Are These The Best Value Sound Decoders You Can Buy? Soundtraxx Econami - Fitting and Review 

Hi Jennifer, thanks for your informative and helpful videos, id never heard of dcc, encoders, sound encoders, multi pin plugs etc. You've got a straight forward way to explain and advice. 😊

I have four locos fitted with these decoders. Two steam and two diesel. They sound better than more expensive ones in some ways. The chuffs sound great and have a very realistic way of sounding more powerful as the loco accelerates. Nice rod clank sounds as well. I think the name may have put some people off buying them, not realising how versatile they are. They are far better than TTS for instance.

Loved your tutorial. Received today four diesel and two steam 21 pin decoders. Task now is get the fitted.

Hi Jenny, very nice video. I am very familiar with the SoundTraxx line of DCC decoders, their earlier Tsunami, and the current Tsunami2 and Econami lines. While I have a huge fleet of North American locomotives, I also have a more modest fleet of British locomotives as well. Three of them , a Hornby Schools class 4-4-0, a Hornby Lord Nelson class 4-6-0, and a Bachmann LBSC H-2 4-4-2, all have Econami UK sound decoders installed in them. I am very pleased with them, and they are far superior in sound and functionality over the Hornby TTS decoders. Also, another was of muting a Tsunami2 or Econami decoders is by setting CV113 to any value between 1 and 255. The result of doing this is that the locomotive is silent until either a function button is pressed, or you start to run the locomotive. A second feature of CV113 is that if the locomotive is parked with all functions off it will silence itself between 1 second and 255 seconds after stopping the locomotive. Another accessory from SoundTraxx is their "Current Keeper" series of stay alive capacitor units. On the LBSC H-2 (and H-2) the Current Keeper can be wired in place of the capacitor that comes in the tender. One more thing, on the diesel decoders if CV113 is enabled, then the diesel can be started using F5, and F6 shuts it off.

Interesting choice for sure - But are they really all that budget friendly? Let us consider, an ESU V5 21 pin for class 37 is around £110-£120 inclusive of delivery charges... Comes with a speaker ready to go. These are £80 without delivery charges, Hattons is about £4.50? We then need a speaker, depending which you go for these range from £5 to £35 - but let's say we go for an ESU sugar cube speaker so we'll say £5 as that's what's currently on eBay... So that's essentially £90 And you need to wire up and build the speaker too... £15-£20 saved? And a zimo decoder from youchoose is £110 delivered... Speaker ready to go! 😮 A competitive option? Yes absolutely! And it's ESSENTIAL that we HAVE options like this available to us, would be great if there was a way to "fast swap" chips between stock... Anyway .. But budget friendly? It's a no from me, TTS still has that one firmly locked off I would say, Jen me duck 😁😁

I've been using Soundtraxx decoders since they first came out, I modelled US railways for thirty years. I've got about 40 locos, both steam and diesel, fitted with Soundtraxx UK Econami. Simple, rugged, easy to program and if you use Decoder Pro even simpler to program as you don't have to keep referring to to cheat sheet for CV numbers.

Good vid, Jen and saving money over the more expensive sound chips is always welcome.

Hi Jenny, I am relatively new to the world of Railway Modelling, and came across this video today, very impressed, great presentation, I will certainly subscribe and check out more of your videos. Thank You.

Absolutely love Soundtraxx decoders.

The TTS chips are still by far king of economy sound but I've heard a diesel version of one of these and the sound is far better. They seem like a good compromise over cheap and basic sound and the higher-end good sound chips. I'll be getting a steam one to try out, it's great you can adjust them for various locos too. Thanks for keeping us updated 👍👍

That was a very good review and I will certainly be getting some of these thay sounded great thank you very much stay safe

Yes. Great value.

Great video!! Thanks again Jenny

Good evening Jenny!

i go with the ESU decoders. they are the best sounding decoders on the world wide market at the moment.

Great video Jenny they do sound good.Will they wprk in the older Hornby ringfield motors

Hi Jen what dcc controller would you recommend as a good all round system for sound and all types of decoders and fairly easy to use thank you in advance

wonderful video

Hi Jenny, another great informative video. I've recently bought a steam and diesel version of the Econami sound decoders. I have had problems running the locos downhill, they run very jerky, presumably this is something to do with BEMF settings. Have you or any of your viewers had this problem? and if so have you managed to cure the problem by adjusting CV settings. Thank you.

Not sure I am sold on the steam sounds to be honest, what was the clinking sound? The 37 however did sound awesome.

Jennifer, I am not a train modeller, just a casual viewer. But, I would have thought a true enthusiast like you would have rid your stock of those awful tension lock couplers, to my eye they reduce a model to a toy. I do understand that tight radius curves present problems for close coupling. Anyway all the best!

Awesome video thank you for posting this up . I'm a newbie to DCC though have several DCC ready loco's . Are/do the "digital sound decoders" also include the DCC element of controlling a loco via DCC or do the regular DCC decoders still need to be bought and fitted ? sorry for the newbie question .

Sure the "best kept secret" every model railroader knows about ! Thank G-D you 'grounded' yourself. All in all my choice still is the TTS from Hornby and all my loco's are equipped with the different types. Econami + speaker + ... is only just 15 to 20£ cheaper than a top range Decoder. But I have 2 TTS for the same investment speaker included. So not a real winner on value. Regarding sound they are better but still very basic and 'generic' compared with real sound files. Sure it's an alternative.

Sounds good but that permanent rod clanking would drive me barmy- « clank, clank, chuff-chuff, clank, clank, chuff-chuff,clank, clank, chuff-chuff,.. » is there no way of getting rid of that? Diesel sounds really good.

This is nuts! I’m just about to ask about sound decoders!!! Creepy or what? Thanks anyway !

Hi Jen, I fitted one to a Bachmann Prairie and did a video of the fitting. I have tweaked the CVs since and its a great little runner now, even giving realistic wheel-slip sound as the chuff rate is synced to the engine speed just using the BEMF of the motor, which is very clever! It's not a perfect match for a GWR loco but gives a good impression for me and I really enjoy driving it. My video of the install and running (at the end) is here... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZtaVoWmtfWs.html I do need to do a follow up on what my CVs are now set to - there is another video of this double-headed on the channel, using the features built in to the chip for a double chuff senario which is also unique I think - by selecting a different type of engine from the many possible options it provides. I need to re-read the manual to get my facts right as it is some time back!