Atlas O two rail sound quality

I assume the units are DCC/DCC sound.

Atlas hasn't announced the supplier of their DC/DCC/Sound system for those engines.  They may be changing suppliers.   

Atlas has been using a QSI licensed Q2 sound system, which is the same used in current Sunset engines. At this point both manufacturers may consider switching to the Q3 emulation system and that is where QSI is going. Unless they choose a different manufacturer. I have Atlas F3 and Sunset E7 units with the Q2 system and they sound very good. I also have a Sunset FP7 with the Q3 emulation system, which sounds even better.

The Q3 system seems to have more depth and clarity to it's acoustics. Remember the best sound system is only as good as the speaker/enclosure designed into the engine.

For clarity with QSI DCC one should know the decoder model and the sound set version loaded on it.   The DCC used in early AtlasO diesels was a QSI Revolution decoder  loaded with a Q2 sound set.  QSI Revolution decoders are not capable of running QSI's new Q3 Emulation Technology sound sets.  More recent production AtlasO and all Sunset 3rd Rail O scale 2 rail diesels have QSI Titan decoders capable of running either Q2 or Q3 sound sets.  As Chris points all AtlasO and Sunset 3rd Rail diesels delivered to date have been shipped with Q2 sound sets loaded on their decoders.

  As long as your diesel has a QSI Titan decoder the Q2 sound set can be upgraded/replaced using a QSI Programmer (running on a PC) and one of the downloadable Q3 sound sets found on the  QSI Solutions web site.  

Ed Rappe

I would not make my decision based on sound only.  It is a shame that you missed the deadline for the Sunset F-7's.  Sunset installs a good sized horizontal motor which is preferred by most 2-railers.  Perhaps you could find a dealer who has some Sunset F-7's that are not spoken for.  Scott, Sunset's owner, actually listens to his customers and tries to incorporate as many valid suggestions as he can into the models.  I have not found that to be the case with Atlas.  Obviously, I prefer Sunset to Atlas.

Ed

Is Atlas switching to ESU in their 2-rail O engines, as they did with HO/N?

I note this User's Manual.

(The Loksound decoders in their HO engines run and sound really great) 

Wow!! I really hope that is true.

Many thanks to all of you for such informative responses. I did not know any of the information provided in these posts. I am a total newbie to two rail and, indeed, intimidated by the road ahead. The wiring, control, DCC learning curve are all a new world. In any case, I know the OGR Forum is the best possible place to get help so I will be relying upon this group to throw me a lifeline.

Many, many thanks.

Scrapiron

Scrapiron don't be intimidated by 2 rail there are many of us here to help. what you accomplished with your previous layout going 2 rail should be no problem. if 2 rail was such an issue there wouldn't be so many HO & N scale modelers. 

lastly to your sound question it looks like wow sound will be available for O scalers with high amp decoders. listen to what there stuff sounds like you will be impressed.

Thanks for the kind words, Nick. The Munoz Lines was wired with the help of real gurus. I did grunt work and scenery. Those were my fortes. I will be back here often asking embarrassingly simple questions. 

WOW! Check out the sound files from ESU!

I may join the "dark side" and defect to 2 rail 0....

I hope Atlas goes with ESU sound files for the next generation of F units.