QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 28 Nov 2008, 15:10)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>***QSI is loud to be sure, and a couple of specific sound files are really nice, including their Big Boy, the Alco RSD15 and the GM E series locos... but the sound is also messy in its mastering sometimes, frequently clipping and distinctly muddy very often, as distortion is also high / audio fidelity quite low compared to tsunami and ESU.
That aside, my comments relate more to the ease of management, programming and setup of the decoder - and refinement in running quaility.
I simply don't like the QSI approach to setup and programming at all... (sound programming, not simple CV changes). The manuals are appalling and in simple programming I find the spoken readback a real problem for users, as it stops correct timing of decoder acknowledgement vs DCC standards and so changes do not "take" quite often.Bbecause of this its very hard for some owners to make changes until I show them how to turn its annoying accented voice off!
Each decoder brand has high points - for example light control is better for US models with QSI and Tsunami and ESU falls down there a little while the way ESU actually handles the levels/dimming and on/off is far nicer than with the US decoders... Programmability of Tsunami is way better than QSI if you can climb into the processor a little (it can be done even though its not obvious) and ESU probably has the best potential in its sounnd file structure and evolution + loco control, but all are OK in general.
No one brand has it all.
regards
Richard
Thats very interesting, thanks for the3 response.
As said, sound is quite new to me, so I'm still learning , I just found the QSI captures the lower range rumble of diesels better than anything else Ive heard so far, at least, the 2 I have in an E6 A/B consist does.
The tsunami I have in an F3 is perhaps a little weaker in that regard, but the transistion from one speed notch to another is more detailed, but the overall 'engine sound' effect I fond better with the QSI, as said, perhaps the extra bass speaker is more responsible than the decoder, I dont know.
I do only have one loksound, in the PCM Big Boy, a factory fitted setup, and it is very impressive, although at factory set sound levels its far, far to obvious the speaker is in the tender, running at about 1/3 volume , its very convincing.
I havent tried loksound aftermarket yet, I do have a few more locos to retrofit as time passes, so one may find its way into an alco PA at some point perhaps, the other one for the future would be Zimo, although they seem lacking in available sound projects so far, I have found their products always to be very high quality, I expect the sound decoders to be the same.
As , at the moment, I simply buy the pre programmed decoders and only make minor speedcurve adjustments myself, the intricacies of setup are not affecting me, so I judge solely on the impression the loco gives in operation.
