21 pin sound chip for class 50 Illustrious

[jeffg]

Hi,

I am looking for a 21 pin sound chip for a Hornby R 2901XS class 50 Illustrious. I bought the loco new some years ago with the sound chip pre-installed and the speaker integrated in the loco. The chip has since failed in a puff of smoke and I am having difficulty sourcing a replacement.

[96RAF]

Try Hornby Customer Care. They may have one lying around, but the decoder went obsolete years ago.

[ellocoloco]

Its more than likely a Loksound decoder that was fitted. It should be easy enough to buy a replacement. You will just have to make sure the speaker you get fits the space in the loco or reattach the existing speaker. I suspect Hornby used either V3.5 or V4 loksounds on their OO models. (The Hornby Electrotren loco I have with sound uses a V4 8 pin.) The current version is V5 and if you are buying new it would be an improvement on the original. They are not cheap.

 

A far as I am aware Hornby don't make their sound files free to download so you may have to look around for a suitable sound file for the Class 50. If Hornby make a TTS Class 50 decoder you could get one of those and use a 21-8pin converter.............?

 

Best of luck.

[Chrissaf]

The R2901XS had a Loksound V4 21 Pin decoder in it. Blank ones of these are readily available at about £80. They just need to be loaded with the Class 50 soundscape at about £10 - £20.

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This is just one example supplier of many able to supply a replacement. As it is a Loksound decoder you will expect to pay about £90 to £120....... this is the going rate for a Loksound decoder with sounds already loaded. You won't find any supplier of ESU Loksound decoders significantly cheaper than this.

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https://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/olivias-trains-sound-function-sheets/olivias-diesel-electric-sound-functions/

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Other alternatives suppliers include:

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https://howesmodels.co.uk/product-category/model-railway/esuhowes-sound-decoders/21-pin-sound-decoders/

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and the 'RollsRoyce of sounds' supplier Legomanbiffo [on the latest Loksound V5 rather than V4.....you would need to check with the vendor whether the 21 pin version is available from them as V5 is listed on the linked webpage as 8 pin]:

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https://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=253_68&product_id=254

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Or as 'ellocoloco' suggests. Use the cheaper R8123 TTS (8 pin) with an 8 pin to 21 pin socket convertor.

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Given the cost of any sound decoder I would investigate why the original blew first and perhaps use in the first instance a cheap basic non-sound decoder initially to prove that a long standing fault is not present.

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TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

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See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

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[Howbi]

You can get a new Loksound 21 pin V5 decoder with Class 50 Sound Project for £90 from Coastal DCC...... https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/sound.php?id=822   .HB

[jeffg]

Thanks for all the replies. I think the best way forward is to get a cheaper non sound decoder first to check out the loco rather than risk all on another puff of smoke. I may instead put a sound decoder in one of my Murphy Models locos. They are readily available locally at €120. I must say that the Illustrious sounded good when the decoder was working.

Anyway thanks again for the advice.

[96RAF]

Also check if moving to a newer version decoder that the existing speaker is suitable. V3.5 decoders used a 100 ohm speaker. The newer ones 8 ohm.

[LMSFan72]

Digitrax do the SDXH186MT chip and a good Class 50 sound file is published on another forum for free for it - however, to install the sound file you need to know someone with the correct equipment to load it to the chip. I bought a chip in the US for about 45GBP.