Digitrax HO scale DCC sound decoders have landed

Comments MRR
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Digitrax HO scale DCC sound decoders have landed

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i installed this decoder and sound system in the ac4400and so far it works good on dcc but lacks quight a bit in dc mode.

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I attended AJ Irelands Digitrax Sound Clinic in Philadelphia and was most impressed. Digitrax has a winning sound decoder product and strategy. Among the fetures that were demonstrated was enough memory to do the job right (he had both steam & diesel in one unit and was able to readily change between them) and the complete package to download, install, update and adjust the sound quality etc. What a great, capable package!!

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I installed two of the decoders in Kato SD38-2’s recently. Installation was easy but I may have to solder connections to get more reliable contact. I think the grade crossing horn function is a good idea but the horn blasts are much too brief in duration compared to the prototype. The brake squeal is much too brief also.

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How it compares with a QSI??? I try a TOWER 55 last weekend and for me sound is inferior in quality compared with QSI instaled locomotives.

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I installed an SD38 decoder in an early Kato SD45 with the speaker installed in an adjacent boxcar due to the fact that the early Katos didn’t have a space in the fuel tank for speaker installation the way the new ones do now.The horn and bell sound fine.The diesel prime mover tone has some room for improvement.The high sounds seem very strong while the low rumble sound that should be heard seems very weak.Other than that I liked the decoder and I know that things will continue to improve.

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Just installed one of these on a Kato AC4400. Overall, not bad at all, but the horn just doesn’t quite make it. It sounds too much like a sythesized horn and not a real sampled horn. The bell is great and the notch feature is cool. Installation was a breeze. Everything has to be run at a high volume level to be able hear all of what is programmed in the decoder. QSI is still a bit better, but at $40 less, I will be buying more digitrax and 0 QSI sound decoders. Overall, Nice Job