ESU’s Loksound V3.5 sound decoders.

Jul 18, 2007, Matt Harris posted notes on the Loksound Yahoo group about how to set up the Quiet Bit for Loksound decoders that I use in NSW diesels. This will keep the loco quiet until it is addressed, that I like on my layout. When my layout is turned on. All locos are QUIET. I love sound but on the loco I am operating.

Onto some hybrid settings (I'm assuming that you'll want to keep the North American sound slot assignment, but just wish to change the sound on/off behaviour to the European 'standard':

CV130 = 0 (no output)

CV133 = 0 (no output)

CV136 = 0 (no output)

CV139 = 0 (no output)

CV148 = 0 (no output - the sound slot is defined in CV149)

CV151 = 0 (no output - the sound slot is defined in CV152)

CV190 = 4 (Sound on/off)

CV193 = 4 (Sound on/off)

In other words, change CV's 130, 133, 136, 139, 190 & 193.

This will cause the loco to behave as follows:

On power up, the loco remains silent.

Press F8 - the loco goes through the start-up sequence then settles on idle.

Second press F8 - the loco goes through the shutdown sequence, then becomes silent.

Loksound decoders from ESU are the latest (July 06) sound decoders available. The “normal” size is suitable for HO scale and the “micro” suitable for HO and N scale.

Technical Data:

• Dimensions: 30 x 15.5 x 6.5 mm (1.18” x .61” x .26”)

• Motor: Max load - 1.1 A continuous
• Silent Drive 32 kHz pulse frequency
• Motor overload protection
• Fourth generation Back EMF control (can be selected off). Really great low speed control

• Functions x 4, 2 of which may be used for lighting
• 250 mAs load per output.
• Total function output of 500 mAs.

Sound – 4 Independent channels

o Sound data stored on flash memory can be modified – downloadable sound.

o .6 watts.

o 8 Mbit memory (65 seconds)

These decoders in my opinion are the best diesel sound decoders as of (July 06). Basically these decoders have:

• “Silent” 32 kHz PWM Back EMF motor control that gives the ultimate in slow speed running with the loco “taking off” at speed step 1 – every time.
• Have sounds that will cover most of our Australian locos. See Josh Beveridge’s Loksound list for details of diesels and speak to Garry at the Model Railroad Craftsman about down loading his sounds into a decoder suitable for your model.
• The Loksound has sounds already included, but your own sounds can be added or any available sound from the ESU list, can be down loaded into the decoder with the optional $250 Lokprogrammer available from the MRC.
• These decoders come with a 23 mm 100 ohm round speaker and a matching plastic enclosure included.
• The Loksound is available for $195 from MRC
• Their small size makes for an easy installation and with the micro even smaller, makes installing a sound decoder, easy, the most difficult part, and this applies to all sound decoders, is finding space for the speaker. But so much easier to fit a small decoder. I recently installed a Loksound into a VR T Class with a smaller speaker.

Included below, are the decoder’s specification from ESU web site.

"Digital command control with original sound"


All LokSound decoders combine a high quality digital decoder and a digital sound module on one circuit board. You can operate your locomotives digitally and at the same time replay the original sound as well as special sound effects such as horn or whistle. The sound is adjusted to the particular running mode at any point in time: when the loco starts moving, you hear the appropriate sounds (diesel engine revving up, steam chuffs with increasing frequency) and when it stops, you hear the engine slow down and also braking sounds.

LokSound decoders set the trend in terms of technology and sound quality. Besides the features you would expect from a state-of-the-art decoder, they offer many more:

• Autodetection of digital or analog operation
• Suitable for any Digital Command Control (DCC) system, including: Digitrax®, NCE, MRC® DCC, Atlas® commander®, Bachmann® E-Z command®, Lenz® digital plus®, Zimo®, LGB® MTS®, ROCO®, Fleischmann® Twin-Center®
• Suitable for AC-, DC- and coreless motors
• Super silent running due to pulse frequency of 32 KHz
• Perfect load compensation for optimal running especially on uphill or downhill gradients; exceptional slow running characteristics
• Load control can be adapted to any motor by means of 3 CVs
• Dynamic Drive Control (DDC) - Back EMF active at low speeds for smooth slow running operation with reduced influence at high speeds
• Back EMF also active in conventional AC or DC mode - User has full control of motor and acceleration
• Acceleration and deceleration can be switched with function button
• Switcher mode (half speed) can be activated with function button
• Up to 4 auxiliary function outputs suitable for smoke units, interior lighting, automatic couplers, for raising and lowering pantographs, ditch lights or lighting the fire box
• Individually adjustable brightness of lighting
• Special lighting effects such as blinking, fire box, Mars light, Gyra light etc. can be set for each function individually
• New, revolutionary function mapping. All functions can be allocated to any of up to 20 function buttons. Multiple allocations are possible allowing for the combination of sound and functions e.g. the sound of shoveling coal and light flickering in the firebox
• Integrated Function Keys F13-F20 - latest NMRA DCC standards
• Short circuit protection for motor and function outputs

Realistic sounds - as in the real world - can easily be reproduced with the sound module, because the original sounds are memorized digitally on a chip. The sound module offers a new and fascinating model world full of sound.

• The 4-Channel feature allows you to add 3 sound effects simultaneously to the running sound, your engine will sound even more realistic.
• Really hear your engine work - exhaust chuffs synchronized to the wheel and to the load - lower motor revolutions for diesel engines once the set speed has been reached - separate running sound and ventilator sounds for electric locomotives.
• Load Dependent Sound - may be turned off
• The sound speed is synchronized with the speed steps or with an external sensor. This is suitable for use with mechanical sensors, reed switches or Hall sensors.
• Your model railway becomes more authentic than ever with the large 8 MBit memory allowing for complex sound effects, such as the typical noise of a stationary steam engine, the announcements by the dispatcher, the whistle of the train guard and many more. You can activate up to 15 different sounds with the function buttons.
• Adjustable sound volume - Control the volume for the prime mover, horn or whistle and bell individually; accomplished by the use a function key on the command station throttle or adjust the CVs.
• With the Helper Function the user can select whether the engine runs standalone, head-of-consist, mid-of-consist, or end-of-consist. Certain functions can be enabled/disabled, for instance the horn and bell is active on the first engine only, whereas the prime mover sound is on for all engines.
• Consist mode CVs - Influence the behavior of the function keys with the added CVs 21 and 22.
• Analog Sound - Even on conventional DC layouts you will hear all prime mover sounds synchronized to the operation condition.