I switched to DCC a while ago and have the issue of staying on a budget. So when it came time to buy a decoder a looked for the cheapest one with the funtions I wanted (An MRC 350 or something) and bought it. Before I installed the decoder into my athearn SD60, the engine ran very quietly/. But now that I have installed the cheap decoder it runs VERY loud, especially in reverse. I was just wondering if it is the decoder that is making all the noise or if I need to clean the locomotive.
MRC decoders have a reputation for being well, bad. My advice, save up and get a Digitax DH123 for your SD60. They can usually be had for around $20.00.
It’s most likely the decoder. Make sure the one you replace it with has silent drive (different manufacturers have different names for this) and ideally BEMF - this will enable your loco to creep at under scale walking pace. Hope this is of help!
The real Decoder prices are more like $24-29 plus $5-7 shipping not $20.00. The MRC decoders SUCK. You got what you paid for. Digitrax, Lens Gold or NCE decoders is who I stay with
Thanks for the replys. I kind of knew I wasn’t getting anything good when I saw the price but I was eager to get my layout running. MRC has come out with a replacement for the 350 and they say it is quieter but it is still the same price.
The MRC decoders are not preferred. To date, Bachmann DCC equipped locomotives use an old technology Lenz decoder.
The non-silent drive decoders use the 9.6KHz DCC signal for PWM timing, and thus emit a great deal of noise at 9.6K. Silent drive decoders use much higher PWM frequencies, beyond the audible range.