RECORD YOUR OWN SOUND EFFECTS
On a mission to record a range of ambient sounds, George Dent gets out and about with an innovative recording and playback module from Train-tech.
While Noch’s sound modules and Hornby’s sound-fitted van are great fun, being able to record exactly the kinds of sounds to suit your own layout (and personal tastes) is a real attraction. This is now an easy goal to achieve, thanks to this great handheld device from Train-tech. Featuring four separate digital soundtracks, each can be recorded and played back at will, with two tracks playable at the same time. Simply point the built-in microphone at a subject, select the track and press record. The device can store up to 35 seconds of sound per track. By taking the Sound Track unit along to a busy station, it’s possible to record all manner of everyday sounds, such as platform announcements, train arrivals and despatches and the bustle of passengers. Alternatively you could record industrial noises, road traffic, aircraft, human chatter, a babbling brook, wind in the trees, bird song, animal sounds or waves crashing on a beach – the possibilities are truly endless! The sound files are permanently stored in the Sound Track’s digital memory and a lock feature is provided, to prevent accidental erasure. For portable use, a standard 9V battery provides ample power. However, when hooked-up to a layout, the unit can be connected to a permanent 9-16V DC supply or the standard output from a DCC controller. Sound quality, while not exactly super high-fidelity, is nonetheless impressive, especially when considering the unit’s small size. The 0.5 watt speaker is more than adequate and the built-in volume control is a real boon. The microphone is rather sensitive too, picking up a good range of sounds and frequencies. The sounds can be triggered simply by selecting the desired track number and pressing the Play button. Alternatively, separate toggle switches can be connected to the screw terminals to activate any of the four tracks remotely (full instructions are provided). This is handy if you’re mounting the Sound Track unit under the baseboard at a strategic location, with the sounds being switched from the main layout’s main control panel. If installing a latching on-off toggle switch, the triggered sound sample will repeat indefinitely until the switch is turned to off. Alternatively, a push-button switch will cause
the sound to play until the switch is released – ideal for a short blast of sound, such as a horn or siren. Train-tech also offers train detectors, which are placed beneath the rails at certain points and, by connecting one or more detectors to the Sound Track unit, the samples can be triggered by approaching trains. The Sound Track unit has provided plenty of fun value. Furthermore, its ability to record and play bespoke sounds offers the chance to portray specific soundscapes to suit your own layout, which can be a real boost to realism and a sense of atmosphere.