I am very disappionted so far with Loksound. Went to change the whisle choice and I now have low volume and no control for that CV to raise it. So far thier support stinks, at least other sounds systems made here in our country you can call them and speak to a tech for help. I just canceled an order for new locomotives with loksound.
rc,
Did you download their comprehensive manual for your particular Loksound decoder?
http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/instruction-manuals/digital-decoders
You can also try joining the Loksound Yahoo! Groups forum for posting questions, as well as posting them here. That's why there's an Electronics and DCC forum on this site.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
The prime mover and horn selection isn't even an indexed CV - did you even look in the manual? It's CV48. Starts on page 32 of the current manual with a list of all the horn types - unlike MRC, they actually tell you what horn you get for a given CV value. I'd just do a reset and start over. That should get your volumes back.
The volumes work exactly like Tsunami. The CV range 257-511 serves multiple purposes, and which thing you are setting is controlled by CV32. If CV32 is 1, then you are changing the volumes by using the higher CVs. Just like the same CVs with a different index control the mixer or the reverb or volume in Tsunami. This is all in the manual in page 34 and 35.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
For some folks, reading a manual is asking too much already, although certainly commendable when tinkering around with the CV´s of a sound decoder.
Bashing the manufacturer and disseminating one´s preposterous opinion in various threads is much easier!
rc guy I am very disappionted so far with Loksound. Went to change the whisle choice and I now have low volume and no control for that CV to raise it. So far thier support stinks, at least other sounds systems made here in our country you can call them and speak to a tech for help. I just canceled an order for new locomotives with loksound.
I don't have a great deal of experience with sound yet myself, but obviously there is a bit of a learning curve as others have made it clear, with most of the major DCC sound makers. Cancelling orders for loco's with the best available sound seems like shooting yourself in the foot to cure a mosquito bite.
There seems to be a rather overwhelming consensus in opinion by DCC sound of connoisseurs that Loksound is presently the superior maker of sound boards during the past couple years in terms of sound fidelity, quality and motor control, as well as being more tolerant of brief interuptions in electricity. Are you willing to deny yourself the best in sound boards so quickly? It might behove you to follow up on some of the resources provided here before summarly passing judgement and trashing Loksound. Just sayin...
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Yes I did
Yes 48 and 0-15 for the different selections. It will change the horn but it has low volume and I followed the instructions on volume putting in the default of 128 and still low volume. I have installed Tsunami in older DC units and set it up with no issues, i even go into the mixer to get the sound just right. I can program QSi to do what i want and even my sound systems in my broadway limited engines to make changes with no issues.
thanks for the reply, I do have some experience with these systems. I have seen from doing my research before i purchased this product that loksound looked impressive. But with every other manufacture of these sound systems when i reached out to them for questions or support there was always a person to help answer my questions. Not with Loksound. I have over 200 locomotives so i can hold off buying any at this time until i find out if loksound is for me. I do love Atlas trains. They make some great products and have always been great to deal with.
Thanks for the reply, No I went over it, I set CV 32 to 1 then set the higher # to the default 128. i am a kind of geek, I love reading manuals. There could be a glitch in the board. But I won't support a product that doesn't offer good customer support. I am in sales and I do extremely well because I always answer my phone when there is a question or an issue comes up that needs to be address
Reading Lines, My favorite road name, Randy
You do know that there is a Yahoo Loksound Users forum, right? They seem to be pretty helpful.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/loksound/info
ok I'll go on there for info, thanks. When i revert all the changes i tried to make back to the sounds Altas set the locotive up with then the volume works. But they used #5 Airhorn Leslie S-2B. It sound like a door buzzer in a tenament bldg in NYC, that is why i tried to change it. I wonder if it has to do with the speaker in the unit, it is a switcher.
rc guy ok I'll go on there for info, thanks. When i revert all the changes i tried to make back to the sounds Altas set the locotive up with then the volume works. But they used #5 Airhorn Leslie S-2B. It sound like a door buzzer in a tenament bldg in NYC, that is why i tried to change it. I wonder if it has to do with the speaker in the unit, it is a switcher.
FWIW: If you use the "Add Quote to your Post" option in your posts when responding to a particular poster, it will clarify who exactly you are responding to. Just click "Reply" to the post you want to reply to then click the "Add Quote" option. The quote will be visible above what you plan to write in your text box.
Again, FWIW...
I am going to still guess you set the wrong volume, or also try 127 as the max, not 128. I have no problems setting the volumes in any of my Loksounds. My beef with Tsunami is that even at full volume the horn is too quiet. You can hear it in the recent video review of a Proto 2000 loco in one of the recent Cody's Office episodes. Prime mover - nice and clear. Bell, nice and clear. He hits F2 to blow the horn - sounds like it's buried under a half ton of blankets.
tstage rc guy ok I'll go on there for info, thanks. When i revert all the changes i tried to make back to the sounds Altas set the locotive up with then the volume works. But they used #5 Airhorn Leslie S-2B. It sound like a door buzzer in a tenament bldg in NYC, that is why i tried to change it. I wonder if it has to do with the speaker in the unit, it is a switcher. rc, FWIW: If you use the "Add Quote to your Post" option in your posts when responding to a particular poster, it will clarify who exactly you are responding to. Just click "Reply" to the post you want to reply to then click the "Add Quote" option. The quote will be visible above what you plan to write in your text box. Again, FWIW... Tom
Thanks for that info
rrinker I am going to still guess you set the wrong volume, or also try 127 as the max, not 128. I have no problems setting the volumes in any of my Loksounds. My beef with Tsunami is that even at full volume the horn is too quiet. You can hear it in the recent video review of a Proto 2000 loco in one of the recent Cody's Office episodes. Prime mover - nice and clear. Bell, nice and clear. He hits F2 to blow the horn - sounds like it's buried under a half ton of blankets. --Randy
Thanks I will try that 127. I have had good luck with Tsunami, what i will say about it is , it requires a lot of power to operate, so if your pick ups on the locomotive aren't making good contact or the track is dirty it will cut out. Where as my Atlas Train Masters with QSI operate great under the same conditions.
Are you trying to contact ESU during the times they are available ? ....
http://www.esu.eu/en/contact/
I've never had any trouble getting in touch with somebody there.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
I've been installing mainly LokSound Selects in HO conversions the past 12 months or so since my first attempt, just to explain my perspective.
First, are you using the LokSound Select and the Select Users Guide for Steam & Diesel Locos? I only mention that in case there are differences, say, with other L-S guides (e.g., V4) regarding the CV's under discussion.
Anyhow, most has been covered but here's what I suggest. Reset the decoder (CV8 = 8, then power off a bit, then on 10+ secs). Verify a couple of things...it responds on address 3, movement and sound. Read a few CVs if you have a program track, namely CV8 (mfg ID), CV48 (probably 5), master volume CV63 (probably 180). All to check defaults as expected. If a manufacturers installed decoder, I don't know if any of their defaults could be different. If so, I'd expect their documentation would so indicate.
Then, change just one thing at a time and check for expected result. For instance, change the master volume to 90 and then to max 192 and then back to default 180. If the result (in sound) is not right, read the CVs back to double check what is changing. Then, set index CV32 = 1. Then you can adjust horn volume CV275 (default = 128) to about 64, then back to 128. (I'm not sure what max is as that's not listed in the back for the higher number CVs, over 256). If that goes well, try with the diesel motor volume CV259, default 99, so try 50 and then back. (Not sure what this max is either.) If all that goes well, only then would I try changing CV48. I'd take the default number (confirmed by being read) and add one, see if the sound type changes (it should) or approximate volume (it should be in the same range). It calls for an off/on cycle for the change to take effect. Then, I'd check CV31 set again at 1, and then change the (new) horn volume doen to 64, then back to 128 to see if expected result. Not sure whether an on/off cycle is needed after the CV31 nested higher CV sound changes (or Cv63). It can't hurt.
IF all that worked, then you can go about balancing the key various sound CVs against one another, particularly master volume, horn and motor sound.
If what's descibed does not work, you will have done things in a way that prove that something else (other than settings) is the issue.
I can agree with some there's a learning curve to getting familiar with the Select manual. I even came across a couple typos (about page number referred to, etc) that I had to go through repeatedly to confirm I knew what was right. I have lately got started with the Yahoo user group adn recommend that on specific questions, quite helpful on specifics. I did early on call the U.S. office with a question and the lady answering happened to know what I needed to know about hooking up a capacitor, and the gent was busy with a project and I was asked to e-mail him with other questions. I have the feeling it's a spread thin organization that does a lot of good (e.g., getting real recordings to market), does the best they can, but has many balls in the air.
Let us know if you get this resolved and what the obstacle turned out to be.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
At lot of questions about what ESU is up to can be found in Bruce Petrarca's interview with Matt Herman a few months ago in MRH. There's also a followup thread on their forums related tot he article in which you get even more information - for example, someone posted that currently, all you can get is an Alco 539T, and he's working on a model that needs a 539 non-turbo. Matt responded to the messgae indicating that a 539 non-turbo is forthcoming, and he already had a recording session lined up. This constant drive to get more varied real recordings and update existing ones with even better quality is yet another reason Loksound is on top right now. Someone else mentioned additional control features, like coasting and braking. A firmware upgrade later, and beta testers were evaluating these new features. No one else does this. This is all due to Matt and his team working with the Germans to build the best decoder they can for North American prototypes.
Hey Randy, if you don't mind can you provide the link to Bruces interview and info?
I'm contemplating buying Intermountain 3rd run cab forward which comes with Loksound (which would be my first Loksound engine - others or older Atlas that came with QSI or Genesis w/Tsunami) so it would be interesting to start educating my self about ESU now.
Here's the thread: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/mrh-2014-12-dec/di_loksound-dcc
There unfortunately aren;t as many steam updates simply because there is a limit on the varieties of actual steam locomotives still running that recordings can be made from. Slightly difficult to get sound from a locomotive for which there are no operating examples to steam up - if you're lucky you can track down a whistle off one and get a correct whistle, and maybe the bell. Even then, you may have to record the whistle using air, and it's never the same as using steam to blow it.
Thanks, I enjoyed the article and the follow up posts on LokSound.