Fun with Proto:87, plus some video and sound

[Mark5]

OK, do I need a "stationary sound decoder" or any old sound decoder? A lot of sound decoders sound like crap to me. So that is a basic question that I have.

Does the sound for that sound decoder "follow" a specific address? (ie one loco or more locos in a consist?).

[ednadolski]

OK, do I need a "stationary sound decoder" or any old sound decoder? A lot of sound decoders sound like crap to me. So that is a basic question that I have.

The sound in the video is from a regular Tsunami TSU-AT1000.  You can actually see it in the first video, at the start of the clip in the upper right hand corner of the screen.  It's just sitting there on the shelf with the red LED on and the wires sort of dangling from it (told you I wasn't very neat when I did that ).

For my P:48 GP9 I've switched to a Loksound Select Direct, which I like better because of the playable air horn and the brake squeals.   Either decoder should work fine, it's just a matter of preference.

FWIW, I think the reason most decoders sound terrible is probably because (a) they are set too loud and so you get clipping/distortion, and (b) they are playing thru tiny speakers mounted in poor enclosures.

Does the sound for that sound decoder "follow" a specific address? (ie one loco or more locos in a consist?).

Yes, I used a separate long address for the Tsunami and for the decoder in the loco (which was a QSI).  Then I ran them together as an advanced consist, and the QSI was muted.

There are other ways to do it, but this was simple and also allows for independent ops mode programming of either decoder without having to remove the other from the track power (as would be necessary if they used the same address).

Ed

[wazzou]

Pertaining specifically to N Scale sound, what I find the most distracting is that the bell and prime mover sounds are OK, more so with the recent John Colombo efforts, it's the horn sounds that suck. 
I mean we've all been trackside or at a crossing and the horns are friggin loud and that sound just has not scaled well to even the best installations and decoder combos.  If the bell were less loud and the horn more appropriately loud, I'd be more interested.  I think this is also true of Steam sound and the whistle as well.

[ednadolski]

If the bell were less loud and the horn more appropriately loud, I'd be more interested.

Most decoders should have independent volume controls for the major sounds such as bell, horn, prime mover, and so on.  The JMRI DecoderPro shows the specifics for whatever model decoder you are using.

With my setup here, I can for example use the horn & bell on the mobile decoder, and just the prime mover from the stationary decoder.  I can make any other combination just by setting the separate volume levels.

Ed

[tom mann]

I'm using the NWSL wheels, but they have flat backs.  I'm not sure if there is any P:87 wheel that has the back side contours, but I would love to see that.

BTW, P:87 wheels are actually code 64.  Code 88 wheels still have RP25 flanges, which are over-scale just like regular HO code 110.


Ed

You're right - I actually have both the code 88s from Kadee and the code 64s from NWSL (via proto87stores).  I actually like the Kadee ones better: the contoured back looks like a much more realistic wheel to my eye.

[ednadolski]

I'll have to get me some of the Kadee 88s to check out.   Looks like they have a nice, sprung roller bearing truck.   On hoppers and tanks they would look a lot better than RP25.

The best roller bearing trucks I have seen are the Protocraft P:48 70T and 100T.  They have it all: contoured wheel & axle profiles, working springs, rotating bearing caps, brake rigging, and they roll way better than anything else.  Plus they are actually large enough to see all the details.   Regrettably they are no longer being produced, due to the high cost -- as much as (or even more than) the model that you would install them on.   

Now if I can only get those Sergent couplers to operate a bit more smoothly and reliably....   

Ed