So I have waited to post anything concerning this for a number of reasons. Although I’m not new to model railroading, I’m pretty new to the whole DCC thing. And over the last year of my dad and I building our layout, I have learned ENORMOUS amounts! A lot of that information here on the forums. So I wanted to have some experience under my belt before spouting off my new found excitement for a company.
There is one thing I have learned more than any other in my DCC crash course this year:
Loksound decoders are some of the best products I have purchased on this railroad and also have by far the best customer service I have EVER received on any product before in this or any of my other 10,000 hobbies!
I tried Soundtraxx decoders. While I don’t feel the need to bash any company or product, they were good. They ran fine, sounded good. But the Loksound is just better. Slow speed, sounds, programming and overall, ready to go out of the box when hooked up.
My push to write this little kudos to Loksound came after installing my final decoder on loco #28. I installed Loksound Selects on my SD70’s, MP15AC, C44-9W and my GP38-2’s. The only two I was happy with was the C44-9W’s and the GP38-2’s. They were dialed from the start. Out of the box, hook them up and the sound notching(my biggest gripe in all the decoders) was spot on. Perfect ramp up of the motor sound in alignment with speed of the loco! You can’t get much more realistic and perfect than they have it in my opinion.
The problem came with the MP15AC and the SD70’s though. Both sucked as far as sound notching. The MP15AC sounded like it had 3 notches and I was doing 54mph by the time I hit the second notch. And I don’t want manual notching, so don’t even go there. Personally I don’t want to have to juggle more buttons on my already overwhelmed contr
My roster has about 30 or so Loksound engines. Mostly PAs and F-7s since I primarily model the mid 1950s. However, I like to occasionally run some modern stuff, F-40PHs, SDP-45s, SD-70s and the like.
When the Kato Amtrak P-42s came along I bought a pair with Loksound. These weren’t my first Loksound engines but for some reason, maybe it was the sound file or my familiarity with those particular GEs, like you, I really was amazed at the sound quality, running characteristics and the way the prime mover loads and then responds to train inertia.
Like you, I have purchased many sound decoders from others but the Loksound— with the ability to install upgrades or completely change a sound project—is truly amazing. I also have the Lokprogrammer and it has paid for itself several times over!
Next week my FL-9 arrives from Rapido, Loksound, of course. I’m really looking forward to trying that engine out.
Yes I couldn’t agree more with all you guys are saying as well. I just really can’t think of anything that Loksound could improve. Every issue I’ve had or found they have corrected with a new file or download. It’s awesome!
And Ed, I’m so with you on the programmer. That is another amazing product that makes things sooooo easy and less “code-ish” and just makes programming the locos a breeze! I honestly can’t understand how someone with more than 2 locos wouldn’t benefit from the programmer. I think I downloaded sound and new files to 9 loco’s last night! And it was painless, worked flawlessly and allowed me to work on other stuff as it did what it needed to!
I think also the reason I’m so sold on Loksound, in addition to the amazing slow speeds, great sounds, perfect sound notching…is the customer service. Any issue I’ve had Matthew has been on it to get it fixed and taken care of. He has always answered questions quickly and always is willing to help. That in addition to everything else has made me a lifer for Loksound.
Not only can I not see any way they could improve what they already have, but I can’t see me going looking anywhere else for decoder needs!
Ok, I’ll stop now. Just super happy to be having an operating session tomorrow with my dad and having all my locos working absolutely perfect!
QUite a few I think, between those of us posting here and Matt’s efforts in running the US branch of the company. If you aren’t on the Yahoo group for ESU - he’s very active on there and active in communicating concerns from modelers to the engineers who write the decoder firmware and getting things done. They are constantly updating and refining issued identified by users. The easily updated firmware (if you have a Lokprogrammer) makes turnaround on this stuff very quick. Plus they are out getting new recordings prepared for better and better sound files. Win-win.
I’ll have to check the yahoo page out Randy. It’s cool to know they are so active in keeping things up and right and current. Pretty awesome. Technology kicks butt!
I’ve done about 20 of the Selects in converting HO locos. It’s a fun part of the hobby for me. I second all the comments on sound quality, motor control, breadth of sound library. Also the usefulness of the LokSound yahoo group for advice on particulars. I’ve found customer service excellent, also (Abbie in PA usually answers).
I bit the bullet and recently added a LokProgrammer. All went well (added a program track booster as well). It’s nice to be able to change a decoder file; e.g., changing an E-unit sound file to the new dual motor one.
Hi,
I have one question.
I’ve been using a lot od decoders in my models for last few years. I also have some LokSound decoders (both OEM and full market versions) and I really appreciate them for very good sounds. However, there is one thing which annoy me very much.
Every other brand products are able to run models on a little dirty tracks. If a model has a problem with picking power from a track you can notice that a model doesn’t run smoothly and “jumps” a bit. If you start your engine a very short break of power is not a problem for a model. It still will be going to accelerate (with a little jump of course).
With LokSound it is not possible to start a model. The decoder resets every time the power is missing even for a milisecond. With every reset of decoder the whole starting sequence is being played. Next, a model tries to move a little and again reset. I noticed this problem with my every model with LokSound decoder.
Other models run smoothly on the same tracks.
For models equipped with LokSound tracks and wheels has to be perfect clean.
Have you noticed this problem? I quess that the only solution is to add a power pack (capacitor)?
LokSound, and LokPilot are the upper echelon decoders on the market, in my humble opinion. The amount of flexebility incorporated into these jewels seem to make your options limitless.
I can only recommend the purchase of the LokProgrammer which will make opening these options simple and unlock others you would not even think of.
I am looking forward to the introduction of the ESU SignalPilot slated for sometime this year.
Arras,
I’ve actually had the same issue with both Loksound as well as the Tsunami decoders. Unless the track is completely spotless both decoders can skip and stop and have issues. Any blinking or flashing of the headlight drives me insane. LOL!
Personally, I have installed the capacitors in all my locos and do from the start. Because for me the realistic look of a light that flickers even once…completely ruins the experience for me. Since installing the power packs there have been no issues. I use an NCE capacitor set with my Loksound decoders and love them.
It’s an extra expense and two extra solders, but well worth it in my book.
I keep my track clean (though I don’t do anything special - the only cleaning it gets is after painting the rail sides, some always gets on the railhead. One layotu was in an unfinished basement, the last one was in a spare bedroom with carpet and all that), and I have plenty of power feeds (though many will tell me I’m doing it wrong there as well - all my feeders are rail joiners with wires soldered to the bottom, and I only solder the actual rails together on curves). I didn;t even power the frogs on the last layout, they were Atlas #4’s and all my locos went through at slow speed without stalling - I DID have wires attached to the frogs ready to hook up power if needed, but they ended up just hanging down under the layout. Despite 2 dogs and 2 cats, I haven’t had power issues. There is no smoking allowed in my house, smoking friends who come over have to go outside to smoke, so that certainly helps.
I haven’t added keep alives to any of my locos, the motor only ones don;t flicker their headlights, and the sound ones don’t reset, at least not enough to be annoying. Once in a rare while, and that’s when the layout and/or loco has sat unused for some time. I will probbaly put tem in the locos I use at club shows though, our layout is modular and short connector tracks are used between the sections for most of the older parts of the layout. Every once in a while the joiners are repalced, but most of the time they fit rather loosely and it does cause headligh tblinks and stalls - every train is run with at least 2 power units just to make sure they don’t stall the whole train on these connections. So those I may put keep alives in just for smoother running - but my home layouts have been problem free in this regard so I never bothered. It doesn’t really solve anything, it just masks the symptoms, be it dirty track, dirty wheels, dirty pickups, or insufficient feeders.
Dang you must have done it right Randy! I’m not sure why I was having so much trouble. I’ve got two feeders per switch, and one per piece of track. And some of the parts were soldered together. Just wanted to make sure I had good connections. But even with my newer and especially my older loco’s I was having stuttering and flashing of the headlights. Granted some of my locos needed a good wheel cleaning and I finally got some good track cleaner set up and it got better. But still not 100%.
So I went ahead and put in the keep alives. Just to keep things going! To me it’s a cheap investment for a little piece of mind for whatever was causing the stuttering and flashing!
I’m pretty sure that my problems are not related to power connections.
I have a power feed on every separate piece o track. I don’t trust rail joiners so every turnout and flex track has a separate connection.
I admit that my layout might be a little dusty right know. I work on the layout in a second room so don’t clean track on layout in the first room very often. I will do it when I join two parts of layout together.
However, I sometimes want to relax running trains instead of construction work on the layout. I have no problem with models equipped with Tsunami, QSI, ProtoSound decoders at all. Even without cleaning tracks.
If I want to run models with LokSounds problems begins. They are extremely sensitive. Removing dust from track with a cloth soaked with alcohol helps.
The biggest problems I had with Athearn models - F59PHI and AMD103. It seems that these models have wheels made from metal which tarnish very quickly. Every time I wanted to run these models I had to clean wheels.
It was madness so I installed capacitors and problems disapeared.
I installed my own capacitors. According to the ESU manual.
No problems with programming at all. Everything works as before. Finally models run smoothly even on step one. I couldn’t start Athearn models without capacitors.
Just super happy to be having an operating session tomorrow with my dad and having all my locos working absolutely perfect! 