I am having strange sounds coming from my Athearn Genesis F-7. As it sits idling, every once in awhile I get beeps, horns, voices and other strange outputs. Anyone else experiencing this?
This is the worst sound unit I have ever had. I believe it is an MRC sound decoder, but it cerainly pales compared to QSI. I don’t understand why Athearn would use such an inferior decoder on a $300.00 unit.
They got a deal!!!
It is almost as good as the Genesis Challenger. If you hear the voices coming out, that means it is a passenger engine.
If you hear cows, pull a stock trains. It is almost like American Flyer and Lionel was when they had sound for everything.
The Genesis Challenger has a conductor yelling Boooooard when you hit Function 3 I think it is. I removed the toy like sound unit from it and tossed it.
Duncattle,
Sorry to read about this. The Genesis F units are gorgeous, but after hearing a sound demo at my LHS a few months back, I felt that MRC dropped the ball. Again, this is just my opinion as some modelers are satified with the MRC’s sounds.
From what I understand, Athearn originally wanted to go with the Soundtraxx diesel Tsunami, but of course Soundtraxx was encountering a lot of problems and we are currently awaiting the arrival.
Apparently Horizon-Athearn wanted to jump into the sound market and made the decision to go with MRC. IMHO…They should have waited!
I intend on buying at least one Genesis F7, but it will be a non-sound unit. I would install sound later down the road.
They are the best quality shells available today and probably years into the future. I own so many of them because they are the best, but the sound models are not worth the extra money.
Buy the silent version and install the best sound for you.
I agree with ya, Bangert1. Seems a good way to go.
Soundwise the BLI F7s are better. The “honker” horn sound, though, is a different recording from the one used in the BLI and P2K E8. It’s the same one used in the BLI SW7. It sounds more like a Wabco E2 than a Leslie AA2.
As CMarchand and David have mentioned before, there are very sweet advantages to uploading and customizing your own sound that’s now possible with the programming units from Digitrax and Lok Sound.
From my understanding, it will be the same with the QSI upgrade chip.
TAMPICO TONY:
I thought GENESIS’ ‘F’ sound units were installing ‘LOK’ sound. I guess my age is creeping up on me.
I’m with you. Install what you want and use the speaker holes.
(''Pardon me lady, but We’re painting down here").
Nope, MRC. The only current factory production locos with Loksound decoders is from PCM.
Even MRC’s new ‘Brilliance’ decoders are anything but. They may sound a lot better than the older MRC sound decoders (ie they got rid of the fixed duration whistles), but how can you even consider building a decoder that does not give acknowledgement information when programming? And I believe the MSRP is MORE than a Soundtraxx Tsunami.
–Randy