Is the Soundtraxx Diesel Tsunami any closer to becoming reality, or is it still a distant dream, or even a nightmare for Soundtraxx ??? CPPedler
Nope. And given the thrashing given to them the last time they announced dates and missed them, I seriously doubt they will.
LokSound & Digitrax has this department nicely covered. Although the later is sorely lacking from what I understand.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
CPPedler wrote: Is the Soundtraxx Diesel Tsunami any closer to becoming reality, or is it still a distant dream, or even a nightmare for Soundtraxx ??? CPPedler
First, here is a link to the SoundTraxx site. They would have the latest info.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/
Yahoo SoundTraxx group you can join.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/soundtraxx/
Be advised, there are a some members who like to trash SoundTraxx.
There is a lot of usefull info in the Files and Photos sections. Search the old messages for diesel tsunami.
I have just installed a couple light steam Micro-Tsunamis. Great sound and motor control.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I hope that the diesel Tsunami doesn't become "vapor ware".
Just my opinion, but although the "sound upload" feature won't be available on this decoder the sounds themselves (combined with the proper speaker and baffling) are supposed to be very clear and dynamic. But if it doesn't hit the market......we still have Lok Sound, Digitrax, and QSI.
I have a Lok Sound equipped Athearn Genesis SD45-2 that I received as a birthday present and am estatic as to how great it sounds, especially with its uploaded custom edited Leslie RS5T horn. Too sweet!
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Soundtraxx does make the sound-only DSD decoders, but you'd need a separate motor & light decoder to accompany it. The total cost would be about the same as a Tsunami.
Not sure how the sound-only decoders perform compared to a fully-featured single decoder. That is, not sure how well they handle sound that needs to be synchronized with the motor/light controls (e.g. transmission shifting at different speeds, braking noises on slowing down, etc.). Maybe somebody here who has used a sound-only decoder can comment on that?
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
Stokesda,
I think that you are referring to Soundtraxx's DSX decoders. I've heard Cmarchand's DSX equipped units. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the quality of the sounds is excellent. As he's shared with me: Selecting the proper speaker and creating a well baffled enclosure are critical to to the quality of the music eminating from the unit.
Soundtraxx at one time produced the DSD-150 series decoder in steam and diesel versions. This was their "top-of-the-line" motor/sound decoder. Expensive too! This was during the time whan Soundtraxx was on top of the food chain for sound decoders that modelers could purchase. The DSD-150 was discontinued in 2004 to make way for the steam and diesel "Tsunami". Long story-short, the DSX is the "sound half" of the discontinued DSD-150.
The plus for us is that due to advancements from the competition (like uploadable decoders), Soundtraxx's prices on their decoders came down a bit. That's the ebb and flow of the market..............
AntonioFP45 wrote:I hope that the diesel Tsunami doesn't become "vapor ware".
Not to be harsh, but it looks to me like they already are.
Certainly their steam product is way nice, and the Bachmann deal with them has to be a really nice business situation for them.
Joe
electrolove wrote:It's never going to happen, just forget Diesel Tsunami.SNIP
Do we know this as fact? Certainly one can suppose it to be true.
joe-daddy wrote: electrolove wrote:It's never going to happen, just forget Diesel Tsunami.SNIPDo we know this as fact? Certainly one can suppose it to be true.Joe
Well, I agree with you so we can speculate together!
electrolove wrote:It's just what I think, I can be wrong. But the question really is. How long are costumers ready to wait for a product before they buy something else? joe-daddy wrote: electrolove wrote:It's never going to happen, just forget Diesel Tsunami.SNIPDo we know this as fact? Certainly one can suppose it to be true.Joe
I will wait as long as I have to. I'm not going to settle for something else, I want a Tsunami!!!!!
Guys,
A good friend of mine went to the NMRA Convention in Michigan just a couple of months back. He spoke to a Sountraxx rep. Good news is that the Diesel Tsunami is coming. It's not a rumor nor vaporware. Soundtraxx will be announcing a release date in the near future.
AntonioFP45 wrote:Guys,A good friend of mine went to the NMRA Convention in Michigan just a couple of months back. He spoke to a Sountraxx rep. Good news is that the Diesel Tsunami is coming. It's not a rumor nor vaporware. Soundtraxx will be announcing a release date in the near future.
Thanks for the update FP45, but, and not intending to be offensive, but your post is just exactly that; a rumor. Until they post a real date, it falls into the category of rumor and since it has been 2 years with no definitive news, one can make a case that it is also vapor ware.
We all want them, just getting impatient I suppose! Thanks again!
At least the silence provides fodder for the complainers and geezers.
Some are entertaining. When the diesel decoders are available they will find other issues to complain about.
Your skepticism is understandable, Joe-Daddy. No offense taken.
I made that post only because my friend, who is honest and reliable, actually got it from "the horse's mouth". However I do understand that even the "horse" can encounter unexpected problems and delays, which is what had happened with the development of the "steam Tsunami". But, nevertheless while it was a year (or was it two?) late, that version did make it and so far has received positive reviews on this and other model railroad related forums.
I hope that the Diesel Tsunami meets with similar success.
I realize that it costs quite a bit of money for a product development, but I sure wish that Soundtraxx could either offer more diesel horn choices for the Diesel Tsunami, or make the decoder uploadable. I've noticed that more diesel locomotive modelers (yes, me too) would like their sound equipped units to have the correct horn sound. Soundtraxx's major competitors have made this possible. As I stated before, the Leslie RS5T horn on my Lok Sound equipped SCL SD45-2 gives me nothing but smiles!
I remember all the hype and hoopla (what, four years ago now?) that preceded the supposed introduction of the first Tsunamis...followed by a lot of silence.
The manufacturer dug its own hole by promising so much and then not being NEARLY ready to deliver anything. If those guys took a lot of flak for that, they pretty much earned it.
garyla wrote: I remember all the hype and hoopla (what, four years ago now?) that preceded the supposed introduction of the first Tsunamis...followed by a lot of silence.The manufacturer dug its own hole by promising so much and then not being NEARLY ready to deliver anything. If those guys took a lot of flak for that, they pretty much earned it.
Remember though, Soundtraxx had a couple of bricks hit them at once:
1. The big blow up with MTH vs. QSI regarding the use of a Back EMF speed control function in 1 mph increments shook up the DCC industry as a whole.
2. One of the electronic components used by the Tsunami was delayed due to a problem with the supplier.
3. Soundtraxx's lead engineer, the gentleman that was helping to develop the Tsunami, left and went to work for Digitrax.
Many of us assailed Soundtraxx for the big delay (yes, I'm guilty) but its doubtful that the owners were delibertely teasing us. They certainly did not want to lose customers, especially with Lok Sound, QSI, and now Digitrax jumpng in the game and making very noticeable progress.
A few weeks ago I received some Micro-Tsunami decoders from Litchfield Station and a sheet titled Orange Sheet Summer 2007 explaining a little about the diesel Tsunami.
http://www.litchfieldstation.com/lobby/index.htm
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News: SoundTraxx is investing lots of $ in plant equipment to raise their production capacity about ten-fold. They also have a new engineer working on mixing diesel sounds for the Tsunami. A new custormer service person will be starting 8/27.
NCE has their USB adapter in beta testing with the MRI (DecoderPro) folks and hope to have it on the market soon. Price is rumored to be under $50.
TCS is quietly adding BEMF to their decoders at no price increase. The T1 has been released. The M1 will be soon and the A series by the end of the year. We still have a few of the non BEMF T1s in stock if you want to match an existing install.
Grizzly Mountain Engineering chuff cams and wiper kits are now stocked by us.
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Yes, I know, this is only a rumor since this did not come from SoundTraxx.