Sound card recommendation

This forum is dedicated to Riding Scale Railroading with propulsion using other than steam (Hydraulics, diesel engines, gas engines, electric motors, hybrid etc.)

Moderator: Harold_V

Post Reply
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Sound card recommendation

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Looking for recommendations on a good locomotive sound card for my center cab conversion. I’d like to mimic prototype engine noise, with the sound varying with speed.

Also looking for recommendations for a realistic air horn - not the ear Splitting 185 dB highway blasters advertised on the Internet. I need to keep it low and subdued, or adjustable, to keep the neighbors happy.

Thanks much
Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
jcbrock
Posts: 511
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:50 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Sound card recommendation

Post by jcbrock »

Phoenix P8 is one. It has bell and horn triggers, and also uses the voltage off the motor circuit to adjust the sound for the load. Its sound library isn't as large as some of the other manufacturers and you can't mix and match engines and horns, the engine and horn are combined in the sound file from what I can tell.
John Brock
User avatar
kcameron
Posts: 266
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:23 pm
Location: Syracuse New York

Re: Sound card recommendation

Post by kcameron »

The Phoenix P8 is the simplest to install. A few of the other ones get a bit trickier on how it monitors the throttle and motor so it can adjust the sounds correctly. We've done it with some of the newer ones but it wasn't easy.
-ken cameron
Syracuse Model Railroad Club http://www.SyracuseModelRr.org/
CNY Modelers http://www.cnymod.com/
Finger Lakes Live Steamers http://www.fingerlakeslivesteamers.org/
Member JMRI Developer Team http://www.jmri.org/
mailto: kcameron@twcny.rr.com
In the Upstate New York US area of the world
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Sound card recommendation

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks guys, just read up on the Pheonix P8. Looks pretty straight forward to install.

One question, what are “Horn triggers”? I assume some sort of momentary push button switch assembly??

Thanks
Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
jcbrock
Posts: 511
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:50 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Sound card recommendation

Post by jcbrock »

Glenn Brooks wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:03 pm One question, what are “Horn triggers”? I assume some sort of momentary push button switch assembly??
Yes, momentary pushbutton for the horn and a spst on/off switch for the bell.
John Brock
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Sound card recommendation

Post by rkcarguy »

http://greenway-products.com/greenway-p ... el-sounds/

I found these guys online Glenn. It's just one noise per module, but they are only $45 each.
The speaker output could easily be amplified and fed to bigger speakers via car stereo stuff if you want louder.
They can be ran "looped" or triggered with a momentary contact button for the horn.

FYI I like diesel horn #8 for the horn and "diesel engine helper" for the engine noise, but by all means explore their sounds files and see what you think.
Post Reply