[Monty]

This is something that I have seen mentioned several times on forums before including ElvasTower but seems to be swept under the carpet as a non issue. I use SLI and Tiger trains sound files as my GenFreightWag1/2 etc exclusively and in MSTS they sound great. In the 4 or 8 view with trains passing you hear a rich rumble with all the random sounds like thumps, bangs, squeals. In OR just a complete different story. The rumble sounds like waves of rumble as each car passes, very few cars are heard at same time, random sounds like the bangs etc are rarely heard if it all. Something is different in the way OR handles passing view rolling stock sounds. A real let down as in MSTS rolling stock passing sound is very realistic. In OR well some sound is there but it doesn't sound great. The same on 3 systems. One with on-board sound. 1 with older sound blaster card and my current machine with all top end components ( I7, 16G mem, ASUS Xonar sound 790 Vid).This setup should not be overtaxed in any way so it has to be OR. Cheers Ziggy

[markus_GE]

Maybe it´s something havoc with the .sms files. You know, good ole' MSTS applied ranges to some (all?) parameters in it´s data files, and if a value specified is out of range (or not at all specified), MSTS falls back to some default values. So, in MSTS your files might just be using some default values, because the ones in the files are bogus.

ORTS, however, does not apply such limits only within which values are valid. Thus, it uses what is there in the files. If this data, however, is bogus, ORTS will output that: bogus.

Maybe some of those who know a little more ´bout sound in MSTS / ORTS than I do can confirm thaht and, if required, take a look at some files (if Ziggy can provide them for reviewing?)?

Cheers, Markus

[Monty]

Hi Markus The standard sms file that I am using is the one that comes with all SLI freight cars. Name "freight.sms" I really don't think it is the sms files as I have tried the default files and sounds that come with MSTS and several others I downloaded from TS library. All do the same thing. The only thing that has ever been done to the sound section of MSTS is the bin upgrade which allows more sounds to be played. I also turned this on/off in OR options but no change. To me it sounds like OR is only playing the constant rumble sound part of the sms file and not recognizing the random parts of the sms files. Does OR use the Soundcfg.dat file that is in MSTS global folder because that is where bin makes it's changes? It really is not that big a deal but I would like to hear all the sounds if it is possible. Cheers Ziggy

[R H Steele]

Monty, on 19 April 2014 - 04:14 PM, said:

I use SLI and Tiger trains sound files as my GenFreightWag1/2 etc exclusively and in MSTS they sound great. In the 4 or 8 view with trains passing you hear a rich rumble with all the random sounds like thumps, bangs, squeals. Cheers Ziggy

Curious, I also like and use TT's sound files for general freight, also SLI in Open Rails. I hear everything you seem to be missing. Groans, Clanks, Squells, etc. Clear, Distinct sounds. Comparison between MSTS and Open Rails is apples and oranges at best. You may have to readjust your sound setup for Open Rails. In my experience Open Rails sounds excellent, especially with all the recent work that has been done in the sound area.

"This is something that I have seen mentioned several times on forums before including ElvasTower but seems to be swept under the carpet as a non issue."

The Open Rails team is usually very conscientious in replying to queries regarding Open Rails behaviours and problems. Always be sure you have included to the point specific instances, details, log files, Version of Open Rails you are running, route, activitites, rolling stock. In other words just making a post that the sound is different or not as good is difficult to troubleshoot. Also, not every difference a user may find between Open Rails and MSTS is a problem or bug. Be patient with the Open Rails development team. This is a large complex project with the work being performed by volunteers.

[Csantucci]

Ziggy, do you have Options - Audio - Sound detail level set to 5 and have you checked MSTS bin compatible sound?

[Monty]

R H Steele Fixed, you gave me a bit of a clue. What I did was run all the wave files thru Audacity program and amplified them by 9-12db. Now all is well. They even sound better than they did in MSTS.
On a side note, in no way was this meant to be critical of the OR team. I for one like many others are very grateful for what they have done. On my system the sim looks fantastic on a large flat screen and runs oh so smooth. I no longer fire up MSTS, can't compare. Great what the boys have achieved. Thankyou to all the team for a truly fantastic achievement and all at this forum for their input. Cheers Ziggy

[R H Steele]

Monty, on 21 April 2014 - 01:28 AM, said:

R H Steele Fixed, you gave me a bit of a clue. What I did was run all the wave files thru Audacity program and amplified them by 9-12db. Now all is well. They even sound better than they did in MSTS.

Audacity program. This is new to me, thanks will do some research and try it. :good2:

Monty, on 21 April 2014 - 01:28 AM, said:

On a side note, in no way was this meant to be critical of the OR team. I for one like many others are very grateful for what they have done. On my system the sim looks fantastic on a large flat screen and runs oh so smooth. I no longer fire up MSTS, can't compare. Great what the boys have achieved. Thankyou to all the team for a truly fantastic achievement and all at this forum for their input. Cheers Ziggy

:) No worries. Happy OR is sounding better.

[Monty]

Do yourself a favour and get Audacity, it is a free program. You can do a lot with it in all types of sound files. With my steam sound files I added just a bit more bass and also just a tiny bit of echo. It gives them some real depth. Also I found the DieselsWest sound files just a little low in volume so lifted them by about 6db and added a little bass, they now match the SLI sound a lot better. Really worth a try. Cheers Ziggy

[R H Steele]

Monty, on 21 April 2014 - 03:17 PM, said:

Do yourself a favour and get Audacity, it is a free program. You can do a lot with it in all types of sound files. With my steam sound files I added just a bit more bass and also just a tiny bit of echo. It gives them some real depth. Also I found the DieselsWest sound files just a little low in volume so lifted them by about 6db and added a little bass, they now match the SLI sound a lot better. Really worth a try. Cheers Ziggy

Monty, on 21 April 2014 - 03:17 PM, said:

What I did was run all the wave files thru Audacity program and amplified them by 9-12db

I already found it at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and downloaded it. Set it up but have not had time to read the manual. Can I assume from your post that you batch processed all of your wave files and bumped the lot up a bit in dB?

[Monty]

What I did was get the welded1 file from SLI and then just grabbed one car I made into a test car. The sms I used was the freight.sms from SLI and then I just played around with amplify in Audacity till I got a level that matched the loco sounds in view 4 and 8 in OR. You will need to string together about a dozen of the test cars as the engine sounds tend to drown out the wagon sounds for the first few cars. Usually a level increase of 7.5 to 9db was what I required and have been as high as 12db for DW engine sounds but this varies a bit depending on your system sound setup. I then did the same for the TigerTrains sounds. Once I found a volume that I was happy with I batch processed all the wav files required and put all the SLI and TT sms and modified wav files together in a new folder I called Freight_Snd in common sound folder of MSTS. Then aliased all the cars sound line to the new sound folder .
With steam sounds try just a little reverb and echo with a very small increase in base for a great sound. You can try any changes you make whilst in Audacity and if not to your liking just undo. Just remember that what you hear in Audacity will be down a bit in volume in OR so adjust a little and then test in OR. Audacity also does a backup of the original so you won't lose anything but just in case do a backup of your trains folder if something should go wrong nothing will be lost. You can get really great results with a little playing around. Cheers Ziggy