Actually the Modelsolutions of Canada site was one of the reasons for my writing this plea for advice on the forum. Modelsolutions have a very professional-looking website, but it didn't explain to me exactly what the product would do and not do. I assume the sounds are very realistic, but I sure don't understand what is semi-proportional engine sound. And what is a 6 minute duration? And what happens after 6 minutes?
Ian
OK - but my colleague David Harrison at MSC is really your man for teccy things!
'Semi-proportional' means that there are definite increments (steps) in the sound level as you go up from neutral to flat-out; I think it's either six or eight each way, but you don't really notice as they are quite gentle.
The '6 minute' thing means that you can have a maximum length to each sound clip of 6 minutes, so if you want all of Beethoven's Umpty Fifth Symphony then you'll only be able to record the first 6 minutes. After that it either stops or loops back to the beginning and starts again, whatever you've programmed it to do. In other words, if you want your twin caterpillar diesels to run all day then they will do.
The SFX4.2 unit will play one sound (from a maximum of four) at a time; the new SFX5 will play 2. The SFX4 is beautifully made and properly cooled - no iffy Q/C; scrappy little pieces of B&Q aluminium angle or shrink-wrap here. SFX5 will be all SMT and decidedly 21st century technology; current target date is July/August. You can't rush this guy - I've tried!!
If you hunt around on the MSC website you'll see a library of sounds. I've a copy of these sounds (na, na, na, naah na!) and they are
real - not just real-istic. Their PT109 Startup and Run makes my hair stand on end - it's awesome.
The Shipwright units look very
very very much like the RAM units from the USA, which are synthesised (like the ACTion ones) as opposed to real digital recordings like JJC, RCMW and MSC. If you hit this link
www.ramrcandramtrack.com then you can hear them on-line. IMHO they are no better than ours and are more expensive to purchase, as well. They seem to be intended more for cars and trucks (check out the wording on the Shipwright ad to see the bits they've left off from the RAM copy - very illuminating.......
)
Don't forget in all of this that the reason you can't get JJC stuff any more is because it was unreliable or it just didn't work at all. The folk who rush to bid squintillions for it on Fleabay are just plain crackers. OK, so I know that some people never had any problems with it but there must have been a satisfied Lada owner somewhere as well.................. takes all sorts.
Suit yourself.
FLJ