PMDG 744 Sounds

[Guest RollsRoyce]

Hi all,It would be highly understated of me to say that you guys are doing a fantastic job, but I will it say it anyway - you guys are doing a fantastic job!Nevertheless, I have never bought a PMDG product before so I cannot comment yet. I have however, bought some products from well-known commercial addon companies. Being an "audiophile" NO, its NOT what you think ;), I am extremely pleased with a really realistic soundset. Every other add on I have bought in the past has had extremely disappointing sounds, the only saving grace for these packages is really good FDE's and panels. Moreover, what I'm trying to say is, will PMDG promise a really decent and realistic soundset? I know its subjective, but after watching many 747 cockpit DVD's and being a jumpseat pilot many times I have realised that those who say the engines sound muffled and extremely quiet from the cockpit are partly misinformed. True, the engines are quiet, but from the cockpit you can easily hear a distinct spoolup and half-thrust combustion noise, and on takeoff, the max thrust growl is noticeably loud, and I mean NOTICEABLY in the sense of EXTREMELY! After takeoff,and during climb thrust the engines are still there, however above 240 kts and during cruise all you will hear is wind noise. So, will PMDG replicate this environment in the form of an extremely realistic soundset?It is logical to demand a realistic looking panel and aircraft for your eye-candy, a realistic FDE for your touch and feel but to leave the sounds, why deny your ears the pleasure of listening to 4 x 747 engines at max thrust?So please, please take my requests onboard, I hope you will deliver what your previous products and commitment show = promise the best and surpass all expectations.Thank you for your time and dedication of bringing us the best plane to our desktops!Bilal

[Guest flight78]

Hi ! sound means ALOT to me also so i would really like to know this to.Best regards:Alexander

[Guest FattyBear]

I have found that sound really can complete the simulation. Not necessarily PA announcements or what not, but the sound of things clicking, rattling, air conditioning fading in and out, etc etc. Not much of this is in the 737, but it'll be great if we see (or hear as it maybe) this things in the Queen. I bet PMDG is already on top of it, though!

[Guest Marc Harrington]

The answer is simply yes. The set is already reproduced in the way you describe it.

[AirbusA340300 0]

Is there going to be any PA announcments of anything of that type? its not super important but i think it would add to the realism. doing a longhaul flight, would be welcome to hear the voices of people other than ATC.adam

[Guest]

And if there is, could there be an option to turn it off? The Level-D sim is great, but I love to fly freight, and there are no passengers or crew who complain or expect an announcement.

[michal 44]

>noticeably loud, and I mean NOTICEABLY in the sense of>EXTREMELY! Your opinion and your words. I played many times my ITVV's 747-400 DVD and from within the cockpit on takeoff you do hear the engine sounds but they are definitely NOT 'extreme' or 'loud'. The cabin muffles the engine sound to the extent that conversation between pilots is very clear and engine noise is way in the background.I hope PMDG will deliver realism and not succumb to pleas for engine symphony orchestra ;-)Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpg

[Guest RollsRoyce]

Thank you Marc! I cannot wait!The never-ending dilemma of engine sound vs. apparent realism. Well lets put it this way. Its easier to put your FS sound settings down than for us mere mortals to modify the actual sound.cfg and make it louder, now who's won the battle? ;)PS, I have ITVV's 744RR and 742 PW videos. Maybe the GE's are much quieter? ;) It certainly seems the old Pratts and the 744 Rolls have a lot more muscle to them. Nevertheless, lets see what we get.Thank you all for the replies, at least I don't feel like a loner!Bilal

[michal 44]

>Its easier to put your FS sound>settings down than for us mere mortals to modify the actual>sound.cfg and make it louder, now who's won the battle? Ok, provided I have a separate adjustment for engine sound. Because if in order to get the in-cockpit engine sound down I am going to loose other real ambient sound that's not good enough.>PS, I have ITVV's 744RR and 742 PW videos.If you do I suggest you replay takeoff and climb of the 744 and pay attention to sounds in the cockpit. I have the Virgina Atlantic DVD and I went over it 3 times. You hear gear lever clicking into its locked position on takeoff, you hear flaps arm doing its own clicking, you hear copilot calling V1, VR but NO engine sound to speak of. I listened carefully trying to pick up any engine sound from within cockpit and could not hear anything of substance. On the other hand the increasing sound of rushing air is there, is real, specially noticable in cruise. So I can't blame it on poor microphones, recording or my ears. I don't know if Virgin 744 runs on RR or GE engines but I don't believe for a second there are significant decibel differences between engines of equivalent thrust. Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpg

[mburkhard 23]

Guys,please be careful in commenting the noise levels on a flight deck just with a DVD as a reference! Depending on the equipment used when filming that can make a huge difference from really sitting in there.Oh and just for a later use, you are NOT able to hear a thing of engine #2 on the MD-11! ;)Regards,Markus

[michal 44]

>please be careful in commenting the noise levels on a flight>deck just with a DVD as a reference! I am careful and I did account for the fact. As I stated above since all other noises (even minor) come through very well I have no reason to believe the engine sounds got somehow suppressed. There is a great tendency in this community to exaggerate engine sounds - when Kevin Au who is a real ERJ-145 pilot stated on these forums that there is NO engine sound in his cabin he was met with disbelief.Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpg

[Guest speight]

Perhaps pmdg, as well as providing screenshots of products, might put some sample sounds on the relevant product page for us to have a listen?

[Guest Callmecapt]

Microphones in the flight deck of the VA 744 (I have it also) may be the "focus" type. Pointing towards the front therefore not picking up the true sound of the engines or any other ambient sound BEHIND or BESIDE the microphones themselves. These types of microphones are almost always visible in some movies when they're overhanging some actors picking up their voices. Notice how they are always focused on the person or object making the sound. I saw a documentary on the making of star wars ep 2 and ben burtt, the sound guy, was at an airfield recording sounds from old planes. You could see him with this type of microphone following the plane very accurately with the microphone as it flew past him.Goran

[michal 44]

>Microphones in the flight deck of the VA 744 (I have it also)>may be the "focus" type. No, they are not focus types. If you really had this DVD and saw individual shots with sounds that accompany them you wouldn't make up such things.Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpg

[Guest Callmecapt]

What's your problem Michael??Are you generally this much of an #### towards a few of us or do you make a special effort to be one?