Tallpaul70 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:57 pm
Steve M wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 4:58 pm
I reckon you summed up the challenge perfectly. I was also considering the Britannia and Black 5 TTS as options.
I have posted a couple of short comparison videos on my layout thread.
Steve,
I found your videos of the J36 and Atlantic.
They both sound ok to me although maybe the Atlantic could do with a bit more Oomph? But maybe playing with the volume CVs can sort that?
Unfortunately I am not familiar with either in real life or as recordings of the full size version.
What other locos have you sound chips in that either the J36 or the Atlantic will run near to, or previous/next to in the operating sequence? For instance a TTS fitted A3 should be noticeably louder(or different?)? to the Atlantic.
Cheers
Paul
“
They both sound ok to me....”. That’s as good as it gets with TTS decoders.
We have to accept their limitations as they sit (alone) at the budget end of the spectrum, so an approximation of the sound is only to be expected. TTS diesels however are a different matter - very good imho.
All my sound locos have TTS apart from my Dapol Black Label A4 - and the difference in quality is obvious.
It is well documented that chuff synchronisation is sketchy at best with TTS, and it’s not adjustable, but sticking with the concept of ‘approximation’ then you first have to look at the number of cylinders on the 1:1 version and match that to the TTS version. For example, two cylinders - Black 5, J36, Britannia, Fowler 2P, Hall (if and when), S15. Then decide which characteristics are likely to be similar - that’s the compromise! Obviously taking into account those bl##dy whistles.
Obviously I’d never consider fitting say an S15 decoder in an A4.
As you said, that’s difficult if you don’t know what the original sounds like but anyone viewing my layout is not going to know the difference either. There is a new-build Atlantic under construction at the Bluebell - when that runs we can see how close I got (or not).
As you will have seen, the sound from any given decoder can be altered by different speakers and their locations - I always use sugar cubes - and I reckon I can get deeper tones by using larger resonance boxes. That’s good enough for my purpose.
I have a Fairburn and a 3MT (and intend to get a 2MT soon) which could also benefit from the J36 or possibly the Black 5 for the Fairburn as it’s a bit bigger.
Time will tell.
