Tonight I finished installing a LokSound v3.5 decoder into my Bachmann Spectrum dash8. This is not my first sound decoder, but it is my first decoder from LokSound.
From the begginning I was very impressed by the size of the decoder. For the features and sound it offers it is very small, not much bigger than a TCS T1 or Digitrax DH163. I ordered a 20mmx40mm speaker with my decoder and with a lot of persuasion and filing it neatly sits in the cowling at the rear of the loco.
Out of the box the decoder is very loud and the prime mover sounds really overwhelm everything else. It is so loud that the idling sound is quite distorted. Luckily with the decoder you can adjust the volume of the individual sounds and I played with each one until it was to my liking. Once at a reasonable volume the sound is crisp and clear, personally I think it is better than the QSI sound in my BLI AC6000. I wi***he horn were louder but its acceptable.
The decoder is equipped with back EMF and load compensation, two features I have never had before on cheaper decoders. With the sound turned off the motor runs very quietly though the gear train has a slight growl since I havent broken in the loco yet. The load compensation is amazing. I got the loco running very slowly and smoothly thanks to the BEMF then put my hand in front to stop it. Without any hesitation the decoder sent more power to the motor to keep the wheels spinning at the same speed they were moving before. GREAT![:D]
I am very impressed with this decoder, it is one of the more expensive sound decoders available but well worth the money in my opinion.
I’ve been using ESU decoders for several years now without complaint. My entire On30 fleet is equipped with Loksound decoders and the performance and sound are top notch. I’ve also started using the Loksound Micro in my N sclae locmotives and have seen similar performance. There are several places where I feel Loksound has the competition beat hands down:
Size - The regular v3.5 is small for a sound decoder, and the Micro is darn right tiny (about the size of a Digitrax DN163).
Heat - No other sound decoder (or even some motor decoders) run as cool as the Loksound decoders do. Compared to the near plastic melting Tsunami and DSD090LC decoders from Soundtraxx, the ESU decoders are very cool customers.
Sound Upload - Without the Lokprogrammer this feature isn’t the most important, but once you purchase the programmer and create your first sound file it quickly becomes the best part of the decoder.
BEMF - ESU has the best BEMF speed control in the industry hands down in my opinion. Getting non cam equipped steam locomotives chuffs to sync properly is a snap because of the smooth repsonse, and regardless of load the chuffs stay synced up.
Glad your eperience was good. I hope other modelers check out the ESU decoders for future installations as I don’t think they will be dissapointed!
Recently a good friend of mine called me and let me listen to his new Lok Sound over the phone! I was amazed! He’s very happy with it and plans on getting more. From what he states once adjusted properly [and with good quality speaker(s) ] it sounds even more crisp and clear than a BLI diesel.
From what he’s told me, one of the neatest aspects of the “upload” feature that modelers will come to appreciate is that you can custom “mix and match” sounds. If for example you’ve downloaded the 567 EMD sounds on your LokSound decoder, but the locomotive horn sound you want is on another Lok Sound decoder group you can still retrieve it and upload!
Sounds like a winner to me…especially since I’m a locomotive horn nut!
I’ve become a fan of Loksound, too. I’ve got about a dozen or so now and plan to buy more. So much ado is made about sound these days that it seems like sometimes the fact that a decoder is primarily there to move the locomotive is often overlooked. Loksound moves the locomotives better than anything else I’ve tried, and they sound great, too.
I agree with dacort; the Loksound motor control circuit is wonderful; it was designed with an excellent back-EMF circuit; the lighting effects are nice; when enabled, the lights will ramp up gradually and not just “pop on”.
The sound quality is great. Loksound’s samples are clean and have great detail.It is hard to believe the sound is just 8-bit. In addition, you have more choices of engines, horns and bells than with any other manufacturer. I recommend buying the programmer. Not only can you mix and match sounds from various preassembled sound “projects”, but you can create your own and upload them into the decoder. With the programmer, you don’t have to wait for a specific decoder; you can, for example, buy one programmed for steam and upload the diesel sound of your choice into it.
Finally got to here a Lok Sound decoder up close and personal.
Went to my friend’s home and checked out his new Lok Sound unit. He installed it in an Athearn Seaboard Coast Line SD45-2 “non-sound” locomotive. I think he said he was using a 1.1" speaker inside of the pre-built chamber (originally designed for the Athearn MRC speaker).
Standing by was his laptop computer which contained the ESU-LokSound program for uploading decoders. What impressed me was how user friendly it is (a plus for newbies).
Guys, I have to tell you it was mind blowing! The startup, the turbocharger, diesel prime mover, throttle up, throttle down, horn…all accurate and very clear. The bell had a very nice trail off on each ring. The locomotiove ran smoothly.
IMHO, the sound was superior to the SD45-2s equipped with the MRC decoder. NO CONTEST.
He had downloaded the SD45-2 package with the Nathan 5 chime horn (it’s the K5, same horn that you hear on Amtrak locomotives). I suggested to him that SCL in the 1970s was using Leslie “S” series 3 and 5 chime horns. So, then he uploads the program version with the Leslie horn into the decoder, and Wala! My vivied memories of Seaboard Coast Line locomotives cruising by came rushing back.
I have to say that after hearing this unit, I’m no longer super excited about hearing the Soundtraxx “Diesel” Tsunami. For me it had better be as good or better. Yes, I’m still looking forward to it, but for now Lok Sound’s got my full attention!
My friend has a couple of brass SDP40fs that he’s also going to put sound in. Currently, no DCC Sound manufacturer offers the Leslie SL4T horn sound, which is what t
Oh absolutely, The MRCs that Athearn is putting in the Genesis line are junk compared to a decent sound decoder. The sound isnt crisp or clear at all to me. From what I hear on the forums here they dont program well either.
I dont have the programmer, didnt want to spend the extra $150, but I ordered my decoder from tonys with customised sounds.
I have noticed one strange thing, ESU must have different CV assignments because on my zephyr if i hit program/loco/adr4 (4 digit address) the decoder wont take the address. But if I program the CVs for the address like outlined in the ESU manual it takes it just fine. Hmmm…
I wish I did have the programmer since I found out I ordered the wrong horn, but its not a $150 problem.
I’m interested in the LokSound units, will likely be buying one or more in the next couple of months, and with all the gushing over them, I’m wondering:
Does anyone have any complaints about them? (Apart from cost, which is a given.)
I’m always a little suspicious when I hear absolutely nothing but positive about just about anything. [:)] I just want to be aware of any downsides or gotchas before I invest.
So far I have found one thing not to like. They don’t do ditch lights properly. I was not able to get the ditch lights to be on when the headlights are on and flash when the horn is played. They either are just on all the time, or on flashing all the time, or off and then they come on and flash with the horn. My solution is to put a TCS fleet lighter into locomotives that need ditch lights. These have decoder lock so you can program the ditch lights and locomotive address, lock it, then complete the Loksound install and pretty much ignore the TCS decoder afterwards. I am hoping Loksound will fix this eventually.
It’s funny. For a while there was a bit of LokSound bashing going on on the thread. Having not heard or had any experience with one of their decoders, I couldn’t really argue the point.
However, about 3 months ago I picked up a Trix 2-8-2 Mikado off of eBay and that really opened my eye (er…ears).
The Trix Mike came with the older v. 2.0 sound decoder. But I found that I liked the (throatier) chuff better and it sounded more realistic to me than the QSI chip in my BLI Mike. As some have already mentioned, the low speed response of the LokSound decoder is exceptional.
I will probably eventually swap out the older v. 2.0 sound decoder for the newer v. 3.5 unit. According to Tony at TTE, the swap out should be wire-for-wire.
OK, I am considering the purchase of a PCM Great Northern 4-8-4 analog version and installing a Tsunami decoder, but you guys have me pretty much convinced that the DCC/LokSound version is the way to go (for a $100 more).
My only complaint about it is that it doesnt have the volume of say a factory installed QSI system. I actually turned it down a bit at home, but it would be better if it were louder at the big club layout or especially on a display layout. I guess the ditch light thing could be a problem too but I havent tried any ditch lights with this particular decoder.
[:(] Then only thing Ive had to complain about is the horn volume. Its preaty bad when you hear the bell over the horn. I dont have the programer to try another horn but a freind of mine has a decoder also diferent engine and horn and his is low level also. If they can get the horn thing straight ill buy more. until then ill stick with the older soundtrax.
Well its not quite $100 more, I paid about $130-$140 for mine I cant remember exactly. Tonys train exchange has good prices on decoders and such. I havent heard an ESU with steam sounds and I havent heard a tsunami either, one of the steam guys around here might be able to tell you the advantages, but I think you would be very happy no matter which one you choose.
FYI: the PCM catalog has a MSRP of $299 for the analog version and $399 for the DCC/LokSound version. However, I know that with a little checking around those prices can be beaten.
I read a review of the diesel Loksound decoder installation in MR and it was very favorable like the installation sound described. My question is about the sound programmer to upload different sounds. Does it allow you to upload a whistle, and then when you blow it, can you increase or decrease the sound with the button?
I’m not sure I understand your question, but let me see if I can help. The Lokprogrammer really has nothing to do with the operation of the decoder unless you record a special sound loop you want to hear. Typically when people ask about Loksound and the whistle/horn, they are referring to the playable feature, and there are two parts to this…
First and foremost, the whistle/horn on the Loksound v3.5 decoder can be played for any length of time. The length of the middle loop file (the part of the whistle or horn that gets repeated by the decoder when the button is held) can drastically change how this effect “feels” when being used in real time. I like to keep my loop files very short (1/10 of a second when possible) as this gives me the ability to play very short toots or whatever I want. Obviously if you don’t have the Lokprogrammer, this is impossible to change and you will be stuck with the factory file. Based on the decoders I’ve received with default files in them, some are very good in this respect while others are terrible so the programmer is a must if you plan on having everything consistent.
The second part to this is the playable whistle feature introduced by ESU and used by Soundtraxx in the Tsunami decoder. This is where depressing the function button harder or softer changes the volume and pitch of the whistle or horn. To be honest, the Soundtraxx version of this is much better than the Loksound version, but it does work. The pressure from the function key only seems to affect the volume with the ESU decoder and does not modulate the pit
One thing…remember that most QSI diesels are equipped with 2 speakers.
As for volume? Are you guys matching your decoders with the proper speakers and baffling? My friend’s Lok Sound unit was louder than his Soundtraxx DSX equipped locomotives, which IMHO sound great.
I don’t understand…my friend was able to bring the Lok Sound’s volume up and down at will with his Digitrax Zephyr. The Leslie horn’s lower tones were too loud to the point of distorting. So he connected back to the Lok Sound programmer on the laptop and used what looked like a simplified equalizer to adjust the Leslie’s horn so that it wouldn’t distort when played. Nice results! Again, I was impressed with this program. Basically it allows you to upload any Lok Sound clips you wish and adjust the individual sounds. As a newbie just looking, this program made it a snap!
It may be expensive, but it seems that investing in the Lok Sound programmer is a wise move if you plan on having more than one Lok Sound decoder. IMHO, it’s worth it. Otherwise, it’s like buying an expensive new locomotive without a diagram/instruction sheet.
Don’t forget that just a few years ago, Soundtraxx was selling their premium decoders from $139 to $179. Hopefully as Lok Sounds become more popular, prices w
Competition with the new Digitrax decoders, Tsunami finally coming out, and the threat of QSI aftermarket decoders, has driven down prices so much that the Loksound decoders are about the most expensive ones out there. They DO come with a speaker though for that price. But then, so do the Digitrax ones.
