Hornby class 60 review!
Lets start, then stop
F1 Start, nice start, somewhat labored but good? Very noticeable the short loop however that the engine idle is on. Given the loco can spend some time just at idle in a siding or on depot, this is a bit disappointing. "Click-Click-Click" sound comes on random to brake it up, but only for short period, about 3-4 seconds then back to looping idle.
Actually, while writing this review the idle has been on for several minutes and it is very annoying. Its such a short and obvious loop it has to be regarded as very poorly done. Certainly not a patch on the Olivia's class 60 idle sound.
Shut down is very nice, not too long though.
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I'm Horny!!
F2 - High pitched airhorn. This is a continuos /doppler sound so your controller needs to be on "latch" (no problem on Dynamis) so you can vary the length of time it is on.
Same for
F3 which is Low tone.
F 11 is a Hightone of a set short length and
F 12 is the low tone of set short length
Using the dynmais it is a nice touch to have both options, though i know most will prefer the set short horns on F 11 and F12. I think Hornby should possibly have put these together and I suspect I will do so, something like thus fir example, f key numbers may be whatever suits.
F12 High tone continuous
F13 high tone short set time
F14 Low tone continuous
F15 low tone set short time
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F4 coupler- This is a 2 stage sound. First press of my Mouse /Dynamis button and we have the what sounds like a buffer clash
Then you get a short air release type of sound
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f 5 Compressor - Very very loud, it drowns out the engine noise. It hopefully is possible to lower the volume of this sound otherwise it is for me far too loud and a shame, hornby must adjust the volume of this as it is way too loud.
Again the sound is made up of a short loop of sounds.
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F6 = Shunting mode - I will delete this as its not needed to me.
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F7
Brake release - nice, first part is the air release sound, the whoooosh, then come a bit of creeping sound, not sure the second bit is as noticeable when the engine is running, you really only hear the whoooosshh but it is good.
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F8 - Notch up - no air release just straight into revving motor., seems to go from idle to a mid range then into a very high revving top end. Again, its noticeable that the sounds are short loops that repeat quite often.
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F9 notch down - nice sounds with the notching down and seemingly very responsive. There is a very good play factor using notch up and down .
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f 10 -Ventilator - There is the sound of something opening and then a whinnying noise that again can be left on as long as you like.
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f13 - train brake. This one baffled me. It sound like the creaking floorboards of the Black Pearl, I expected Capt. Jack Sparrow to shout something out lol.
It sounds OK but its not one i think i will use much?
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F14 guards whistle - !!!!!! Railtours I guess.
Again, can be left on indefinitely if you really want to annoy fellow operators or those next to you in a show.
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So that after an hour of ownership is first impressions? Well, despite taking it out of the box to find one buffer broken off and a set of steps had come loose, and it seems no etched nameplates (mine will all be re-named however) this is a good model, at least the part i was interested in, the sound. Yes, on "test" the sounds are obviously looped and on too short a loop at that. As ever, the proof will be in the eating or this case the running of the loco round my depot layout and on a 1300 ton steel train on the clubs tailchaser.
No Aux 1 or 2 set on any f key but i guess most of us who take them apart and fit cab lights, separate tail lights etc can sort that out.
Pity there is no flange squeal as at shows or home use for that the sound of the flange squeal on things like my SWd class 67 is superb and I Think every sound chip needs it.
Cv 63, overall sound is set to 64 out of the box and I have to say i think there is distortion. I shall later today be fitting base reflex and enhanced speakers and lowering the volume to around 40-50. I will report again on how the chip sounds with dcc supplies base reflex speakers.
Then, all being well i will take the three class 60 i have with sound, the Howes version, the Olivia's trains version and the hornby version to my model railways clubs tailchaser layout for a spin.
Will also do a static side by side sound review.
If you asked me right now, i would be tempted to say very little between them with perhaps the hornby one the best!!! As a RTr sound project it is very good and i am sure for new people buying sound they will be very impressed.
If you factor in the costs (which i dont wnen it comes to sound) the hornby one wins hands down, or at least by about £30-50 +/-!