Should I go for sound?

[Bealman]

Sounds like good advice to me, although I'm not sure about the DMU. That would bring back memories of falling asleep on one going back to me accommodation from college under the weather one night.

Going to Stockton, but ended up in Redcar. 

[Graham]

I bought 2 of the Sound Pendolinos and they are my only sound loco's, will I buy more sound fitted or fit sound to any of my other locos. NO.

Why, as others have said when on my own they are ok but still a bit "gimmicky" for my taste.

At exhibitions i have watched N, OO & O layouts with sound, and to my ears the only one which really works is O.

I would rather spend the 100 or so quid on another loco or some extra rolling stock.

cheers
Graham

[Chris Morris]

Being a cheapskate I like sounds that are free. I have a number of sounds of trains and background sounds (some I have recorded and some pinched from the web) on my phone. I play these through a reasonable sized Bluetooth speaker under the layout. I use a soundboard app to control these sounds. Total cost - zero. I already had the speaker.

[Bealman]

Thanks for the heads-up!

I'm into ambient sounds on my layout, and that's a useful post. 

[Roy L S]

I must have 15 or so sound fitted locos now and am going to be one of the few here it seems who loves DCC sound in N and am already looking forward to the sound fitted 8F when released.

There are some terrific sound files out there, my Jamie Goodman 37 is simply awesome and the Farish 40s (mine with you-Choos sound files) are excellent. My 108 sounds great, the start up sequence very evocative and as it settles down to tickover the only thing missing is rattling windows!

Steam wise I have a great cross-section, favourites are my Farish 4F (new type) which even has a stay alive fitted, the B1, J39 and WD Austerity, no generic sounds here, all distinctively prototypical.

it seems pretty clear to me that the market for sound is growing and will continue to do so, but the beauty of our hobby is that nobody's choice is wrong, it is what fits an individual's preference best that matters.

Roy

[Invicta Alec]

I've got only two sound fitted locos. A class 150 two car DMU that can have amongst other things lovely screeching brakes as she stops. A class 121 rail car that has a multitude of different sounds most impressive of which is the complex sound sequence as her engine stutters to a clangy diesel halt.

TBH Five minutes every now and then is enough.

If adding sound meant fitting a slightly (say £20) more expensive decoder then fair enough, but I think there are better ways of spending the approx £100 it actually costs.

Alec.

[Trainfish]

I use one of these which emits the sound of a horn when a train passes. Annoying if it goes every time but I have bought a random timer to power it so it will only go sometimes. I haven't wired that part up yet.



I agree with most on here. I run on DC anyway but I do find the sound annoying at an exhibition and that's just as a visitor. If I was exhibiting next to a sound layout I think I'd pack up and go home after 2 hours at the most.

[Brucepos]

If you have an iPad have a look at the 'Train sounds effects' app by Janko Enke. The free version includes a bunch of preset effects that can be played and mixed as required. Paying a couple of quid for the paid version lets you add your own sounds.

I'm now considering buying some cheap m38 Bluetooth receivers and hiding some speakers in buildings to move the sound source close to the layout.

[Train Waiting]

TBH Five minutes every now and then is enough.
Alec.

That is a very concise expression of my thoughts on sound.

I have an Athearn 'Big Boy' and 'Challenger'; both DC sound and both ended up back in their boxes because I couldn't stand the noise they made.

Best wishes.

John

[Bob G]

For me a lot of my modelling is about recreating a memory. I struggle with the idea that a small class 08 with plastic outside frames will make the noise of a Gronk, so I'm staying definitely DC and sound free for my N gauge modelling. I generate the noises in my head.

As I get older, so long as I have all my faculties, I am looking forward to building an OO layout with DCC Sound. I have the stock already - just no room for two layouts!

I also struggle with the idea of DCC. It was once explained to me that cab control (what I have) puts you in the position of signalman, whereas DCC puts you in the position of loco driver. For realism, I would have thought that DC with cab control would be the more realistic operationally. Perhaps an evolved form of DCC where you have both systems would be ideal.

Bob

[Trainfish]

I had DCC with OO but gave that up for 2 reasons. 1, OO is too toy-like, 2, it's too easy to have head-on crashes

[Bealman]

I have posted several times over the years that I don't have a problem with the sound of model trains running.

In fact it's good to hear them in a lengthy tunnel, of which I have a big one on my layout.

You know it hasn't derailed in there!

[GrahamB]

Many years ago at Ally Pally I watched, or to be more accurate, I listened to a single locomotive on a OO branch line terminus. I actually listened to it for about ten minutes before I realised it hadn't moved! Sound was in its infancy back then and it was wonderful. Turned out that the guy who built the sound project was a BBC sound engineer.

Done properly, it can be wonderful.

[springwood]

I generate the noises in my head.

I also struggle with the idea of DCC. It was once explained to me that cab control (what I have) puts you in the position of signalman, whereas DCC puts you in the position of loco driver. For realism, I would have thought that DC with cab control would be the more realistic operationally.

Fully agree with everything you say here, Bob. As mentioned in my earlier post, I am 100% dc and indeed operate a 4-cab cab control system really successfully. I've developed two fairly sophisticated control panels with plenty of switches and LED indicators covering track occupancy, position of points, status of isolated sections etc and so when I'm standing behind them, I definitely take on the role of the signalman with more operational realism (I would think) than dcc where you are forever keying in number strings into a controller - more akin to inputting to a computer!

[LASteve]

... with more operational realism (I would think) than dcc where you are forever keying in number strings into a controller - more akin to inputting to a computer!

Not quite so - I use a Digikeijs DR5000 DCC system with Z21 virtual controllers on iPad and iPhones. Everything on the controllers is graphical, including route-setting, signalling and locomotive functions. One touch sets all the points and signals for a particular route and the locomotive controls are push-buttons for the functions and sliders for the speed control. Not a number string, nor even a single number in sight.