Sound
DCCWiki, a community DCC encyclopedia.
Modelers who have added sound to their layout generally agree that sound adds a whole new spectrum to a layout and to running trains. For some, having sound for the layout is unneeded, while, for others, it's detrimental to have realistic sound around the layout. Fortunately, for those who can't live without sound, today's small electronics are capable of producing sounds that actually sound like trains.
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[edit] Mobile or Loco Sound
On DC layouts one needed to place small speakers around the layout, and a computer calculates where trains are, and determines which speaker to send sound to using complex electronics. DCC and miniaturisation of decoders allows the sound to actually be generated within a locomotive and rolling stock. This latter method is by far the most interesting and realistic and I suspect that even the RTR manufacturers may well begin fitting pre recorded sound decoders soon. Many DCC sound decoders will give limited sound availability when operated on DC.
Without a doubt, it is the sounds of the locomotive and train that DCC brings that have revolutionized the model train sound market. This enables you to add the ultimate sounds to your operations. It is the programmability of DCC Decoders that has made bringing sounds to the layout easier.
Most sound files are constructed by using recordings of real locos and adapted to the limits of the decoders flash memory. You will need some source sounds.
[edit] Static Layout sound
Sounds around the layout can add a bit of realism. For example, simple bell sounds at a US cross grade can make a simple layout come alive. Add the sound of saws at a sawmill, or farm animals at the towns farm can further increase the realism of any layout. One could even add station platform sounds to start when the train arrives and stop or fade out when the train leaves. These sounds are available on pre-recorded modules or can be recorded for your own use.
There are several methods for adding 'static' sound to your layout. They include "Through the rail", and sound modules linked to other events.
[edit] Manufacturers
- Innovative Train Technology Co. - Sells modules with sound on a chip. Great for rolling stock, or placing in small buildings.
[edit] Buying Sounds
You can also simply buy sounds for editing into sound projects.
- Fantasonics™ Engineering - Offers full length CD's for use in stationary sound systems. Use a cheap/garage sale quality CD player and speakers for the scale size sound.
- Steamsounds - Here you can purchase CD's of many different British steam locos. The best ones seem to be leaving stops and lineside recordings rather than on board the train itself.
- BRDW Offers a wealth of British diesel sounds for free download but will require subscription for downloading special sounds for sound decoders.
[edit] Editing Sounds
You will need a sound editing programme. There are many free and for pay programs which you can use to modify audio files. You can start with NCH - Switch which offers a free trial period, paired along with Wavelab, a good combination. At the end of the free trial buy the Switch product. It is cheaper than Wavelab but removes the pop up 'buy now to continue' messages. Be aware that the free version of Wavelab does not have full features. I have also tried Magix Audio Lab bought retail. Good programme but not as easy to use as Wavelab and when you use special effects it creates a separate file for those which does not download to the decoder. This latter has made me wary of these effects, hence the basic version of Wavelab but I am informed that other programmes such as Sony Soundforge do allow downloading worked files. Probably the only feature that I woudl like is Fade in and Fade out.
How you edit sound files will be the subject of a separate page at a future date. Trial and error of any results of editing is the best method. Sound is subjective. What sounds right for you may not be for someone else. For steam, chuff rate and that syncopated chuff tweaked to give the right number of chuffs per wheel rev at slow speeds does it for some and in sequence for the number of cylinders that the prototype has. In British steam one needs two, three and four cylinder chuff sequences. Don't be fixated on prototype for actual sound but don't be afraid to put a softer chuff in a shunter as opposed to a bark in an express loco pulling a lot of coaches.
Diesels present a different set of problems in that the engine itself is not, in most cases, directly driving the wheels. Thus the engine can be heard to change revs (not violently but noticeably) without the train actually changing speed. This is called 'notching' mainly because the real thing has speed steps on the throttle. This effect is very hard to duplicate in a decoder. The most noticeable change is on pulling away. The engine note rises and the train slowly gathers speed. This is best effected in a decoder by adjusting the acceleration and deceleration CV's so that a twist of the throttle gives increased revs sound but delayed movement. Each decoder is different and much experimentation will be needed to acheive a good sound. This is one sound which is best NOT recorded from a stationary trackside position. Doppler effect is much more pronounced with diesels.
Whistles are important and should be close to prototypical as possible. Not all chips/command stations support the 'playable' F2 whistle. This feature requires the splitting of a whistle sound into three parts and is not easy to do well but is a delight when it works. If F2 play is not available you will need to record a long whistle and a short one. Here it is vital that you use both sounds from a prototype on the same recording or that you are able to construct such files in your sound editor.
Diesel horns tend to be generic and one recording fits all. Two tone British horns can be varied and it is not too difficult to give a playable horn where the low note can be held and the following high note is left at a fixed shorter length. American multi tone horns can be played almost endlessly on F2.
Most chips use ?kHZ 8 bit mono sound files in WAV format. Make sure that your sound source is converted to the correct format. Always store your sound files either recorded or downloaded in the highest possible format so that future chip sound management upgrades do not render your working sound files obsolete. It is preferable to store the files in the format that it was downloaded in. Sound files on the Internet should not be used unless they are at CD quality or better (44KHz 16 bit stereo), this is because you are downgrading the file so much that if the sound is not on the original recording, the quality will be worse than if it was.
Best results seem to come from MP3 files on pre-recorded CD's or camcorders with good microphones attached. CD's have the advantage that, in most cases, the sound file can be copied, worked with and downloaded to a sound decoder leaving the CD intact for future use.
Lastly, remember that sound played on YOUR layout will sound completely different on someone elses and that sound at exhibitions comes over as quiet but is noisy when played at home. Make sure you know which CV controls volume. Bad sound is an abomination and makes you ill. Good sound attracts admirers and compliments.
[edit] Precautions
- Through the rail sound
- Users that use sound through the rails and are using DCC to double check that their system is compatible with DCC. This is because DCC is a form of AC and may interfere with your sound system. You are urged to contact the manufacturer of a through the rail sound system before connecting it up to a DCC system.
- Copyright issues
- Sounds of locomotives are not, in themselves, copyright. If you take someone elses recordings and use them for commercial gain e.g. use in a commercially available sound decoder WITHOUT PERMISSION then you have broken copyright law. This is particularly true where the originator has reserved copyright, usually by some form of written disclaimer or, in the UK, the use of the copyright symbol next to the title. In some cases, acknowledgment of source to use the sound(s) elsewhere is sufficient. If you want to record sounds from a real locomotive, permission to be on the premises and agreement of the operator and the crew will be needed, regardless of any commercial intentions or not. You may well be asked for a contribution to the costs and you should expect that. Do not withold or refuse to discuss. Your labour for a day on a preserved railway might prove sufficient payment. Mainline operators will probably refuse access automatically and the crew will have no time or authority to co-operate with you.
- Stripping files from a bought CD and using them in a sound decoder is unlikely to breach copyright but surely a sought permission and a decent plug for the CD producer at every opportunity, so that he can sell more CD's, is no bad thing.
- Recording from a bridge or other public place does NOT require permission and the recording is free issue.
- After you have chopped, changed and generally mutilated the sounds onto your sound decoder, that sound project is your intellectual property.
- Tread lightly on this issue. The law is fraught, complicated and inevitably expensive. Seek permission at all times and remember that, to date, nobody has got rich by selling sounds of steam engines or diesels but people have got rich using the copyright laws.
[edit] Mobile sound
Without doubt the secret to good mobile sound decoders is the ability to make them all sound different. This is done by programming your own sounds or buying from different manufacturers and tweaking CV's or installing cams on driving wheels. The secret to a successful install is the speaker install. Some form of speaker enclosure is essential whether supplied or home made. This enclosure ensures that the sound from the front of the speaker does not mix with the sound from the back thereby cancelling both. This gives the sibilant hissing which destroys the sound project completely. Very often the supplied speaker is not all that good size-wise. For example, some say that for a British 00 locos, they generally avoid speakers above 23mm for tender fit and above 20mm for boiler fit. You may also find that speakers smaller than 18 mm give poor results soundwise. There is only one exception which is the small oblong speaker supplied with CT SL74's although the greater dimension is close to 20 mm even for this minute speaker. It is available separately from Lokshop but is expensive and only 8 ohm. Ohmage is important but not as sensitive as first thought. Do not operate below 50% of the supplied speaker ohms and watch the power rating being below half a watt. More than one speaker is good and, if there is space, up to three is even better. This means that an ESU chip could have three 32 ohm speakers fitted in series which are both readily available and smaller than that supplied. One exception is the Loksound Micro speaker which is oval in an oblong mounting. If no enclosure is supplied you will need to make one.
It is accepted that diesels are relatively easier for speaker installs but for 00/HO look for 23mm or less.
Sound sources for mobile decoders are legion and readily available but you may find them useless for use in the decoder. Recording your own is a possibility but you will need a location, little or no background sound and a sympathetic driver who understands what you want and can deliver it. There are some generic sounds to locomotives depending on where you are continent wise and where your intended modelling area is. The US diesel market for pre recorded on board sound is very well served and it is relatively easy to buy a model and matching sound decoder in that market.
[edit] Manufacturers
- Digitrax Onboard sound. Combined motor and sound decoder not really for user retro fit to other than specified Kato locos. SFX064D is sound only and is the only one that can be played/programmed off the loco. It is also the only one that can accept one sound at a time. Impressive but needs some knowledge of PIC codes to adapt for British steam or diesel sounds. Programmer is the PR2 and software is Soundloader. Check Digitrax.com for upgrades. Digitrax has recently offered the Soundbug, an add-on unit the attaches to decoders designed to accept it.
- SoundTraxx have the Tsunami available. Very high quality but all American sounds which are NOT re-programmable. Many options available and selected by changing CV's. Available in several versions with appropriate sounds (like Medium and Heavy Steam decoders.) Reckoned to be the highest sound quality in the bunch. A recent addition is the Diesel version of the Tsunami. This will probably replace their older Diesel sound decoders.
- ESU LokSound Onboard. High quality and relatively easy to reprogramme. More expensive than Digitrax and supply of compatible, small 100ohm speakers is very limited.Have recently (Feb 07)launched the two minute chip i.e. two full minutes of 8 bit sound. Double the previous. Programmer is the LokProgrammer and software of the same name comes with that. Again it will upgrade itself via the Web.
- QSI Onboard OEM. No knowledge of programming.
- FantaSonics Layout sound.
- CT Elektronik Onboard sound decoders. By far the smallest and probably among the best technically but the manufacturing quality and back up is appalling. Best bought from Arnold Huebsch who speaks good English. I have yet to meet anybody who can reprogramme sounds successfully but they are the only decoder which supports overrun silence. If only one could programme in rod clank!! (Additional info, Aug 2009); programming not as hard as it was, though documentation is still not 100%. DCC Supplies in UK seem to have the correct software and some knowledge, alternatively, search RMWeb for information from contributor "Etched Pixels" who has documented how to use the programmer. Standard decoder is fairly customisable through CV's even without loading new sounds. JMRI/DecoderPro files due for update during autumn 2009 should improve support for CV adjustment.
- Zimo Onboard sound but currently ONLY for larger scales. HO/OO decoder expected late 2007. Reprogrammable using Zimo kit. Arnold Huebsch (see link above in CT Elektronik) also stocks Zimo and is a keen fan. Zimo is expensive but those who invest are invariably very satisfied with their purchase. I have heard a Zimo sound decoder in a large scale steam loco and was VERY impressed.
[edit] Hardware
Speakers:- Apart from the decoder mftr supplied speaker I have only found two suppliers of speakers Mouser Speakers for the USA and Lokshop for Europe.
[edit] Wiring for sound
Mobile sound decoders come combined motor and sound or as sound only for piggybacking an existing motor decoder. Wiring of the former is exactly the same as an ordinary decoder except for an extra two wires (usually brown) for the speaker. The sound only decoder usually has red and black wires to attach to the track connections as per the motor decoder and the same two speaker wires. Digitrax sound only SFX064D is the exception in having about 19 wires sprouting from it! The trick with sound only decoders is getting the two decoders in synch as it were. Then you give them both the same address. All sound decoders have CV's running way over 100 and programming these is difficult unless one has DecoderPro and a well written decoder definition file.
[edit] See Also
- Rules of signaling for Southern Pacific Lines - Pacific Lines sound rules effective 1943
