MTH SOUND- Very disappointed

I like the horn on the Premier SF E8.

I don't know where you would get a better, compatible sound file.  However, are you sure the current file is the original?  Maybe someone played with the file or loaded their own and simply reloading a file from MTH would wholly or partially fix the problem.  My recent experience with MTH sound, PS2 and PS3 both, is that it's not too bad - while not quite not up to the richness and dynamicism of the newest Legacy, its pretty good on everything I've bought or listened to at shows. 

Lee;  I had a SF PS-1 RTR set some years ago that was better than this one. i could drag that one out but then I'd lose the PS 2 advantages in DCS.  I really need to find a compatable file to go in there.  I'm told the PS 1 file is not compatable- whatever the reason for that is...

It's not the Horn; it's the voices... & content.

The PS-1 sounds where from QSI, and when MTH went to the PS-2/3 digital sound files for DCS operation, they no longer used QSI.

Is this a premier or rail king engine.  What is the product number?

PS-1 sounds are contained in a chip, not in a sound file. Changing a chip changes the sounds. PS-1 was designed with QSI (QSIndustries) for conventional (transformer) control. Those were the days before TMCC and DCS.

 

PS-2 and PS-3 are designed by MTH for command as well as conventional. They have sound files.

If this is the original 5 volt board it looks like your SOL for passenger sounds in a Santa Fe F unit.  All of the files are for 5 volt PS2 boards or PS3  These will not work in the older 5 volt board.  If the board is the newer 3 volt there are about 6 different F3, F7 or E unit sounds you can use.

Product number????????  If it old with a 5V board, it should have speaker issues.  Again, product number.

Marty

I am guessing its 20-2273-1 because thats the only FT with passenger sounds

Marty's probably correct in that it is likely a speaker problem.

We had the Santa Fe FT from 2000 and it had very good sound. I also still have the D&RG FT from the same era and it sounds good as well. Both the older 5v systems I will assume...

Ben, if that is it, it is an old 5 volt board and you can take it to the bank that the speaker is flaked all over.  We see this often. 

20-2273-1  nice engines visually.  But that's all. D

20-2273-1

 

Guys  Its not the speaker its the announcements he is complaining of

20-2273-1

I don't have speaker issues. at least not yet, I only have a few hours on the unit.

How do I know whether this is a 3 or 5 Unit??

 

20-2273-1

 

New to This: 5v batteries look like 9v batteries while 3v batteries look like 2 AA batteries in blue shrinkwrap.

Well, I've posted the product # all over here.

 

Any suggestions yet?  What's the significance of the 3 volt vs 5 volt mess?

Should I just return it?

 

Did you buy it from a dealer? Did they give you a warranty or return policy? Since this is unit is from 2001, anything is possible. Did you try turning the sound pot back and forth as this sometimes clears up sound problems.

 

If not, check where you purchased it. Good luck.

You have a 5 volt board.

David

Up until about 2004 all PS2 engines had a 5 volt board  Your engine was in the 2001 catalog so I believe yours has the 5 volt board.  The sound files were designed for this board.  After 2004 they improved the board and it is a 3 volt board.  All new sound files were needed for these.  After awhile they did away with the 5 volt board alltogether  If a 5 volt board went bad you had to get a 3 volt board with 5 volt coonnectors change the speaker and the battery.  All the 5 volt sound files were also coneverted to 3 volt files.  This is why I said if you have the original 5 volt board in there you are limited to 5 volt sound files.  No other Santa Fe F unit with a 5 volt board has passenger sounds  So you are out of luck if you want to change the sounds.

Yes, I bought it from a Dealer...

Turning the sound Pot Back?????

what is that? ... and how is it done?

Thank you very much for your explanation.  I appreciate you taking the time. this puts it in perspective- from now on if I buy a PS2 unit it will be post 2004 at a minimum.  Meanwhile, I'm going to try to return this one.  We'll find out how reputable THIS dealer is.

thanks.

The sound pot is the little dial that you can turn the volume up or down. You use a small screwdriver and it most likely is on the bottom of the engine. 

 

Did you have the dealer test/demonstrate the model prior to your purchase?

If the speaker is not flaking and impairing the sound quality and you "really" like the look of this engine but hate the passenger station dialogue (voices and content), with access to a DCS TIU/remote you can switch the engine's personality (sound) file.  As others noted there does not appear to be another 5v Sante Fe F unit passenger soundfile available.  However, there is another EMD prime mover with MTH's Railking E3 (30-2227-1 http://www.mthtrains.com/content/30-2227-1) passenger 5v file that might be more to your liking:  http://www.mthtrains.com/sites...sf_020128b_final.mth

 

The Railking E8 (30-2271-1) is also available in 5v.

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/30-2271-1

file:

http://www.mthtrains.com/sites...___sf_020513cfin.mth

 

 

If your dealer is nearby and has access to a DCS TIU/remote he might be the one to ask to do the file change in an effort to keep the sale and show customer support.  The original sound/personality file can also be switched back to the engine if you do not like the E3's soundset.

 

There is also the option of putting in the 5v ATSF passenger files of a non-EMD engine such as:

FairbanksMorse's C-Liner

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-2417-1

 

Otherwise, you can check if the seller/dealer would accept the return without penalty, since lame dialogue probably does not fall under a shop's normal return policy.  Hopefully, you can find a way to work this out.

If I were the dealer, I would not take it back. Just because a customer does not like the announcements on a sound file, is not a reason for him/her to take a return. He/she did nothing wrong. It sounds like everything works fine, you just don't care for the dialogue? How ridiculous. MTH didn't do anything wrong either. It's no different than if you didn't care for the color of the unit you purchased. No one forced you to make this purchase and if you're having buyers remorse, sell it to someone else who doesn't mind the dialogue. But please don't expect the dealer to take it back and refund your money.

My thoughts exactly Mustang.This is what a dealer deals with to try to do what he loves and make some coin.Should have listened to one before the purchase.Store credit might be an option but that would be as far as i would go.Think about it ,The dealer would now be stuck with a used unit to sell .

I would not recommend putting a Railking sound file in a Premier unit. Railking doesn't have alot of the features that Premier does and the sound file controls all of these.  Maybe the FT and RK E8 might work but I know on other ones You lose ditch lights, number board lights, sometimes the tach strips are different and speed is wrong and the soft keys are all screwed up

Ditto!  Let's get real here...please!

Good point Ben.  I would agree 100% with you on not switching premier for railking soundfiles, but mostly with the newer 3v files.  Your experience and knowledge of MTH engines is far greater than mine.  I offered the Railking suggestion since it was early (5v) PS2 and in my Premier vs. Railking roster the sound/personality features did not differ much like they do in the newer 3v PS2 files where some sound/control/softkey options are extremely limited especially in the PS2 Rugged Rail file list.  I did not give much thought to the tach strip tape and speed issue since that seemed to me to be more prevalent (wrongly to assume) with steam files especially the bantam engines.  My apologies.

I agree about taking it back as well, but if has a legitimate sound quality issue, the dealer or MTH should make it right, weather that means repair or return is up to them

Ditto. I just changed out a bad speaker in a standard gauge engine I got from a forum member that has a 5 volt board. The sound an clarity is much better now.

Even if your speaker is not "bad" or flaking or whatever, I have improved sound quality by upgrading it,space allowing. Here is a post on how I do it using speakers form other sources. The Madison Sound speakers have better range and are of better quality.

 

www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowT...=621&categoryId=

 

Dale H

MTH sounds arint the greatest...lionels are better...just wished both would do there setup like dcc HO has..alot of sound selection to chose from..passenger.freight,yard,maitance,crew talk,tower,and so on.

"MTH sounds aren't the greatest."

 

In 2011, I purchased an MTH ES44AC from an out of town dealer.  Most of the Evolution Series engines by GE are equipped with Nathan K5HLL horns.  My MTH engine horn is no where NEAR the prototype.  I live close to a CSX main, and hear these engines many times a day, and wish mine sounded like that.  If I had heard my MTH horn before purchase, I wouldn't have bought it. 

FYI- The Dealer has a return policy. You're assuming I'd just shove it down his throat?  Not so, people are most always open to reasonable compromise- esp on inventory this old.  Please don't assume. Thanks