Sound decoders

Are n-scale sound decoders really worth the time and expense. MRC has quite a few available and I've read both good and bad reviews. Most of the complaints seem to be about the volume. Many recommend replacing the speaker with a larger one. And Tsunami decoders seem difficult to install. I have no milling equipment. I would love to have sound on as many units as possible but it sounds like that $90.00 unit can become a $250.00 unit really quickly. Before I start buying equipment I would like to know what I'm getting into. Many Atlas units come with DCC installed and I would'nt want spend the extra $'s to replace them with sound. I also don't wish to purchase them as DCC ready, install a sound decoder, and then find that N scale sound decoders are just not very good. I haven't heard one in person yet, just in videos on the net.:tb-wacky:
Thanx

 

I have one N Scale Athearn FP45 with factory installed Tsunami decoder. I really liked it at first, because I never heard sound in an engine, but now I think it just sounds tinny and not very loud. I guess it is scale sound. Try going to a hobby shop that has some locos you can test out. Try locos from different scales too, especially O Scale, and you'll be able to hear what sounds good.

 

There is always the under-table route.

I have been experimenting with a home made mixing board that will allow me to use up to 8 sound decoders , testing two tsunami's now, and place 4 speakera around the layout. Works pretty well. Still have a way to go.

I intend to eventually have 4 soundscape ports that can direct input from an IPODS or other devices to 1 of 4 speakers around the layout for ambient sound in that location.

Here is a link to a YouTube video of the project so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMVeb83XWTk

 

Steam locos w/tender usually offer the most room for a speaker capable of producing good sound. If you are not concerned about the quality of sound or volume levels then any sound decoder is better than none. Since I run all modern diesels on a bedroom size layout I opted for a stationary box using Tsunami decoders output to a 40W stereo amp driving an under layout Bose speaker system. This would not work as well on a large layout and does not yield location specific sound.

There are many options for adding sound to an N scale layout. IMO sound is better than no sound and good sound is better than poor sound. Either way, enjoy!

Jerry

 

I have both HO and N locomotives equipped with DCC and sound and there is nothing like the sound produced by a good state-of-the-art HO locomotive - it is the standard to compare all others to. I have several N Guage locomotives that I have purchased with sound (Broadway Limited, Athearn, Proto 2000 and I like them just fine, although the sound is not as good as the better HO stuff. I have installed MRC drop-in units in several Kato and Intermountain units and have had no problems with them - they work just fine. I put MRC drop in units in 4 N guage ATSF Warbonnet F-3s from Kato and, although the sound is a little tinny and weak in each locomotive, the effect of all 4 of them running by is pretty good -much better than 4 non-sound equipped locomotives. I feel that any of my locomotives that do not have sound are basically un-usuable and I do not care to run them. N guage sound has a long way to go , but its much better than nothing at all and I think its a real accomplishment to get DCC and sound into N guage - especially in the form of an after market drop -in. The sound is a bit weak, but you find that you need to turn all sound equipped locomotives way down anyway or you get thrown out of the house in short order.

Gerry

 

I've put the new MRC 1955 decoder into a few GP7's and GP30's and the only fault to me is that the engine sound could be a bit louder but after listening to a few real locomotives from the same distance away it actually seems about right relative to the other sounds like the horn. When you consider the size of the speaker and the size of the loco your putting it in it's not too bad either.

IMHO the big advantage of MRC sound decoders is that they are drop in replacement boards that don't require wholesale modification of the frame, for some reason Soundtraxx and Digitrax can't seem to figure that out.

 

My suggestion would be start small, put MRC sound in one of your favored locomotives and see how you like it. I was very pleased by now seeing and hearing my favorite locomotive, but decided the novelty will soon wear away if I outfit the fleet with sound.

 

Well, I made the "mistake" of putting a Soundtraxx sound decoder into a dummy PB loco back in 2000 and I've been hooked ever since; very quickly I realized that to me, running my non-sound equipped stuff was like watching a silent Buster Keaton movie. Since than, I've been converting my fleet. It is a MAJOR commitment and investment, especially in N scale, and it may not be for everyone. I don't think the MRC's are a good standard to judge by; the Tsunamis and Loksound decoders are a much better choice IMHO. If I'm going to go to all this trouble, I don't want a mediocre decoder....it's too much work. Also, a good solid sound enclosure is an absolute must in N scale, otherwise tinny sounds are the result.

Regards, Otto

 

I don't think lack of volume is as big a problem as some people say. If you can hear the locomotive from five or six feet away that's loud enough. If the sound coming from a three inch long model is to loud it's going to seem out of scale, just like over size couplers and pizza cutter wheel flanges. What I think matters more is trying to get acceptable frequency response. Also, things like does the bell ring like a bell or make a kind of tink sound.

The frequency response seems to be largely a function of how large of a speaker you can fit in the locomotive, consequently larger scale engines have an advantage here. As for things like the bell ringing and coupler clank sounds being realistic, I think this is controlled by the quality of sound processing hardware in the decoder and the cheap decoders don't compare well to better quality units.

As for the wired decoders being harder to install then the drop in decoders, that's true, but I have never heard an MRC or Digitrax decoder that sounded as good as a Tsunami or LokSound.