TTS Sound class 31 decoder volume very quiet

[olly]

Hi everyone

 I am currently trying to fit a TTS decoder in the high detail class 31 

The supplied speaker wouldn't fit without removing the fan mechanism so I thought about using a sugar cube speaker. before changing the speakers I tested everything to make sure it was okay.

The locomotive was a very good runner before fitting the decoder but was a very poor runner with the decoder fitted 

so I changed CV 150 to value 1 and that instantly improved the running. 

a friend of mine had also purchased the same decoder to fit into his 31  and had the same problems with the running of the locomotive  

he contacted Hornby and they told him to change CV 151 to  value 255  and CV 152 to value 1 

either of these two methods will make the locomotive run properly with the TTS decoder fitted. it basically changes the motor control algorithm. it doesn't seem to matter which of the two methods mentioned above you use they both give the same result there is no difference in performance that I have found.

concerning the sound being very quiet  I have the volume turned up to full and it's still quite quiet

usually I find with the TTS decoders I have to turn the sound down a little or at least leave it at default. 

I have fitted sugar cube type speakers to other TTS decoders and have found that as well as improving the sound quality they also give a better volume usually I have to turn them down to volume level 3.but this one is very quiet totally different to any of the other TTS  sound decoders  I've had

has anyone else fitted a high detail 31 with the TTS decoder? Have you managed to get the sound to a reasonable level and what speaker have you fitted?

I hope when the class 60 comes out this has more volume

[2e0dtoeric]

Three possibilities -

1) duff speaker

2) wrong impedence speaker (ie a 16 ohm one instead of a 4 ohm one)

3) duff audio amp on the decoder.

Try putting the original speaker back on the decoder, and try it, even though it doesn't fit the chassis, that will prove the area to look for the fault. If it is very quiet too, duff amp, if it blows your ears off, duff or wrong speaker!

Look on the back of the speaker magnet - there should be a number, and an omega sign. (my keyboard doesn't have one, but it's the upside down U with two hooks on it).

[morairamike]

TTS speakers are 8 ohms.  is it sealed well with its enclosure. I fitted a sugarcube today to a Castle class and it was quiet, put in another from a different supplier and it's  loud, had to turn the cv 178 down to 3 (max is 8)

[olly]

Three possibilities -

1) duff speaker

2) wrong impedence speaker (ie a 16 ohm one instead of a 4 ohm one)

3) duff audio amp on the decoder.

Try putting the original speaker back on the decoder, and try it, even though it doesn't fit the chassis, that will prove the area to look for the fault. If it is very quiet too, duff amp, if it blows your ears off, duff or wrong speaker!

Look on the back of the speaker magnet - there should be a number, and an omega sign. (my keyboard doesn't have one, but it's the upside down U with two hooks on it).

The sugar cube is an 8 ohm 1 watt  

 

I tried the Hornby speaker first when I did the ini test run and the sound was very quiet I thought the sugar cube would improve things but it hasn't 

 

the hornby speaker has no markings on the back The paper work says it's a 8 ohm 1 watt  

 

a 4 ohm speaker would blow the decoder TTS decodes can only use 8 ohm,s

my friends decoder was also very quiet he had tried two speakers and it was still quiet he has sent it back to the shop 

 

[2e0dtoeric]

Faulty batch of decoders, then?

[olly]

Sounds like me and my friend have been unlucky with a duff amp on the decoders 

 

I will try another speaker tomorrow just in case both the hornby fitted one and the sugar  cube are both faulty 

 

Morairamike what was the speaker you used? 

 

yes when i have fitted  better speakers to a TTS I have needed to turn the volume down. I have an a4 with a zimo speaker and that's set at volume level three 

[olly]

Faulty batch of decoders, then?

Could be that's why I asked on here if anyone had the same problem 

I may see what hornby have to say about this 

[morairamike]

Olly85.

The loud speaker is a LSPECKIG ECKIG MINI OBLONG SPEAKER 8 ohms from Digitrains. They come with a separate enclosure.

[Britannia Builder]

I think the latest TTS decoders may be a bit quieter than earlier ones. On my TTS Duke of Gloucester bought 18 months ago I had to turn the volume levels right down to 1, but on the A1 TTS decoder that I fitted recently to my Peppercorn A1 I left them at the default 4, and likewise on my recently acquired Railroad Class 31 with factory-fitted TTS I left most of the volumes at 4 and turned the horns up to 6 - all with the standard Hornby-supplied speakers.

 

Interesting comment from Hornby about leaving cv150 at 0 and changing 151 to 255 and 152 to 1. I've always just changed cv150 to 1, but I might give this a try.

 

Regards, John

[olly]

I think the latest TTS decoders may be a bit quieter than earlier ones. On my TTS Duke of Gloucester bought 18 months ago I had to turn the volume levels right down to 1, but on the A1 TTS decoder that I fitted recently to my Peppercorn A1 I left them at the default 4, and likewise on my recently acquired Railroad Class 31 with factory-fitted TTS I left most of the volumes at 4 and turned the horns up to 6 - all with the standard Hornby-supplied speakers.

 

Interesting comment from Hornby about leaving cv150 at 0 and changing 151 to 255 and 152 to 1. I've always just changed cv150 to 1, but I might give this a try.

 

Regards, John

 I have also just changed cv 150 to 1 to improve the running in the past. both ways work the same 

 

it's interesting what you say about the new decoders being quieter than earlier ones.

 

I will see what the volume is like on the next one I buy   

 

I have phoned Hornby this morning and have returned the 31 decoder to them to look at  

[olly]

Got the decoder back from hornby yesterday 

they said that no fault was found and the sound is as programmed 

 

 so not sure what to do next  

it wont work with a zimo sugar cube which has the same ratings as the supplied speaker 

maybe I will try different speakers or would it be possible to fit two speakers not sure if the decoder will take two speakers ? 

[Britannia Builder]

I've now turned all the horn sounds on my Railroad TTS Class 31 up to volume 8, with the engine sounds left at 4. I also turned the guard's whistle (F23) up to 8 but that was really loud and I turned it down to 6. Is the guard's whistle louder than other sounds on your class 31?

 

I wonder if Hornby have changed the output power of the TTS hardware, or simply recorded the sounds at a lower level than usual, in response to previous comments about TTS sounds being too loud even on level 1?  I have a Railroad class 47 which I retrofitted with a TTS decoder 6 months ago (bought from Rails who split them out from TTS locos) and I find the engine sounds somewhat on the loud side even at volume level 1, so to be honest I prefer the new TTS decoder volumes. I guess it depends on the size of your room etc.

 

I imagine that two 8ohm speakers in parallel would be equivalent to one 4ohm one, so might damage the TTS decoder.

 

Regards, John

[olly]

I've now turned all the horn sounds on my Railroad TTS Class 31 up to volume 8, with the engine sounds left at 4. I also turned the guard's whistle (F23) up to 8 but that was really loud and I turned it down to 6. Is the guard's whistle louder than other sounds on your class 31?

 

I wonder if Hornby have changed the output power of the TTS hardware, or simply recorded the sounds at a lower level than usual, in response to previous comments about TTS sounds being too loud even on level 1?  I have a Railroad class 47 which I retrofitted with a TTS decoder 6 months ago (bought from Rails who split them out from TTS locos) and I find the engine sounds somewhat on the loud side even at volume level 1, so to be honest I prefer the new TTS decoder volumes. I guess it depends on the size of your room etc.

 

I imagine that two 8ohm speakers in parallel would be equivalent to one 4ohm one, so might damage the TTS decoder.

 

Regards, John

               

          think you might be right about the sound volumes being lower on the new decoders 

 

I preferred the old TTS myself at least the volume could be turned down if it was to loud for you 

 

that's what I wanted to check when I was trying to work out I got 8ohm or 16 ohm depending on how they were wired 

 

I've just had a look at your website Britannia builder that's a very impressive  loco .

 

Maybe my numbers will come up on the euro millions the I could have something like that and fit all my 00 locos with Zimo or Esu sound

[WilliamDavid]

I don't observe any difference in sound levels of the ready fitted decoders with the new A1/3, A4 and Tornado decoders. Have noticed the fitted Class 31 is a bit quieter, though.

[olly]

I have finally got my class 31 to work properly with the TTS decoder and have found a speaker the fitts in the loco that gives a decent volume and sound quality    

 

the speaker is a zimo 3D optimised speaker 8 Ohm 1 watt  L26 x W20 x H 8mm

 

I have the volume set to value 6 this seems about right to me 

 

 

the only issue I am having now is the locomotive jumps forward about 1mm when the sound has finished starting up has anyone else had this issue and have you managed to fix it?

[Sandbar]

I fitted this decoder to my Class 08 diesel as I wanted to try out the motor sound. The speaker had to be remove from the housing and stuck to the roof of the loco, but volume is soft. I am not interested in the horn sounds but would like a proper sound for the class 08.  I have a master & slave or cow & calf unit depending how you understand it. 

Cheers from Andrew

Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway

[96RAF]

My 31 sound is OK with a standard speaker. The 08 has a smaller oblong speaker to fit in the radiator area, also adequate volume.

Rob

[olly]

I fitted this decoder to my Class 08 diesel as I wanted to try out the motor sound. The speaker had to be remove from the housing and stuck to the roof of the loco, but volume is soft. I am not interested in the horn sounds but would like a proper sound for the class 08.  I have a master & slave or cow & calf unit depending how you understand it. 

Cheers from Andrew

Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway

Sandbar you say removed the housing and stuck the speaker to the roof. Removing the speaker enclosure will affect the sound volume and quality. Try a sugar cube type speaker