Who makes sound decoders for HO scale steam other than MRC and SoundTraxx? I would like to convert some of my steam engines to sound, but these are the only two manufacturers that I know of that make sound decoders that you can install.
According to the rumor mill, QSI will soon be releasing decoders for after market installation thru a new company called http://www.soundsliketrains.com/index.html this of course is more than a rumor. Also, there is a lot of speculation that Digitrax will release sound decoders this summer. The new Soundtraxx Tsunami is by all accounts in the final stages of testing before release http://www.litchfieldstation.com/news/TSU1000_598x735.jpg
I was planning on installing a Soundtrax decoder into an E unit, but think I will wait a month or two as the market for sound options seems to be hotting up!!
same here i got 10 steam units i would like to convert to sound also but haven’t found any that’s reasonaly priced right
It looks like I am going to be a QSI captive if I decide to add sound to any of my steam locos, because no one else seems to be offering a DC or DCC option. I can’t help but wonder sometimes why several manufacturers compete over a less than 50% share of the total market. If QSI gets their pricing semi-reasonable I predict they are going to be absolutely swamped with orders.
And in the meantime the oft bashed BLI vaporware continues to appear, albeit late, while the highly touted Tsunami really is still just vapor.
I put an MRC sound decoder in my older model LL 2-8-8-2. It does not sound as clear as the BLI Class A that I have, but I am still happy with it. I know that it is not prototypical for the locomotive that I have it in, but it keeps my 1 year old happy as he likes to hear them as he sees them.
I wanted to put sound in my 4-8-2 Light mountain and in a 2-8-2 mantua that I converted to DCC, but I did not want them all to sound the same, however the cost of the Soundtraxx sound decoders is too much for me, and from what I have read about the LC decoders, I am not sure if they are worth it due to the buzz at low speeds. I don’t notice that with the MRC steam sound decoder that I have.
Has anyone used anything else, or are we all just waiting for Tsunami and QSI to get here?
Kevin:
Dallee Electronics makes DCC compatible sound modules. They work with DCC but they are not decoders … they are proprietary sound modules that can be made to work with a DCC decoder.
What this means in practical terms is you must have a regular decoder in the loco already, and you install the Dallee sound module and wire it to the orange and gray motor output leads and the function leads of the loco decoder. This way, when you press F2, you get the whistle/horn, press F3 and you get the bell, and the sound module syncs/auto ratchets the exhaust sound.
But to control thing like volume or feature settings you have to open up the loco and adjust pots or jumpers on the Dallee sound module board.
You can find more info here:
Diesel DCC compatible sound - http://www.dallee.com/dc_diesel.htm
Steam DCC compatible sound - http://www.dallee.com/DC_steam.htm
Electric DCC compatible sound - http://www.dallee.com/dc_electric.htm
They have some nice variety that’s not yet available in the pure Sound decoder arena!
How are they at helping with an install? Do they do installs? I’m thinking of putting sound in a Atlas GP-38.
SpaceMouse:
I don’t think they do custom installs, but if you contact them, I bet you they can give you the contact info on people who will install their product for a price.
I put a MRC steam sound decoder in my Bachmann Niagara. It isn’t proto- typical, but it sure sounds great to me. I have a BLI heavy Mike also. The sound in it is awesome. I have a Soundtraxx DSD-LC in an F7. Its good, but the sound menu is limited. I just installed a MRC diesel sound decoder under the layout. Still working on speaker selection, but it is going to work okay I think.
If QSI comes out with an after marked sound decoder for a reasonable/competitive price, they will clean up!
How about the best, if you can afford them? Phoenix.
http://www.phoenixsound.com/bs2k2/bs2k2.html
Don’t buy the “kit” it is designed for large scale. Buy just the decoder for $285. It will fit in all but the smallest standard gauge tenders. I’ve never seen a narrow gauge tender big enough for them.
This guy does decoder installs, and he’s in your state ¶:
http://teamtracktrader.com/