The idea of surgery scares me. Maybe I will just stick with a few non sound decoders for the time being. What's your favorite decoders? Both drop-in and wired?
I have found and bought a Kato UP AC4400CW with the MRC sound decoder already installed. It also comes with the original pcb in case I hate the decoder. I only paid 73 dollars shipped so if I am as disappointed with the decoder as you guys say I will its not like I'm out anything. Will post updates.
Be aware that there is a newer version of the MRC #1644 decoder. It's a 1644-2. It has now been made smaller to better fit Kato locos. It is designed to fit the SD70MAC but for any others you may want give MRC a call to see if any modifications are needed. Unfortunately in making it smaller, the speaker size changes from 13mm to 10mm. Don't know how this might affect sound and don't know if motor control has been improved, but, it does now read back CV's. Jerry
I got my loco today and played with it for most of the afternoon. It is awesome! I had to turn down the prime mover sounds and a few of the others on there but I left the horn at full volume and it was great! The motor control was superb and the only delays I had was when the engine sounds were spooling up to simulate it. I'm not sure if y'all had a bad batch of decoders but after playing with the CVs I am more than happy with it.
On 3/29 you said that you had a locomotive that had a MRC decoder in it, and it did not work well. Now you say you have one that is working A-OK. I guess I missed something- Do you have a new decoder equiped locomotive with a MRC decoder and it works well?
I said I bought one. I won it on ebay. Until I had gotten this one the only decoder equipped locos I had were my 2 DDA40X's. I received the new loco today and had my first experience with a non-Bachmann DCC loco.
