Hello all:
I’m new to this forum and this is my first posting, so here goes. I’m considering the purchase of a PCM Great Northern 4-8-4. The DCC/sound version has a LokSound decoder but one of my alternatives is to purchase the DC analog loco and use a Tsunami sound decoder. Any suggestions?
The goat
I asked about this in my local model store (I’m looking at getting a PCM PRR I1sa, but the comments were about the Reading T1).
The opinion I was given was that the Tsunami is a good, clear sound, but the Loksound is also good. I’d say the probable advantage in using the Loksound system is that the loco was designed for it, so all of the design in the tender etc will be set up for the Loksound speakers, etc, whereas you’d probably have to fudge things a bit to get a Tsunami in there.
Just curious… Is there some reason you know of why you would not want the LokSound? Unless there was a specific reason, it seems that would be a serious and unnecessary effort. As far as I know the SoundTraxx “Heavy Steam” is generic and not specific to the GN S2.
I can’t speak to the GN 4-8-4 engine as of yet, since it is not available, but I do have the PCM Y6b with Loksound and a Trix Big Boy with Loksound. The Y6b is a very much improved version of Loksound compared to the Trix Big Boy that is about two years old. The Loksound is clear and loud for sure on both engines, but the older Trix Loksound is an early version with many limitations…
The Y6b is clear and has great volume, so much in fact I programmed many of the sounds much lower. It also does a good job of creating background sounds and if you don’t run the engine very fast, the chuffs are excellent. The sounds for theY6b mostly pertain to the engine being in the simple mode, and not the compound mode. In the compound mode, the chuffs should almost be come a roar instead of the loud clear chuffs like a regular four cylinder engine would have. Loksound has offered two modes by selecting function 5 on or off, but it falls short in my opinion. When the model is running ifaster than the fifteen to twenty mph range, the chuffing sound really get toy like. These locomotives did achieve a top speed of about fifty mph, but they look and sound much better in the slower ranges.
The Tsunami is much better for my money and I have three of the Soundtraxx modules also.
The Tsunami is low in volume overall, especially the steamboat type whistle for the Union Pacific, but it makes up for that weakness with marvelous, simply marvelous levels of chuffs, double chuffs and rod clanking on drifting, when the chuff volume is lowered so the engine can be heard drifting. I am using two of the oval speakers wired in series to get the volume that is still weak. It can be programmed to vary so many features, by the 214 CV’s that can be changed. In fact, it is rather hard to get it just right if you try to add all of the features.
Both the Loksound and the Tsunami are great ove
When in doubt, it never hurts to wait for the model to actually come out and see what MR, RMC, and MRN say in their reviews. Plus when it’s available I’m sure PCM will have a sound sample on their site like they do for their other engines now available.
Before deciding to ditch the original equipment module maybe you should consider the complications presented by the Vanderbilt tender. Just a thought.
I have two things to bring up here:
I agree that you should probably wait to hear the PCM 4-8-4 sound before you decide not to use it.
From what I’ve heard on the Soundtraxx Tsunami and LokSound websites I would have to say the Tsunami sounds much better to me. The exhaust sounds are more correct for a steam engine than any other sound units I’ve heard besides PFM’s system. The QSI I have heard just sounds mushy and weak.
My 2¢
Roger
Thanks to everyone who responded to my posting. I’ve been away for awhile so forgive me for not responding sooner. One of the questions that was asked was why would I want to install a Tsunami rather than buy the 4-8-4 with the LokSound decoder. The answer is I’m not really sure if that is the best choice. My LHS had a steamer with a Tsunami installed (don’t recall the loco maker) and I was very impressed. Of course the sound was for a small switcher-type locomotive. One of the differences with the Tsunami as compared to other brands is it uses 16 bit sound as opposed to an 8 bit processor. I thought I’d post the question hoping that someone with knowledge of both could make a comparison.
the goat
You might go to the Broadway Limited website and listen to the sound clip for the BRASS museum grade model. I do not know if that is LokSound or not, but it is an outstanding sound clip. I had one of these on order until I saw that PCM was going to produce a version in plastic for about 1/4 the price. Now I will wait until next spring to listen to their 4-8-4. I hope it sounds as good as the Brass model clip, but it may include a different sound decoder and the acoustics might be different sounding in plastic. dunno
The will probably use the clip, but I have copied most all of the clips down to the computer and have played them after I received the model. Most of the time, they do not sound exactly alike. I even called BLI and talked their technical person after some emails and the N&W J is not the same in my hearing, but they claim it is. What makes the difference? Must be the speakers in the model.
We used to say, I will bet a dollar to a doughnut it is the same clip. However, that was when a dollar would buy three gallons of gas and a doughnut was 25 cents. Today it is about an even trade.
cazypher, the reason they sound differently on the computer and the model is that the sound is digitally compress on the computer compared to the recording on the chip. In digital, sounds are compressed and the more you load the music in a digital format, the sounds are compressed even more. To some, the sounds aren’t perceptible but, to others, it is. I do notice a difference in the sounds on BLI’s website on the ATSF 3751 and my model of the 3751.
Ch
Charlie
That does make sense and probably along with the smaller speaker and enclosures makes th
I’ve done several sound installs using the Tsunami. My best sounding install is in a brass Vanderbilt… WOW! I’ve also done two other Vanderbilts. Takes a bit of inginuity but We’re MR’rs So aren’t we thrive on that stuff.
Fergie