Has anyone out there used any of the Soundtraxx DSX “sound only” decoders that you simply “add on” to your existing DCC decoder? If so, how well do they work? What are your opinions on them? I have a Kato AC4400 with a Digitrax DH163P, and was thinking of using one of the Soundtraxx decoders to get sound in the model, without having to replace the Digitrax decoder. Thanks for your advice. Kevin
I haven’t used one, but it’s basically the same as the DSD minus the motor drive. Good riddance, as the DSD motor drives aren’t supersonic or ‘silent running’ and on anything but a top quality loco will likely make annoying noises - probably not on a Kato motor though. Since you have a DH163 series decoder already in there, you can use the decoder lock so that the Soundtraxx decoder can be programmed without disturbing the Digitrax one, even though they will be on the same address.
The forthcoming Tsunami decoders will have a much improved motor drive.
–Randy
I’ve got a DSX in the dummy of an A-B-A Alco lashup of Proto 2000 engines. It is connected to 4 1-inch speakers with baffles. Does a great job. These engines are lashed together, the A units have DH121 decoders, and the DSX is on-lead when running. Its a little difficult to do the lighting on the lead unit, but other than that it runs, looks, and sounds great.
Mark C.
I have a number of engines with DH123’s in them and have seriously looked into DSX as I can’t see the point of not using a perfectly good decoder. It seems that the combined price of a DH123 plus a DSX is less then a DSD.
Fergie
I have a DSX150D in a dummy Stewart FT B, part of a 4 unit diesel. It is the second unit in the consist and drawbarred to the lead A. The other three units are powered and have Digitrax DH163D decoders. The sound is great with two woofers and a tweeter in the B. It is first generation diesel and the horn is a BLAAATTTT. It could also be used in an F3 but I don’t know about later. I think they have a different one for Alco’s. I have a Prodigy Advance and using 128 speed steps it will just crawl getting out of or into the yard. Only problem I have so far is getting the sound notches to agree with the throttle setting. The sound goes through all 8 notches before it gets moving! I will figure it out. Meanwhile - ENJOY!
Hi Randy, I wanted to fit a DH163D into a Blue Box AC4400 and couple it to a DSX , so what is this decoder lock that you speak of. I was wondering how mate the two together without upsetting the codes on the other. Can you explain please . CPPedler
Have you tried altering the V-Start?
The page has been temproarily removed from the Digitrax page, but decoder lock is simply a CV that you cna program with your ‘key’ value (don’t forget what it is, otherwise you will have to do a factory reset to clear it). Another CV is the ‘lock’ that uses this key - if this second CV does NOT have the same value as the ‘key’, then issuing a command to program a ‘regular’ CV like 2, 3, 29, etc. will have no effect. Thus if the second (sound) decoder ALSO has a CV02 that need programming, you can program CV02 and it won’t change the motor decoder .
The Soundtraxx decoders also have a lock. So to change motor settings, you would lock the Soundtraxx decoder, program the ‘lock’ CV onthe motor decoder with the ‘key’ value, and then proceed to program the motor decoder settings as desired - if there are overlapping CV numbers, the sound decoder will now ignore the programming commands because it is locked
There is an NMRA RP being developed for this but as far as I know, it is being held up as the powers that be ponder including a THIRD CV in the lock/key arrangment, although to what ends I have no idea. I don’t know why you would want to have some in-between state where some of the decoder is locked and some isn’t.
–Randy.
Well Randy, thanks for that , it is all very confusing I shal have to wait and see what comes from NMRA in due course. Perhaps if I e-mail Soundtraxx they might help with a solution. CPPedler
Here is the answer , straight from the horses mouth, well Digitrax actually. Wire in your DH163 and program it , set all your CV’s . Then lock it by programming CV15 to 0 and CV16 to 1. Then wire in your Soundtraxx DSX and program it , then one decoder won’t interfere with the other. I shall give it a try in due course to see that it does work . CPPedler
A friend of mine installed a DSX decoder in conjunction with a Digitrax 163 in an HO E8. (1st gen. EMD with the M5 horn)
He ran the unit for me. Impressive! Clear and crisp. My favorite aspect was just listening to it idle. No mistaking that the sound was a 567 EMD.
I have a set of FA/B1 and FA/B2’s all powered and I put a 163 and ALCO DSX in each. The DSX has more sounds than the LC’s. I put both 163’s and both DSX’s from each A/B unit on the same address. So I can control two loco’s (A & B unit) on one throttle position (DT-400)… I had room for a one inch round speaker w/enclosure in the A units and a 1 1/2 x .56 oval in the B units. Put them into an ABBA and you have some awesome sound. I have put sound in 10 units now and any loco that can hold a DSX gets it. Much better than the LC particularly if you do the Cap mod on the DSX. I put a 1000uf in the B units and it doesn’t miss a beat. That’s about as big as I could fit in it.
Terry[8D]
Thanks for the info fellas. This is good to know. In a couple of months I’ll be getting the Stewart FT A-B locomotives in the NYC “Cat Whisker” scheme. The A-unit will be powered. The B-unit will be unpowered but will house the DSX sound decoder, baffles, and two speakers. I’ve had them reserved since August, so I’m looking forward to getting them eventually. Trust I’ll have the NCE PowerCab pretty much figured out by then. Ain’t it fun…[:)]
Tom
Tom - I bet you will have plenty of room in the A unit for sound. My only expeirience is with the P2K F units but both A units held a 163 for motor control and DSX for sound. Put one inch rd spkr in cab. Just a thought. Of course there will be enough room in the unpowered B unit to put in at least a ten inch woofer so you should be good. I’m a power hog so I ordered both powered units.
Terry[:D][8D]
I’ve used 3 of the DSX decoders – two in G-scale engines and one in HO. As others have mentioned, the sounds are exactly the same as what you would get in any other SoundTraxx DSD or LC decoder except the Tsunami. I chose the DSX for an IHC HO-scale engine because a TCS T-1 decoder was already installed in the engine boiler for motor and headlight control, and the tender was wired separately for a back-up light. The DSX went into the tender and there was no need for any interconnecting wires between the locomotive and tender. The DSX is a sound-only decoder.
For the G-scale locomotives, the DSX has adequate power to drive a 3-inch diameter speaker loud enough for outdoor use. In this application, the other locomotive functions are controlled by a CVP Products’ AirWire900 Wireless DCC receiver/decoder, and the AirWire’s auxiliary DCC outputs control the DSX. This allows for on-board rechargeable battery operation instead of using track power. The big advantage to this is that I will never have to clean my outdoor track. The locomotives could even run on wood or plastic rail.
Unless the diesel Tsunami from Soundtraxx is out by then, I plan on installing at least one DSX by this Spring in an Athearn U33B. This after I repower it with a Mashima motor.
I found the DSX diesel decoder to behave a bit oddly if you try to load a motor-based CV that it doesn’t really have.
Also you get the issue of what address do you make the DSX so you can post just to it’s CV’s and not the motor decoder’s CVs. Even though you have the CV lock feature in some of the better motor decoders out there, I keep forgetting and then I’d screw up my motor CVs when I meant to be posting to the sound decoder.
While the DSX sound is great for sure, I developed a real love-hate relationship with the programming headaches of this arrangement. I eventually gave up and went with DSD decoder even though the sound was not quite as nice.
I finally got two DSX decoders, one for the Allegheny and one for a CN Hudson and I can’t say I’m overly impressed. I’ve played with, reconfigured, etc and despite my best efforts these decoders are “limp” and lack the crispness I’m getting accustomed to. My LC decoders sound better!?! go figure.
If anyone has any suggestions to bring up the sound quality please advise.
Fergie
Fergie - I have four LC decoders and six of the dsx and in my expierience the DSX not only sounds better but has more sound effects. If you do the cap mod it barely skips a beat even on a dirtyi***rack. I get so discusted with my LC’s cutting out all the time I hardly use them. The LC doesn’t have the output the DSX does as a matter of fact Soundtraxx rec not to use multiple speakers with it. The DSX has great output and I put in the biggest speaker I can and in three of my units I put in two speakers they sound great. Maybe its your speakers ? Of course I wouldn’t know what a real train sounds like anyway. They don’t do trains down here in the FLorida keys. The one and only train down here was wiped out during the big CAT 5 hurricane of 1935. It was so damaged it was cheaper to turn it into a road which is still standing today. Sorry to hear you are not happy with the DSX. Can’t wait for them to come out with the Tsunami in Diesel[:D]
Terry[8D]