Model Railroading > Best Sound DCC Decoder for Genesis SP FP7?

I've purchased several Athearn Genesis Southern Pacific bloody nose FP7's in recent months which are DCC ready.  I've read that best sound files can sometimes vary between Soundtraxx Tsu2 and ESU Loksound 5.  Are there any SP fans who can speak to the preferred sound decoder to install?

Cheers,
Jim

Personally, I prefer the ESU LokSound with Scale Sound Systems speakers. You can use a LokProgrammer and program each unit to have its own unique sound, add custom sounds such as road number specific horns if you have a recording. Plus with the F units, ESU has at least 10-15 different EMD 567 prime mover sounds, so you could give each units its own sound to have some variety. 

I'm a Rivet Counter and a prototypical operations guy, so that's why I go with LokSound. I can have a specific engine with a specific sound with it's own unique horn that was recorded off of the real unit and not some generic horn file. Just my 2 cents!

Getting the horns right is certainly important and to me is an indication of someone is taking their modeling effort seriously.
I've notced many modelers have multi bell chime horns like M or P5s on their locomotives but sound decoders producing single
note sounds like Leslie A-200s or Wabco E2s.
Regards, Jim Evans

I agree with the above.  This discussion might turn into the classic Ford vs Chevy discussion but the important issues are prime mover and horn. Many people go with a 567 non-turbo and call it good. Interestingly a 16cyl F7 with a 567 sounds different than a 16cyl GP9 with a 567 which makes it that much more fun to recreate & model.

Thanks for the feedback.  I've read some feel the Tsu2 have some good EMD sounds.  I have a couple of DCC ready FP7's and am planning to buy a couple more sound equipped, which I believe come with Tsu2.  Many report its best to keep brands the same within a consist, so if the Tsu2 are ok for the EMD FP7, then that would be helpful.

At this point I am not committed to any brand and what I have is what has come factory equipped.  My Walthers and ScaleTrains have Loksound, at least the ones I bought with sound (some i bought DCC ready as I coudn't afford sound in all of them at the time).  I do have a lokprogrammer and hopefully when I get some hobby time, maybe later this year, I can play with it some.

Thanks for all the feedback

Cheers,
Jim

Seems like all decoder and sound questions are Ford vs. Chevy, Coke vs. Pepsi, Beta vs. VHS, etc. discussions. ESU does allow for programming any sound you want. So if you want more flexibility, ESU could be the way to go. Tsunami has some great sounds and WOW I've heard some people prefer those sounds over all others. Lots of options for sure. The Scale Sound Systems speakers do seem to be one fairly common suggestion for the best sound quality and they have drop in enclosures which make upgrades very easy. 

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

mcdeo Wrote:
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> Seems like all decoder and sound questions are
> Ford vs. Chevy, Coke vs. Pepsi, Beta vs. VHS, etc.
> discussions. ESU does allow for programming any
> sound you want. So if you want more flexibility,
> ESU could be the way to go. Tsunami has some great
> sounds and WOW I've heard some people prefer those
> sounds over all others. Lots of options for sure.
> The Scale Sound Systems speakers do seem to be one
> fairly common suggestion for the best sound
> quality and they have drop in enclosures which
> make upgrades very easy. 

That's what I'm reading, that good speakers such as Scale Sound Systems greatly improve the sound of any of the major brands.

As for sound decoders, yes, a lot of chevy vs. ford.  Apparently do better sounds for certain engines; I'm mainly an EMD guy with D&RGW and some SP as well.

Thanks,
Jim

We've been going through a number of decoder styles and files lately, whatever you decide, highly recommend upgrading the speakers. not just a different speaker, the two speaker installations with a purposely designed sound chamber seem to be making a huge difference. The FP7 shell should allow a good sized installation.

Just ordered another ESU decoder with a EMD 16-567 BC 2EXH NT sound file. They seem to have changed their model designations, agree the horns are worth paying attention to and make a big difference. There's been some home made designs and some simple boxes, I'm sticking with Scale Sound Systems speakers. Hope that helps.

Tsunami and ESU are both great, both sound good with a good speaker, both sound
lousy with a rotten speaker.

Tsunami is made in the USA (Durango Colorado) if that means anything to you.

 

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> Thanks for the feedback.  Speaking of speakers I
> managed to get a bunch of Iphone 4 speakers after
> some here reported they improved the sound
> markedly over the ScaleTrains factory
> installed.  

ScaleTrains factory speakers absolutly suck.  Iphone 4 speakers are still my favorite. They are a great value for the price. I have heard good things about the scale
sound ones, but I am not too keen on spending another $20..for a speaker. That adds up quick with a fleet of engines.

As I have learned as a dealer and installer over the years, it generally seems to be best practice to pick one brand, and stick to it. It makes for getting things set up easier, and they just play nicer together with like brands.

sixaxlecentury Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------->
> ScaleTrains factory speakers absolutly
> suck.  Iphone 4 speakers are still my favorite.
> They are a great value for the price. I have
> heard good things about the scale
> sound ones, but I am not too keen on spending
> another $20..for a speaker. That adds up quick
> with a fleet of engines.

There was a guy on here who posted pictures and info about his replacing the stock speakers in a ScaleTrains SD40T-2 using the Iphone 4 speaker.  As I recall, the Iphone 4 speaker was a big improvement.  I picked up a total of 14 of the Iphone 4 speakers for super cheap from a guy who was selling them until he sold out.  Installing a large number of the Scale Sound ones would be pricey,  But I'd like to try a couple just to see what they are like.

By the way, I bought the Genesis AB set of Rio Grande Zephyr F9's with sound, and the 2nd F9B unit DCC ready.  I contacted Tony's TTX about maybe ordering a Soundtrax non-sound decoder for the B unit and they said it would be missing some braking scenarios / features the Tsu2 decoder has.  It seemed to me, why buy a sound decoder for a B unit.  They should allow the non-sound decoders to do whatever is needed but have no sound.  So that was kind of disappointing.

Cheers,
Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/22 13:58 by SPDRGWfan.

That was my post.  

I have done countless installs for customers with them at this point, and everybody loves them.  

sixaxlecentury Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That was my post.  
>
> I have done countless installs for customers with
> them at this point, and everybody loves them.  

Decoders or Iphone 4 speakers?

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sixaxlecentury Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That was my post.  
> >
> > I have done countless installs for customers
> with
> > them at this point, and everybody loves
> them.  
>
> Decoders or Iphone 4 speakers?

Iphone 4 speakers.  I only deal with ESU decoders anymore.  But to each their own.  

Jim, is your RG F9 one of the old run or one of the new runs? If its one of the new runs, it shoukd already have a TS2 in it. And such it should have the same sound as the FP7. If not I'm willing to send you a TS2 equipped FP7 for you to run around and kick the tires and get a feel for it. By the way, one of my favorite features of the TS2 is the radio cab chatter.

There is some confusion with using an ESU sound decoder with a non-sound decoder, they call them LokSound and LokPilot respectively. Very basically it has to do with a delay 'feature', the early LokPilot did not have the starting delay feature the LokPilot V has the starting delay.  Setting the delay to approx 48 seems to make a LokPilot and a LokSound work together pretty close. The more complicated explanation is LokSound has European standards while the LokPilot has NMRA standards, it's even more complicated then that but that should siffice for making them work together. There is a searchable discussion group on groups io that has lots of info.

An advantage to ESU decoders is the ability to load new sound files yourself, but they also like to change their decoders every few years. Kinda the old good news, bad news thing. Some things just are not designed for saving money.

+ updated the delay info for the LokPilot.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/22 23:11 by TCnR.

TCnR,

Some of my ScaleTrains tunnel motors came factory equipped with Loksound 5 decoders. I've ordered Lokpilot no sound for the dcc ready versions and ScaleTrains programmed them for each of those.

Tom,

The Genesis Rio Grande F9AB set was from the newest run and are Tsu2 equipped. However the second B unit (the RGZ power was an abb set) came dcc ready so I'll need to install a decoder in it. If I get the non sound on from Soundtraxs, I'm told it's missing some control features that the sound versions had. I used to have the early release Genesis F9 ABB set but sold it. The new set had more details matching the modernized set. Btw, the early production F9ABB set with sound came with the MRC sound decoders which were universally panned so the ones I bought were dcc ready.

Jim

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My 2 cents is that all engine noise is good but when modeling SP Dynamic Brakes are an issue on all of Soundtraks because it sounds like a a BBUUUUUZZZZZZZZ & Scaletrains & Walthers (ESU/Loksound) nailed it. I am getting rid of the SP Athean FP7 because I bought Walthers after getting Scaletrains T2s, SD45 Dynamic Brakes. I program all with JMRI. I have 3 Athearn SD70s of all runs with sound & the Dynamic Brake noise is pathetic on all .
I do have a LokProgrammer but haven't downloaded files yet. 
My favorite sound loco is a Bachman Alco S2 & the best $100.00 I ever spent.
Tim
Hanesworth

Would recommend checking Loksound files, but building your own speaker makes a big difference in quality of sound. I milled the weight down on these Kato frames to allow for the bigger custom built speaker. You can hear the difference. For this SP modeler, the Loksound P3 and M5 sound fantastic. 

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Btw, I found the email from TonysTrains about the Soundtrack non sound decoders comments:

"You'll be able to match speed and momentum but the SoundTraxx non sound decoder does not have any of the braking and movement scenarios that the sound version has. At this point, we'd recommend the same sound decoder as found in the AB set."

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