Scaletrains n scale dash 9 with self installed loksound 5dcc and a 9x16mm speake

[Steveruger45]

Just finished installing a new loksound 5dcc micro and a 9x16mm 8 ohm speaker in the tank aperture on one of my new scale trains dash 9’s.  I got the dc version to see if I could do better with the speaker.  Here are some photos showing the speaker install and a video of the finished loco operating.
Even after running the loco in I had to do an auto tune and a little more messing with CV 52 to get it to run smoothly.
I’m still not settled on all the sound levels yet but have it close.
Master volume at 90%, prime mover at 70%, horn 100% and the rest between 20 and 30%

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The tank aperture has an opening at one side on this one, unlike the C39-8.  The aperture is 11 x 17 x 4.5mm deep.  I shimmed the ends of the speaker with 0.5mm styrene strip the same thickness as the speaker, the closed side with 1.5mm styrene strip and the open side closed off with 0.5mm styrene strip 4.5mm deep. After shaping the two rounded corners it fitted really snuggly.  I then sealed it all in with some CA adhesive and painted it.  I sealed the small hole in the frame with silicone after putting the speaker wires through. Speaker enclosure volume is about 800mm3

[jdcolombo]

Great job, Steve!

I don't know how the stock ones sound, but yours sounds terrific.  And that horn!  Sounds just like all the CN Dash-9's that run by my house on the Illinois Central main line . . .

John C.

[reinhardtjh]

Thanks Steve!  I have 3 Scaletrains NS Dash9-40CW in DCC ready that I have to do the same thing to.  Good to know it's fairly easy and works well.

[tehachapifan]

Sounds great! Which ESU sound file and decoder did you use?

[Steveruger45]

Thanks guys.
Sound file used is S0772.  Decoder is a 5 dcc micro #58820. This came with the 8 pin plug and ribbon cable attached and the next 18 connection was completely encapsulated in shrink wrap, so had to cut that off but just enough to clear the connector to remove the ribbon cable. I honestly wasn’t expecting to have to do that.

BTW, I also ran it without the tank on to see if putting holes in the tank would be an idea to consider. To me it sounds better with the tank on and completely un-messed with.
I changed the horn by setting cv9 to 6 instead of the sound files default 0.

[tehachapifan]

Thanks guys.
Sound file used is S0772. 
BTW, I also ran it without the tank on to see if putting holes in the tank would be an idea to consider. To me it sounds better with the tank on and completely un-messed with.
I changed the horn by setting cv9 to 6 instead of default 0.

So you managed to squeeze a LokSound V5 in it then? You did say you started with a DC unit, right?

[Steveruger45]

Hi Russ,
I see our posts crossed as I was adding some more text to my last.
Yes.  lok 5 next 18 is more or less plug in and play.  Just pull out the dc sister board and plug in the Lok, after trimming the wrap.  If you get a 58828, that comes without the ribbon cable, you may not have any wrap to trim.
Here is how it looks fresh out the box. [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Started with a dc unit yes.  I wasn’t sure if the factory would put lok5 in or older v4 with next 18 plug and I just think the OEM speaker is weak. It’s an 11 x 15 with not much of an enclosure on it tucked into the tank aperture. That’s a lot of needed speaker enclosure volume gone to waste and they sound a little tinny to my ear.

[tehachapifan]

Ah, got it. Thanks!

…..actually.....I have another question. So, the V5 will fit inside the shell with just taking the wrapper off? I thought the older Micro's wouldn't fit most narrow hood units even with the wrapper off and I heard that the V5's are the exact same width. Is the Scaletrains shell a little wider inside than, say, a Kato C44-9W? And, reading your reply again, maybe you didn't take the whole wrapper off either?

[Steveruger45]

Shell fits on fine with the decoder wrap on, it rubs a bit but not tight. I measured the width of the decoder with wrap on at 10.4mm.  This loco was designed to take the next 18 plug and play ESU micro decoders, the shell sides at the rear in way of where the decoder is positioned is thinner and also measures at 10.4mm.
Do be careful to keep any wires well tucked away when putting the shell back on, especially those that go to the rear truck. I ran mine along the side of the dc mother board and resting on top of the exposed sides of the Lok5 micro and taped them in place to avoid snagging them on shell reinstall.

[woodone]

Any photos of the decoder location of the install?
Lick to see how you handled the flat cable wiring

[Steveruger45]

I didn’t take any photos because it was just plug the decoder into the next 18 connector already mounted on the dc mother board.  Just unplug the dc sister board first and plug in the lok5 micro.  I didn’t use the ribbon cable at all for this install, it’s completely redundant. That has now gone into the parts box for possible future use on some other project.
Spookshow link here has photos.    http://www.spookshow.net/loco/stcdash9.html.   Shows both a dc and a factory installed Loksound  loco internally.
Decoder mounts under the dc motherboard at the rear.  You will note that factory installed loksound decoder doesn’t have any wrap on it. 

[High Hood]

I’ve been wondering if anyone’s added sound to a sound-ready engine, and you answered my question! Sounds much better to me than factory sound.

[peteski]

I’ve been wondering if anyone’s added sound to a sound-ready engine, and you answered my question! Sounds much better to me than factory sound.

The difference is all in the speaker (and its enclosure of course).  Manufacturers (and their design teams) don't seem to understand that. The DCC decoder hardware itself, and the sound recordings in it are of good quality - the speaker systems are the weak link.

Sort of like if you were to have a high-end HiFi stereo system at home, playing some high quality recording, just to have it hooked up to a small speaker taken out of a transistor radio, vs. the same HiFi system playing thorough a well designed speaker system. 

[Steveruger45]

I’ve been wondering if anyone’s added sound to a sound-ready engine, and you answered my question! Sounds much better to me than factory sound.

Thanks. I’m really happy with the sound as compared to the factory sound too.  Far richer and deeper.
As factory sound on these locos is only available on the river counter series this install will allow someone with an operator series loco to upgrade to sound too.   

[woodone]

Thanks Steve. I did not know about the plug & play next 18 on the light board.
How good is your volume?
I just did an MT EMD FT and used the V-5 with a 9x16 speaker.
The sound is very weak.
But I don’t have much volume in the speaker enclosure.
I can hardly hear it.
Turned CV63 to 192 and did not notice much difference.
Horn set to 128 - still weak¡