Paul-H Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Hi Guys I am about to order a sound decoder for my Bachmann Class 108 All three of the usual suspects have this sound listed but which is the best or are they all the same Howes, SWD or Olivias trains. Thanks for any input. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piemanlarger Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 Swd 108 is still in works, it was going to be released at Warley but a few things were not finished in time. I suspect Bachmann will do a sound 108 next year, 2011! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 I can't comment on Olivias as I haven't heard theirs at all but if you look in the DCC Sound sub-forum I have linked a video of the Howes 108 in action. Another contributor has a Hornby class 121 fitted with the same decoder and sounds in a long video clip on a larger layout than mine. These may help you to make up your mind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmustu Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 You can also get a class 108 dmu sound chip from DCC Supplies, they are done by 'Mr Sound Guy'. I have never heard one though, so cannot comment on them. I have a Howes 108 sound chip, with a bass reflex speaker and it is very good if thats any help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
russellwar Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 Just been reading the new RM and Digitrax have a free download on their website I don't know if it is any good but the article in RM shows you how it can fit in to the Farish 108. I am tempted but would love to know if the sounds are any good. http://www.digitrax.com/sounddepot.php Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 You can also get a class 108 dmu sound chip from DCC Supplies, they are done by 'Mr Sound Guy'. I have never heard one though, so cannot comment on them. I have a Howes 108 sound chip, with a bass reflex speaker and it is very good if thats any help. I originally fitted the Mr SoundGuy version to my 7mm class 119 - it was reasonable in most respects, but the pneumatic sounds that accompanied the gear changes were very poor - they sounded more like electronic beeps than the 'tish, tish' sounds that I recall from my childhood days of endless DMU journeys down the Thames Valley. So I quickly replaced it with the Howes version, which is much closer to what I remember - it captures the rhythmic raaaaaaatttttllle of the bodywork while the engines are idling, the transmission clunk and change in engine note as first gear is selected, some pretty good gear changes and a reasonable amount of exhaust rasp as it reaches maximum revs at the top end of first gear. The buzzer, horn and door slam sounds are fine too. Downsides for me (and I'm getting pretty picky here) are the unrealistically short period in 3rd gear (presumably caused by the lack of spare time on the chip and the fact the the preserved unit used for recording would have been restricted to 25mph) and the lack of a really fruity exhaust note (mind you, I associate that with the gutsy Cross Country units and not the little 108s, and it is a 108 recording after all). So overall, I love the Howes 108 chip - until I moved house in the summer and had to dismantle my layout, I would spend ages driving the unit around my loft and reliving my childhood. Well worth the money. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Just been reading the new RM and Digitrax have a free download on their website I don't know if it is any good but the article in RM shows you how it can fit in to the Farish 108. I am tempted but would love to know if the sounds are any good. http://www.digitrax.com/sounddepot.php I'm of the view that the RM article is insane. Slightly saner solutions are: a ) get dealer to install the Digitrax sounds for you. SCC certainly offer this, don't know about others. That saves ??60+ on a PR3 loader, power supply, and the time to learn to use it (unless you already use Digitrax command station and either PR3 or LocoBuffer would be on your shopping list). b ) Fit the LokSound Micro. Yes its a few quid more than the Digitrax solution, but not that much more (Digitax solution requires a decent loco driving chip which is at least ??20, arguably ??30, plus an extra speaker, whereas ESU requires the cheapest possible function only chip (Bachmann new 6-pin??) for the trailer lighting). The Bachmann chassis comes with speaker mounting hardware for LokSound speakers (the plastic bits with holes in them), its already worked out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Just been reading the new RM and Digitrax have a free download on their website I don't know if it is any good but the article in RM shows you how it can fit in to the Farish 108. I am tempted but would love to know if the sounds are any good. http://www.digitrax.com/sounddepot.php IMHO Its nowhere near as good as the loksound micro sets. Price is nice, samples are fine but its lacking something in the gear changing/speed adapting compared to the loksound micro ones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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