Kato N EMD E5 with LokSound -

[ek2000]

Does anyone own a N scale Kato EMD E5A Zephyr loco with LokSound (silver pilot/silver speed etc)? If yes, could you please share the dcc/sound functions available and your opinion of how they are? KATO's running characteristics, I assume, are superior as always.

[Peter Amling]

I purchased one but haven't had a chance to run it yet.

[ek2000]

Hurray, there's one !

Thanks for your response. Please do post your review/thoughts once you've had a chance to run it. I would be quite interested to know what the DCC functions are available with this (manual notching up/down, switching mode etc). Also, the sound features (start up/down etc) and ofcourse, how it runs.

I have a question in general about Kato locomotives - do the KATO  knuckle couplers operate seamlessly with other knuckle couplers (accumate, Micro trains etc)? I see Kato knuckle couplers are smaller than the other ones and seem to have a slightly different mechanism.

I would like to buy this myself, would like to know what I'm getting before I buy.

[RBrodzinsky]

Not sure exactly which sound project is loaded in the decoder, but here is a link the 12 cyl EMD 567 file description http://projects.esu.eu/projects/print/73483

A sound demo can be found in the 7th entry on this page http://projects.esu.eu/projectoverviews/2?page=2&count=10&order=date&type=all&cat=2

The combination of Kato locomotives and ESU LokSound decoders is a killer.  Amazing sound and performance.

Kato couplers work just fine with MT, Accumate, etc.

[nightmare0331]

Not sure exactly which sound project is loaded in the decoder, but here is a link the 12 cyl EMD 567 file description http://projects.esu.eu/projects/print/73483

A sound demo can be found in the 7th entry on this page http://projects.esu.eu/projectoverviews/2?page=2&count=10&order=date&type=all&cat=2

The combination of Kato locomotives and ESU LokSound decoders is a killer.  Amazing sound and performance.

Kato couplers work just fine with MT, Accumate, etc.

Close.  The E5's come loaded with the most current version which is 73883 with Full Throttle.

The only other change over ESU's settings is Aux3 being set to a Mars light which is toggled with F6 IIRC.

Hope this helps!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[jdcolombo]

Not sure exactly which sound project is loaded in the decoder, but here is a link the 12 cyl EMD 567 file description http://projects.esu.eu/projects/print/73483

A sound demo can be found in the 7th entry on this page http://projects.esu.eu/projectoverviews/2?page=2&count=10&order=date&type=all&cat=2

The combination of Kato locomotives and ESU LokSound decoders is a killer.  Amazing sound and performance.

Kato couplers work just fine with MT, Accumate, etc.

While I'm a big fan of Kato, how good this sounds will depend in large part on how they implement the speaker.  Rick, do you know what they are doing on the speaker front?

John C.

[RBrodzinsky]

I don't know, since haven't seen one. But I agree, , the speaker install will be critical.

[nightmare0331]

ESU 50321 11x15 mm sugar cube speaker installed in a pocket on the rear of the frame that's been machined out to accept it.

Hope this helps!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[jdcolombo]

ESU 50321 11x15 mm sugar cube speaker installed in a pocket on the rear of the frame that's been machined out to accept it.

Hope this helps!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

Then it should sound excellent, as long as they don't skimp on the enclosure height.  The ESU enclosure can be set up for varying heights; I've found in my experiments that 6mm is about the minimum for really good sound from the 11x15 speakers.  There's plenty of room on the rear of the frame to do it right, so it will be interesting to see the end result.

The other thing that is interesting is that at least one manufacturer (Kato) seems to "get" the speaker issue.  IM did OK with the SD40-2, but the enclosure for that is too small and isn't really sealed.  Be interesting to see what Atlas does on its new sound releases.   Adoption by manufacturers of sugar-cube-type speakers in adequate SEALED enclosures would go a long way to making my aftermarket installs obsolete, which I look forward to!

John C.

[nightmare0331]

Then it should sound excellent, as long as they don't skimp on the enclosure height.  The ESU enclosure can be set up for varying heights; I've found in my experiments that 6mm is about the minimum for really good sound from the 11x15 speakers.  There's plenty of room on the rear of the frame to do it right, so it will be interesting to see the end result.

The other thing that is interesting is that at least one manufacturer (Kato) seems to "get" the speaker issue.  IM did OK with the SD40-2, but the enclosure for that is too small and isn't really sealed.  Be interesting to see what Atlas does on its new sound releases.   Adoption by manufacturers of sugar-cube-type speakers in adequate SEALED enclosures would go a long way to making my aftermarket installs obsolete, which I look forward to!

John C.

It's the largest enclosure available with that speaker.

Enjoy!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[Lemosteam]

Is it just me or would photos be really helpful?

[peteski]

The other thing that is interesting is that at least one manufacturer (Kato) seems to "get" the speaker issue.  IM did OK with the SD40-2, but the enclosure for that is too small and isn't really sealed.  Be interesting to see what Atlas does on its new sound releases.   Adoption by manufacturers of sugar-cube-type speakers in adequate SEALED enclosures would go a long way to making my aftermarket installs obsolete, which I look forward to!

Kato is doing this right most likely because those are not really "factory installs". These are all low-volume, custom-made, hand-assembled models (like something you would do yourself at home).  So  they can afford to get fancy with the installs.

But if and when the time will come someday, when Kato will offer sound-equipped models with true factroy-installed sound decoders, then we will have to see how they design their speaker systems.

[keeper]

Which ESU decoder did they use?

Thomas

[jdcolombo]

Kato is doing this right most likely because those are not really "factory installs". These are all low-volume, custom-made, hand-assembled models (like something you would do yourself at home).  So  they can afford to get fancy with the installs.

But if and when the time will come someday, when Kato will offer sound-equipped models with true factroy-installed sound decoders, then we will have to see how they design their speaker systems.

Ah . . . so these are being done by Kobo Custom.  So it really is like an aftermarket install.  Well, in that case, it should sound terrific - just like Rick Brodzinsky's!

John C.

[RBrodzinsky]

Which ESU decoder did they use?

Thomas

I believe LokSound Select Micro. It is the only one that would fit in their E units (the new OEM boards don't). And, with them being Kobo Custom, and it makes sense.

Ah . . . so these are being done by Kobo Custom.  So it really is like an aftermarket install.  Well, in that case, it should sound terrific - just like Rick Brodzinsky's!

John C.

John, yours sound just as good! And I am only following the trail you and others have already blazed.