If decide to put a sound decoder in one of my Athearn CF7s will the sound work on DC?
Thanks in advance
Are you trying to ask if the sounds work on (DC) analog power? Sound decoders are DCC,some will have limited functions and sound on DC power, but it depends on the brand and model decoder used, not all will operate with DC power.
Taken at face value, the answer to your question is yes. A decoder is the circuit that communicates with the DCC system to provide control. If it is a sound decoder then you will have sound funtions that you can activate with your DCC system.
Ah sorry, I was trying to write it in a hurry. Yeah I wanted to say DC. I’ll edit it.
But what my issue is I have one engine on my shelf; a CF7 which is detailed, weathered, and my baby. Well my swicth to sound was going to be with a PCM SW1500 since that is now coming in March, I’m entertaining the idea of putting sound into my CF7 but since the layout is 1x12 I don’t want to switch to DCC. So I was wondering if I installed it, would I have limited sound on DC? General engine, Whistle, bell, air?
Thanks and sorry to confuse!
DCC makes a great deal of sense on a 1 x 12 layout because of the small layout’s lack of room for the multiple blocks needed to park multiple engines.
Some DCC sound systems will work on DC, some will not, and some will be destroyed if DC use is attempted.
Recommendation: invest $50-70 in a Bachmann DCC system, which is engineered by Lenz, as is the Atlas system. With it, you will be able to operate your forth coming MP15 on DCC, and your non-DCC locomotive on channel 10 - at the same time… Just do not leave the DC loco stopped for extended periods of time.
I agree with both of those statements.
In theory I agree with this part as well, except that as far as I know the Bachmann DCC system doesn’t have CV readback. Especially with sound, that could be considered a drawback. On the other hand, Athearn uses MRC sound decoders with limited/no CV ability anyway, don’t they?
My opinion: If you’re going to have sound, you’re going to want to be able to change CV values to tailor those sounds to your liking. And if you’re going to want to change CV’s, it helps a great deal to know what the values are NOW, so you know what to change them TO.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by buying a “DCC system” that doesn’t allow you to read back or change CV’s.
Steve
Keep in mind that once you go down the path to sound you may never go back to non-sound. I would HIGHLY recommend buying a NCE Powercab starter set for about $130 or less. Reads CVs on a digital display for programming and if you plan on owning any MRC sound engines this is a must to adjust the sound volumes of the various sounds to tweak your engines and also their running performance.
Don’t even think about sound installs without switching to DCC first.
The cheap Bachman systems and Atlas Commander dont have a digital display suitable to tweak these settings…the NCE Powercab starter set throttle can read and display current values and makes tweaking a breeze.
The throttle also can be used as a NCE ProCab at your local club (if they use NCE) or if you plan on expanding to their Pro line later. Another throttle (NCE Cab04p) can be plugged in for two operators as well.
I’ve just started into DCC after using DC for 20 years. trust me…you wont even look back at DC.
It’s like going from 56k Dial -up internet to highspeed cable at 8 Megabytes per second!
I dont mean to hijack this thread but the topic is somewhat the same. I have a Soundtrax F3 for a Athearn F7 Unit. The sound seams very low, almost covered up by the noise that the train makes just running. I was wondering if there was a way to turn up the sound? Maybe a CV value or something. thanks for the info. Matthew
Matthew,
Is it one of those DSD-AT100LC decoders?
I too installed one into an Athearn SD40-2 BB, and although the exhaust sound is ample enough, the horns get no louder than the exhaust sounds.
I e-mailed soundtraxx about putting a smaller value capacitor for the speaker, and they said my idea of a 25UF@16V would work, but to not go any lower than that value.
I figured it would raise the amplification where the exaust sounds could be lowered, and the horns could be played at maximum (255) value without distortion, or overloading the sound amp.
I have the 20MM speaker mounted in the dynamic brake housing, where I drilled the fan housing off for the sound to come through.
I did the dame thing on a GP38-2 with an MRC decoder, and the sound is just fine. The horns scared the wits out of my poor old mother.
TravyG, to answer your actual question, now that you dropped that all important extra C, it depends.
The older Soundtraxx model sound decoders were not DC compatible, they can only run on DCC. I think all the newer models will work on DC, but I would check before you buy. The QSI decoders that are installed in BLI, Atlas and P2K locos most certainly do work with DC and you can get a little control box (both Atlas and BLI sell one) which provides you with control of most of the sounds.
No matter what brand of sound decoder you decide to try, the biggest problem you’re going to run into in a diesel engine is a serious lack of space into which to cram a decoder and speaker. SoundTraxx LC decoders are not DC compatible and can be destroyed if you attempt to run one on DC power. The new SoundTraxx Tsunami is DC compatible, but no diesel version has hit the market yet, and the steam version is very large – far too large to fit into anything but a dummy diesel engine. Digitrax has recently come out with a DC compatible sound decoder they call the SoundFX, but the initial release is only for a couple of very specific Kato engines, because it was developed in coordination with Kato to be put into their Kato Kobo product line. BLI decoders are DC compatible, but no after-market user installable decoders are yet available from them. I would not even consider using an MRC sound decoder after my experience with their previous offerings. LokSound decoders from Germany are available for diesel models, but I have no experience with any of them.
thanks for the info. Matthew
This might be true . . . if you’re in N scale.
The Tsunami is quite large in features, not physical size.
If you’re in HO, the steam Tsunami (I have 3) is smaller than the earlier Soundtraxx LC decoders. Assuming the diesel, if it ever actually appears, is the same size (and I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be), there will be plenty of room in many diesels. I can’t speak about a CF 7, but I do have several F-units of several manufacturers, and there’s plenty of room in all of them for motor and drive plus decoder and 1-inch speaker.
My suggestion would be to check out the Loksound decdoers from ESU. They are physically smaller than any of the other sound decoders on the market and if space is really an issue, they have an even smaller version called the Loksound Micro which is about the same size as a typically N scale motor decoder. The ESU decoders also work fine under DC power (including the speed control circuit), although you will need to buy the function controller if you intend on activating any of the other sounds such as the horn or bell with DC only power. As it currently stands, the ESU library has over 40 different prime movers to choose from and almost that many different horns (much better than the six or seven the other guys offer).
Good luck!
Jeff
What about the MRC brilliance? will it run on DC?
The MRC sound decoders are compatible with DC(Athearn uses them in the Genesis line), but the sound really is not as good as the other decoders available. I have listened to Genesis F units with sound and am not impressed. My Genesis F units will get sound from some other decoder this winter(I bought then before Athearn offered sound).
Jim
I guess a question is how good is good? HO diesel sound will not sound like the real thing. Alot depends on what level of “goodness” you want. The MRC “drop-in”, model 1634 I believe, come with a 1 inch speaker, 16 functions and pretty fair sound. Also, you can get them for about $36 a piece. If you are going to have only one loco and want the absolute best (a very subjective call) sound, get a Lok-Sound decoder, soundtraxx speakers and prepare to spend enough to put “lesser” sound in four or five other locos.
Modelers choice.
MRC decoders are cheap, and there is a VERY good reason for that. Not only is the sound not up to snuff, but they are very unreliable. I have not had an MRC decoder that lasted more than 4 months. Plus they run extremely hot and tend to stop listening to your commands every now then. Steering clear of MRC for DCC products will be one of the best decisions you make.
I second the Loksound if you have the money. They are the best diesel sound decoders around, nobody comes close IMO. And the decoder is plenty small enough to fit in a narrow hood diesel, you will have to find space for the speaker though (probably in the cab). However you cannot use soundtraxx speakers with a loksound decoder. Loksound uses 100ohm speakers, soundtraxx doesnt. Loksound sells speakers that are very nice and not unreasonably expensive. Remember to seal up your enclosure, the more air-tight the better.
Yes Athearn Genesis Locos fitted with MRC decoders will work on DC, but for some screwey reason, the ones you buy from your dealer/hobby shops won’t. They work on DCC only.
I think I am going to buy a Prodigy Express system.
But in response to the sound decoder I want a fair sounding reasonable priced one . I have a PCM SW1500 on order which has a Lok Sound decoder, so I’m just looking for something to get by til that comes.