Tsunami being replaced by Econami?

[Hergy]

This morning I was looking for some LED kits. I had bought from Ulrich models before and Steve Gill, the owner of the shop, had a news flash posted that stated[ the following:

"Soundtraxx Tsumami decoders have been discontinued. We can only sell what we have in stock. They have been replaced by the Econami line of decoders. Unfortunately the Econami line currently is quite limited in sounds available. Soundtraxx says they are adding more sounds. The Ecomami-PNP replaces the GN-1000 decoder and we are currently updating our lighting documentation for the PNP decoder..."

I checked the Soundtraxx site and nothing was mentioned there. Here's the website in case you want to check it out : Ulrichmodels.biz. Steve has a great site and very informative how-to articles.

I wonder if Soundtraxx is getting a little itchy with the progress being made by TCS and Loksound?

[riogrande]

Dick,

There was a long discussion regarding this a few weeks ago here:

atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/4515/tsuanmi-sound-decoders-bye?page=1

Apparently there was info related in the Yahoo Groups discussion board.

[Hergy]

Thanks for the tip.

[Hergy]

Just got my monthly blurb from Soundtraxx and it's official. Econami will replace Tsunami. Sound files are being updated and eventually all the former sound files from Tsunami will be available and about 25% cheaper than Tsunami.

[mlehman]

Dick,
Got the same update, but my interpretation is somewhat different. In fact, there was a reference that leads me to believe there will actually be a next generation Tsunami, when I thought Soundtraxx was leaning toward a new name with the association without the untimely disaster that occurred close to the time of the original's introduction. In any case, here's the relevant excerpt.

This spring particularly is even more
interesting as it has led to a season of change here at SoundTraxx having
officially discontinued the first generation of our popular Tsunami line.
Don’t worry, the new Econami line offers similar operation with improved
Hyperdrive 2 motor control, 28 function support, a 7-band equalizer, Flex
Map Function Mapping, new Hyperlights, remastered digital recordings and
more, at nearly a 25% lower MSRP than most comparable high end decoders.
Econami is now available in steam, diesel, and electric with 5 different
formats that work in all scales from N to G. We have been asked by many
customers, “What about the sound files not supported currently by Econami
that were in Generation 1 Tsunami?” The answer is simple-please stay tuned
as more change this spring is just around the corner!

So the change could be more Econami models to fill those holes...OR a Generation 2 Tsunami. It's a tease, to be sure, but I would hesitate to say the Econami will replace the Tsunami is set in stone. The market is too competitive for Soundtraxx to rest on its laurels here. Yep, good proven stuff in the Econami. But if they're starting to number Tsunami generations, it only makes sense that #2 is somewhere down the line. Combine that with generic references to a "Soundtraxx digital sound decoder" on several anticipated high-end Athearn and Blackstone locos and I think that indicates that there's something else in the future besides the Econami.

[riogrande]

If I was in the market for a sound install right now for EMD diesels, I really like what the competition has to offer - it would be a no brainer. If others feel the same as me, and I've read a lot of comments leading me to believe that, Soundtraxx needs to stop teasing and get a viable option on the market to attract consumer dollars back. Soundtraxx will definitely need to do more than offer Economi to remain competitive and time, as they say, is a-wasting.

[Hergy]

You may both be correct. I, personally think that Sountxx has done a very poor job with the phase out of Tsunami and phase in of Econami. If something new is coming down the pike, why not say so? Their head in the sand demeanor doesn't really cut it. They seem to have been in denial mode for some time as in Trainfest-no comment etc.

[mlehman]

Dick,
It's just marketing, it's not evil.

Soundtraxx basically cut the price on what is effectively a 90% full-featured Tsunami, while shrinking it to make it more useful. That's what the Econami does. Lots of people will be happy with a newly more affordable price point for a sound decoder they'll find eminently suitable.

Now for the 5% of the market with dog-whistle ears and an oscilloscope ready to go whenever a new decoder drops on the market to dissect and critique it objectively...who am I kidding, they just have an opinion like everyone else, they're just more insistent they're right and everyone else is not quite passionate enough about their modeling...hold your horses and anticipate...

That's all Soundtraxx is doing, except for this very practical thing. They're shaking out the bugs in the same new production lines that will build the Generation Two Tsunami...or whatever it will be called...by running the less dense Econami decoders through and adjusting things. They want to do this for two reasons. One, so that they're able to meet demand when they introduce Gen2 and, two, so that there will be a minimum of issues when users install these fresh decoders.

And there will be heavy demand, despite some folks already sounding all disappointed before the new decoder is even out of the starting gate. There's been a significant investment made and a long development process. Does anyone seriously think that the folks in Durango have spent the last decade ignoring what's been said about the Tsunami, good or bad?

Some folks are obviously all about perpetual dissatisfaction with the state of the art or certain manufacturers...more power to them...but I'm the practical sort. If it makes me and my operators happy, that works for me. I've had no occasion to find significant distress with my Tsunami's but I only do steam sound currently with a couple of exceptions that already had QSI sound when I last bought something standard gauge. True, there are some limitations in the diesel versions that irritate some users...but it's also clear there are a LOT of happy customers. People simply aren't better modelers because they're unhappy with the Tsunami. They're just unhappy. They should buy another decoder. Problem solved. Meantime, a lot of folks are looking forward with anticipation to what's next from Soundtraxx.

[biggazza]

Mike

A very sensible and considered posting. I agree that some folks do enjoy measuring and critiquing products rather than just getting on with running trains. If a decoder doesn't run around a layout at 0.05mph and doesn't sound exactly like the real thing then it can't possibly be good enough at any price.

I have 60+ SoundTraxx decoders in my fleet (Tsunamis, Econamis and motor control only units) as well as having installed 30+ in friends locos.

I have removed 6 QSI decoders and installed Tsunamis. I have one Loksound decoder and that's because I don't want two !!!

I would rather have my locos quickly programmed for running and operating how I like them. Something I can't do with other brands.

I can set up Tsunamis and easily Econamis to run very slow and smooth. Let's not forget that we only need to run very slow for a short distance.

The new range of products from SoundTraxx will be exciting I'm sure, but they will need to be affordable and offer something very special over the Econami range (additional sounds not withstanding) for me to forgo the Econami.

Bring them on !!!

Cheers, Gary.

[riogrande]

Gary, when you consider the significant costs for sound, it is understandable modelers will be wanting the best they can, and those who are familiar with the prototype sounds can critique them based on experience. I'm definitely not a sound expert but have followed the discussion over the past ~8 years and many have been dissatisfied with MRC and the older QSI, so when Tsunami came along, the were the bees knee's, as the Brits say. Time has moved on and I've listened to quite a few Loksound in the past year and wow, I can really hear the difference. I'm not going to toss my couple of Tsunami or QSI because I don't have the cash right now to do that, but I can say I like what I'm hearing. *shrugs*

Some folks are obviously all about perpetual dissatisfaction with the state of the art or certain manufacturers...

I'm not continuing to see a chorus of dissatisfaction - at this point it's becoming a "straw man" - smh. What I am noting as a relatively disinterested 3rd party: it is just common sense to evaluate what is available and obtain what sounds best at any given time. I'm the practical sort too, and that seems sensible to me.

Tsunami was state of the art, but that has evolved from what I'm observing. As I've said before, if what they are offering for your niche is satisfying and best, then it's all good. It appears to depend on which types of sound is in competition to be fair. Apples to apples, narrow gauge steam to narrow gauge steam or diesel to diesel.