three Control Master 20s and DC block system that I understand far better than I do electronics. And I am old enough and wise enough to know where the fun lies and where problems would start to ruin the hobby for me.
To each their own,,,,, If you like it, go for it............TOOT
I guess you could call me "old school"
Brakie (larry) you are so right. Even though I have quieted my Athearns quite a bit, I too still like some of their growl. That seems far more realistic Than the DCC sound which has yet to impress me.
Johnboy out.
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
tstage Doughless Yes, but I'm finding that harder to do. When I mute, the BEMF buzz comes through, so I have to leave some of the sound on to conceal the shortcomings of the motor control part of the decoder. Of course I operate at 20 mph and pull 8 cars, so I hear the buzz. If I pulled a 30 car train at 40 mph, all of the mechanical racket might make me think that the decoder is actually running silently. Doughless, I guess I have silient decoders because my locomotives are extremely quiet when the sound is turned off. Tom
I don't. Keep in mind that 95% of the comments on the internet come from the perspective of those who install sound decoders into non-factory models. So I'm not sure if that universe is totally comparable to factory OEM sound decoders.
I only buy factory OEM sound locos, which, if they are capable of being set to a non buzz status, the factory chooses not too.
I have protoTsunami, proto/qsi, Atlas/qsi, Atlas/Loksound, Fox Valley/Loksound. They all do it. Some worse than others. The older QSI's are much MUCH quieter than the newest technology. Interesting.
I would love to buy more QSI's, but the proto-accurate modelers ran them out of the market. Now I'm left with nonproto BEMF buzz being concealed by "more authentic" (but horrible) turbocharger sounds that can't be shut off because the sounds have been ..UNFORTUNATELY...recorded from real locomotives and not computer generated...like good ol' QSI's are.
Ever switch cars with a Fox Valley GP60 at speed step 1? My gawd that $260 loco is annoying. If its not the idling turbocharger sound, its the BEMF buzz.
But when I crank it up and pull 30 cars at 40 mph, it sounds acceptable.
Except I find that the noise from the metal wheels on my train tend to compete with it.
This has been discussed many times in my eleven years on this forum.
Here's the thing: (I won't buy locomotives without sound because I like it...sort of.)
DCC sound is crappy quality. No, really. Until they get speakers that can reproduce prototypical sounds at or above 85% fidelity, it's just an approximation. Good luck with that. The sound box-tenders and fuel tanks are too small to produce bass and heavier sounds.
Sound doesn't scale worth a darn. Just like real water on a layout, it is all wrong. It's bad enough we can't really scale realistic distances on our layouts, but having two decoders on opposite sides of a short line sounding the same volume when we're operating on one end is problematic. As most of us admit eventually, it's darned noisy and irritating.
I also mute my decoders. Fortunately, most of mine are QSI variants whose master volume can be adjusted, but also the mute volume does not have to be either on or off; it can be adjusted from 50% max all the way down to 1%.
In order to keep me enjoying the poor sound quality when I am running trains, I only allow two locomotives at a time to give off customized sounds at customized volume. All the rest are on muted idle or muted entirely. Again, QSI's have a three stage shutdown that lets the decoder only play a few muted sounds here and there in the first two stages.
While I love my steam, and applaud all the decoders guys have provided in the way of sounds for all appliances and ambient noises, some of them are downright annoying in their intrusiveness. Blow downs, pop offs, and injector noises, while real, just get annoying when they are repeated periodically. I usually adjust their individual volumes down to the 30% range...or less. Even the bells, chuffs, and whistles are down so that they sound close to the apparent scale distance.
Soundless gizmos making whirring or grinding noises along tiny rails just don't cut it for me. I think there is a hefty realistic component imparted by the tinny sounds.
selector This has been discussed many times in my eleven years on this forum. Here's the thing: (I won't buy locomotives without sound because I like it...sort of.) DCC sound is crappy quality. No, really. Until they get speakers that can reproduce prototypical sounds at or above 85% fidelity, it's just an approximation. Good luck with that. The sound box-tenders and fuel tanks are too small to produce bass and heavier sounds. Sound doesn't scale worth a darn. Just like real water on a layout, it is all wrong. It's bad enough we can't really scale realistic distances on our layouts, but having two decoders on opposite sides of a short line sounding the same volume when we're operating on one end is problematic. As most of us admit eventually, it's darned noisy and irritating. I also mute my decoders. Fortunately, most of mine are QSI variants whose master volume can be adjusted, but also the mute volume does not have to be either on or off; it can be adjusted from 50% max all the way down to 1%. In order to keep me enjoying the poor sound quality when I am running trains, I only allow two locomotives at a time to give off customized sounds at customized volume. All the rest are on muted idle or muted entirely. Again, QSI's have a three stage shutdown that lets the decoder only play a few muted sounds here and there in the first two stages. While I love my steam, and applaud all the decoders guys have provided in the way of sounds for all appliances and ambient noises, some of them are downright annoying in their intrusiveness. Blow downs, pop offs, and injector noises, while real, just get annoying when they are repeated periodically. I usually adjust their individual volumes down to the 30% range...or less. Even the bells, chuffs, and whistles are down so that they sound close to the apparent scale distance. Soundless gizmos making whirring or grinding noises along tiny rails just don't cut it for me. I think there is a hefty realistic component imparted by the tinny sounds.
And the moral of the story is:
The more you try to accurately reproduce sounds that are inherently objectionable, the more objectionable the product becomes.
I have not yet had the opportunity to run sound locomotives for any length of time, but I do know that the factory settings for sound volume are wayyy too high. I have read many posts that say the same thing. The first CV(s) that I change are the volume settings, usually down to 30% or so of max. Some sounds I do turn off completely because, as others have said, they just aren't pleasant to listen to.
I am really looking forward to setting up the new "Full Throttle" effects on my Loksounds but they won't be at full volume.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Rarely if ever do I mute a DCC sound locomotive while in use on my ISL. During my daze in the oil refinery it was always thrilling to hear, see and feel the contract switch engine revving up and belching out a big dark cloud of diesel smoke as it labored to pull a string of loaded LPG tank cars up from the loading racks. Of course my HO scale sound equipped switcher model doesn't impart the same thrill as it revs up while pulling a string of model railcars upgrade from the carfloat, but for me it mimics well enough to make the operation extremely satisfying and much more fun than silent running ever was.
Regards, Peter
I lIke to run with the sounds off periodically. I love the sound decoders in my locos, especially playing the bell and whistle sounds. All depends on my mood and if I want sounds playing, or not. To each their own in this case.
Alvie
If you just want to turn it off, it's a good sign you can benefit from turning it WAY DOWN. I think Dave is being a bit generous if he runs sound at 30% of max. I typically run mine in the 10% to 15% of max range.
Besides the comfort issue, it's also the case we're usually trying to make the layout space we have seem bigger. If you crank the volume, it's like standing next to the loco, usually something that makes the layout seem smaller. Set the volume low and your loco becomes instantly perceived as more distant.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Yes I now immediately turn off the sound. I actually prefer to listen to the minimal locomotive operational noises only.
John
With my grandson we run the Lionels with sound and blow the whistles.
Otherwise I run the sound very low or turn it off. Of course with S scale the speaker is a little larger which helps. But I find that there is a lot of noise in my life, so running the trains with sound off is very relaxing.
Pauk
Hi!
Well, this topic sure has been discussed before. And it seems that those of us with sound locos tend to agree that:
- the sounds are a wonderful addition to the layout experience.
- too much or too loud of sounds gets old after awhile.
So the good news is one can turn the sounds on or off or softer or louder as we desire. There is no bad news.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Old Thumper So, you guys are paying a pretty hefty premium when buying locomotives that have sound decoders, and then turning them off and complaining that the sound is annoying ???? Why do you buy them in the first place?
mobilman44 has provided you with the perfect answer in the reply just prior to this one.
Rich
Alton Junction
I am in the same school of thought as you although I did buy two Bachmann sound value locos one steam one diesel to run as demonstrators. I also courtesy of my DW have the MRC system but use it rarely.
Party this is because I operate late nights and although my wife is at work I do not want to wake the dog or landlady downstairs who is also my mother in law.
Joe Staten Island West
The number one reason I have very few sound equipped diesels is cost. For me it helps me afford the trains I would like to buy if I get the non-sound versions (cheaper). The few sound equipped loco's have been splurges so I could have a few to experiement with or run at modular meets where it seems it's good for "show".
One of the benefits of not buying much sound is I've avoided wasting money on a lot of low quality sound engines. All the early Athearn Genesis up to about 2008 were equipped with the much hated MRC sound decoders I've heard so many bad things about over they years. The opinion was universal enough against them that Athearn relented and switch to a different brand. I dodged that bullet completely and strictly bought non-sound Genesis that whole period.
Unfortunately when I finally did get some sound diesels, mainly because I wanted more road numbers in the Atlas GP40-2's, they came with the also, not-so-hot, QSI sound, which many have also been very unimpressed with. Same with the Tsunami I, have two diesels with that, generally not majorly impressed with it either. In fact the only diesel sounds that really wowed me so far are the newer LokSound diesel which I don't have any of.
So long and short of it, what sound I have gotten has been basically so-so and with a tight budget, I'm sure glad I didn't get deeper in with the sound that I do have; the value hasn't really been that good, for me anyway. I do hope some of the newer generation are substantially better and make it worth the extra cost.
Of course if money was no object, sure, I'd buy sound in every engine "just in case", but with the ever higher cost in HQ trains, what with most of your better quality rolling stock now costing $35-50 each, and a limited budget, you have to choose to have somethings and not others. I'd prefer HQ rolling stock over sound since I don't have unlimited funds.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
At the top of my to do list before the layout becomes operational is to figure out how to have JMRI send out a "mute all" command at startup.
Sound is fun to play with now and then. It's also fun to demo to visitors. What I mostly like is the horn and bell, which usually sound fairly realistic. The diesel engine sounds get annoying and sound rather tinny. I have no plans to run full time with sound. I have a few, but for the most part, I'm buying DC or preferably DCC ready locos and putting non-sound decoders in them.
And BTW, another reason to reject sound IMO is that I don't like giving up the weight in the loco to make room for a speaker.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
I like sound.
It is not a requirement, but it can be enjoyable.
I will echo the others here and say that 99% of mine are turned down and I really really agree with all the damned random noises do get annoying very fast!
Most need some tweaking here or there, but I do enjoy hearing my train working upgrade or coming out of the tunnel at the club.
Now on my testbench/glorified 45 inch layout? It is turned off! Unless the kid has to play with stuff and then I leave
Apparently, there is dislike for many of the ancillary noises that producers are stuffing into the decoders memory. (probably because they are annoying to the ear)
I'm not one to bash producers, since they have a tough job to satisfy all of the different interests, but here are a few thoughts:
Most of the consuming public could care less about prototypical accuracy to the nth degree. They don't even know what many of the sounds are.
But the producers seem to think that protoypical accurate sounds, and more of them than the next guy, makes for a "higher quality" decoder.
No, not if the sounds that are being recorded are annoying. And most sounds that a real train makes are annoying.
Pursuing prototypical accuracy can make for an inferior product.
Just like operations. Nobody models a unit grain train being loaded, because its unsatisfying.
Record what sounds good. Skip what doesn't. And endure the comments from those who say "its not an accurate sound"
I have an Atlas c424 with Loksound. Great loco, great decoder. And even though the representation of the AlCO PM is the "most accurate" on the market, it chugs like a steam engine. I like the nonaccurate QSI C420 better, because it has only a hint of the Alco chug. It sounds less accurate...but way better.
And as a peronal peeve about turbochargers: Since most diesels sound decoders depart from accuracy on the high frequency side, why bother adding a yet higher frequency turbocharger to an already ear splitting abundance of treble? Trust me, others are annoyed too, except they don't realize its the turbocharger.
Its not that big of a deal if your gp40 sounds more like a gp38. Only a few care. When they criticize a producer for a gp40 sounding like a gp38, they don't mention the possiblity that an accurate sounding gp40 is annoying. They just hammer something for not being accurate.
If it were simple, I'd actually remove the sound from every engine I own that has it. Upon further review, I've learned just how inaccurate many of the sounds (still) are...totally incorrect whistles for a given railroad, incorrect chuff sounds for a given steam engine type, etc...
I absolutely resent being forced to purchase engines that have both sound and DCC because certain manufacturers will no longer offer any other alternative. I would like to say I will not buy any more engines offered with both sound and DCC, but given limited offerings in some roadnames or models, I might not be able to hold to that.
My youngest son is now somewhat beyond the age at which he was impressed by sound and smoke...
For me, since I prefer plain DC and no sound, brass models are becoming more attractive purchase possibilities than today's hybrids or plastic steamers (though I do have 2 hybrids).