[Chrisgus]

Have just been chatting with my son in the States and the subject of Bachmann's proposed sound equipprd models came up. My son reminded me that Broadway Limited produce such models in the USA,interestingly the locos are DCC chipped but the sound system works on both DC and DCC.Does anybody know if this will be the case with the Bachmann products?

 

[folkestonekeith]

Think we will have to wait until Bachmann issue the specs for their sound-equipped models to answer your question. Broadway Limited models do work on both DCC and DC (I've got some models so can confirm this) but when you look at the Roco and Fleischmann catalogues you will see that some of their sound-equipped models only produce sound when operating on DCC - in DC they are mute!!

I'm also waiting to find out if the Bachmann Cl.20 and Cl.55 (to be released in sound) will also have working lights - the press releases have made no statement in this regard. My local hobbyshop called me a couple of days ago as they are filling in their Bachmann order form and asked me if I have any interest in these models - and I said YES if they have working lights. I'm certainly not paying top bucks for a dcc sound-equipped model that does not have working lights.

Maybe I'll get one of the Athearn or PrecisionCraftModels "Big Boy" instead...........

Keith

 

[Chrisgus]

Folkestonekeith, How riht you are ,no lights no buy thats my new motto.And as for those pathetic Heljan candles...... words fail me ,bit like their lights really.

 

[Ozzie21]

QUOTE (Chrisgus @ 10 Feb 2006, 03:48)Have just been chatting with my son in the States and the subject of Bachmann's proposed sound equipprd models came up. My son reminded me that Broadway Limited produce such models in the USA,interestingly the locos are DCC chipped but the sound system works on both DC and DCC.Does anybody know if this will be the case with the Bachmann products?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having had nearly all the Broadwaylimited locos I can say that they do work on DC as well as DCC. Having said that I will say that the QSI sound and motor decoder is not all that impressive. While they do produce a good whistle that is usually pretty close to whatever prototype they are modelling, the N&W "A" class, NYC Hudson, PRR T-1 and C&O T1 are about the best,the steam chuff is pretty ordinary. In fact it's the same sound on all their models which to me was big letdown. Steam exhaust sounds can vary considerably due to design, listen to a 9F and an unrebuilt West country to hear the difference. The motor control side of the QSI decoder is also pretty poor. BLI produced some remarkably accurate models early on but let themselves down when they switched production from Korea to China. On the Korean models there was a lot of seperate detail parts. That changed in the Chinese models with a lot of cast on detail. Not a good thing in my book when you're paying A$700 for a model with A$90 decoder.

Regards
Ozzie21

 

[Chrisgus]

Thanks Ozzie,lets hope that Bachmann have noted this in the US,and that their system is nearer to the SW Digital quality.

 

[Garry D100]

QUOTE (Chrisgus @ 10 Feb 2006, 13:33)that their (Bachmann) system is nearer to the SW Digital quality.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My local modelshop who has listened to both the offerings from South West Digital and Bachmann says that the Bachmann sound is far better.

So if South West Digital are reading this, you are going to have to do something about your pricing;

Let me see;

£70 extra ontop of a Bachmann loco price and its fitted and ready to go...

or

£110 South West Digital chip, plus a couple of hours manipulating your loco to get it to fit.

Now which would you go for.....?

 

[Chrisgus]

Wow!!!!!!!!! if it really is superior to the SWD then that is going some,and as you say the price comparison speaks for itself.Can't wait to find out!

 

[Ozzie21]

Who are" South West digital". I've never seen them advertised in a any of the magazines I get. A friend has just got his first Soundtraxx Tsnumai and reckons there is a couple of whistles on their decoders that would double as a UK steam whistle. Of course there is always the problem of space when fitting a decoder with it's speaker but that can be overcome even in a fairly small loco. I've done quite a few American locos, both steam and diesel, but I've yet to try a british loco. I must put that on my to do list.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (Garry D100 @ 12 Feb 2006, 05:31)My local modelshop who has listened to both the offerings from South West Digital and Bachmann says that the Bachmann sound is far better.

So if South West Digital are reading this, you are going to have to do something about your pricing;

Let me see;

£70 extra ontop of a Bachmann loco price and its fitted and ready to go...

or

£110 South West Digital chip, plus a couple of hours manipulating your loco to get it to fit.

Now which would you go for.....?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[Garry D100]

QUOTE (Ozzie21 @ 11 Feb 2006, 23:45)Who are" South West digital".Ozzie21
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take a look here for more information;

http://www.southwestdigital.co.uk/

Cheers.
Garry

 

[double00]

I agree entirely with Chrisgus, no lights fitted no buy.
The Heljan c33 lights are pathetic to say the least, even in a dark room it is hard to see the lighted part of the windscreen head code numbers.
I am made to believe that the future new release of the c33 in March 2006??? has been fitted with a brighter LED for better effect.