Mill Creek HOn30

[Hawghead]

So here's the thing. I like sound, but hate DCC. Just a few days ago I bought another Model Power 2-6-0 with factory sound. Sound wasn't the greatest so I replaced the speaker. After that the bell and the chuff were very-very quiet with the rest of the sounds at full volume. Did all the resets and turned them all up. It is like a channel blew on the decoder.

I'm done with DCC 

So I might get a Kato Soundbox instead and mount speakers on the ceiling above the layout. I have a Climax, Heisler, and some tiny locos that would never fit sound.

So yeah I hope to have sound, just wish I could play with a Soundbox before I bought it.

Just out of curiosity, what's the issue DCC?  The store looks great btw.

Scott

[Chris333]

Just out of curiosity, what's the issue DCC?  The store looks great btw.

Scott

My power pack has a knob and a direction switch, my DCC controller has about 25 buttons. 

It is like they didn't even design it to run trains. I hate turning that endless wheel for speed. Plus it took me less than an hour to ruin the decoder. Literally 2 laps around the layout and the decoder got screwed up from changing the speaker. 

I do like the sound, but I just don't think my head should hurt when running trains trying to remember what buttons to press.

[davefoxx]

My power pack has a knob and a direction switch, my DCC controller has about 25 buttons. 

It is like they didn't even design it to run trains. I hate turning that endless wheel for speed. Plus it took me less than an hour to ruin the decoder. Literally 2 laps around the layout and the decoder got screwed up from changing the speaker. 

I do like the sound, but I just don't think my head should hurt when running trains trying to remember what buttons to press.

It gets much easier and more intuitive with practice/time.  By the way, if you increased the volume, you can overdo it, and the speaker will sound garbled and blown.  Try turning the volume back down before surrendering.

DFF

[Chris333]

It gets much easier and more intuitive with practice/time.  By the way, if you increased the volume, you can overdo it, and the speaker will sound garbled and blown.  Try turning the volume back down before surrendering.

DFF

The whistle and all the sounds the loco makes while sitting there work fine. It is just the bell and the chuff that got screwed up. You have to put your ear right next to the loco to tell it is working.

I just don't want a circuit board in my locos.

[wcfn100]

 Time the worlds first HOn30 Baby Ruth box car.

Jason

[Chris333]

Time the worlds first HOn30 Baby Ruth box car.

Jason

LOL I bet it would sound like crap today.  I notice new Bachmann On30 locos come with "Chuffinity" sound. They don't sell then as TCS decoders yet, these are the first. Supposedly they make the chuff sound less like a computer and more like a real loco.

https://tcsdcc.com/chuffinity

For right now the only thing keeping me from getting the Kato Soundbox are the dynamo and air pump sounds that are automatic. My locos don't have electric lights or air brakes.

[peteski]

My power pack has a knob and a direction switch, my DCC controller has about 25 buttons. 

It is like they didn't even design it to run trains. I hate turning that endless wheel for speed. Plus it took me less than an hour to ruin the decoder. Literally 2 laps around the layout and the decoder got screwed up from changing the speaker. 

I do like the sound, but I just don't think my head should hurt when running trains trying to remember what buttons to press.

That is a copout.   
 There are plenty of DCC throttles out there with a single-turn speed control knob, and fewer buttons.
And as far as buttons are concerned, even if you had a DC version of some sound system, how do you propose to activate various sounds?  With your mind?    Then there is the proto-throttle for ultimate realism (although I only  heard of a Diesel version).

[CRL]

I’d like to see a steam version of the proto throttle, but all the valves would make it awfully heavy... then it would get too hot to hold from the firebox.

[Chris333]

I'll send you my MRC 2-6-0 and if you can make the sound work I'll consider giving DCC a shot. 

But even then the layout would have a switch to go back to DC for my smaller locos.

[Chris333]

And just to be clear. If you use DCC that is fine with me. I just don't like it. Sort of reminds me how simple my TV used to be and now it is like having a child to care for.

I bought my DCC system to put sound in a On30 loco. I wasn't happy with the sound and focused on HOn30 instead. That is why I even have the DCC system in the first place.

[wazzou]

I'd think a Zephyr and a UT-1 throttle would do the trick, wouldn't it?

[peteski]

I'll send you my MRC 2-6-0 and if you can make the sound work I'll consider giving DCC a shot. 

But even then the layout would have a switch to go back to DC for my smaller locos.

I sure can (by installing a "real" sound decoder, like ESU, or even Tsunami).    But regardless of what decoder I install, I have to admit that they all are complicated beasts which sometimes require some tweaking (or can occasionally lose their "mind". 

[Dave V]

Chris,

I can't speak for other systems, but one of the features that sold me on Digitrax when I first made the leap was that Digitrax allows you to run a DC analog engine simultaneously with DCC-equipped engines using 00 as the loco address (in effect treating your analog engine as if it had a decoder addressed to 00).  Now, obviously this has limitations.  For one, all of your analog engines will respond to address 00 so unless you have isolated blocks you can turn off, any analog engine on the layout will move when you crack the throttle for address 00.  Second is that analog engines have a whine to them that is a function of how Digitrax is "spoofing" the analog engine into behaving as if it were receiving variable-voltage DC power.  But, as all this is happening, you can control your DCC-equipped engines independent of your analog engine.  There's no DC to DCC switch required.

But if you've got that engine that'll never get a decoder for whatever reason, or a new DC engine you want to evaluate before you install DCC, this feature is great.

It would not surprise me if other major DCC systems do this now, but when I first made the plunge 15 years ago, Digitrax appeared to me to be the only one that did this.  And given how long it took for me to convert much of the JD's fleet to DCC this was a major win for me.

[Chris333]

Oh if I was going DCC I'd just keep what I had. It is simple to wire in a switch. Only 2 wires go to the layout.

About ESU decoders. I was all set to buy the new micro that just came out, but you need to have it programed for what loco you want. And try to find sound samples of those locos before you buy. All I could find were the acutal sound files and my computer won't play them.

The reason I ditched the On30 sound was because my Heisler sounded like a rod loco.

The ability for a loco to make noise doesn't really matter if it is the wrong noise.

Meanwhile I just designed another 3D gondola...

[Hawghead]

Chris,

I was asking about DCC because I'm about to delve into that world for the first time myself.  If the sound problem you experienced was after replacing the speaker, it may be because the encoder requires a certain impedance value for the speaker.  I know tsunami's have specific requirements and yours may also.  As for all the buttons, you don't have to use them all, frankly I don't see myself using anything besides the chuff sound and the whistle. (gotta be able to whistle off)  Anyway it's your layout, do what makes you happy, and it's looking great btw.

Scott