MRC sound decoders...

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W

wongsing

Member
I have found some great deals on MRC sound decoders and definantly want to add sound to at least one more of my locos. I have an Athearn SD45-2 with sound and although the guys in the hobbyshop that sold it to me said that sound quality is "ok" I think it sounds REALLY good. Is this an MRC decoder and of so, what type of decoder would be its equivalent? If its not an MRC decoder, what kind could I get that sounds just as good that won't COMPLETELY break my pocket? I hope this has never been posted before and sorry if it has, but I am interested in finding the biggest bang for my buck. Any sound clips or videos featuring locos that you guys have retrofitted would be great too, if they are available. Thanks a bunch!

-Rich
 
FWIW...save you money for a good sound decoder.

The MRC decoders don't sound that good, and the motor control is not that good. The sound is too loud, and the engine sound is either idle, or wide open.
Also, they are very limited as to setting CV's.

My P2K's with QSI blow the MRC away.

JMHO.

Rotor
 
My BLI with QSI blow MRC in the dust feature wise. But for a turbocharged SD40-2... not much, they took a clip of something like a SD38-2 and put turbo sound over it. For a 645-16T I much prefer my Soundtraxx decoder or my friends Loksound decoder.
 


so what kind of decoder do you guys recommend? I plan on buying one or two maybe for my Chessie System GP40-2's. Obviously, it would need to have the horn sounds for a Leslie S3L or a Nathan K5. Everything else should be relevant. I keep hearing Loksound or Soundtraxx but which model? How do you think it would compare to the stock Athearn sound decoder in my SD45-2? The sound in that thing sounds really good....Well, I think anyways! There are lots of CV options too and you have to love that turbo spool on accceleration! My friend at the hobby shop said it was an MRC decoder stock in those...Is that true?

-Rich
 
Soundtraxx has both horns for you. Let me test out my DSD-101LC to see which company horns (Leslie vs Nathan) I have on it... It'll be a while. I do know that DSD-101LC's have EMD 2nd Gen (Turbocharged) with 3 horn choices though.
 
The MRCs are cheap for a reason. They sound like crap, don't have any options for motor control, and are just generally cheap.

For diesel sound, look at ESU, Digitrax and Soundtraxx.

The ESUs are great decoders, with excellent motor control and output options, but are expensive. You can upload sounds to them, but the last one I used, I was not happy with the horn at all - it was recorded from inside the cab, and as a result sounded thin and muted.

The Soundtraxx LC decoders are definitely better than the MRC's, but are still low cost (LC) so they don't have all the features or good motor control of the ESUs. The sounds are OK, probably as good as the ESU.

Expect to spend at least $100 to get good-quality sound from your diesel. There's a reason the factory sound + DCC locos cost twice as much as the standard ones. Good sound ain't cheap!

The best diesel sounds I have heard so far are from the Soundtraxx DSX decoders. These are designed to piggyback with a regular DCC decoder - they have no motor control functions at all, they just do sound.

I haven't heard the Digitrax sound decoders, but their motor control is very good, and their prices don't seem to be too bad.
 
The best diesel sounds I have heard so far are from the Soundtraxx DSX decoders. These are designed to piggyback with a regular DCC decoder - they have no motor control functions at all, they just do sound.

...You say that they have no motor control as in they don't rev up with the loco accelerating and decelerating? I just ordered a new sound decoder for this superdetailed Chessie SD40-2 I am doing...Soundtraxx DSX - Diesel -- EMD 2nd Generation w/Nathan K5 Airhorn is the one. How do you think this decoder would perform? This loco will have tons of detail added and it would be a shame if it didn't sound as good as it will look. Just wondering! Shouldn't have bought on impulse I know....:o

-Rich
 
No, you got a good one Rich. Get a couple of the biggest speakers you can fit into the shell, make sure they've got a good sound box, and you'll be fine.

Pair the DSX up with a DZ125 or a DH123 or DH 163, depending on how many light functions you want, and you'll be a very happy camper.
 
QSI has finally released the Quantum Revolution decoders for HO. They are available from Tony Train Exchange for around $100.

Soundtraxx has just released their diesel Tsunamis, also available at Tony's.

They ought to be pretty much 'State of the Art" as far as sound decoders go.

Rotor
 


I didnt think DSX's came with speakers... My DSD-LC sure didnt.. But if you use two speakers and a hollow thin plastic tube with tore up cottonballs between them, you'll get sound live you've never heard before, I'll post an example of my good friend Bruce's install in an Athearn Dummy F7B.
 
BNSF dude said:
I didnt think DSX's came with speakers... My DSD-LC sure didnt.. But if you use two speakers and a hollow thin plastic tube with tore up cottonballs between them, you'll get sound live you've never heard before, I'll post an example of my good friend Bruce's install in an Athearn Dummy F7B.
Click to expand...

I assume you're talking about mounting them facing eachother on opposite ends of a tube with cotton balls in the middle? While that sounds like a great idea, space may just be the issue here. Does anyone know what kind of space I will be able to work with inside Athearn's new SD40-2? I'm sure it won't be alot, but if I can fit a speaker in there somewhere that would be great. Also, does anyone know if it even comes with a speaker? And BNSF dude, I would love to hear or see the installating inside your friend's loco!

-Rich
 
Sounds great! Yea, put them in facing opposite directions, but in an SD40-2 such as yours, you may have to go single with a speaker. Or even double square speakers with some sort of casing between them, but not a very big one. I'm assuming since my DSD-101LC didnt come with one, the DSX won't either. The Soundtraxx 8 Ohm speakers are pretty decently priced.
 
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