Went to the Soundtraxx “Sound Samples” web site earlier this year. Very impressed with the sounds! Am finally going to convert h.o locomotives to dcc/sound. Am going to purchase “Tsunami” decoders when released. Are any of you ho modelers using Soundtraxx decoders? Are they as good as on the website? Any problems that you’re encountering? Please understand that I’m excited but “cautious” as since I was a kid in the 70s I used to fantasize about having model diesel locomotives that could blow a horn or have a screaming turbocharger sound of an EMD at full throttle.
The Soundtraxx decoders are expensive but I plan on buying one by one if they’re of good quality and not troublesome electronic headaches! Thanks for your comments!
Great decoders. I have installed them in a deisel P2K FA1 and Mikado 2-8-2 steam.
A little pricey but worth it. Installation is pretty straight forward. You didn’t say what
brand or type of loco you using, but they install like any other decoder.The only
difference is the addition of a speaker. Dave
I have over 20 steam locomotives with SoundTraxx systems in them, and one A-B-B-A E-8 diesel passenger locomotive set. My steam locomotives range from a Bachmann 3-truck Shay to a Bachmann Mountain. My only complaint with any of them was that a speaker small enough to fit into the Shay locomotive’s fuel bunker is too small to have adequate volume; however, that’s not a fault of the decoder. Overall, I have had excellent results with SoundTraxx, especially the larger DSD-150 (soon to be replaced by the Tsunami).
I’ve heard many HO scale steamers equipped with Soundtraxx sound decoders and I must say I’m greatly impressed. I hope when the Tsunami decoders are released, they make one of UP #844. I’d love for my 844 to have sound![:D]
I’ve had no problems with Soundtraxx decoders or sound, other than a stupid mistake I made while installing a unit. I got so used to doing it I forgot to put the capacitor into the speaker output - oops.
Getting technical information from them is like pulling teeth. I finally got an answer to one of my questions about frequency response, but still don’t know about load. One of their installation guides shows a picture (two speaker system) that would put only 4 ohms of impedance across the output, but they state that less than 8 ohms will damage the unit! Which is it?!!! I asked if 16 ohms was ok. No reply.
The true key to a good Soundtraxx installation is the speaker. Spend a lot of time getting a good speaker(s) carefully installed.
I am also wanting to install a soundtrax decoder in a loco. I have a BLI loco on order and want to get it up and running first to see how the sound is going to work with my DCC (digitrax0 system. It seems that either route you go (RTR or your own installation) sound is going to run you about 100 bucks per unit. If everything works as it should I plan on equipping about 10 units with sound out of a fleet of 56 locomotives.
Sorry about jumping in on your thread AntonioFP45 but I was also thinking of installing Soundtraxx. One question I have is ; I’ve heard the soundbite on there website, and it sounds great, but are there other sounds associated with lets say a steam engine decoder such as bell, whistle, etc etc similar to the QSI decoders in BLI? If they don’t have that capability will the Tsunami’s?
The Soundtraxx decoders (pre-Tsunami) include whistle, bell, safety valve, air pump, air release, turbogenerator, coal shoveling, coupler clank, and background hissing sounds. Sounds like the air pump, safety valve, and coal shoveling (called “Fireman Fred”) are automatic background effects, but you can turn any of them off with CVs – I don’t use Fred because all my engines are oil burners.
I happen to have a video segment from the late 80s/early 90s. It has you with a group of modelers running the Milwaukee Racine & Troy layout. Just viewing how you guys run the session was enjoyable. The Intermodals, mixed freight, and Amtrak having to leap frog or keep out of each other’s way must have kept that dispatcher on his toes! The communiction between the dispatcher and the engineers sounded very prototypical.
Now with today’s DCC/Sound technology along with all of the lighting features one can imagine that the MR&T would be very impressive in an operating session.
Are you going to revive that layout? Last I read it was inactive.
I have many engines,both steam and diesel,with soundtraxx decoders.I was very happy with them untill I got my BLIs .I like the QSI sound better,but I think that the soundtraxx tsunami should bring it up a notch.I’ve had no problems with them at all.They were all installed by Tony’s Train Xchange
Hello Andy
Thanks for the response, it’s always exciting when a reply comes from one of the Editors. Just the other day I had a topic about Campbell Craftsman kits and the Gentleman running the company answered a couple of my questions on staining and weathering.
That’s what makes this forum great!!!
Take care, all the help is appreciated.
Good to know. Could you please tell us what brand and type of locomotives in your fleet have the Soundtraxx decoders? What type of decoders? (DSX, DSD, LC).
On your diesels, did Tony mount the speakers on the ceiling or on the chassis?
I’ve read that baffling and location make the difference in sound quality.
AntonioFP45
On my diesels-F3s,F7s,VO100,RS 2 & a doodlebug.I’ll have to go up to the train room and make a inventory if you need more specifics. I’m not sure how they are mounted as I have never had to open them up.As to the steam-8 or 10 brass imports’ LL heritage 0-6-0 and o-8-o,Athern Mike & Pacific, Powerhouse Mike,Bowser 2-8-0 & 4-6-0,Bachman 4-6-2 & 2-8-0,Meheno 2-6-0 …I hope this helps.Out of them all,I’m only unhappy with a bachman decapod.The sound is OK, but I just can’t get it to run the way I would like.The decoder was made especially for this engine and I’ve been having a bear of a time trying to get it to run on 128 speed steps and sync of the auto chuff rate.As far as I can recall, they are all DSDs.
Several of these posts refer to the “Tsunami”. However, after spending first some time on the Soundtraxx site, then Googling for hits, I’m not sure if these are available yet.
I see multiple references to them this summer, referring to fall. Where I am, even though it’s not the winter I grew up with in MN, I would say we’re pretty-well beyond fall and can see winter from here. [:o)] Has there been any further word on when they’ll be showing up?
Having watched a vid last night of the new Athearn Challenger, I’m considering pushing up my DCC & sound plans a little bit. I just KNOW that my 3.5-year-old co-engineer would love hearing as well as seeing. [8D]
I’ve got several engines with sound. The biggest thing I 've found to affect performance is the baffling (or lack thereof)! With baffles of the proper size, the sound is very nice. With inadequate baffling (I have one with no baffle and a very small speaker - no place to put a larger one), the sound is practically undetectable. It definitely adds a new dimension to operation.
One of the posts asked about the impedence being 4 ohms when 8 is recommended as the minimum. It is usually OK to increase the impedence (to 16 ohms) without worrying about damage to the decoder’s output transistor. It is when the impedence is less than the recommended minimum that you risk overdriving the output transistor and damaging the amplifier. Even at 4 ohms, if you don’t run the volume up to the maximum you will probably be OK. I’ve found that the default volume is too high anyway. Mine are reset to about 30% of range.
If you measure the impedence (actually, input resistance) of the Soundtraxx edge-port speakers, they are very low (about 3.2 ohms) compared to what Soundtraxx recommends. Go figure!
The Tsunami is not out yet. Many of us are waiting…and waiting. It’s good though that Soundtraxx would rather get it right rather than release it with even minor glitches. The standard it has to match or beat is QSI. If Tsunami is successful, I think we’ll really see sound become even more popular.
Guys,
Thanks for your feedback. Even though I posted this a year ago, I still always manage to learn something new from you guys on this Forum.
Any more of you out there with sound or about ready to try sound I would like to read from you.
Hello,
Will the new Decoder from Soundtraxx have Switcher-sound.
SP’s SW1500/MP 15 ??
Atlas is comming out in the late fall MP15’s and also in SP-format.
But, will the QSI be avail in a ‘Separate-purchase??’
Thanks!
Over the past month, I have been trying to install a DSD-LL110LC in a P2K SD60. First problem: The soundtraxx instructions say to insert a resistor in one of the leads of each light, since the P2K bulbs are 1.5v, but I figured I would use 12v. GOW. Got it all installed and working, but after running for a while, I noticed light coming from the roof of the cab. The 12v GOW bulb got hot enough to melt the plastic in the cab roof. This was not good, so I decided to use Golden White leds from LoyToys. Next problem: After installing the leds, when running the loco in the foward direction, the backup light would blink on and off every time I changed the speed setting. Same thing would happen when running in reverse; the headlight would blink on & off with each speed setting change. Tried resetting the decoder, throttle, DCS100, but no joy. Finally sent an email to Soundtraxx, and Alan Lloyd wanted to look at the decoder. Sent it back, and a couple of weeks later it was returned indicating they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Their website also suggests not using leds because of this problem, but I have a DSD-150, and a Digitrax decoder that do not have a problem using led headlights. To make this story shorter, I hooked a scope across the leds and found 8v of noise on them. Putting a .1mf cap across the leds cures the problem, but it took a month of playing to fix the problem. Maybe, Sountraxx will incorporate the caps in their future systems.