[N.S. Rob]

I have a lot of Aristo diesel engines and wanted to know if these systems are worth putting in.  I was told that these are designed to go with the Aristo line and are easy to install. I reallly don't want to spend the big money on all these engines. So is the Dallee system better than no sound at all? 


 I run track power and I did hear that Dallees reed switches were not so good.

 

[pimanjc]

The Aristo/Dallee sound systems are better than no sound. I installed one in an SD45. 


For my next SD45, I got a Phoenix sound card.


JimC.

 

[todd55whit]

If your not to picky about the sound quality and just want a basic sound system they are good. Short money also. BTW I have never used them with track power, only Battery power.

 

[Dan Pierce]

You do get what you pay for.

I have used a $5.00 kit for sound that just gives a constant motor sound for my small inexpensive engines.

I also have Phoenix and Sierrra in some engines.

I do like the reprogramming feature of the phoenix.

I do plan to install the RDC Dallee in my RDC when I find one (have not seriously looked yet.)

 

[Torby]

Hmm. Maybe I'll hold out for Phoenix. A friend tells me the Dallee sounds good if you have a big, heavy speaker.

 

[pimanjc]

The LGB selfcontained 6500x series is fairly good, but requires use of reed switches and [in my opinion] the capacitor set for standing sounds.


JimC.

 

[blueregal]

/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gifi would look at qsi solutions, just installed theyre aristo pnp sound board, in a dash 9, and also put in a g-wire to control everything with my airwire t9000 throttle, you can go either way trackpower, or battery with the qsi, if you want to see and hear the quality go to you tube 7485 jerry there you will hear qsi pnp for a dash 9.  Going to install it in my sd45 next may strip out phoenix in other sd45,  and also the hardwired airewire in the other dash 9 w/o sound,  As for ease of installation, took 20 minutes no muss no fuss no complicated wiring, no soldering just  plug n play like they say, at least on the aristo diesels! Tony and Lou at qsi have a winner here,  Litchfield Station was also very helpful!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wow.gif

 

[Torby]

'Cept I don't have an airwire controller.

 

[blueregal]

brakeman you dont need a airwire throttle you can run sound with your transformer, and it will work just as well!!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wow.gif

 

[Guest]

I have to agree with a couple of guys here in that QSI  is in my opion the best bang for the buck.i have DCS sounds witch i feel are the best sounds out there i also have phoneix, sierra, dallee and qsi, for thirty dallars more than dallee you can have QSI plug and play, i sent back the dallee because of the poor quality and the poor sounds that came out of them. you may be able to tweek them a little but it will cost you and extra 100.00 to do so.  i have 8 of the QSI  systems for  dc running, and they sound evey bit as good as phoneix hands down, and for the price you can't go wrong, far beeter than dallee and no istallation hassles...i know there are some here that swear that phoneix is the best but i humbley diagree, QSI  is the newest sounds on the market and for what you get for119.99 nothing can come close to what you get for a 119.99 , you pay twice as much for a phoneix or sierra and the sound systems even the p-5 are old technolagy, i know there are a few here that are dihard phoniex and sierra fans and i not nocking them as i own 3 of each of them but i'm just comparing them to each other in my loco's
Nick

 

[blueregal]

/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gifgo take a look at my you tube site and videos, 7485jerry, there you will see and hear several examples of QSI, compared to Phoenix, and you can be the judge! There are some with using transformer, and some with airwire can controll around 28 features right from your t9000 throttle, using trackpower with a g-wire installed and pnp QSI for an aristo dash 9 both items the pnp and the g-wire are around $200 give or take a little either way! Judge for yourself im convinced. The Regal  Dont want this to sound like a commercial but it is just my feelings having both the QSI and the Phoenix  just trying to give an honest personal opinion here.  I like the QSI because of the ease of instlalation, and like most  guys the price is right compared to what you get and what the item will do take a look comments, questions, opinions appreciated.  ps I'M ELECTRONICALLY CHALLENGED!!!!!!!! this is for dummies like me who dont understand wiring, soldering, and all that technical mumbo jumbo in the Airwire group on Yahoo under blueregal there is a photo album that actually shows the installation i did step by step!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doesnt cost to join either just to see the installation working on some other ways of getting the word out on this my opinon and we all know what opinions are they are like a---oles and everyone has one like all of us!!!!!!!!!If you like less expensive, and simplicity then this is for you./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wow.gif

 

[Pipertwo]

Where do I get the QSI for $119.99?  Will the unit work with the Aristo Train Engineer?  What else is needed to get the sound working using the QSI sound.  After spending hours and hours trying to get the Dallee to work I am ready to quit.   I have even tried using only an eight pack of AA batteries applied to the Dallee as Dallee instructs to keep the sound on when the engine is not in motion and still no sound.  Well the eight AA batteries did activate the SD45 motors and they moved but still no sound.  I am ready to try something else.  I have been discussing this under the Dallee in the SD45 in this Forum.
Frank Barnard 

 

[Guest]

Frank, 
 i received 8 of them not to long ogo from tonys toy exchange, i kid you not it took me 5 minutes to install in a dash 9 and about 10 to put in a gp 40 cause you need to remove the body. i beleive the sd 45 is the same, no wiring just plug the QSI Board into the aristo board and your ready to go on DC power. the thing that made me really like these boards was that you can toot the horn and ring the bell on dc power with no additional parts. i love it for DC running only... you won't regret buying one......
Nick.
P.S. also you can talk to Greg E. and RJ  on this forum about QSI they have been using it alot under DCC with great results i beleive...... 

 

[Pipertwo]

Where is Tonys Toy Exchange? What is their phone number and web site? What is the sound part number for the QSI the works in the SD45? Thank you for the help.
It is 19 below zero this morning near Madison and the Pack play up north of here in Green Bay today.
Frank Barnard

 

[Guest]

Frank,
Tony web site is WWW.TONYSTRAINS.COM part # i used for sd-45 was 1008-335.
good luck,
Nick

 

[N.S. Rob]

Are the QSI boards only for Aristo, or are they easily installed in the USA trains as well? I run track power with a bridgeworks 10 amp. I am powering to loops. I was wondering what I have to buy in order to control the functions. I thought I could add two of those QSI engineer controls. One for each track , that way I could control each track seperately. I don't know if that power pack is enough to power 4 engines with that system. I currently run 4 now with no problems. Or could I add reed switches to the QSI board? I thought I read somewhere that in order to honk the horn with track power you have to throw the direction switch back and forth. I don't think that would work if it was teamed up with an engine that didn't have QSI installed. That's why I am wondering what my options are since I am not ready to buy all those sounds cards as of yet. 

 

[lownote]

As I understand it you can't use the QSI with Train Engineer--is that right? It has a plug in available for Airwire but not for anything else. I would be looking at QSI except I just ordered an onboard TE system

 

[Guest]

Heres what i have found after playing with the boards on DC power for a couple of days first you can set the starting voltage if you want to start at a higher voltage witch seems to make the engine run better, i would only run them with other qsi boards only ,unless you were to compare starting voltages of locos without qsi and set the starting voltage of the qsi loco to match non qsi loco, i also do run the  loco's with the te and as lomg as you use the power pack direction switch you can still trigger horn and bell, but it needs to be a 2 way switch not a 3 way like bridgewerks pack... all in all very happy with the system just takes some time to figure out all that it can do... and it does alot more than any other sound card i own, ecept of course DCS hope this helps i think for the price it's well worth trying one... /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif also Greg E. and RJ have been using the system on DCC with good  feedback from them as well i spoke with Greg the other day he helped me to understand more of what the board could do. i also will email RJ as well he has been using the board as well..it's kinda funny from reading gregs posts here then talking to him by phone, turns out to be a a ok guy i know he and i didn't start off to well but i think were OK now../DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif
Nick

 

[Torby]

Well, Greg's response came after I ordered the Dallee.

I decided not to gut my Mallet dinosaur style. Annoyingly, Radio Shack doesn't carry those 1 by 12 connectors, so I unsoldered the "DCC" connector from the little shorting PC board.

I was worried about the TE accessory receiver connecting directly to my 19.2v battery and I had a little 14.4v regulator I built for something else a while ago, so I ran battery power from the regulator in the tender to the outside pins of the dcc connector. I power the sound system, smoke, and lights from there. The light and smoke switches still work. I ran the output from the TE to the 3rd and 4th pins from the ends. I used dallee's magnetic chuff synchronizer with 2 magnets on the pilot truck.

The dallee board hisses, pumps breaks and pops the popoff valve. If I rotate the pilot wheels I hear it chuff. I can turn the bell on and off and blow the whistle with the te buttons. When the whistle is blowing, other sounds stop, but they continue when the bell is ringing.

My speaker distorts badly at really low volume, so I'm looking around for a better speaker.

Oh yea, with the top on, I can lift the steam dome and reach the volume control and code set button.

 

[Dean Whipple]

The December 2007 Garden Railways magazine has an in depth article by Gary Raymond comparing the Phoenix, Sierra, and Dallee sound systems in a Dash 8/9 that you might find interesting he ended up choosing the Dallee…