Class 111/ 071 with Model Shop Belfast Sound Chips.

[Irishrailwayman]

Rich, Over the last few years I've probably fitted sound to forty -> fifty, British, European and American engines, covering both steam and diesel - this chip is one of, if not THE best available anywhere - it even makes a very credible representation of that bottom end chug that 071s make when they're being given full beans.

 

The chip is pretty much fit and forget for those that don't like tweaking - for those that DO like tweaking, there's plenty off facility for that too.

 

-Rob

 

I agree that this is the best Irish soundproject so far. The flange squeal is particularly effective on the Zimo chip. The fact that it is plug and play avoids the frustration caused by the MM chips. I also like the station announcements both ROI and NI versions. Similar to the 141/181s the 071 GM motor sound is most distinctive even compared to the 201. I also plan to try fitting larger Bass Enhanced and Bass Reflex speakers to see if even better sound reproduction can be achieved.

[Robert Davies]

<snip> I also plan to try fitting larger Bass Enhanced and Bass Reflex speakers to see if even better sound reproduction can be achieved.

 

While I was waiting for the 071 chip to become available, I experimented to see what speaker(s) could be fitted. Without losing internal detail features, or milling the chassis block, only the standard speaker will fit. If you remove the fans and their retaining plate, a bass enhanced speaker will fit. Pretty much anything else larger than that will need the block cutting away. The room in the 071 above the circuit board is very tight indeed. For example I had a spare 8 pin chip, and a 21 pin -> 8 pin adapter - it won't fit - bizarrely, in the much smaller 141/181s there's plenty of room for that solution, I suspect that the clever trickery pokery that's needed for the very prototypical lighting arrangement in the 071, gets in the way. I may fit a bass enhanced for a while to see (hear!) if the sound difference is worth losing the fans for.

 

All this makes it sound (sorry!) like there's something wrong with the MSB sound chip - far from it! My original write up was done with the speaker in completely box stock format, and I still stand by that review 100%. The MSB chip makes the 071/112 just so much fun to drive

 

-Rob

[RedRich]

That's some very interesting info Rob. The low end sound I have heard thumping from the speaker as fitted to the models is the best I have heard from a speaker fitted loco. I like a good steady bass sound in my hi fi and I decided to bi amp my system. I use the amp for the components and the high end of the speakers. I use a power amp for the low end of the speakers. I have managed to get a great balance of sound from this set up. I love watching my models from above eye level and I would therefore be reluctant to remove the fans from my models to fit a more low ended sounding speaker as the fans are a particularly nice part of the models roof.

 

I would be happy to use the speaker as is having seen videos of them working as they sound a much better quality to what I have heard before online.

 

I look forward to hearing more from you're experiments.

 

Rich,

[Robert Davies]

It's pretty obvious to me that the sound project has been tailored to the speaker nicely - a speaker that I'd consider to be a bit on the small side to be a tweeter in a normal music reproduction system. It's obviously not going to be producing any bass in the traditional sense of the word, but it is producing the upper components of the bass 'sound' which convinces the listener that they're hearing more of the bass sound than perhaps they really are.

 

Enough of the Hifi pseudo-babble (a misspent youth and high end HiFi gear, in fact there's still a Linn LP12 behind me as I type this....). Enough people who've had their diaphragm reverberated by an 071 at speed and close quarters, have heard this chip and loco and chip in action together and appreciated the effort expended by MSB.

 

I'm just having fun running 112 back and to across my desk - and, yes the sound project really does work well on short lengths of track.

 

-Rob

[Kirley]

Rob you are never alone with a Linn LP12 near you, mine is still going strong with a little help from Naim. Sorry for going off post.

[RedRich]

Rob you are never alone with a Linn LP12 near you, mine is still going strong with a little help from Naim. Sorry for going off post.

 

Don't worry about going a little off topic, we all do it. Naim always produced the goods in the innards of their components where it matters. No point in having good looking equipment with poor sound.

 

Rich,

[RedRich]

It's pretty obvious to me that the sound project has been tailored to the speaker nicely - a speaker that I'd consider to be a bit on the small side to be a tweeter in a normal music reproduction system. It's obviously not going to be producing any bass in the traditional sense of the word, but it is producing the upper components of the bass 'sound' which convinces the listener that they're hearing more of the bass sound than perhaps they really are.

 

Enough of the Hifi pseudo-babble (a misspent youth and high end HiFi gear, in fact there's still a Linn LP12 behind me as I type this....). Enough people who've had their diaphragm reverberated by an 071 at speed and close quarters, have heard this chip and loco and chip in action together and appreciated the effort expended by MSB.

 

I'm just having fun running 112 back and to across my desk - and, yes the sound project really does work well on short lengths of track.

 

-Rob

 

I was always a bit wary of how the sound would come across in a scaled down version. The lads seem to have done it well. I'd like to hear a pair of babies double headed with sound in both.

 

Rich,

[Retro Herbie]

Amusingly my background is in hifi, was involved in the highend stuff before buying the shop and have plenty of experience with Linn and Naim gear. In fact it's were myself and Kirley first crossed paths.

 

With regard to the speaker and decoder you are spot on in your assessment, we were involved with the spec of the speaker for the loco and the best possible option was fitted as standard, we then tweaked the decoder for optimum sound to ensure the decoder is as close to plug and play as is physically possible.

 

We've also fitted out a base reflex to do a comparison, the easiest way is to remove the fan housing and fans from inside, screws hold the housing in place and the two fans rest on two upright pins on the housing plate, they are not fixed or screwed. My personal opinion is the negative of losing the fans is greater than the minimal difference of the speaker change so its not worth doing.

[heirflick]

have to hand it to you retro herbie, when you pack something - you go all out! the sound chip arrived this morning......

theres no way that this baby is going to get damaged!!!

[BosKonay]

[Retro Herbie]

 

Like to be sure!!

 

BTW for those who aren't on our facebook site - http://www.facebook.com/modelshopbelfast here's a recent update we posted re sound decoders

 

 

Quick update on all Irish sound decoders as plenty of people are asking. We are currently awaiting a substantial amount of blank decoders form Zimo, we had hoped to have these last week but they have been slightly delayed. We received a very small number of decoders a few weeks ago, these were mapped up and then sent to customers who had preordered. We have sent them out strictly on the basis of when customer orders were placed as this is the fairest way. If we receive the Zimo delivery before Christmas the time taken to map and test each decoder means they won't be ready until the new year. Where possible we have sent out partial orders so people have at least one of their decoders before Christmas. We'll keep everyone posted when we receive the next delivery from Zimo.

 

We appreciate everyone is keen to get their hands on their decoders and as soon as Zimo deliver the blank decoders to us we will do turnaround as quick as is physically possible, cheers for your patience.

[wexfordloco10]

Hi Folks

Any sign of 071 sound decoders yet

waiting since 13 Dec 2012

David

[Sentinel281]

Hi David,

 

on Monday modelshopbelfast announced on facebook that the blank decoders from Zimo were received and are programmed this week, should ship end of the week or so.

 

Cheers

 

Gerhard.

[wexfordloco10]

many thanks for info

will let yoiu know when the decoder arrives

David

[Wrong Side Of The Track]

hi guys

 

I have just converted my 071 to dcc and using a nce power cab.

All the functions work except for any lights.

F0, f10, f11 and f12 give me nothing. Any ideas what I maybe doing wrong?

 

Also changed back to the stock chip on dc and the lights work like they should.

Any help greatly appreciated

[BosKonay]

On mine

 

 

F0 directional indicator lights front

F11 headlight

F12 tail indicators

F13 cab light

[Robert Davies]

hi guys

 

I have just converted my 071 to dcc and using a nce power cab.

All the functions work except for any lights.

F0, f10, f11 and f12 give me nothing. Any ideas what I maybe doing wrong?

 

Also changed back to the stock chip on dc and the lights work like they should.

Any help greatly appreciated

 

Just to be clear, what chip are you using in the loco?

[Wrong Side Of The Track]

Just to be clear, what chip are you using in the loco?

 

Model shop belfast sound chip zimo

Edited February 3, 2013 by Wrong Side Of The Track

[Wrong Side Of The Track]

On mine

 

 

F0 directional indicator lights front

F11 headlight

F12 tail indicators

F13 cab light

 

Tried all of 28 functions on the nce cab, no joy.

Maybe the light functions were not mapped on the chip?

[Robert Davies]

That's fair enough then.

 

I had a brief panic when mine was new and none of the lights would work - I hadn't seated the chip down fair enough.... Everything else worked except the lights. Thinking on, one of my ESU chip's lights won't function if the chip is seated all the way down, it need a fingernail's depth between the socket and the chip.

 

Being as the lights are all dependent on F0 being on, press F0 three times and check both ends of the loco after each keypress.

 

My brain takes a day off most days but doubly so on Sundays, so that's all I can think of so far... (!)

 

Hope you get it sorted soon,

 

-Rob

 

 

ps btw

 

Gareth sent me this function list for 112:

 

1. STARTUP/SHUTDOWN

2. SHORT HORN

3. LONG HORN

4. PLAYABLE HORN

5. AIR RELEASE

6. AIR DUMP

7. STOWING COUPLING

8. UNCOUPLING

9. FLANGE SQUEAL

10. RED TAIL LIGHTS (Directional)

11. HEADLIGHTS (Directional)

12. CAB LIGHTS (Directional)

13. FADE OUT

14. BELFAST CENTRAL - DUBLIN CONNOLLY

15. BELFAST CENTRAL - NEWRY

16. TRAIN OUT OF SERVICE

 

Apart from the NI specific announcements, I'm guessing your listing is pretty similar.

[Wrong Side Of The Track]

Thanks for the detailed reply Robert

I will have a look at the chip again.

 

Yep thats the same procedure list.

[enniscorthyman]

hi guys

 

I have just converted my 071 to dcc and using a nce power cab.

All the functions work except for any lights.

F0, f10, f11 and f12 give me nothing. Any ideas what I maybe doing wrong?

 

Also changed back to the stock chip on dc and the lights work like they should.

Any help greatly appreciated

What chip are you using,is it the sound chip?.

The sound chip is plug and play,and all lights should work.

[Wrong Side Of The Track]

What chip are you using,is it the sound chip?.

The sound chip is plug and play,and all lights should work.

 

Yes its the belfast shop sound chip.

Every other function works bar any light function.

[enniscorthyman]

You will have to contact supplier and see what they say.

The lights work well on the new zimo chips,from what I

have seen.

[irishthump]

Not sure what DCC controller you are using but have you tried resetting the chip?

It's easily done, write a value of 8 to CV8. That might sort the problem.

 

Like the lads if that does'nt work give Gareth a shout, he's very helpful and will sort it for you.

[modelshopbelfast.com]

Afternoon, just spotting this sorry time contraints mean im not on here as much as I'd like. Give me a phone on 028 9024 0853 from UK or 048 9024 0853 from ROI if you want to double check anything. Don't forget the 0 function is designed to override the other light functions for ease of switching off the marker and headlights so if 0 is off your marker lights and headlights will be off.

[wexfordloco10]

Hi All

Just a short note to let you know I have finally rec my 071

sound decoder from Model Shop Belfast every thing works ok

one slight Query can you reduce the brightness of the cablights

 

happy bunny

David

[RedRich]

Folks can we just clarify that it is a 201 model that Signal is having difficulty with chipping here as there seem to be wires crossed as some think the model is an 071.

 

Rich,

[irishthump]

Folks can we just clarify that it is a 201 model that Signal is having difficulty with chipping here as there seem to be wires crossed as some think the model is an 071.

 

Rich,

 

Maybe it needs to be moved to it's own thread?

[Broithe]

Folks can we just clarify that it is a 201 model that Signal is having difficulty with chipping here as there seem to be wires crossed as some think the model is an 071.

 

Rich,

 

Ah, right. I just read the title and the new post.....

[BosKonay]

Moved - http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/1543-201-DCC-Help