I’m in the process of attempting to upgrade my Spectrum shay from dcc to dcc with sound. The decoder that I’ve purchased is a Lok ESU decoder and I’m having problems installing it. I talked to a guy from RailMaster Hobbies about getting a new speaker for it because even with the volume turned up all the way you cannot here it. They guy said that that is tipical for Lok sound decoders, but the speaker has to be 100 ohms and i cannot fit the decoder with the present speaker anywhere on the loco. So I was woundering if any of you have had the same problem or know a way to over come this. Thanks.
Sadly no. 
I would use the LokSound on something else where you can use a larger speaker. You can order larger speakers for the LokSound but it won’t help much. I believe Tonys trains has them.
LokSound used a high ohm speaker because it lowers the power requirement of the amplifier (and thereby heat) But it also lowers the volume.
the small oval and speaker and baffle cover that fits perfectly in the coal bunker of the shay. The micro tsunami fits nicely in the water tender. Be SURE to sink it to the metal tender ceiling. The small oval and speaker is acceptable in volume once you adjust the equalizer. But it will never be as loud as dual speaker QSI’s.
As an option Bachmann now sells parts. You can buy the water tender with the 8 ohm speaker built into the base. It’s a larger speaker 1" round speaker. and not the small oval.
DOn’t be too hasty, Loksounds with the proper speaker and baffles are PLENTY loud. I do not (and really can’t) operate my pair of PCM T-1’s at full volume, it’s annoyingly loud.
A good baffle or some sort of enclosure is CRITICAL. Case in point, I have a Digitrax SOundbug. Lay it on my workbenchm can barely hear it - simply cupping the speaker in my hand quadruples the volume.
–Randy
Thanks. I will probably find someone at my club who has the programer for Lok decoders and have him reprogram it for another engine.
I installed a LOK Sound decoder in my Spectrum Shay in the tender. I installed the 3/4 inch speaker with the standard baffle in the cab against the boiler. (I think I had to sand the sides of the baffle down and maybe the back too.) You can’t really see the speaker in the cab when the Shay is running. It’s plenty loud.
They do okay if you get the right speaker, which is why I said you need larger speaker. They still aren’t as loud as Tsunami’s or QSI’s.
I have had experience with LokSound’s smaller speakers which were originally used in Stewart’s VO-1000 sound chassis. This would be the same speaker used in the oil/coal/wood bunker behind the cab. It’s miserably inefficient even with baffle. That might explain why Stewart converted over to Tsunami’s for their executive line.
I also have a LokSound in my RR H-8 (2-6-6-6) It sounds okay. But if you go to you tube, there are videos up of H-8’s that have had QSI sound installed and LokSound installed. And you can do a direct comparison on the same video.
I have two HO Spectrum 44 ton and one Spectrum 70 ton with LokSound Micro and speaker/baffle up inside the shell.
Plenty of sound.
Rich
I´ve many locos with ESU Loksound, american and european, and they sound high as any QSI or Paragon2 model…Put CV 63=64. In example., the PCM BR01, the PCM Galloping Goose On30, and many others.