I've used 'em

I've used both the v4 and the select loksound decoders. IMHO they are great! However using a v4 may be a bit of overkill since there is a sound project for the SW-1 for the loksound select, which is much cheaper! If I may give a hint go for the v4 only if you need to create the sound project from scratch, since the select version only allows to change the ready-made sound project, although you may still chosse horns, bells and such

Nice to know...

...about the sound project for an SW-1. I have had some trouble sorting out the ESU web pages. Can that sound project be loaded into a micro format decoder (select or v4 or whatever)?

Thanks for the info Daniel!

Ken.  I put a Select Micro

Ken.

I put a Select Micro in a brass 0-6-0. The decoder fit nicely in the ash pan under the can motor and the only wires from loco to tender are the speaker wires. Runs great and sounds awesome.

http://s1081.photobucket.com/user/locoi1sa/library/Brass%20B6?sort=3&page=1

Pete

Pete, I looked at your pics

Nice looking 0-6-0. makes the select micro sound like a possibility for my SW-1.

JMRI?

Anybody want to comment on using JMRI with the LokSound decoders?

Ken.  I have an old

Ken.

I have an old Lokprogrammer that I use for the Loksound decoders. The Select decoder is designed for sound and volume adjustments using nothing but CVs. While I have 83 decoders and installed over 100 I never found I needed JMRI. I have used my Power Cab to change CVs on the Loksound decoders though. The Select uses indexed CVs for changing some CVs and if JMRI can deal with that I can not see why it would not work on these.

Pete

Ken, I've used the V4 a

Ken,

I've used the V4 a couple of times and they are nothing short of remarkable.  They have excellent sound quality and run really smoothly.  

The V4 and the Select (and I’ve never used a Select) are very similar.  The primary difference is that on the Select you can not create your own sound project or alter an existing project, you have to use an existing project straight out of the ESU library.  V4s on the other hand allow you to create your own projects and add your own sounds.  The other difference is the price tag.   When looking at the ESU website, the projects found under the Select section can only be loaded into a Select decoder and projects found under the Generation 4 can only be loaded into V4s.  They aren’t interchangeable.    The projects are interchangeable between a standard decoder and a micro decoder (the website lists standard projects as HO scale and micro projects as N scale).

I use my LokProgrammer for programming these.  While there is a definition for the V4s and the Selects in JMRI it is not complete due to the complexity of the CVs that the Loksound decoders have.  There are sections of the definitions that are incomplete such as the function mapping, light effects and sound settings.  My understanding is that this is been worked on but it’s going to take a while.  You should be able to do all the basic programming.

Niel Wilson
 

lokprogrammer is a must have...

for both the v4 and the select if you wish to load a sound project (blank decoder or a decoder with another sound). If you manage to acquire a decoder with the correct sound project already loaded is a matter of adjusting CVs and it can be done both with a DCC cab or JMRI, but I find it easier to just use the lokprogrammer on 'em. As for the library you have to search by prime mover, in your case a EMD 567. One of the advantages of the loksound family is that you can buy one in stock and reprogram for what you need (I bought a SD70 decoder and rewrote it for a SW1000). A lokprogrammer is a expensive bit of hardware and it only works for ESU products, so you must consider if you are going to use more than once to make it worth. I already own 3 V4 installed locos and 1 select, and plan to us only loksound decoders from now on, so it was a logical step for me. You may have different needs.

Re: LokProgrammer

Pricey littler bugger! If I was looking at several LokSound decoders, I would give it serious consideration. The local seller I would use (Ulrich Models - who I plan to suggest they advertise in MRH)) can provide the proper sound project with the decoder. 

Looking at JMRI Decoder Pro 3, It has quite a number of ESU decoders in the library, including the select micro and the 567 sound project. There are a LOT of parameters (CV's) that can be set with Decoder Pro 3. More than the settings for the SoundTraxx Tsunamis I have now. If I can get the Tsunami level and more of useable configuration settings it should more than work for me.

Pete, Daniel,Niel; thanks for your insight and suggestions. You have all helped me along my path to a SW-1 with sound!

If anyone else wants to offer their thoughts, I'm all ears (eyes?).

A question on the LokSound EMD 567 sound project.

From what I have seen, you have a choice of 12 or 16 cyl. and turbo or non turbo. Wasn't the SW-1 a 6 cyl non- turbo prime mover? Is that sound available anywhere?

Ken.  While I am not a

Ken.

While I am not a diesel guy I think you will need the 73806 sound set for select micro or 74406 for the Version 4 micro decoder. The Select will have around 14 different horn sounds. Here is the advertisement.

http://www.esu.eu/en/products/loksound/loksound-select-micro/

For the Version 4 decoder will only have the horn that is supplied by the programmer. Who ever programs the sound set for you will have to specify what horn you want. Here is the Version 4 advertisement.

http://www.esu.eu/en/products/loksound/loksound-micro-v40/

Pete

Ken, yes the SW-1 had a V6

Ken, yes the SW-1 had a V6 567 prime mover, but I don't know if they only have the 12 and 16 Cylinder. The sound bulletin only stats that the 567 is the prime mover for the SW-1 and that the sound project is adequate for it. check the bulletin on the link.

http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/sounds/loksound-select/?tx_esudecoderprojects_pi1[printView]=85998ad82a0996948894b55658a96616&cHash=d6827ec8231b342fd5eb3801b958fbe0

Same basic programing as a Tsunami

I have one of the new Lok-Sound sound decoders which came (by surprise) in a new Bowser switcher that I recently purchased. I was surprised how similar the programming is to the popular Tsunami decoders that I am used to working with. I would say that they are both very much on par with each other.