Anyone know of, or have posted, a sample of the Soundtraxx LC 1st Gen 567 and where I would find it? The Sountraxx site only has the diesel.
Thanks
ratled
i heard a couple of lc diesel setups in ho engines with good spekers. did not sound as good like the tsnami or qsi rev. better off paying a little more and getting a better setup.
LC decoders did not have very good sound files in them. Get something better such as a Tsunami or QSI, as DJ advised.
SoundTraxx no longer produces the LC decoders, so any that are being sold are really old stock.
I am not much of an audiophile, so to me there is nothing really wrong with the sound from the LC series. The Tsunami does have a wider range of “auxiliary” sounds (air blow-off, brake squeal, coupler clank, etc . . .), but the basic engine sounds don’t seem much better on the Tsunami than on the LC series. The only thing I didn’t like about the LC was that they had no provision for minimizing motor hum, which most other sound and non-sound decoders have. So, when I notch up the throttle on my LC-equipped engines, I first hear a slight hum from the motor, but the engine exhaust sounds from the decoder quickly drown that noise out.
If you can get your LC’s cheap, then you might be able to equip 2 or 3 engines with sound for the cost of one Tsunami. If you can live with their few limitations, the sound itself is just as good as on the newer decoders.
As for tracking down sound files online, you might try YouTube. Lots of modelers that installed sound in their locomotives then posted videos of them running on their layouts. Sure, there will be a lot of videos demonstrating Tsunami or QSI decoders, but if you dig around, you will probably still find videos of LC-equipped engines.
Good luck,
Tom
Keep in mind that the LC series of decoders are quite dated. They have inferior motor drives, lighting features, and of course, sound. I would spend the extra bucks and get the Tsunami version of the 567 (which will bring a smile to your face…).
David B
motor control isnt great.
I’ve got a Soundtraxx LC in my Alco RSC-3. It was my first sound installation, and I did it before the Tsunamis were available. Overall, I’m pretty happy with this decoder.
The motor control is adequate, and the sound is really pretty nice. (Yes, it clanks like an old Alco.) It doesn’t have brake squeal or coupler clank, which I’d like but I don’t miss all that much.
I’ve got a Tsunami in a GP-9, for comparison. Yes, the Tsunami is a better decoder. More sounds are available, and overall it’s a nicer listening experience. But, I’m also not an audiophile, and some of the finer details of sounds are lost on me.
For your showcase engines, go with a Tsunami. But, if you’re equipping a fleet, or that second or third engine in a consist, the LCs are proably acceptable for most people.
I agree with David. I’ve got 3 of these LC decoders. I pulled two out and replaced them with just NCE non sound decoders, but the last one I’m keeping in my Proto 2000 E8 because I was able to use a larger speaker and the sound is ok. My biggest problem was motor control and “hum”.
I’ll add a third to this. I recently installed two Tsunamis for customers, one in an Athearn SD40 and one in an F7. I used Bass Reflex speakers from Railmaster Hobbies, and the locomotives sound like you’re standing next to the real thing! the only thing that detracts from the effect (for me, at least) is that they’re still prone to the sound shutting off if they lose electrical contact, but that’s pretty much true of all sound decoders.
I think this is what the OP was looking for:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t30XsQgTWuk
I’ll add a fourth to the motor control and hum. I have an EMD second gen installed in an Atlas U30C. Even the atlas hums, enough for me to contemplate making it a sound-only decoder. In speaking os which, how good are the Soundtraxx sound-only decoders?
If you’re wondering why I put an EMD decoder in a GE, it’s because it always runs with an SD40-2. I really didn’t want to mess with the lights in an athearn engine, and already had a milled Atlas GE-C weight.
Thanks guys for the responses and feed back. I have heard the Tsunamis and they sound great but still cost about $100. 101 LC’s can be had for less than $50. Seems like they are even cheaper than the sound only decoders these days.
Vincent that is exactly what I was looking for - thanks for posting the link
Thanks again
ratled
not tryin to stir up the pot but you get what you pay for. theyre cheap cause theyre old tech. if its for an engine that wont be doing lots of switching runs just road runs its not too bad. the sound is soso just like the engine control. try one first.
I have several engines with LC’s, I actually have had no complaints as far as train control, although it doesn’t support CV 5 and 6 so you have to put in a speed curve in CV 67-94 and then use CV 66 and 95 to increase or reduce the engine’s speed when speedmatching etc. But the Tsunami doesn’t have CV 5-6 either.
My big problem is the “whine” since it was designed before “silent” decoders came along, so it can be annoying especially if you run with the sound volume set fairly low.
If it’s your first sound decoder, an LC wouldn’t be a bad start. A Tsunami sounds great, but after having a couple of Tsunami-equipped engines I find after many months I’m still trying to get all the hundreds of CV settings and options just the way I want them, whereas the LC one is pretty basic and straightforward.
BTW if you’re looking at a decoder for a first-generation engine, don’t overlook the MRC “Sounder”. I like the sound quality, but it is a “sound only” decoder so you have to have room for both the regular decoder and the Sounder. If you’re doing an F unit (or an A-B set of F’s) or E unit that wouldn’t be a problem.