I'm debating on which brand of sound decoder to use for my Athearn RTR SW1000. I'm stuck between Loksound and a Tsunami. I'd be running this as a pair with my Athearn RTR SW1500, so I'd need an EMD 645 non-turbo. The SW1500 already has a soundtraxx non-sound decoder in it. I already figured out the installation with both decoders, but IDK which is the better option as far as the decoder. I've heard loksound has really good motor control, and the sound sample on there webpage sounds pretty good, and they have a file specifically for an SW10 or SW15, but it cost nearly $40 bucks more. The soundtraxx would make it a piece of cake to install in my SW10 since it has a 9-pin plug, and it'd be easier to match up to my SW15. so I'm kinda stuck... Any opinions? Soundtraxx: http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/playsound.php?s=emd645nt Loksound: http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/sounds/generation-3/loksound-micro-v35/us-sounds/
Without getting into politics, the Loksound costs $40 more and the Tsunami has a 9-pin connector.....so the question is? You know how a Soundtraxx motor controller works...you have one installed. "I've heard loksound has really good motor control, and the sound sample on there webpage sounds pretty good, and they have a file specifically for an SW10 or SW15, but it cost nearly $40 bucks more." To me, that would be a no-brainer, as you save forty bucks, added to that it's a plug-in, added to that you have hands-on experience with the motor control. Inverting the first sentence, one is made in the USA, so I know where I would go if I needed one. Dave
Upon my return I purchased two locomotives, the first was a Kato SD40-2 for which the dealer convinced me that a LokSound decoder was "the best" available. My second unit was a Proto SD60M that I just completed installation of a Tsunami decoder into. Observations: - both decoders provide excellent low speed motor control - both decoders offer more configuration options than the space shuttle, although I would say the Tsunami is more user-friendly - the sound produced by the Tsunami is head and shoulders above the LokSound; I have yet to hear any engine notching out of the LokSound unit. The Tsunami also offers more random sounds during operation which make for more realistic operation I prefer the Tsunami unit so much I'm seriously considering selling trading the Kato unit for a different paint unit and putting a Tsunami in it...
