Questions About Installing Digitrax SDH104K1 Decoder for Kato Dash 9

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I’m in the process of installing the Digitrax SDH104K1 decoder w/ light board in my Kato Dash 9. I have a question about how/where to attach the motor contact strips to the new decoder board. The old light board I removed from the unit had two slots for each motor contact strip. The other issue is that my unit doesn’t have a speaker grill/place for the speaker under the fuel tank, just a solid metal plate.

2

The decoder you have was not made for that Kato locomotive, so it’s not going to be a simple board replacement. The loco you have is an older model, so you must now find somewhere other than the fuel tank area to put a speaker and enclosure.

I have two of those older Kato C44-9W models and have not even attempted to put sound into them because of the speaker issue.

3

Not to mention that you have to find a 32ohm speaker for that decoder…

Can you return the decoder and go with a Tsunami KT-1000 645t? That way you can just get a 16x35mm speaker/baffle under the rear fans.

David B

4

I’m going to keep the decoder. Worst case I will just remove the interior cab insert and will squeeze it in there.

5

Not necessarily. Some folks think the Digitrax sound decoders are too quiet, and an easy way to increase the volume is to use an 8-ohm speaker. And Digitrax says that’s okay: http://tsd.digitrax.com/index.php?a=857

Steve

6

It also raises the distortion that is NOT there with a 32 ohm speaker.

Dont get me wrong, but I have installed atleast 60 of these specific decoders for customers over the years, and every time I have tried to use a 8 ohm speaker, I get nothing but distortion. I actually sourced out 32 ohm speakers that were are better choice, but in the long run, the best fix was to use a different board.

The result was never great…sometimes good, but never great. But at the time, it was the best available. Now a days, you have MUCH better choices for not much more money. They also use 8 ohm speakers…available anywhere.

Look at this quote from the Digitrax website (from the link you supplied)…

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Bottom line, yes you can use an 8 ohm speaker, but the sound will be VERY quiet unless you can live with distortion… that coupled with horrible sounding sound files, and the solution is obvious.

David B