Low Sound Levels in newer engines

Not sure I understand what you mean.  I have most of the recent locos Lionel has released and they all are plenty loud for me. I have the volume turned to less than full on all of them.  

Maybe it's your ears. Every one I have heard during demonstrations, sure seemed VERY loud, to my old ears anyway.

I think part of the problem is the two volume levels, it is easy to inadvertantly turn down the background volume, this limits the output of certain engine sounds even when the master volunme is up all the way.

 

The menu is a bit confusing on how to access the individual levels.

I agree with the rest of the guys, all my new Lionel engines are pretty loud, like RickO

said you might have the background sounds on low. Try pressing AUX1 and the number 1 button (sound button). Also just press the number 1 button without pressing AUX1. Of course make sure the volume is turned up on the engine (if it's a diesel) and on the tender (if it's steam)

 

Alex

The poster may be referring to the starter set engines that need a resistor removed to increase the sound as described here:

 

http://www.lionel.com/Customer...whistlevolumefix.pdf

First of all, nothing wrong with my hearing. It is a fact that the sound level in recently produced engines is lower. I just compare the sound level in my GG1 with RS5 and the recently purchased Legacy PRR U28c. No comparison. The GG1 is probably 50% louder than the PRR engine. The Lionel PRR Congressional Station Sounds car will most certainly drowned out the U-boat as well.

 

I am aware of Lionel installing a resister in some of the ready to run starter set tenders but now they simply install a new motor for the air whistle that runs at very low RPMS and therefore produces a lower volume.

 

I am also very familiar with how the volume controls work so that is not an issue.

 

The fact is the sound levels are lower.

This is not the case with Legacy engines. It is suspected that it is in the programming.

 

BTW: I'm not crazy. This has been confirmed by a Lionel Service Center Tech.

That is interesting.  All my locos are quite loud enough, however, as I said, so its not an issue with me.  I like to set the sound of the three or four locos I am running so that when on the far side of my layout (22-25 feet away) I can still hear them, but not loud.  This means they are quite loud when they get near (a foot from the operator console) and dominate the sound landscape as they pass by.  Usually I set volume at about 60% to get this.  

 

I've bought a few RTR or starter-level locos in the last year or so (half MTH) and there regardless of company, replacing the speaker with a bigger and better one gets much better quality (and quantity).  I have not removed the resistor: I get a bit more distortion with a good fatboy speaker crammed in there, if I do that. 

I've also noticed lower sound levels on some newer engines. It doesn't make any difference at home; I have to turn the sound way down on any locomotive in a 200 sf room. But at our toy train museum, which is 3-4000 square feet with a 15-foot ceiling, I notice a big difference between the volume I can get out of my Legacy Milwaukee Road S3 and some older engines. It's the same thing with the couple of MTH locomotives I have with PS/3 - they have a hard time making themselves heard over the sounds of the other trains on the layout. 

There is definitely a reduced volume level in some of the PS3 engines versus their PS2 counterparts. I have several that are set at 100% and the volume pot on the engine is turned to the fully open position and I still find myself wishing there was more.

I too have noticed the lower sound volumes in the newer legacy engines.

To be more precise, the lower sound volumes are in certain engines in a certain time period.

The engines I have noticed that are quieter are:

The Legacy K4

The vision line challenger

certain GP-7 legacy engines

the Legacy 2-10-4 PRR J1a

the 0-8-0 legacy engines compared to the earlier TMCC brothern

The legacy F-7's compared to the earlier 2005 TMCC releases

The 4-12-2 remake how ever has equal sound levels to the earlier TMCC engine with better sound quality.

 

 

It could be attributited to the new sound amp boards.

It anyone doubts me, put a 2000 2-6-6-2 mallet on the track... and crank it all the way up...wow my ears!