Stationary Sound With Layout?

[JDouglasFisher]

Folks,

So I got to thinking, one of the drawbacks with N scale is the fact that DCC and Sound together is not so easily achieved in scale.

For instance, good luck trying to put sound in that new 44 tonner.

However, I got to thinking, and wanted your guys input on theory.

Lets assume you have a small layout (could be a door, or perhaps smaller, like a NY Pocket terminal) Idea here is a layout that was based on a prototype that had perhaps 1 or 2 locomotives.

Whose to say you couldn't wire a HO scale sound decoder underneath the layout, give it the same address as your already N scale DCC equipped locomotive, and pipe the sound through a cheap stereo from a garage sale hidden underneath?

Granted, I am not sure what the output of the decoder is to a conventional hobby speaker, but if the output signal is amplified, and then pumped through a semi-decent speaker, (aux jacks of a cheap receiver) it would definitely be louder than ANYTHING else on the market, (probably causing the wife to yell) and because of the layout's small size, sound would be central, it wouldn't have to "follow" you around a larger layout.

I played with this concept back in my HO scale days when MRC had the 7000 sound and power pack, and it worked good for the 4x6 Yule Central turned pacific northwest (was modeling Burlington Northern at the time). Pumped the speaker line out into the aux in jacks on a cheap tabletop stereo bolted underneath the layout, and set the volume. (enough to make the neighbors bang on the wall, and have my mother scream, hahaha, those high school days.) So proof of concept worked in terms of the relation of sound vs layout size.

Now the question becomes does a DCC decoder have enough output sound signal strength to be amplified?

NUTZ? Yeah, and your point?

 

[RDG_Rich]

I don't know anything about electronics...but I like the idea!!!!

[wm3798]

Yes, then you could pipe in the sound of babbling brooks, mooing cows, clanging crossing signals, ... Doesn't MRC have a system that does that?

Lee

[davefoxx]

Lee,

I've often thought that a subwoofer should be placed under the layout, to capture those bass tones that the small speakers in model locomotives have trouble creating.  I'm no electronic guru, but I believe that these tones are supposed to be non-directional.  That is, it shouldn't be noticeable that the bass tones are not on the locomotive.  Same principle that allows a subwoofer to be placed anywhere in the room when building a surround sound system for the television/stereo system.  Then, the miniature speakers on the locomotive could handle the balance of the sound, including horn, bell, etc.

Dave

[DKS]

Now the question becomes does a DCC decoder have enough output sound signal strength to be amplified?

I have no direct experience with DCC, but I do have loads of experience in audio electronics. And the answer is a definite yes. If the signal is strong enough to drive a speaker--of any size, even headphones--it can be amplified very easily to drive conventional room speakers. All you would need is a relatively inexpensive amplifier (you don't need a 1000-watt home theater system, unless you really want to bother the neighbors). What comes immediately to mind is a computer speaker system. This is ideal because they are designed to deal with input signals that are at or above line-level. Some computer speaker systems sound surprisingly good, too, and ought to be about right for a compact layout.

[JDouglasFisher]

I never even thought about the computer speaker systems, but your right, I know of someone who has a set with 2 + a woofer and its phenomenal.

Yes, MRC makes some sort of sound board control, but the idea with the HO decoder is to get the prime mover and related locomotive sounds. The theory is this. On a small layout, particularly a switching style (like a NY Harbor Pocket Terminal) the operator is confined to a small space in which to operate, because of this, they are going to be intently focused on the task at hand, in this case switching cars. Just like in HO Scale DCC with sound, as you advance the throttle, the prime mover sounds (and other) respond accordingly.(engine revs up and down, air blows off, wheels squeal, etc.) We're doing the same thing, but instead of using a speaker in a locomotive, where doing it from underneath the layout due to the size of the scale. (in this case being N)

In essence, due to the nature of the operator's task, and the fact that the modeled portion of the world is relatively small (again, the size of a door, or perhaps smaller) the operator won't realize that the sound is not "traveling" with him because well, there's really no where to travel too.

Now, if you had a basement empire on the other hand, this would probably not be feasible without a lot of extra electrical wiring, nor would it be monetarily feasible for someone with a door layout, but say 30 different locomotives that they would like to run occasionally. Also don't think it would work to well for Multiple Unit Lash-ups as you won't get the "plurality" of primemover sounds (unless the HO decoder is somehow programed with a plural sound to it.)

Very interesting concept to say the least, and thanks to Dave for the excellent idea of the computer speakers, I never even thought of it.

 

[Carolina Northern]

Dave,

The old PFM sound system did just that. There was a sub woofer and an audio divider that splitter the high freqs and the lower. You couldn't tell the direction of the lows, it just added to the effect. I put several in back in the day.

Lee,
The first time I saw Dave Vollmer's layout, he had a stationary sound system and I think it was the MRC - Dave pipe up any time.

[Dave V]

Yes, I had an MRC Steam Synchro Sound decoder system and also an HO Sountraxx Diesel decoder mounted under the layout using computer speakers.  I kinda stopped using them for two reasons; 1.  It got very monotonous sounding and 2. I was having to reprogram them whenever I switched locos.  MUing didn't always work.

[wm3798]

Personally, I play old records while running my trains...
I save the sound effects for the video clips.

Lee

[Philip H]

Yes, I had an MRC Steam Synchro Sound decoder system and also an HO Sountraxx Diesel decoder mounted under the layout using computer speakers.  I kinda stopped using them for two reasons; 1.  It got very monotonous sounding and 2. I was having to reprogram them whenever I switched locos.  MUing didn't always work.

True, but as more sound decoders come onto the market, couldn't you get a small bank of decoders together?  For instance (and I am now thinking about how to do this for myself), if you have say 6 or 8 locos you run, and only two or three at a time, then you need 6 sound decoders, and one set of speakers.  Mount the decoders on a single board under the layout and go.  granted, you would need two decoders per loco (one for sound and one to run), but if you have a sound decoder under the layout, you might be bale to use a simpler decoder in the loco.  Then costs aren't prohibitive.

Of course, if you are Ed you may never have enough decoders . . . .

[wm3798]

Or Lee...50+ engines!  Then there's the whole Alco prime mover vs. EMD etc.

Perhaps the thing to figure out would be working with JMRI to nest sound files by type, and assign a range of decoder addresses that would activate a particular sound.  I'm not a programmer by any stretch of the imagination, but if your phone can play "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" when your wife calls, and "Put it On Me" when your girlfriend calls, there ought to be a way ID a steam chuff or a diesel gurgle from a single sound library and call it up when a particular engine is dispatched...

Lee

[Ian MacMillan]

Sounds alot like you are looking for something like SurroundTraxx by SoundTraxx. However I haven't heard anything about it in a while and their site leaves much to be desired.

I plan on using onboard sound decoders, and having stationary sound set ups at locations like city traffic, park sounds, people, animals...etc. I downloaded some video production software last year that you can create loops of these sounds and then save em as an MP3. I then plan on using a board to drive it for PC speakers. David Pop did something similar in MR years ago.

[ednadolski]

Whose to say you couldn't wire a HO scale sound decoder underneath the layout, give it the same address as your already N scale DCC equipped locomotive, and pipe the sound through a cheap stereo from a garage sale hidden underneath?

Not so sure about "cheap", but you'd get pretty decent sound out of something like this:



I guess you'd have to wire up some kind of plug/adapter circuit to the decoder speaker wires.  This also assumes that the sound quality from the decoder is actually worth amplifying.

[Mark5]

This also assumes that the sound quality from the decoder is actually worth amplifying.

I'm imagining Alco midis

**********

I plan to use speaks below the layout for sounds like bell ringing and horn blasts (actual recordings). That's about it. I have'nt sorted out how I will control the sounds, but most likely from a keyboard. This too is way way down on my list of priorities.

Mark

[mmyers]

I had a couple of 4 inch speakers connected to a Soundtraxx decoder several years ago. Works OK on a small layout but still not the same as in the loco.
I've since installed the decoder in a Lifelike dummy B unit. Plenty of room in there for it. It has to be the "top" address on my Digitrax system for the sound to work.

MRC has the Synchro-sound system that works much the same way. Give it an address and mu it to your train.

The Soundtraxx surround sound system would be killer. It can be used as a single location sound system or it will follow the train around the layout using Digitrax transponding.

Martin Myers