Dcc Sound Decoders

volcano

volcano

Ideas bigger that wallet or brain !
Just spotted that SoundTraxx have released a large scale sound decoder the ECONAMI ECO-400

Its in stock at - ;http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommer...an-sound-decoders/large-gauge-sound-decoders/

Its a 4 amp decoder in 3 versions - steam / diesel / electric ,

These are infinitely variable sound configurations and to us oldies that liked the old sierra cards we've waited a long time for a new card from Soundtraxx and this one is very reasonably priced
 
What is the 'generic' sound on these. Is it actual digital recordings or synthesized sound?.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
I've been waiting for validation on the power handling. Often Soundtraxx has overrated the amp capacity on their decoders.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd noticed that they list the max stall current as 4A, but there is no mention of the normal running current maximum.....?

Other than that, they look interesting and the price is certainly good. Like Alan, I'd want to know more about the sound, are there any online samples available?

Jon.
 
I have three Bachmann 1:20.3 locos (the Three truck shay and two of the Climaxes) that came with the Soundtraxx sourced DCC sound board.
The Shay voltage has to be set at 19v max as if higher and hauling a heavy train or gradient the board would draw too much and cut out.
The Climax board seems to be better but I have not had the loco haul a really heavy load so have not hit the 'upper' power mark.

The new board's 4amp stall will probably mean around a 2 amp continuous load...enough for a small loco or larger LGB one, but not for some USA Trains or Aristocraft motors. It should be okay for Bachmann locos too

I still have some of the DC Soundtraxx Sierra sound cards attached up to DCC decoders or in locos that have not yet been DCC-ed.

The Soundtraxx sounds have always been almost up to the quality of Phoenix and the Bachmann equipped sounds are very good.

I have listened to some of the new 'ECO' sounds and they are very good...there is a wide choice of whistles which is good, Which would be of interest to Euro modellers (maybe even Brit outline)

The electric loco sounds even have the pantograph sounds

They can be bought and shipped (with VAT) from the states for about £100 on US ebay so no real benefit over buying them here.

Here is a link to the Soundtraxx ECONAMI ECO site page for sounds:
http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/econami/econami_sound.php

Here is a vid of a HO scale (ECO-100 board) test of a steam board:


And Soundtraxx's own vid:

 
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volcano said:
Just spotted that SoundTraxx have released a large scale sound decoder the ECONAMI ECO-400

Its in stock at - ;http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommer...an-sound-decoders/large-gauge-sound-decoders/

Its a 4 amp decoder in 3 versions - steam / diesel / electric ,

These are infinitely variable sound configurations and to us oldies that liked the old sierra cards we've waited a long time for a new card from Soundtraxx and this one is very reasonably priced
Click to expand...

volcano said:
Just spotted that SoundTraxx have released a large scale sound decoder the ECONAMI ECO-400

Its in stock at - ;http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommer...an-sound-decoders/large-gauge-sound-decoders/

Its a 4 amp decoder in 3 versions - steam / diesel / electric ,

These are infinitely variable sound configurations and to us oldies that liked the old sierra cards we've waited a long time for a new card from Soundtraxx and this one is very reasonably priced
Click to expand...

These look promising. Does anyone know if they are derived form the Soundtraxx Tsunami Decoders apparently fitted to Piko locomotives?
 
John
If you see my post just above yours, you will see their parentage probably comes from the range that Soundtraxx produced for the Bachmann Shay and the Climax combined with the non showing TSU-BA4000 that was going to be created for the Bachmann C19.

Having used both the Shay and Climax with the supplied soundtraxx sound card, the new ones should be very good...provided that the loco has a amp draw of only 2amps (with a stall of 4amp)
TSU-BA-4000
 
UPDATE on Econami 400

Bought an econami 400 electric to put in my Piko Taurus what's the polite word for XXXXXX
I know "disaster"- when installed it did not sound horn etc but rang bells on every button and did not switch on the lights but ran the motors ok ??? rang Soundtraxx and they blamed my LGB MTS controller ---
SO took it to "Digitrains" in Lincoln and Jeremy tested it using a "Digitrax" system -- the dam thing worked perfectly I had taken the lgb mts with me so he hooked it up and guess what IT SOUNDED BELLS ON EVERY BUTTON AND WOULD NOT SWITH ON LIGHTS !!!!! he suggested that for some reason the mts was confusing the decoder but had no ideas why.That will teach me to get a cheaper decoder I
I'll stick to Zimo or massoth in future.

All my other loco's work perfectly (massoth/lgb/zimo) so can only assume the Econami will not work with LGB MTS -- you have been warned
 
What version of the LGB MTS kit do you have?

I have an opposite problem.. A Massoth XLS works fine on my Digitrax system, but the function triggered sounds fire multiple times when used with a Massoth CS..
I did two 'identical' installs, and only one plays up.. Go figure?? :banghead::banghead:
 
Using 55005p / 55016p
You've given me a thought ? does digitrax use serial (pulse train ) or parallel my controller is in parallel mode could it be that your massoth has gone to serial ?
 
volcano said:
Using 55005p / 55016p
You've given me a thought ? does digitrax use serial (pulse train ) or parallel my controller is in parallel mode could it be that your massoth has gone to serial ?
Click to expand...

I don't think so..
I had two identical loco's, with identical decoders.. one did not work, the other did.
Same address, same speed-step settings, same files (supposedly, I didn't do it) loaded into decoders.
 
Just a thought......
If the MTS Parallel system is giving multiple bell sounds on every function with the Soundtraxx ECO....possibly the MTS is giving out serial pulses (thus the bell sounds for the number of the function button)

......OR.....

a CV on the Soundtraxx ECO needs to be changed from serial to parallel (or vice versa) .....

...OR...

The speed step setting on the decoder is not matching that on the MTS system.

I think that this could do the trick.
 
Beavercreek got it. I was so wound up my brain left me !! reset 29 to 14 speed steps all ok now - thanks all
 
I always reckoned the sound quality with the old analogue Soundtraxx Sierra sound boards and also the Soundtraxx DCC sound boards in the Bachmann locos (Shay and Climax).
Now that the problem has been sorted with your board Volcano, ........ what do you think of the quality of the sounds?
 
I'm surprised that simply resetting CV29 to 14 speed steps also cured the sound function problem. With 14 speed steps the light function is part of the speed data sent to the decoder - which is why you get flashing lights when you have your command station set to 28 steps and the decoder set to 14 steps.

The other function commands are still separate data commands as far as I know, so I'd expect some other setting needs to be changed in either the decoder or the command station in order to match up serial or parallel function mode?

Anyway, problem solved. Good!
 
Hi Beavercreek - the sounds are very loud her indoors reckons the people 4 doors down can be kept awake !!
both horn and bells are very good they have around 10 different ones to choose from, the pantograph and / fans / compressor etc are also very good although as with most electrics the sounds do not ramp up with speed - the only downside is a 4amp stall but when I tested my Taurus it stalled at 2.6 amps so most loco's I think will be fine.
It will only adjust sounds from cv128 0-255 - there does not seem to be any provision for an external volume control but that's just me being picky and being used to massoth/Zimo etc.
 
Fitted an Economi to a Bachmann Shay and an 8watt 8ohm speaker and wow does it chuck the sound out. Very happy. Spent a lot of time selecting everything. With the Z21 system you must turn off Railcom then it all works perfectly. Very pleased.
 
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