MRC Sound Box (Diesel) Recommend?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Is there anyone here who has purchased the MRC Sound Box Diesel model 1023 and can give me an opinion on the unit? I would be using it with DC. It looks great, and I’ve found it on the net for as little as $46.99.

Thanks…

2

I Like it ! Only downfall i see is you would need to upgrade the speaker,to something a tad bigger make it sound alot clearer and better

Carl…

3

Will do. Thanks…

4

I have one also. It works great! I use the Bachmann EZ Command DCC unit so I only have 8 sound functions available with that unit but I use the handheld that is supplied for the rest of them. With respect to the speaker, I have it mounted under the layout. The layout is made from the blue extruded styrofoam and the sound seems to resonate better by using the foam as some sort of super baffle. Overall I am quite pleased with the unit.

Scott

5

I just insalled the steam unit and I’m very happy with it. So happy, in fact, I’d like to install the diesel unit.

Does the MRC diesel sound unit simulate the audible shift in gears as the locomotive accelerates, or is it a continuous increase in rumble pitch? Thanks in advance for any advice!

6

I have one. I like it for the auxilliary sounds, but the 8 speed-steps are too distinct (don’t sound very realistic) and the speed-step sounds only work in one direction. I am still planning on getting the steam one.

7

Thanks for the head’s up… Are you running in DC or DCC? I’ve been using my steam one in DCC and using the CVs to adjust chuff rate. Wondering if the same is possible in the diesel one to adjust the gear shift.

8

I have it and for the price, it can’t be beat. But I do agree about the speed-steps. My speed-steos do work in both directions.

All that is on DC. I have just purchased the Digitrax Zepher and I haven’t gotten the speed-steps to work on DCC. The other sounds will work off the MRC Control but the diesel sound will only idle. I hooked it up according to instructions (I think). Is there some secret digital something-or-other that I don’t know about?

I’m not trying to highjack this thread, but I figured that problems like these would be of interest to anyone contemplating purchasing the MRC unit.

9

I have one and it works great.

10

I currently use it in DC mode. Others in the past have commented on the uni-directional engine sounds also.

11

I’d love to hear from someone who has made it work in DCC mode… According to the paperwork that came with the steam box (it’s the same for both systems) the diesel mode doesn’t have a specific CV for synchronized gear shift.

Perhaps the best thing to do for the diesel is to get a low-end Soundtraxx generic diesel decoder and mount it the way David Popp did in the August MR. I’ve got a 36"x80" layout, so it wouldn’t be too bad sound-quality-wise.