Best sound file for B&O EM-1 simplex articulated

[jdcolombo]

John, Marc;
Which decoder LokSound with the BigBoy sound file or Tsunami with the EM-1 private project sound file offers the better steam sounds emulation? I might end up using a second decoder for motor control, so let us leave motor control out of this decision matrix.

Thanks,
Bill

This one is hard.  I think the Tsunami has better whistles, but I like the LokSound's implementation of the chuffs, particularly the open-cocks hiss at startup and the way the chuffs go in-and-out of sync, better than the TSU.   The TSU is more flexible in tailoring its sound to speaker selection with its EQ circuitry, but in an EM-1, you've got room in the tender to put a pretty big speaker, so that's not as much of an advantage as it would be in more-space-confined situations.  And the TSU has the automatic steam hiss at stop that the ESU lacks.   So, there are advantages and disadvantages to both.  Also, note that I've never used an ESU LokSound as a sound-only decoder, so I can't say how easy it would be to match chuffs to driver rotation in that scenario.  One of the reasons I like the ESU so much is that it uses the BEMF circuit to time chuffs (like the QSI decoder in the Walthers/LL Y3 2-8-8-2 that came out a few years back).  This feature makes syncing the chuffs to the driver rotation a snap.  But if you don't have the motor hooked up to the ESU, I don't know what it does on the chuff sync front.

All things considered, I'd probably go with the ESU in a single-decoder install, particularly since all the wiring is already done for you in the EM-1. 

I posted the link to my Challenger, which has the LokSound with the Big Boy file on it earlier in this thread, so here's a link to my EM-1, which uses a Tsunami Heavy Steam decoder for sound, and a Lenz Silver Mini for motor control.  Compare the two and see which strikes your fancy more:

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John C.

[nstars]

This one is hard.  I think the Tsunami has better whistles, but I like the LokSound's implementation of the chuffs, particularly the open-cocks hiss at startup and the way the chuffs go in-and-out of sync, better than the TSU.   The TSU is more flexible in tailoring its sound to speaker selection with its EQ circuitry, but in an EM-1, you've got room in the tender to put a pretty big speaker, so that's not as much of an advantage as it would be in more-space-confined situations.  And the TSU has the automatic steam hiss at stop that the ESU lacks.   So, there are advantages and disadvantages to both. 

John C.

As John mentioned there are advantages and disadvantages to each decoder. My preference at the moment is the Tsunami while this decoder has the dynanic exhaust feature. None of the Loksound files I have tried did have this feature. With dynamic exhaust, the loco really barks when accelerating and has a regular chuff when coasting. During deceleration the chuff does go down even further and is replaced by the typical rod clank of most steam locomotives. For me this aspect is more important than the startup hiss and the 100% exact synchronisation of the chuff. However, the perfect decoder would also have these features.

Hopefully Loksound will be able to include those features in future sound files. That is definitely an advantage of the Loksound. Don't forget, the diesel sound files were also not as good in the beginning as they are now. What people probably didn't notice on the Loksound site is the fact that many sound files have been upgraded in the last couple of years. I can tell you the Balwdin v1 soundfiles for the Loksound Select sounds quite different from the Baldwin v4 file for the Loksound Select.

Recently we have installed a TCS WOW sound decoder in a HO locomotive and I really was impressed with the sound of this decoder. It features both the dynamic exhaust, the startup hiss and all the other feutures and many good soundign whistles, bells, chuffs. Unfortunately it still is decoder quite big for N scale and it probably features the same BEMF as normal TCS decoders and I believe the discussion started about the quality of the TCS BEMF. 

Marc

[Bill H]

Marc, John:
Have either of you listened to the custom EM-1 sound project file on the Digitrax website? I am referring to http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/baltimore-ohio-em-1-2-8-8-4-yellowstone/

I have to agree with John, the whistles on the BigBoy LokSound do not sound right compared to the TSU file, but the LokSound chuffs sound better.

Kind regards,
Bill

[jdcolombo]

Marc, John:
Have either of you listened to the custom EM-1 sound project file on the Digitrax website? I am referring to http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/baltimore-ohio-em-1-2-8-8-4-yellowstone/

I have to agree with John, the whistles on the BigBoy LokSound do not sound right compared to the TSU file, but the LokSound chuffs sound better.

Kind regards,
Bill

Hi Bill.

I don't have any experience at all with Digitrax's sound decoders.

John C.

[nstars]

Marc, John:
Have either of you listened to the custom EM-1 sound project file on the Digitrax website? I am referring to http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/baltimore-ohio-em-1-2-8-8-4-yellowstone/

I have to agree with John, the whistles on the BigBoy LokSound do not sound right compared to the TSU file, but the LokSound chuffs sound better.

Kind regards,
Bill

My only experience was with the 8 bit version in a diesel locomotive and the sounds were very soft. The decoder was finally replaced by the Loksound. I have heard samples of diesel sound in 16 bit versions and those sounded better. Most sound files for the digitrax decoders are not very sophisticated and don't have the sound effects of f.i. the Tsunami. The specific EM-1 sound I haven't checked yet.

Marc

[reinhardtjh]

The stock Digitrax sound files leave a bit to be desired.  They are known for being fairly quiet.  That EM-1 file was done by John McMasters, not a Digitrax employee.  He has done numerous new files and has worked hard to make the new 16-bit Series 6 sound decoders perform much better.  He posts regularly in the Yahoo group for DigitraxSound and submits his files to Digitrax's Sound Depot, but also puts them on a Google Drive for sharing.

The Digitrax decoders probably still don't match the motor drive of the EDU or Tsunami, but the various sound effects are pretty good considering the decoder's price.  That said, I'm still sticking with the ESU for my diesel fleet and probably steam as well.  But McMaster's work has made the Digitrax 16-bit decoders a definite possibility for a cheaper decoder.

[Bill H]

John:
You noted that you did not like the whistle in the ESU  Big Boy file, have you tried any of the other whistle sounds in that file? I was under the impression that there were usually 12 whistle sounds in each ESU sound file?

Kind regards,
Bill

[jdcolombo]

John:
You noted that you did not like the whistle in the ESU  Big Boy file, have you tried any of the other whistle sounds in that file? I was under the impression that there were usually 12 whistle sounds in each ESU sound file?

Kind regards,
Bill

Hi Bill.

I tried all the whistles, and I found most of them sort of "weak" - so I picked the one that seemed to be (1) loudest and (2) sort of unique - take a look at my Challenger video again - I chose what I thought was the "best" of the whistles for my Clinchfield Challenger (since no one remembers what a Clinchfield's whistle sounded like, I could do whatever I wanted!).

If you'd like, I would be happy to do a recording of the various whistles available for the ESU BigBoy file via my Challenger installation.  I would have some time this weekend to do that.

John C.

[Bill H]

John:
Thank you for your kind offer regarding the whistles, but that is not necessary. I will try to listen to the sound files with better speakers than my laptop - it should improve my decision process.

Thanks,
Bill

[Viperjim1]

I believe the comparison between simplex and compound is in this months mrr.

[SkipGear]

Just to confuse things a bit, the Digitrax file for the EM-1 is very full featured, including all the effects mentioned here. I have an older 8 bit Digitrax decoder in one of my EM-1's using the file. My only complaint is that the sound files for both front and rear engines are the same so as the go in and out of sync, at one point they are 180 deg out of phase and cancel each other out for just a short time. I think that is more a problem with the lack of voices available in the 8 bit decoder. I know the file has been updated for the 16 bit since I uploaded my version so I don't know how much it has improved with the new decoders.

[jdcolombo]

Just to confuse things a bit, the Digitrax file for the EM-1 is very full featured, including all the effects mentioned here. I have an older 8 bit Digitrax decoder in one of my EM-1's using the file. My only complaint is that the sound files for both front and rear engines are the same so as the go in and out of sync, at one point they are 180 deg out of phase and cancel each other out for just a short time. I think that is more a problem with the lack of voices available in the 8 bit decoder. I know the file has been updated for the 16 bit since I uploaded my version so I don't know how much it has improved with the new decoders.

How does digitrax do chuff sync?  Do they use BEMF? 

John C.

[SkipGear]

The 8 bit used BEMF but it really stunk. It is supposed to be much improved in the 16 bit version but I haven't played with one to know for sure. I have one hanging on the wall but haven't had time to mess with it.