Hi, MRC sell the 1644 sound decoder as a drop in plug and play type sound decoder fot the Kato AC4400 & SD70MAC, but I would like to know if it would fit in a Kato SD70M, sorry if the question may seem obvious to some but I will be buying these mail order from the US and it's not as if I can just pop in to my LHS to return them. Shaun
See post #9 (and possibly others) on this page: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=89651 Ben
They will fit the SD70M's since it uses the same frame as all the others. But I wouldn't waste my money on the decoder to be honest with you. And this is from personal experience.
It's all realative, I've put them in three SD70's and think they're great. The only complaint I have is that they won't consist well with other locos as they take a while to get moving as the engine runs up to speed, I had been hoping to have one sound loco in a consist with other non sound ones. There aren't speed tables to adjust. As far as the sound goes, it's a bit too quiet for a train show unless you're up close, but at the club layout and at home they're ok.
On the topic of MRC sound decoders, has anyone else seen that MRC is coming out with a new sound only "Sounder" decoder to complete with Soundtraxx's DSX and the Digitrax SFX064D. The street price is advertised as less then $40, not too bad if you like the sound of the Brilliance decoders, but don't want to spend $80 - $100 for one. I happen to be in the camp that likes the sound of the MRC brilliance, but not the motor drive. Coupling this new MRC sound decoder with a basic fleet level decoder from Digitrax or NCE like a good way for some of us to slowly upgrade to sound enabled locos. Opinions?
They'll fit a 70 just fine, but save your money as they're junk. I'll never buy another MRC decoder. Love my Prodigy Advance though
Does anyone else make a drop in type decoder for these Kato locomotives, sound is not important but would have been nice. Shaun
Shaun Digitrax makes one its perfect works every time I have 38 of them and they have never faltered. SD Dont waste your hard earned cash on the MRC ones I have not seen or heard of any one getting reliable working operation out of them.
For the SD70M you want a Digitrax DN163K1B, now they are great decoders and I have well about 60, give or take, of them in various Kato engines and run flawless. The only thing you have to watch though is the new one's don't have the contact pads tinned and the board is thinner then the Kato light board. This can cause a no contact condition between the frame and decoder. So either you need to tin the pads or shim the decoder or press the contact tabs into each other a little before installing the decoders. As for the MRC I agree that the 1644 have been a dissappointment but I do have a pair of 1636's that I had Aztec mill out a pair of Kato SD40/45 non-PNP frames and they have actually preformed well and with this decoder having a larger speaker it does sound better. And when I say preformed well they ran for about 10 hours straight on a layout show without issue.
Great thanks for the info, I used Digitrax decoder about 12 years ago with good results, so I guess I will stick with them this time around. Shaun
The problem I can see here is trying to fit two decoders in an N scale diesel. And honest, I really haven't had problems with the MRC decoders in my SD70's.
Thanks for that, I think I will wait on equiping my fleet with sound for the moment and the way DCC is going things will be alot better in 12 months, I have enough projects for the moment to be getting on with. I will be following DCC sound in N very closely though. Shaun
Yep, I already had the Digitrax decoder for the engine. Thought I'd try a sound one though. Re-installed the Digitrax in short order.
