Sound effects.

[MsSheare]

I have a question about locomotive sounds.

I noticed SLI is coming out with 22k sound effects. While these are nice they seem pretty much the same per each locomotive from the SD50 to the SD70 down to the GP30 and GP 9

I use Matt Florack sound packs. But I have noticed they seem to lack the sound depth of the newer sounds. So my question is and i know everyone has a personal preference. But what would be the best sound set to get now beside Matt Florack's

Also how do you adjust the bell speed i have yet to hear any locomotive with the rapid dinging effect that some do have.

[mipman25]

MLW (Midwest Locomotive Works) has the best diesel sounds for MSTS right now, bar none. While SLI uses 22050 Hz audio, MLW uses 44100 Hz samples. Nash Gallo is releasing a few soundsets, though, and every single one beats out MLW by a tiny little bit.

[MsSheare]

Thank you that's what I needed to really know. I went with Matt's at the time cause his sound set was highly recommended at the time. I have over 11 gigs of locomotives aliased to Matt sound packs but I can tell they are showing age now.

I just checked and I see he has Gevo 710 and and back up 710 sounds. Now the EMD 645 set he has doesn't list 4 axle units. And I was told the GP50 also had the 710 prime mover? yet he has the SD-50 and GP-50 listed in 645. can anyone clarify what engine is actually used?

[dieselfumes]

To answer your question about the GP50-SD50, they both use the 16-645F3B the last 645 series engine EMD made till the new 16-710G engine made its first use in the GP60 SD60 in I think 1986.The sounds between the 4 axle and 6 axle units are the similuar.The SD units tend to make a little more noise from the traction motors in the cab.That is an easy fix by using the sound editor to turn up the traction motor clip a little.

dieselfumes

[Noisemaker]

The problem with higher Khz audio is 'echo' between cab and exterior views. Say the horn is done at 44k and you blow the standard 4 times before a crossing. Upon clearing the grade and using head out or external cameras - the outside horn will sound 2 or 3 times as an echo of your previous pattern. Yet over playing time, this echo does lessen. So a mile or so past the crossing you may only get one toot when going to external view. I've found 22k lessens the 'stacking' between interior and exterior views and audio triggers such as horn and bell et al. And 11k has unique muting effects much like a EQ and filter to differentiate same audio sound of say exterior mono brake release and stereo interior brake release. Can give more realism by being somewhat suppressed and muted in the cab at 11k, and brighter and crisper on external views @ 22k. Plus eases on the echo and stacking problem as well.

[rockislandfan]

In addition to what you said Steven, I could never hear any difference between 22k and 44k wave files. I have a good sound card and good speakers and the sound quality seems to be about the same between the two frequencies, at least with the type of sounds we are using with MSTS. That is why I never use anything larger than 22k in my sound sets. There may be an advantage to the horn so as to trigger it sooner when used with a 44k size file. But for engine sounds and other sounds I can't see any advantage for using such large wave files.

Ron

[Noisemaker]

Exactly Ron. 44k does allow for better high end hiss and/or bass to sound technically. But in MSTS with all the other sounds like ambient SMS, AI and Wag SMS and/or just the MSTS provisions for volume, pan and doppler effects - it's really lost in the game. Kinda like putting a Blu Ray DVD onto VHS and watching it on a B&W TV. Schindlers List, Manhattan, and Control may look better in contrast to the standard. But Vanilla Sky, The Shining, and Naqoyqatsi - forget it.