A Dumb Question about ESU Sound Levels

[davefoxx]

I have a LokProgrammer, so I easily reduced the master sound (CV63) down to 40 (31.25%).  Running a train, I'm satisfied with this setting, except that I wouldn't mind the horn being a little louder.  According to the LokProgrammer, though, the horn (CV275) is set at the maximum of 128 (100%).  This cannot be, because the horn volume reduced with the master volume adjustment.  How do I manually make the horn louder without increasing anything else?  Or must I just live with it at the lower volume with everything else?  If so, it's not the end of the world.

Thanks,
Dave

[Steveruger45]

Dave,
While I’m still in a learning phase with esu function mapping and messing around with settings etc etc etc, I think the master volume affects all sound slots.  So, I’m thinking to try putting master sound volume back up and then adjust the individual sound slots volumes to taste.  If my understanding of of this is wrong then I’m sure others with more experience will chip in to help.

[peteski]

That's what I would do too (and as I see it, that is really the only option available).

[jagged ben]

Yeah, lower everything else, don't lower the master.  Kind of annoying, but this is what I end up doing with all my sound locomotives.

I've harped on this in other sound threads, about how default volumes (except the horn) are generally unrealistically high, and I wish manufacturers would change them.    When I say 'unrealistically' this is with some recognition that sound doesn't exactly scale, but I still make my case that lower is generally more realistic.   We've had some involved discussions about this and GaryHinshaw even taught me a new word (wait! I forgot it again!).   But anyway, with what they give us to work with, you gotta lower everything but the horn.

[peteski]

I recently haled a friend install ESU decoder in his Kato GS-4.  With the factory-set volumes the chuff was being drowned out by all the other sounds. We ended up maxing-out the chuff volume and lowering all the other sound volumes. Some had to be attenuated down to single-digit levels.

[jdcolombo]

What others have said. 

To “balance” the sound in the first instance, I set the master to 80% to give myself some wiggle room on the upside.  Then I turn the horn to maximum, the prime mover down to 50%, the bell to 40%, and everything else to 30%.  Once I have the various sounds balanced among themselves, then I use the master volume to adjust the overall loudness as needed for the situation.  Up for shows, down for at home ops.

John C.

[davefoxx]

Thanks, guys.  Nothing's ever easy.  Guess I'll be spending some quality time with the LokProgrammer tomorrow.

DFF

[Steveruger45]

Thanks, guys.  Nothing's ever easy.  Guess I'll be spending some quality time with the LokProgrammer tomorrow.

DFF

Yeah, but that just makes the price tag for the lokprogrammer and it’s value more reasonable. 

[tehachapifan]

Maybe it's weird but I actually sort of enjoy tweaking the sounds. Also, like mentioned above, I set the horn volume high and turn everything else down.

[davefoxx]

Funny you should say that.  Instead of tweaking the sound volumes, I have gotten caught up in function remapping.  Earlier today, I figured out what I had done wrong to upgrade my IM SD40-2s.  Now that the Full Throttle features are working, I decided to remap Run8 and Coast to F3 and F7, respectively (I don’t use the coupling sound effect or the switching feature).  I’ve been enjoying revising the fleet to match.  I have modified six units so far today.  I have also made these features work in a consist.  Awesome.

I may start messing with the volumes next.  This is somewhat satisfying and does help justify the cost of the LokProgrammer.

DFF

[Steveruger45]

Maybe it's weird but I actually sort of enjoy tweaking the sounds. Also, like mentioned above, I set the horn volume high and turn everything else down.

Yes, now that I have just managed to do a bit of function mapping logic setting for the first time myself and actually got it to work exactly how I wanted it I’m feeling emboldened and want to do more.  I was trying to get the lights on a single loco to do the normal directional headlight thing and also be able, when in consist with another loco coupled back to back to only put the cab lights on and only on the loco that was going ahead and both locos rear lights to stay off. With some assist from the esu yahoo group and some trial and error it worked.  I’m stoked to boot.  I can see this tweaking becoming addictive.
Here is the map that made this work in case anyone wants to know who already doesn’t.

[davefoxx]

What others have said. 

To “balance” the sound in the first instance, I set the master to 80% to give myself some wiggle room on the upside.  Then I turn the horn to maximum, the prime mover down to 50%, the bell to 40%, and everything else to 30%.  Once I have the various sounds balanced among themselves, then I use the master volume to adjust the overall loudness as needed for the situation.  Up for shows, down for at home ops.

John C.

What a great suggestion!  I started with your recommendations and really like the ability to adjust the overall loudness up and down with the master volume at 103 (80.47%), even though I'll not likely take these locomotives to a show.  That's ingenious!

Ultimately, out of personal preference in my train room, I did settle on the prime mover at 40 (31.25%), the horn at maximum (128 or 100%), the bell at 30 (23.44%), and everything else at 40 (31.25%), except for some brake-related sound effects that were already at 20 (15.67%) or 25 (19.53%).

Thanks,
DFF

[davefoxx]

Yes, now that I have just managed to do a bit of function mapping logic setting for the first time myself and actually got it to work exactly how I wanted it I’m feeling emboldened and want to do more.  I was trying to get the lights on a single loco to do the normal directional headlight thing and also be able, when in consist with another loco coupled back to back to only put the cab lights on and only on the loco that was going ahead and both locos rear lights to stay off. With some assist from the esu yahoo group and some trial and error it worked.  I’m stoked to boot.  I can see this tweaking becoming addictive.
Here is the map that made this work in case anyone wants to know who already doesn’t.

This sounds cool, but I may need some more description from you.

DFF

[peteski]

This sounds cool, but I may need some more description from you.

DFF

Yeah, especially the AUX 7 and 9. These decoders do not have those outputs, so why include them in the mapping?

[Steveruger45]

This sounds cool, but I may need some more description from you.

DFF

Ok I’ll try.  On the map posted the only rows I changed were the light function (first two rows) and the F14 row. The rest is as was by default, I haven’t messed with any other rows ....yet, baby steps and all that.
So how it works is like this, when loco is on its own and you do not activate F14 the front and rear lights come on in a directional way upon pushing F0/lights button on controller.  In other words it operates as standardized set up by esu.
Now put the loco in consist back to back with another.  The other loco has the same light function and F14 mapping but it’s normal direction of travel is of course reversed.   Press F14 then as you move the consist the fwd facing loco automatically switches on its fwd light.  No other lights are on.  When you stop the consist all lights are off.  Now move the comsist in the opposite direction and the other locos front cab light comes on automatically.
If you press F14 again only the lead loco of the consist will operate its lights.

Oh yeah, you have to also make F14 activated in consist.  I have the following activated in consist F4, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12 and F14.

Hope this helps explain but I’m sure some will say this is not very prototypical or some such, but this was more an exercise to understand function mapping etc etc.