Soundtraxx is coming out with a lower cost sound system for both steam and diesels. ($65.00) List
I had not heard about this but it might be common news.
The information is on the page below.
I think the main reason they are doing this is because they are increasing prices soon on all of the rest of the decoders. I spoke with Allan just the other day regarding repairs on a Shay I sent him, and that was one of the subjects that he brought up. I would be wary of the cheaper cost. The LC decoders were already lacking in several areas to begin with. The Tsunami is by far the superior decoder to anything out so far.
I agree with you the Tsunami is superior to any other decoder so far. I have three of the Tusnami’s and have only found fault with the DCC drive portion. The sound and rod clank while drifting is really great. The Zimo DCC drive is much better at least for me. I had talked to the Soundtraxx engineers a few months ago when the new Tsunami first came out, and they said their bench mark was the Zimo, but I don’t feel they are as good in the area of motor drives.
I was under the impression the new LC does cost less and it provides a stop gap for diesels until the Tsunami Diesel version is available. The LC are missing a lot of the Tsunami options, but might be better for someone that just wants quality sound without all of the 214 CV’s that can be programmed in the Tsunami.
I don’t have any decoders yet, but given Geardrivensteam’s comment, does everyone else agree? I’ve noticed in some other threads a lot of positive comments about Loksound–just thought I’d ask if anyone has any thoughts about how the Tsunami and Loksound compare.
Jim
“all of the rest of the decoders” I was talking about the LC decoders as well when I said that. As for the Loksound question, there’s no other manufacturer at the moment that offers as many applications as Soundtraxx. Also, nowhere near as many outlets for purchase as Soundtraxx, either. Except for the fact that the diesel Tsunami isn’t out yet, Soundtraxx has um all beat right now.
As far a sound quality, imho, a more fair comparison would be Soundtraxx’s DSX with the Lok Sound. I’ve heard both and was very impressed with them.
The DSX is the “sound half” of the DSD 150 (no longer produced).
Also keep in mind that the days of the $100 Tsunami are numbered. As of 11/15/06, all TSU series decoders will have a list price of $120. Soundtraxx claims increased costs in production as a reason, but my guess is that since no other manufacturer is challenging them at the $100 price point, why compete there!?!
Jeff
Antonio,
I would disagree with this statement. Although the TSU series decoders use 16 bit sound files, there is much that can be done with the 8 bit files the Loksound v3.5 uses, and having the ability to create your own files makes things even more interesting. I also believe that even in stock out of the box form, the Loksound decoders are several notches ahead of the DSX series decoders in terms of sound quality, and the huge array of available prime movers and US prototype steam locomotives makes this argument even harder to dispute. To each his own I guess, but as a steam buff, I’ve never thought the “two blocks of wood with sand paper attached” chuff sound from the DSX was much to talk about… [xx(]
Jeff
I run diesel and I have 1 QSI and 1 Digitrax sound equiped loco. I don’t have anything except each other to compare them with so here it is.
The QSI is a factory installed U28B from Proto 2000. I find it too loud, almost annoying. The digitrax is an AC4400 I installed myself, not as loud, even nice. The sound on the other hand says wait a couple of years it’ll improve.
I’ve heard that lok sound is very good for diesel, but now I’m afraid to spend the money just to be disappointed again!!
I’ve got several QSI systems, in Broadway steam and Diesels. Yes, from the factory, most were too loud. So I adjusted the sound with the CVs. You can adjust the overall sound, and about a dozen individual sounds separately.
The QSI system, while sometimes mind-numbingly complex with their two- and three-part CVs, has enormous flexibility, as do the Tsunamis with their 200+ CVs.
That can be done more easily, if you have a computer (PC, Mac, or Linux) and your DCC system can be connected to it, with the free DecoderPro software.
I’ve also tried a LokSound and am not all that impressed, but then I don’t have Windoze computers and the custom sound downloading must be done via a LokSound programmer (about $100, I think), and a Windows computer hooked-up to your DCC system. Otherwise I’d rate it just below QSI and Tsunami. But that’s mostly just individual preferences.
Jeff, you’re talking to the choir. I’m a very big fan of Lok Sound as I have a friend who gave me a full demo with his lap top, upload unit, and and a brand new Athearn SD45-2. My reference above was that comparing the sound quality of an LC to the LOK Sound was not an “apples to apples” comparison. The DSX’s that I’ve heard were slightly more robust than the LC and come closer to Lok Sound quality.
But yes…Lok Sound is the way I want to go for my diesels.
You can do all the other adjustments with loksound in the same manner as the others. Only the sound loading requires their programmer and the free software that goes with it. Digitrax is the same way. Since there is no standard for sound downloading everyone who is doing it (all two of them) has their own system.
Tsunamis sound great, but if one of the combinatiosn they offer isn’t the loco you want, it doesn’t help that it sound awesome if it’s the wrong sounds. Hence the beauty of Loksound, you can put in whatever sounds you want. Case in point, there is already an updated sound set for the PCM Reading T-1 that uses sounds actually recorded from 2102. Of course, I’m sure some people still say it sounds wrong LOL.
ESU’s motor drive is second to none. MAYBE Lenz Gold does back-emf better, but I dunno. Trying to convince my father in law to upgrade the QSI chip in his BLI M1, would be a good comparison since it has the same motor as the PCM T-1, and much the same mechanism. The QSI chips WITHOUT back-emf work good, but no way can the M1 creep like the T-1 with ESU.
The only problem I have with ESU is their (so far) refusal to cooperate withthe open-source effort of DecoderPro. Digitrax reportedly is, and perhaps this means some day we wil see the sound loading function for Digitrax sound decoders as part of DecoderPro. No need for extra programs and interfaces. This is the way they all should go.
–Randy
Antonio
I have three Tsunami’s, several of the DSX steam versions, many QSI and several Lok sound equipped models that I can compare directly to each other. All have some good points and all have areas that need improving, at least by my logic. I look at it this way. We are just beginning to get some of the sound right and in the next five to ten years, the improvements might be unbelievable.
The new Loksound Big Boy is a very clear and clean sounding product, but is completely incorrect for the Big Boy. I had purchased the Y6b and it has the correct whistle and good chuffs at a slow speed, but sounds like cardboard clip on a bicycle spoke at any speed over 15 MPH, and I was very disappointed with it. The Big Boy has better chuffs but the whistle is not a UP sound and the bell is a joke. The great advantage using the Loksound is the fact it can be programmed with the Programmer to change any sound that is incorrect of needs adjusting. We have downloaded a correct bell and whistle so the PCM Big Boy is now one of the best I have for a factory installation/ modified. I have read that other manufactures will offer the same options in the near future.
The Tsunami is very good, but has some DCC drive issues that has caused me to order Zimo’s to use in place of the Tsunami DCC drive. The Tsunami works great when using a sound cam for the chuffs and it is really the very
The ESU drive is very good, but I would bet a Zimo will out perform it, at least for my money. The Trix is a good example. We installed Zimo drives into the first release and then the Loksound version came along. The Trix with the Zimo constantly out performs the ESU drive, but b
Where’ve you been buying them from? Until the price increase, I’ve been paying 79 bucks each.
[quote user=“CAZEPHYR”]
The ESU drive is very good, but I would bet a Zimo will out perform it, at least for my money. The Trix is a good example. We installed Zimo drives into the first release and then the Loksound version came along. The Trix with the Zimo constantly out perfor
Antonio,
Sorry I misunderstood your post. I also agree that the DSX series decoders are better than the LC series in all areas (except for the motor control of course which the DSX doesn’t have). At the new price point, the LC does become a pretty good deal however and I suspect I will have more customers asking for them if only for the cheap pricing and decent quality and durability.
Jeff
As I own a hobby shop, I’ve been buying them from Soundtraxx… [;)]
I realize you can find them 20% off (that’s the Soundtraxx MAP), but I can assure you the list price is currently $100, and will be going up to $120 (meaning most places will have them for $90) after November 15th.
Jeff
Randi: I agree with you on the sound detection difference. Not many people that I know, can indeed tell the difference between a $10,000 sound system and a $1000 system. I certainly can’t, and I have sat in special sound rooms, listening to the best of systems to the modest priced systems. Also, as we all get older, say past age 50 or so, we ALL begin to lose detection of higher frequencies. Most people at age 20, can hear the full range of 50 Hz to nearly 19khz, but at age 60, we are lucky if we can hear beyond 16 kHz. And, that is if we have not destroyed our hearing beyond that by chain sawing, working in high decibel Mfg plants, played in heavy metal bands, or attended too many rock concerts indoors.
I wasn’t arguing the list price. I’m just shocked anyone would pay it.