Preview of Kato's upcoming analog sound system...

[ednadolski]

Also, since bass is very non-directional, hooking one up to a powered sub-woofer could be really cool. 

Works for me.  The sound on these videos was recorded right thru the camera (no separate sound track), so it does sound like that in-person.

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This is HO (well, Proto:87 actually), but no reason it would not work for N.

Ed

[C855B]

Am I the only one that doesn't get the giggles for sound? It seems very annoying and I nothing more irritating while watching youtube vid's of layouts full of random horn blowing.

No, you're not alone. I must have a dozen reasons I dislike... no, hate MRR sound simulations, either in situ or environmental. But I'll spare the group my rants.

[up1950s]

True to his word " RANTS " are sounds , and he has them on mute also .

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[Loren Perry]

No, you're not alone. I must have a dozen reasons I dislike... no, hate MRR sound simulations, either in situ or environmental. But I'll spare the group my rants.

I'm also with you.

I do like the promise of the new Kato system - I think it's pretty good idea.

One advantage I see (assuming it's using stationary speakers) is no disassembly of locomotives is necessary and any upgrades or changes are easily made to the base unit.

I'm one of those who easily tire of listening to same whistle, horn, and other train-type sound effects especially when it comes from a tinny, hissy, scratchy little N-scale onboard speaker. I have yet to hear a decent sound system that uses onboard speakers this small. Maybe one day when Professor Bose at his world-renowned audio labs takes an interest in N-scale sound systems we might get something believable.

These systems offer no deep bass effects, no heavy rumbling, weak reproduction of bells, whistles, and other similar effects, and my imagination has to make up the difference which makes me very reluctant to spend good money on them.

Onboard sound systems also suffer from track irregularities or dead spots which cause the sound to be interrupted or to re-set to defaults. This and the above described weaknesses completely ruin the moment for me. Sort of like a needle scratching across an LP record (if anyone here remembers that.)

I prefer background sounds such as localized industry, city sounds, and period music - the latter works especially well for me seeing as my home layout is set in the 1950's. Background sounds have much greater variety and really set the mood. They're also much more acceptable to visitors whereas constant train sounds make the layout seem like a Lionel display to them (and me.)

My home layout has all this plus a selection of widely spaced sound modules with four-inch speakers playing recordings of locomotive whistles, horns, and bells all activated by fascia-mounted pushbuttons. Background music softly playing 1950's pop and rock music (Sinatra, Elvis, Everly Brothers, etc.) helps fill in the silence in a pleasant and relaxing way.

I love trains and the sounds they make as much as anyone here, but N-scale onboard technology has a lot of problems to solve before I'll even consider it.

But that's just me.

[robert3985]

I completely disagree with the N-scale sound pundits.  N-scale sound is great for several reasons, the main one being that prototype engines are not silent, but very noisy beasts.  IMHO even sub-standard sound (which is ALL sound in every scale between Z and O) allows for an extra bit of realism in operations, using bell and whistle signals for various movements etc.

Truth is, when technology started allowing humans to create recordings of sound on wax cylinders, amplified mechanically through a needle and a big horn sticking up...all powered by a spring, it was better than NO SOUND, and led eventually to pretty good sound reproduction we have today (although the latest technology renders poorer sound quality than previous technologies to my ear).

So, even though N-scale sound being limited by the tiny speakers forced upon us by the simple strictures of the size of engines we model is pretty substandard...it's better than NO SOUND in my book, and if I become bothered by several steam engines sitting in my yard, I can always turn the sound off in them and concentrate on the one I'm running.

Now that all of my steam engines I run have sound in them, when I see a non-sound equipped engine running...it is a hollow, silent shell with no chuff, no rod clank, no generator whine, no whistle at the grade crossings and no brake squeal when coming to a slow stop.

As poor at the sound was/is in the early Athearn MRC POS equipped Challengers and Big Boys, getting the most out of the sound in them was what spurred me on to spend over a grand all at once to convert to DCC.  Just operations alone didn't quite cut it for me, but operations with SOUND (as poor as it was) did the trick.

So, I completely disagree with you nay-sayers.  I'm not saying you're "wrong"...I'm just in a completely different universe than you are as far as sound is concerned for my model railroad, and I would not be without it.

As far as the Kato sound is concerned...it's wax cylinder time boyos.  Even though the bigger speakers may sound better than tiny ones actually in N-scale engines, it completely ignores the walk-around philosophy so prevalent in how we in the USA operate our trains most of the time and caters to those who have really small layouts and only run one engine at a time.  In ten years, this sound system won't be around any more 'cause the future is some variant of DCC, battery powered engines, and much better sound to accompany each engine to its destination...not a DC power pack with a speaker inside it.

[up1950s]

There is no one scale , era , weathering degree , coupler , desire for mute / sound , electric feed , metal / plastic wheels , or track choice . This ACB of Kato's will not slow the growth of DCC . I am sure Kato has thought this over and come to that conclusion as well . So while there is a market for DC this helps them ( me ) , and especially the N and Z crowd in general , given the cost and DOD in installing DCC and speakers , which lighten locos , and with steam become problematic at the drawbar as well . Most locos on older rosters came DC only . DCC folks also might find Kato's ACB useful in certain instances , such as isolated circuits such as a mine , industry with its own loco too small for DCC and sound . This is just an option to use and be inventive with  . Embrace the tool , be one with the tool .    

[mmagliaro]

Am I the only one that doesn't get the giggles for sound? It seems very annoying and I nothing more irritating while watching youtube vid's of layouts full of random horn blowing.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I like to make my own sounds...

Not at all.  I said I applaud Kato for building, but notice, I didn't say I would buy one, and I'm a DC guy.
I have had a few sound-equipped locos in for repairs, and some have DCC in them that functions in analog mode.   I have the same reaction that I have when I play with it on DCC layouts or at train shows.  About 2 minutes and I'm looking for a way to turn it off. 

But it is still a good product that is creative and will be very popular with model railroaders.  So I still wish it is a success.

[Flagler]

Does the Japanese culture have a American style April fools day?  

[LV LOU]

Very cool! If there was a way to install remote speakers that could individually trigger when the train moves past them so the sound at least sort of follows the train, I would really be interested.

Actually,that's not really necessary.I've been using the similar MRC unit for years.If you put speakers strategically around the railroad,when you follow the train,your ears naturally pick up the sound from the area you're looking at.Just having the sound coming from your yard while switching makes this worth the money..I'll get several...

[wm3798]

Sound is ideal on a smaller layout, and this type of sound is the most ideal, with a stationary speaker synchronized to the train's movement.  I've run sound equipped locos on a large club layout, and when there's a lot of them, it both sucks power out of the control system, and creates a cacophony of noise that quickly becomes unbearable.

But the sound of a single switcher idling on a small layout like Chris', I'd probably get some extra enjoyment out of it.

Lee

[LV LOU]

I think this is cool and will be very popular, and I applaud Kato for building it.

Notice that the chuff sound is timed to the engine's actual speed, not the throttle position, which  implies that
it must be using some sort of back EMF to know how fast the motor is actually turning.  That will fall apart
if you have multiple engines in a lash-up.  Notice they don't demo it in the video for two engines at the same time.

I still think this is preferable to tying the sound to the throttle position.

The sound won't be synchronized to steam pistons, but I don't think people really notice or care most of the time.

Max,could be something as simple as the unit actually just sensing the voltage drop as the amp draw increases.As far as the sound being synchronized,The MRC unit has a knob that actually changes the sound rate to match the loco.Seems the Kato also has one.The MRC is way less sophisticated,and I can pretty much match a steam loco to 4 chuffs per revolution,at least at the lower speeds where it matters.The same setting pretty much starts the loco at the same voltage where it starts moving..As far as sound,if you're just running,it's annoying,but switching,it REALLY adds something..

[ednadolski]

Very cool! If there was a way to install remote speakers that could individually trigger when the train moves past them so the sound at least sort of follows the train, I would really be interested.

You mean something like this?    (It is DCC tho)

http://www.soundtraxx.com/surround/index.php


Ed

[SkipGear]

There are many views on sound. The Kato system doesn't impress me. I have an MRC system from the 80's that does the same thing, although the sound quality is no where as detailed, it still has the same effect. It is the Sound and Power 7000 system. It connects to a 6" speaker in an enclosure under the layout. My son uses it on his 3' x3' play layout. Sound coming from a single point source ruins the effect. Sound should follow the loco.

If sounds on a large layout become a distraction, it is becuase they are too loud. At least in N scale, you shouldn't hear the loco more than a couple feet away. If you can hear it clearly 10ft away, it's too loud. The sound should be just like the train, it should enter a scene, and then leave as the train leaves. I don't want to hear the loco everywhere on the layout. I never have understood the reasoning that a loco should shake the walls as it goes by either. If you were a 1/4" person standing next to the track, then sure, you should be shook up, but when you a 6' giant watching a train go by, not so much.

[TiVoPrince]

Could
be seriously entrtaining for my Kato trams.  Without a viable DCC option analogue sound could bring them back out of storage for the holidays...