Freelance 2017-1

[Doughless]

Reinhard. Great looking layout.

About the IM GP10s. I have had the same experience of humming with the Loksound's in other OEM locomotives. I contacted someone familiar with ESU and there is a CV setting that cuts it down quite a bit. IIRC, you can set any CV between CV20 and CV24 to 0 and it almost eliminates it, but you might want to communicate with ESU for sure.

I'm interested in the IM GP10's, so its disappointing that you are leaning towards swapping out the sound decoder. Myself, I agree, I don't like humming or anything that sounds like turbo whine so I'm interested to hear if you get the ESU figured out.

[faraway]

Hi, I had a look at CV 20 - 24 and they are all set to zero. I had a very intense and detailed discussion with ESU technical stuff several years ago. The outcome was "works as designed". While they invested a lot of effort into the sound did they never fix the motor control. But the funny thing is that only a minority notices the humming sound at all. Most people do not notice it.
I expect the Tsunami 2 tomorrow and will report back here.

[alcanman]

I recently purchased an Atlas GP40-2 with factory fitted ESU Loksound which has an annoying humming sound and can be heard with the sound on or off.

My other Atlas loco with Loksound is an Alco C424 which has a annoying high pitched 'ringing' sound although totally silent with the sound off.

With many manufacturers and modellers switching from Tsunami to ESU Loksound, I'm surprised this problem has not been mentioned more in forums.

My favourite factory fitted sound fitted loco remains an Athearn Genesis MP15ac with Tsunami sound. Maybe it's because of the EMD 645 non-turbo prime mover. High pitched turbos can become annoying after a while.

Mal

[faraway]

Mal, I had my worst nightmare some month ago when I get an Atlas NS MP15DC via ebay in the US. I have several of that fine Atlas models and they have all wonderful drives. This one came with ESU sound. That makes it simply useless!
The other bad news is Trainworld. They have nice prices and extreme fast shipping via DHL within 2 days. They prefer since about two years to sell the sound version only (e.g. my new IM GP20). They are a closed source to me when the sound is an ESU sound...

[GMO-Frisco]

Hello, Reinhard. You have a PM.

[Doughless]

Hi, I had a look at CV 20 - 24 and they are all set to zero. I had a very intense and detailed discussion with ESU technical stuff several years ago. The outcome was "works as designed". While they invested a lot of effort into the sound did they never fix the motor control. But the funny thing is that only a minority notices the humming sound at all. Most people do not notice it.
I expect the Tsunami 2 tomorrow and will report back here.

I'm not sure if the correct setting is 0, that was from memory. Sorry, not much help. Whatever the settings, it greatly reduced the hum in my Atlas S1s and C424s equipped w/loksound.

I think most don't notice it because they probably run 30 car trains at 30 mph and the noise from the cars and the increased volume setting probably drowns it out. Like you, I run a switching layout at slow speeds and the hum is really annoying. Because of this, I avoid Loksound equipped locomotives.

I like QSI Titan, but I lie outside normal.

[Doughless]

I recently purchased an Atlas GP40-2 with factory fitted ESU Loksound which has an annoying humming sound and can be heard with the sound on or off.

My other Atlas loco with Loksound is an Alco C424 which has a annoying high pitched 'ringing' sound although totally silent with the sound off.

With many manufacturers and modellers switching from Tsunami to ESU Loksound, I'm surprised this problem has not been mentioned more in forums.

My favourite factory fitted sound fitted loco remains an Athearn Genesis MP15ac with Tsunami sound. Maybe it's because of the EMD 645 non-turbo prime mover. High pitched turbos can become annoying after a while.

Mal

You and me brother. Hum and turbos...no thanks.

[FCIN]

There are some suggestions on this page for eliminating the buzz noise, found on the Intermountain web site: http://www.intermountain-railway.com/cus...-Page.html. I noticed the same buzzing noise in the new Atlas ALCo S-2 with LokSound that I recently purchased. Setting CV124=4 (or 0) seemed to help but apparently it can't be completely eliminated unless you turn off Back EMF, not really a good idea. I will say that after setting CV124=4 if I turn off the sound I don't hear any buzz at all - but will still hear it if the model runs faster than 15-20 scale miles per hour, and I rarely run faster than 10 smph on my switching layout.

[faraway]

Ed, I tested CV 124 without positive results. A value of 4 synchronizes motor and sound (engine does not move until sound matches a running motor).
A value of 16 was set (Adaptive regulation frequency vs. Constant regulation frequency). That is a frequent hint but adaptive regulation shifts the humming sound to a higher frequency only.
Anyhow, some motors are a better match to the ESU decoders. e.g. the Rapido GMD-1 has only very little humming. Surprisingly are the very good Atlas motors not on the list....

[faraway]

The 21 pin EMD Tsunami 2 arrived and got installed within 3 minutes.
The model sounds and runs perfect now!

[alcanman]

That's good news for you Reinhard.

It would appear that Matt Hermann of ESU is aware of the problem, however, it will not be rectified until the Loksound v.5 is introduced.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/254183/2840654.aspx">http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/254183/2840654.aspx</a><!-- m -->

I tried Matt's suggestion, as mentioned in the thread, but made no difference.

And now Walthers are using Loksound decoders in their recently announced GP9s.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.walthers.com/emd-gp9-loksound-select-dcc-sound-bangoor-aroostook-76-gray-red-black?ref=1">https://www.walthers.com/emd-gp9-loksou ... lack?ref=1</a><!-- m -->

You may be 'swimming against the ESU tide' but it looks like it's a Tsunami for you!

Mal

[faraway]

ESU is historically a Maerklin add on supplier. The substandard motor control was no big issue because Maerklin customers and motors are very different from what we are used to. And last not least while 99% of model railroaders have the ability of perfect rivets counters are at least 75% some kind of deaf to minor noise. To be fair I have to admit that it is no problem at a larger layout operated by several people running several trains. Those of us with the tiny ISL in quite rooms and the engine immediate in front of us are the victims.
ESU will invest in better motor control when their new customers complain. But the fora postings about the new ESU clients (Rapido, Intermountain, Athearn etc.) praise the high quality sound. The motor control issue is rarely mentioned.
I am not very optimistic after I had a very long phone and email conversation with ESU developers at Lokpilot and Loksound version 2 time many years ago.

I am awaiting the DC only GP10 hoping it has a dummy plug on the 21 pin connector and I can just plug the Tsunami in and add the speaker. Good news is the engine arrived at Erlanger this morning.

[Doughless]

There are some suggestions on this page for eliminating the buzz noise, found on the Intermountain web site: http://www.intermountain-railway.com/cus...-Page.html. I noticed the same buzzing noise in the new Atlas ALCo S-2 with LokSound that I recently purchased. Setting CV124=4 (or 0) seemed to help but apparently it can't be completely eliminated unless you turn off Back EMF, not really a good idea. I will say that after setting CV124=4 if I turn off the sound I don't hear any buzz at all - but will still hear it if the model runs faster than 15-20 scale miles per hour, and I rarely run faster than 10 smph on my switching layout.

That was my experience. Its tolerable now after the CV adjustment (my layout is kaput since we made a move, so I was speaking strictly from memory regarding the specific CV adjustment).

Nice to hear that ESU is addressing the issue in their next version.

[faraway]

I like the Walthers wooden fences and reuse them again and again on my layout.

[Doughless]

Love the bits of trash. Great realism.