# QSI sound questions - I'm confused...



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I haven't spent an awful lot of time around steam engines, but I think that the QSI sound decoders sound very nice, at least to me ear, so let me explain my problem...

I have the QSI Programmer, so it's easy to make changes.

Now, when a steam locomotive is sitting idle, doing nothing, or preparing to move out, there are a subset of sounds, some of which just don't sound right to me.

First, the boiling water. How loud is it, really? Between the fire and the water boiling, there seems to be a distinctive background sound, but on the QSI decoders, it seems extremely loud? Of course, there could be steam leaks, injectors, cylinder cocks, etc, running, does the QSI decoder use separate sounds for these? I feel it does...

The blower sounds are separate, but seem washed out by the background sound? Other than the boiling, there are also pop-off valves and the generator whine. It seems like the boiling water should be far less audible, unless there is something else going on with the decoder's sound?

The pop-offs, the blower, the compressor, and of course, the generator, should be far more prominent and identifiable when they're playing, correct?

And, I have a reason for asking this: Does a superheated locomotive sound different than a soaker?

Thanks, Robert


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## RIrail (May 5, 2008)

Hi Robert, I don't know if you are running DCC, but you can set the CV's for the volume level of each individual sound. If you take a look at the "Full reference Manual Updated and Release" on the QSI web site under "Whats New"

http://www.qsisolutions.com/ 

Go to page 117 you will see "CV 52.PI QSI Individual Sound Volume Control". It gives and example on how to set the bell to a given volume.
Hope this helps.
Sorry, I don't know the answer about the super heated steam.

Steve


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Josh, the owner of QSI solutions has told me numerous times that the actual sound of a real steam loco is often different from what people think it should be.

A good example is the steam dynamo, which is quite loud on most locos.

They go to a huge amount of time making realistic settings and high quality recordings.

I'd just turn things down and up to suit your taste.

Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

There really is no definite "right" or "wrong" on this with regard to volume levels. Part of it has to do with what sounds good to your ears, and part of it has to do with the notion that different locos will sound different. 

If you search YouTube for videos of steam locos, you can get a sense of how they sound in real life. One thing you'll notice fairly quickly is how quiet the iconic chuffs often are with respect to the other sounds, even under moderate loads. 

I was just the other day riding behind an 0-6-0, which was quite quiet. They weren't running the headlight, so the dynamo was off. The air pump and blower were about the only sounds other than the quiet hiss of a few steam vents. The injector was surprisingly loud--a sound I seldom noticed before playing with model sound systems. 

As I was leaving at the end of the day, the crew was putting the loco to bed for the night. In this case, that involved shutting down the fire (it's an oil burner), turning off the air pump and blower, and anything else that might use steam. With all that shut off, the locomotive was eerily quiet, to the point where you wouldn't know it was under steam. 

Later,

K


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a C-19 346, and I live just across town from the real one. I've ridden behind her several times, and stood and watched her. And, to me, it seems that the sounds should be distinct.

The bell, the loudest and most annoying, followed closely by the whistle.

The blower is rather indistinct, but the compressor is very distinctive. Generators are also very distinct, and often the loudest behind the whistle and the bell. Blow-offs are easy to hear, and cylinder cocks and the chuffs are variable depending on the throttle setting.

But when she's sitting still, simmering to herself, with the generator off and nothing else, you just hear a soft sound of boiling water and some crackle from the fire occasionally...

But when the QSI fires up, it's like a cacophony of sounds all at once. I'd like to tone it down a bit but keep the loud whistle and bell...

I guess just experiment until it sounds "right" to me?

Robert


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

That's pretty much the game. The QSI software makes adjusting the sound levels very easy. Also, you can play with the "sound of power" setting to really tweak the chuff and how it responds to changes as the loco runs around the railroad. It's not uncommon for me to spend a week of evenings with one locomotive tweaking the sounds. (And even then, I'm known to revisit things down the road.) 

Have fun!

Later,

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

In reference to your question, about the sounds at startup, the air compressor goes nuts, and the drain cocks are open.. that seems the most noise.

I did notice that if after startup (the double F6) I wait until the compressor has built up the air pressure, that it makes more sense to me... then most of the sound is the drain cocks, which are closed after a short bit.

What other sounds are you hearing sitting at idle?

Greg


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