New Stainz

[LGB-Sid]

Hi just starting to build my first Garden railway always wanted to build one I have just acquired a New LGB Stainz, it has sound and smoke as standard but.... does it have more than a steam sound in it ? does it have all the sounds ? whistle ect. or am I expecting to much, if it has more than just the steam sound how do you get to play the sounds apart from going DCC.

 

[idlemarvel]

Welcome to the club Sid.
I don't have such a model, but you probably need to have something to trigger the sounds in analog/DC mode, like track magnets.
With DCC you can trigger the full range of sounds (whistle, coal shovelling, bell, station announcements, etc.) at will.

 

[Zerogee]

Hi Sid, and welcome to GSC!

The "sound" Stainz that has been included in most LGB starter sets in recent years has a very simple sound unit (fitted, with its speaker, into the roof of the cab - you should see a shallow round moulding inside the roof that has "sound holes" for the downward-facing speaker) that only produces a basic chuffing noise. So I'm afraid that is all you are going to get from that particular model, whatever control system you use it with.
However, LGB (well, Maerklin as the parent of LGB now) has recently announced, in the latest LGB Depesche magazine, that in future it will be fitting its new type MFX decoder (which is a full sound decoder, designed for their proprietary MFX control system, but also useable on DCC and analogue layouts) to ALL new locos, so we may at last see a Stainz direct from the factory with full sound capabilities rather than just the "chuff module"; I think we can expect to pay a bit more than standard current Stainz prices for them once that happens, though!

If you want to add "full" sound to your new Stainz, you can buy a Massoth "S" sound module which is easy to install and works on analogue DC power as well as on DCC, but that will set you back £100+......

Jon.

 

[LGB-Sid]

Thanks for the Reply...might have known all I would get is the Chuff sound or Toast scraping sound is what it sounds like to me bit disappointing that it doesn't even have a whistle sound. Sounds like sound will have to wait awhile ...need to start laying track and get out doors first, after weeks of sunshine building raised borders re laying paving slabs etc. now I am ready to lay some track, I am losing the evening light and it's rained since I got the first area ready on Sunday ..sod's law

 

[Rhinochugger]

, I am losing the evening light and it's rained since I got the first area ready on Sunday ..sod's law

You can always change your name to LGB sod

Ahh, welcome to the forum

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks for the Reply...might have known all I would get is the Chuff sound or Toast scraping sound is what it sounds like to me bit disappointing that it doesn't even have a whistle sound. Sounds like sound will have to wait awhile ...need to start laying track and get out doors first, after weeks of sunshine building raised borders re laying paving slabs etc. now I am ready to lay some track, I am losing the evening light and it's rained since I got the first area ready on Sunday ..sod's law

Sid,
Toast Scraping, did not take you long to work out the horrors that are the Bog Standard Stainz Sound. There are others that are like it as well, some with Whistles! But they tend to be add on systems. LGB and suchlike DCC Sound Systms ar much better. Plus the other add on are getting better all the Time.

Oh welcome to the Mad House.
JonD

 

[LGB-Sid]

At least it comes with a switch in the Cab that turns off the Toast scraping sound now have Stainz number two an older 2020 the silent type as well, so that one will be the one to investigate sound with I think as it's a start from scratch job with it.

And thanks for the welcomes I am sure there will be lots of questions yet

 

[ge_rik]

There's always MyLocoSound, if you don't fancy going down the DCC route just yet - £49 for a reasonably respectable sound (and a whistle - though you may have to trigger that with a reed switch and magnets on the track if you're sticking with DC).
http://mylocosound.com/largescalesummary.html

Rik

 

[LGB-Sid]

Thanks will have a look. It's hard to believe what some of these sound cards cost for half a dozen sounds on a chip.

 

[idlemarvel]

Thanks will have a look. It's hard to believe what some of these sound cards cost for half a dozen sounds on a chip.

Indeed. If you go for DCC, Massoth sound cards are good but very expensive, £100 upwards. It's cheaper to add sound to a basic decoder with a Uhlenbrock/Dietz sound module, but even they are £50 a time. If you're into DIY you can record your own sounds on a Chinese manufactured greeting card chip for about £3 but the quality is poor and you only get one sound at one speed. So there are cheap options but basically this is an expensive hobby if you want all the bells and whistles (literally!).

 

[Zerogee]

...........It's cheaper to add sound to a basic decoder with a Uhlenbrock/Dietz sound module, but even they are £50 a time.......

Plus these will only work when connected to a decoder with a SUSI port...... though I believe that Cliff George (you still here, Cliff? Haven't seen you post anything for a while...) has been experimenting with a little (Dietz?) adaptor board that provides a SUSI socket for either a non-SUSI decoder, or for direct connection to track power?

Jon.

 

[AustrianNG]

There are two Starter set sounds - toast scrapping is one and the other is a more realistic chuffing sound.
Try before you buy !

Of course digital sound is best.

At least it comes with a switch in the Cab that turns off the Toast scraping sound now have Stainz number two an older 2020 the silent type as well, so that one will be the one to investigate sound with I think as it's a start from scratch job with it.

And thanks for the welcomes I am sure there will be lots of questions yet

 

[LGB-Sid]

Not always possible to try before you buy

 

[Henri]

Wanting to have sound in your trains is still a BIG mystery to me....

 

[dunnyrail]

Wanting to have sound in your trains is still a BIG mystery to me....

Ah Henri, till you have fully savoured DCC Sound, all other Model Trains appear just sterile. Though I wonder what the Bunnies would make of it all?
JonD

 

[Zerogee]

Ah Henri, till you have fully savoured DCC Sound, all other Model Trains appear just sterile. Though I wonder what the Bunnies would make of it all?
JonD

Agreed, JonD - Henri, once you have one loco with sound, all will become clear and you will want it in all of them....

You don't even need DCC control - most sound locos work well on analogue DC too, you just don't have as much control over the sound effects like whistles, bells etc. but the loco sounds just as good!

Jon.