I recently installed a DN163K1C in my Kato SD70ACe. I was wondering IF or How I could get my engine to have bells and whistles? Thank you
I've got an MRC decoder for an SD80, while the sounds was fine I found it ran pretty awfully. IT kept stalling out on me. So I swapped the decoder with a Digitrax one, then installed the MRC decoder under the middle of the layout (it's only 11x11) on the DCC bus using the same address. So I now I have a nicely running Digitrax powered engine, with stationary sound tied to it. Works pretty well.
I went a very similar route, but a little more extreme. I am using Tsunami decoders in an external box hooked to the track buss. I have several speakers around the layout, and even though the sound does not follow the engine, I do follow the engine and I hear the sound with me as I move. I like it a lot. So far I have 6 sound decoders and MU them into my consists depending on engine type. Here is a video that explains it. http://youtu.be/CMVeb83XWTk
Hi Sean, I checked out you’re videos including “Sound decoder mix board test #1” video and I’m interested in doing this myself. I’m not an electronics guy and I was wondering if there a circuit drawing with a parts list some place.
Johnny, I am sorry to say this is a one off item. I did not make any sort of parts list or schematics. I am not an electronics person either and had lots of help at another forum. Please have a look at this thread. It has the entire development process and some schematics I used and lots of notes. http://www.nscale.net/forums/showth...ion-Undertable-sound-box&highlight=brainstorm
You guys must like LOUD n scale sound! I prefer it to be quiet, not distinctly audible more than 8 ft from the loco. Of course, more bass is always to be desired for onboard sound. The SD80 MRC decoder (the 1808?)I have has surprisingly good sound without any modifications and since the Kato SD90/43MAC is such a smooth runner to begin with, I haven't had any reason to complain about the motor control. It's not the most advanced motor decoder for sure, but doesn't stall out like the Digitrax ones that don't have user added keep-alive capacitors (a lot of work!). Richard.
Not particularly. I like quality sound, and what comes out of the small speakers that will fit in n-scale, the sound is not very satisfying to me. I understand some people like it, but for me it is not rich enough. Also with this method I do not need a decoder in every engine AND I can get sound for even the smallest switchers. I would have purchased a SurroundTraxx if Soudtraxx had ever released it. They still list it, but that has been the case for over 5 years.
Loksound micro will fit in modern hood units but will require frame milling. They're pretty pricey but I've heard good things about their motor control and sound quality.
I like it quiet, but I also think it’s mostly in the type of speaker. I had a very expensive stereo system with huge speakers and the sound was crap at low volume. I ended up buying another small inexpensive system with high quality sound at very low volume. The only time the expensive system comes on now is when my daughters are having a party and then I just leave.
Last I heard was they had to increase the processing power and hire some more engineers to get the thing working. I have or had high hopes for this idea. There are many questions that need to be answered though. Right now as presented it seems like a very expensive way to add what will no doubt be high quality sound. First it requires Digitrax which isn’t a big deal to me but may be to others. It requires transponding which means BDL 168 and RX-4s plus transponding capable decoders and speakers. Additionally you’ll have to do additional track work in the form of partial gapping for each transponding zone (one rail for each zone as opposed to both for each block). For a medium to large size layout that’s a lot of equipment and complication. They recommend 8’ zones for large layouts so for a, say 200’ mainline run, that’s 25 zones: 25 speakers @ $12 = $550 4 BDL 168s @ $150 = $600 6 RX-4s @ $50 = $350 5 DSP-80s @ $595 = $2,975 Total = $4,475 Ouch! The above doesn’t consider adding in the decoders. Ok granted most guys don’t have layouts quite this big but it’s not out of reach. Look at Mark Lestico, Daryl Kruse, Ron Skipkovich et al. Those layouts are all close to 200’ or more mainline run. Other questions: Given its six locomotive per DSP-80 limitation, how does it handle a modern double track mainline with each train having 3-4 (or more) units in the lead? I.e. I picture two trains passing each other with several units on the front end and I wonder how it handles the sound requirements. I also wonder how it handles multideck layouts and the synchrophasing of the sound within each transponding zone. Sorry for my ramblings, I’m very interested in N scale sound and SurroundTraxx is a great idea, just wish it was cheaper (and available!).
All very good questions. My requirements are not as strict though. I am not interested in having the sound follow the engine around the layout. I follow my engine around the layout, so if the sound is everwhere, I am OK. The DSP-80 documentation says that sort of configuration is possible and no transponding is required. That was all I was looking for. I am spending more than the price of the DSP-80 just to make my cobbled together version, so I know there is at least some market for it... but it is not available so I am left to my own devices. I am happy with the performance of my unit. I have contacted reps at Soundtraxx several times over the past few years and they say exactly what you noted above every time and give me another 6 months out... "any time now".. "throwing more engineers at it" etc...etc... Heck, it was demoed at an NMRA convention 5 years ago!
To be clear on this, while Surroundtraxx does require Digitrax transponding, it does not require a Digitrax command station. The transponding can work independent of the command station and should work with any DCC system.
It only needs transponding if you want the sounds to follow the train. The documentation show how to set it up without transponding if all you want is ambient sound. See the below clip from the online documentation on the Soundtraxx site: Getting Started is Simple [FONT=Myriad,Myriad][FONT=Myriad,Myriad]Simple layouts can use SurroundTraxx with one speaker as an undertable sound system and enjoy multiple locomotive sounds. This requires no additional hardware other than a speaker and will get you up and running in no time! [/FONT][/FONT]
Yes that's true, I should have been more clear on this. You'll also have to use Digitrax decoders or add a T-1 chip to another manufacturer's decoder to enable transponding. I've heard that certain decoders such as QSI interfere with the signal so you'll have to avoid certain decoders if you want to enable the full functionality of SurroundTraxx.
i recently had the chance to test digitrax sounddecoders. one was installed in a kato es44 , the other in a lifelike c424. here's what i noticed : - installation requires some milling of the frame - diesel sound is really low (did not find a way to increase volume) - bell sounds like you're hitting on a simple piece of metal. but not really like a bell - horn has a lot of distortion - sound quality is medium class at max - running characteristics are not as good as with ordinary no-sound decoders from digitrax worst of all : activating bell and horn at once visibly slows down the engine ! i'm talking of a speed reduction of about 30-40% ! i used to have a mrc1644 which is crap. now i tested the digitrax ones. they're a bit better but far from satisfying. never had a chance to test a tsunami. but i have some bli e8/9 with their paragon2 sound decoder. i'd call these 'reference class'.
Here's what I ended up doing to that old MRC N-Scale Sound Decoder I had. Stationary Sound Decoder on Vimeo
