I noticed a new tip from Tony’s on the Genesis SD45-2 that just came out. The web site below shows the tip.
Is this the situation with all of the units or just the first time you start up the sound on this model???
I would appreciate feedback if you have a sound model, since I do not have a copy of this model.
Hello Bangert1,
Not my intention to rub anyone the wrong way about the MRC equipped SD45-2s.
A few weeks ago, I went to my LHS (Happy Hobo Trains) and heard the demo on this unit. The manager, myself, a good friend of mine and 3 other modelers were all disappointed as the overall sound quality, IMHO, was distorted. The turbo was well pronounced though…in fact it was the loudest sound. The quality of the horn sounds were also distorted, regardless if the volume was high or low.
Kevin then then placed a BLI GP30 on the track. Sadly, the sound quality difference between the QSI and MRC systems were like night and day. One doesn’t have to be a “rivet counter” to hear the differences immedietly and then look at the price tags.
Kevin did contact his rep at Athearn and she promised she communicate the feedback to management. I was hoping that this wouldn’t be looked at as overreacting, yet recently I found out from him that a number of LHS managers also received some negative customer feedback about the MRC sounds , so this isn’t an isolated view. The sounds of the primemover, horns, and bell sounds were authentic…but it was like listening to a pocket transistor radio from the 1970s that had been repeatedly dropped.
I know Athearn has made a super effort in it’s product lines, especially with the SD45-2 which is a real beauty. After having heard QSI, Soundtraxx DSX, and recently a Lok Sound unit…I’m convinced that MRC can, and hop
With my SD45-2, I have to press the function on/off button on my Digitrax Zephyr for the engine to start up. The complete procedure would be something like this: Place the engine on the track, turn track power on, and press the function on/off button and hear the prime mover power up.
And yes, compared to the QSI and Digitrax systems, the sound quality of this particular locomotive is a bit questionable… but I like the locomotive overall because of its detail and smooth operation.
-Brandon
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With my SD45-2, I have to press the function on/off button on my Digitrax Zephyr for the engine to start up. The complete procedure would be something like this: Place the engine on the track, turn track power on, and press the function on/off button and hear the prime mover power up.
And yes, compared to the QSI and Digitrax systems, the sound quality of this particular locomotive is a bit questionable… but I like the locomotive overall because of its detail and smooth operation.
-Brandon
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It is amazing that this unit does not power up normally like about 99% of the sound models available. The Lionel Turbine has a default CV that has the diesel engine starting up first, but I changed the CV to use the Turbine only. Maybe the MRC decorder can be programmmed to always start up after power is applied to the unit.
I get the impression from your comments that the MRC sound modules are not refined to the same level as the other popular selling systems. The new SD45-2 is a nice looking model and like you have stated, is still a good model because of its deail and smooth operation. Genesis seem to be getting better in overall operation.
I can only equate the MRC sound by the Genesis Challenger, which is toy like in the quality of sound and accuracy to the sounds of that engine. The function that allows you to hear the conductor yelling “Booooard” for the Challenger was a waste of functions in my thoughts, a
If you turn the volume down on the Athearn it will sound alot better
It is set so loud the speaker is distorting the sound.
CAZEPHYR, Curt
The sounds are authentic as far as the turbo, prime mover and horn.
However, at the hobby shop we listened to the unit very carefully at low and medium sound volumes. Compared to a QSI or Soundtraxx equipped HO diesel the sounds still sounded distorted, even at low volume. Looks like MRC tried to get it right but somehow missed the mark. Again, all you have to do is do a side by side sound test with a QSI or Soundtraxx equipped unit and the differences become even more apparent.
The point of my post was not to trash this unit ( I still intend to buy a “non-sound” SD45-2), but that for the high cost of the unit we felt that when Athearn managers heard these units after receiving the samples from the manufacturer (in China?) they should have addressed it immedietly. One of the very first things a wise business professional does after receiving product samples is to compare them to your competitor’s samples. In this case the one that set the standard–BLI/QSI.
Our conversational opinion was basically that Athearn managers felt that they made a huge investment and needed to recoup their costs.
It is a nice model and a soundtraxx unit will be released hopefully before the end of this year. It is a model that has been needed in our industry for a long time.
The sound versions of the F units have much the same problem. I am using soundtraxx in the Genesis F units and will continue to install the Tsunami when it is available.
The sound by QSI has really opened up sound to all of us for sure.
Not to dis everyone else’s opinion, but I think the SD45-2 sounds great. When my LHS started it up from across the room I thought there was a video on somewhere in the store with a Turbocharged EMD in it. The bell is a little to fast, and the horn is a bit different, but I didn’t think it sounded distorted at all.
It is great to hear that the one you listened to sounded fairly good. All of them might not be distorted as some have reported and this might be due to the volume level of the sound. I have lowered the volume level on every single on of my BLI steam and the diesels also so the speaker is not pushed to the limits.
The MRC has not received high marks from most, but that does not mean they are bad. I have noticed that most of us do hear and perceive things differently. Did you buy it for the sound??
Agreed but sadly as far as quality “locomotive music” the MRC’s, IMHO, are poor performers next to Soundtraxx DSX, QSI, or Loksound systems.
Although reducing the volume makes the engine idle and acceleration sounds “better”, the horn and bell data that was uploaded in to the sound processor is low in quality. The sound samples appear synthetic and grainy; they were either improperly converted to low bit data or poorly reprocessed in an attempt to compress their size. It is an issue that may be corrected if the manufacturer is made aware of it. I have access to a couple of older MRC sound decoders. I fired one up and listened to the horn and bell sounds; their quality was noticibly higher than the SD45-2’s sounds. The tech group that created the sounds might be different from the group that uploaded them into the NVRAM of the processor; the latter group might have had trouble squeezing them into the available amount of RAM.
After extensive auditioning of several SD45-2 units, I was also disappointed. I decided to buy the non-sound version and I installed a Loksound decoder using the SD45-2 sounds now downloadable from the Loksound website. The difference is significant. Not only are the sounds more accurate, clean and defined, the motor control circuit is much more advanced; it advances and decreases in speed like a fine model should. The back-EMF circuitry is superb. I recommend this workaround for those who are looking for a better alternative. Electronics aside, this is a wonderful model; very nice detail, the paint job is crisp and accurate and the mechanism is robust and quiet. If you are interested in this unit, I recommend you audition one in person, in case you are considering purchase by mail order. The good news is you have sound options.