Not sure if this should be here or in DCC sound, but cheap sound chips anyone ?

Track and Power :: Hornby Hobbies

(RRP appears to be £39, but £36 at a box shifter.)

Is it worth buying one for my Railroad Class 31?



Ed

I don't know if you want to be the Guinea pig, Ed.

Hornby decoders don't have a great reputation.

Hi Ed,

Bit weak on the power output - 500mA continuous, 1A peak. No mention of amplifier output either, or whether it's 8 or 16-bit. £36 comes to around $46.5 US. About the same as a Digitrax 8-bit sound decoder. At that price I would give it a trial.

It's supposed to be the same sound decoder found in their DCC sound-equipped locomotives, check the reviews of those. I just listened to a class 67, sounds OK. Shop By Brand - Hornby Hobbies

Better speaker would probably help.

Nigel

Point taken Max (and I agree) but there seem to be quite a lot of locos for sale on fleabay with the sound chip removed, so they must be being installed in other models.

Just seen on another site that they're not now due until August, so plenty of time to think about it.



Ed

I fitted a Hornby TTS class 37 sound decoder into a ViTrains 37 and it doesn't sound too bad at all, with the proviso that I really need to fit a better speaker (or two) to the ViTrains diesel (the Hornby one doesn't fit well!).

Please check our site for quality steam loco sounds chips. Our DCC sound decoders feature the highest fidelity recordings. We make original recordings of particular locomotives made in situ.

I have 4 loco's fitted with TTS sound and I have been quite impressed with them. That said, I didn't really have anything else to compare them to.
That was until I took the plunge and purchased a Loksound decoder for my Vitrains Class 37. If I tell you I have ordered another Loksound for my newly refurbished Class 31, it may give some indication about my thoughts and comparisons.
They are not cheap compared to the TTS decoders but you pays ya money and takes ya choice.

[user=2043]locoman[/user] wrote:

Please check our site for quality steam loco sounds chips. Our DCC sound decoders feature the highest fidelity recordings. We make original recordings of particular locomotives made in situ.

Hi Geoff,

Second time this "advert" has popped up. The  discussion started by Ed is about Hornby TTS decoders. I did a browse of  your website, perhaps a few more details on the decoder would be  appropriate - who's the manufacturer?  I don't see you on the NMRA Decoder Manufacturer list. Not sure about that price either,  Â£115 seems to be ballpark with everybody else.

I always get a bit concerned about in situ recordings, especially of preserved locomotives. Great fun I'm sure clambering around the locomotive and placing microphones everywhere, but most of us look at and listen to our locomotives from around 3 feet - 228 feet, call it 70 meters, in the real world. I have yet to come across a sound suite that reproduced the echo of a steam locomotive going through a tight valley or over a high bridge with the concomitant echo and reverberation. I made some recordings a couple of years ago of the GWR 2-6-0 Mogul at Didicot from the viewing position (they were demonstrating mail pick-up), around 50 meters away and below the embankment, and on the platform (around 2 meters away). Chalk and cheese. The boiler simmer on my City of Truro is irritating, only the anorak brigade would have heard it. I've also had the opportunity to listen to some of the old vinyl recordings of working locomotives made from line-side, often under heavy loads, quite different to the preserved ones made under what are of necessity very artificial conditions.

Over here steam decoders usually come in 3 flavors - light, medium and heavy. And cost a lot less than UK ones (around £65 for an ESU Loksound Select, £81 for a V4. Soundtraxx Econami decoders are around £56 for UK diesels, £50 for UK steam (all prices Tony's Train Exchange). Methinks UK punters are being taken for a very expensive ride with sound decoders.

Nigel

DC Kits sell these decoders for slightly less or more depending on the speaker(s). Cheaper if you don't pay VAT.

With recent news regarding Hornby I suspect the August availability might well go back, so I bought a TTS decoder with a Railroad Class 47 wrapped round it.

Couple of very brief, bit out of focus, clips before the batteries in the camera gave out.

[yt]qymMpYrCkc0[/yt]

I had to turn the sound down to setting 1, to avoid odd looks from neighbours walking past the open garage door  

It's OK………………. ish, sounds a bit 'tinny' if that's the right word.

(Note to self: Take on board previous comments about new speakers)

With the sound down quite low, the noise of it just running around the track becomes louder than the decoder sounds once I notch the speed up a bit, but that may well be my bad track laying.


Ed

Not at all bad Ed.  :thumbs

Given the price, these TTS chips do seem to perform quite well even if the sounds are a bit "generic". 

Hi Ed,

That's encouraging. Not bad for a budget sound decoder. As you say, bit raw, better speaker and box might help. Let's hope the Company stays in business, and that the standalone decoders get released.

Nigel

[user=1338]Ed[/user] wrote:

Just seen on another site that they're not now due until August, so plenty of time to think about it.



Ed

Hattons now saying decoders due October 2017


Ed

… but some have now arrived.

Track and Power :: Hornby Hobbies


Ed