Precision Craft Models has announced the UP Big Boy and the N&W Y6b
will be released with the Loksound sound decoders installed. I have a Trix Big Boy with Loksound and wondered if anyone can compare the software in the Trix Big Boy with the later versions out now. While the Trix seems to be an excellent engine I don’t care for the sound system much, especially the fact that you can’t play with
the whistle and the bell cuts off the chuff when activated…I’m
interested in both engines and would like your opinion. Thanks Bill
Can I suggest emailling PCM, the broadway half of the business seems to give good advice. Have you checked their data on the web as it’s usually hidden in there somewhere. I know the ESU loksound chips I’ve heard can play the whistle horn over the engine noise without a noticeable glitch in the exhaust sound.
ESU might be worth looking at as well, most manufacturers seem to have a contact us address.
Sorry can’t help more
I have the PCM Reading T-1 which has the new Loksound system in it. You can play the whistle and it does not cut-off the bell. The sounds are very good, however, the QSI system has several features which I feel are better. QSI engines provide steam/air release sound when the engine stops, which Loksound does not. The brake squeal sound which is automatically activited in the QSI system when the engine slows to a stop does not appear in Loksound (at least not in Analog DC operation, which I use) and the air pump sound in Loksound only sounds for two short chuffs unlike the QSI system which has a longer random sounding air pump.
The new Loksound units can play the bell, whistle, and chuff all that the same time. Programmed correctly, the whistle is even somewhat ‘playable’ with the playable whistle feature on the Digitrax DT400 throttles. I say ‘somewhat’ because it only controls the volume. But the manual does not mention this at all, I just found it by accident on my T-1.
Downside of the Loksound, you can only adjust the volume of the bell, whistle, and ‘random sounds’ and all are attentuated by the master volume. This makes it tough to get a good volume setting between the whistle and the chuffs and the bell.
On DCC, there is indeed an automatic brake squeal like the QSI, as well as a ‘brake’ function, also like QSI. You need some momentum prgrammed in, and like the QSI, the brakes only squeal when stopping from above a certain speed, and stopping at a high enough rate.
I do like how it automatically runs the blowdown valves, and the exhaust sort of sounds liek the booster is turned on until you get above a certain speed.
And until the repalcement chips are available to re-enable back-emf on the QSI decoders, the Loksound eats up QSI when it comes to slow running. My T-1 will creep around my layout on speed step 1 and never stall. A BLI M1 will need a bit of a goose to start but then can be throttle back slightly lower. QSI CAN do it - the Atlas Trainmaster has the QSI back-emf turned on (guess Atlas didn;t care about the MTH situation) and that unit will also creep along quite nicely.
–Randy