N Scale sound in locos sound terrible to me

[edge8300]

Well,

Coming from drop-in MRC sound decoders in my Kato 4400's (which were cool for about 1 hour, which feels to me what Original poster is talking about) to ESU with custom speakers matched perfectly to the Protothrottle notches and braking, including momentum and drive hold, sound in N scale along with the total experience, has never been better.  I couldn't live without it after right now. 

E. J.

[CRL]

Fortunately, since 1982 is my cut off date and I’m more interested in branchline than mainline operations, I’m not tempted by most of the current crop of large 6 axle motive power from the “sound only” manufacturers. My recent purchases have been switchers and smaller 4 axle road switchers. If you’re serious about this hobby, you have to draw the line somewhere or the budget gets out of control, the wife gets cranky, and... do I need to spell it out*? Also, I’m concerned this hobby will die out if the manufacturers don’t keep costs under control. Atlas, with their Trainman product line, has the right idea IMO for entry level models.



*the only thing that will get laid is flex track**

**insert hand laid track joke here.

[sundowner]

Yeah, I was going to mention that as an aside, but wanted to underscore BLI started this mess and are a little belligerent about it. Don't forget Athearn is not that far behind, with mandatory sound on their steam since their first-run Challenger with that wireless remote.

The challenger and big boy from the last run had DCC ready option with no sound but it was only the two excursion engine that gave that option which is what I bought.

I appreciate that Atlas, Kato, IM, Rapido, and ST for still giving us freedom of choice of how we want our locos.

BLI has one loco I would buy but unfortunately there is a no sound option so my money goes somewhere else.

I think sound in N would work in a small layout that requires no more that three or four locomotives, over that it gets to busy to be fun. But it’s not my cup of tea.

[DKS]

I couldn't live without it after right now.

I'd place bets otherwise, but I'm taking the remark literally... 

[Point353]

I'd place bets otherwise, but I'm taking the remark literally... 

Maybe life seems different when you also listen to it, as opposed to just look at it.

[CRL]

I think sound in N would work in a small layout that requires no more that three or four locomotives I over that it gets to busy to be fun. But it’s not my cup of tea.

I agree with this because the only sound equipped layout I’ve been impressed with was a fine scale On3 logging layout using Shay and Heisler steam locomotives with the matching on board sound, plus location specific sawmill sounds. The overall effect was impressive, but as good as it was, I was ready to leave the room due to listening fatigue after only 15 minutes. I had to force myself to stay in the room because there was more I wanted to see but I’d had enough of the sound.

[DKS]

Maybe life seems different when you also listen to it, as opposed to just look at it.

Make no mistake, I've listened to enough of it to know it's not something I'd ever pursue. Unless the laws of physics can somehow be defied, it'll never happen on a layout of mine. Just sayin'...

[CRL]

^^^^ agreed.

[OldEastRR]

Where perfect is the enemy of the good.

[Cajonpassfan]

I agree with this because the only sound equipped layout I’ve been impressed with was a fine scale On3 logging layout using Shay and Heisler steam locomotives with the matching on board sound, plus location specific sawmill sounds. The overall effect was impressive, but as good as it was, I was ready to leave the room due to listening fatigue after only 15 minutes. I had to force myself to stay in the room because there was more I wanted to see but I’d had enough of the sound.

Well, it sounds like you were impressed with the sound, it was "impressive", but then in 15 minutes you weren't. So maybe you just don't like sound, period. That's a tough "standard" to meet and overcome
I'm sticking with mine, sounds good to me...
Otto K.

[peteski]

This is getting as bad as the "which is the best track cleaning method".   
I know what I like, and I'm sticking with it.

[wazzou]

Surprising this thread has gone as many pages as it has, TBH.

[CRL]

Well, it sounds like you were impressed with the sound, it was "impressive", but then in 15 minutes you weren't. So maybe you just don't like sound, period. That's a tough "standard" to meet and overcome
I'm sticking with mine, sounds good to me...
Otto K.

Just to clarify some key points:
> The overall effect of the layout was impressive and the room was wired for ambient sound.
> It was an O scale layout, so much more capable speakers were installed in the larger locos.
> Steam locos, not diesels, so frequencies being reproduced are almost all mid and high frequencies.
> Steam locos produce much more interesting sounds than diesels.
> If I can’t stay in the room more than a few minutes due to being annoyed with the sound, it’s useless to me.

We all have our “rathers and druthers” in our personal modeling world. This thread was intended to determine how many modelers out there don’t care for sound in N-scale, not to convince those that like on board sound to abandon their choice. I didn’t compose the title of the topic well, and I apologize for the confusion, but if something doesn’t sound right to me, the fact that you like it doesn’t change how I perceive the sound.

[peteski]

I didn’t compose the title of the topic well, and I apologize for the confusion, but if something doesn’t sound right to me, the fact that you like it doesn’t change how I perceive the sound.

You know, you could edit the initial post anytime and change the title of your topic to something less controversial.  So instead of apologizing, you can do something about it.  Or maybe you have to get to a 25-post-count to be able to do that?  Man, you started stirring things around here, with less than 25 posts?  You're good! 

[CRL]

You know, you could edit the initial post anytime and change the title of your topic to something less controversial.  So instead of apologizing, you can do something about it.  Or maybe you have to get to a 25-post-count to be able to do that?  Man, you started stirring things around here, with less than 25 posts?  You're good! 

Didn’t know I could modify the subject line, so I fixed it, even though I clearly stated my position in the text. I’ve read a lot of threads on this board, have lurked for a long time and have not noticed any adversion to discussing controversial subjects, much less something as innocuous as sound. Given the  moniker in regular use on the board, it would appear stirring things up is a regular occurrence.