I finally receoved the official answer from TCS that wow sound will not be ready for use with coreless motors for quite a while. Too many projects ahead of re-writing the software for the Kato FEF. I suppose you could get your non sound decoder upgraded and keep all the sound internal to the tender as some have done with other decoders. Personally, I'm just going with the Tsunami system. I've got them in other locos and at least you know what you're getting.
In that case, I hope they're ready to take a big hit in lost sales in Europe and Japan, where Coreless motors are well established.
I guess they are Steve. I have been in contact with them several times and initially was alerted that they hay have been available soon after the drop in decoder was done. I let it go for a while and them started my hunt again. I was needless to say not thrilled with the official answer I got earlier this week. I ordered a Tsunami Micro 750 today. I just can't stand to see those big beautiful FEFs running around in silence!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UPC, I know you are active on the rail forums so you have most likely seen the You Tube videos of the FEF with ESU Loksound decoders. I just completed that install in my FEF and could not be happier with the results. I will say that in some ways the Tsunami 750 has some better sounds for steamers but I do know from 1st hand experience that the Loksound has far superior motor control. The ESU Loksound Select Micro decoder is so much smaller in size than the 750 that it can be easily placed in the tender and will allow for a larger speaker to be used, thus better sound and no humongous capacitor either. I do not know how well the Tsunami will play with the coreless motor but my guess is not well. The ESU is a German product and is very capable of handling coreless motors. I did have to tweak a couple of cv's but nothing major and the unit is smooth as silk. Just my opinions, I am not selling ESU's just posting my experience. Carl
I installed a ESU Select Micro Lok-Sound decoder in one of my FEF's and am very happy with the sound. The motor functions of the ESU Lok Sound decoder are comparable with the Lenz mini silver decoders which I have used for many years. I've been using ESU Lok-Sound decoders for over ten years now. I am not a fan of the motor functions of the Tsunami decoders. Shades
Well it's here today so I at least one of my FEFs will be outfitted with Tsunami 750. I've not seen the Loksound anywhere but on youtube and obviously have no experience with setting up a Loksound decoder in a new installation. You fellows might be able to better inform me, do the Loksound Decoders come ready to run with only minor CV adjustments and selection of whistles, etc. or do you have to download sound files for your application? This won't be my last sound installation by any means.
UPC, the Loksound Select Micro decoders sound files are loaded by the shop that you purchase it from. The name "Select" basically means just that; you select the file you want. You can purchase an ESU gadget that downloads sound files but I don't feel it is cost effective for just a few decoders. Carl
Thanks for the feedback Carl. I looked at dozens of samples of sound installations. I have several different brands of sound decoders, MRC, Digitrax, and Soundtrax. Not a lot like some but a few. The Digitrax was pretty simple as it was all assembled and the Concor and Intermountain tenders were already set up for easy sound installation. I thought the Tsunami was a little expensive but all the quality decoders are around 100.00. I guess I could have done like Colombo and used 2 separate decoders. The retailer assured me the Sountrax would perform fine with the coreless motor. If it doesn't, I got a Big Boy that has MRC Sound that could use an upgrade. It is kind of unusual that the Kato FEF has that little open space in front of the cab that appears just big enough to mount a miniature decoder. I may have to "lean on" some of you guys with Tsunami experience to really get the deepest and accurate sound out of this decoder. Hope you all can enlighten me.
I have to concur with all of you guys. I have 90% of the install done on the Tsunami. I still need a baffle for the speaker. Right now the whistle is a little lame but the steam chuff is really loud without a baffle. The motor control function on the Tsunami is a little lacking in control. I may pick up another brand of decoder (in time) and split the functions up between the 2 decoders. With that in mind, I may go ahead try a Wow Sound decoder with a precision motor control decoder. Obviously I'm not 100% satisfied but it's better than no sound. I have wondered if maybe adding a small resistor to the motor control output would improve motor control. Can any of you fellows give me your motor control CVs to try on my decoder? It may be that I just haven't figured out the CVs yet.
Well I hope that I don't get blasted for what I am going to post. I have installed a (2) ESU sound decoder into the Kato FEF-3 unit. I got a sound file from Matt Herman at ESU for beta testing. I have two 8 ohm sugar cube speakers ( wired in parallel giving me an 4 ohm load) installed along with the decoder all mounted in the tender. There were no holes drill any were in the tender nor was the weight removed. Sound is very good. The coreless motor gave me fits. After much working with several CV's for the motor control I have it working very well. I have the CV's noted and there values if any one is interested. I have done one more using the same install methods as the first unit with the same results. I had spoke to Matt about the release of the sound file many weeks back. He stated at that time he was not happy with the sound of the whistle and had a new sound recording to update and then he would release the file. That was over 6-8 weeks ago. Still no sound file on the ESU down loads for the FEF. What I would like to see is every one who is interested in this sound file to either call matt or e-mail him that you are interested in getting the sound file. Maybe that will push the file to be put up on the downloads.
