DCC Impulses Column - 7
Sound quality
My first test was with an 8-ohm, 8-inch pager speaker in an
angled baffle from the ‘60s or ‘70s. The sound volume was
enough to run you out of the room and the sounds were crisp
and clear. There was a bit of hiss audible, but when the master
volume was reduced to a reasonable level, that went away. My
take is the sound is just fine for the intended use. The horns
and bells are loud and crisp.
DecoderPro support
SoundTraxx supplied an early copy of their technical manuals
to the DecoderPro folks and there was a preliminary definition
file available even before the first SoundCars shipped. Alain Le
Marchand modified the existing Tsunami files. As of this writing
(mid-July 2014), the files are available, but a bit tricky to install
by themselves. The next production release of DecoderPro will
have them included.
Looking at the DecoderPro sounds screen [5], one of the most
important sliders is labeled Moving Sound Scalar. This is where
you synchronize the wheel clack and flat spot sounds to the
speed of the car. I found that 100 was too fast. Setting it in the
30 to 50 range worked well.
So there you have a quick look at what I believe will become
a new trend in decoders: sound for your cars, and lights, too.
Now that SoundTraxx has thrown down the gauntlet, I’m sure
others will follow. I can see them now, packing their recording
gear and heading out.
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MRH-Sep 2014
