MRC Sound Station

[ole1]

The MRC sound station came up in another topic heading and I'd like to know if any of you have modified one of these units. We use one on the club layout and have wondered if you can: add extra speakers, add amplifiers or do any other enhancements. Before we let the club's electronic whiz tear into the unit I thought some feedback from anyone who has worked with one of these units might be helpful. Thanks
Ole

[Anonymous]

I can't answer your question, but I think the MRC 312 sound station is intended for small layouts. I've seen them used a couple of times with very small HO layouts and they were fine. Using with a big layout I would question how well they would work. Hope someone else has more info for you.

[Demon09]

I dont have one, but looking at it online it seems that it should be fairly easy.... If you've ever wired a home stereo system or a car stereo, it should follow the same idea..... not to mention the same idea of any electrical component..... just take the speaker leads positive and negative and hook them into a larger amp system in the same positive negative set up...... the only real question youre left with is knowing what ohm level the speaker output has so that you wont damage whatever it is you hook up to amplify it

[otftch]

I know of one that is hooked up to a stereo boombox and will blow you out of a 10X50 room.It was done by a friend of mine to enhance the sound.
Ed

[phillyreading]

Do you know how to hook up componant stereo systems? All you need to do is run a supply to the input side of an amplifier and have a set of speakers hooked up to the output side of the amplifier, make sure that your speakers match the amplifier for power rating! Use an external hook-up or a tape recorder inputs. You can hook into a tape loop if you know what to do.
Lee Fritz

[jimhaleyscomet]

What is the streep price of an MRC sound station?

Jim H

[Demon09]

From what I have seen they are not all that expensive.... If you use Froogle (google's shopping program) the lowest price listed online that I have seen is $44.99, the highest I saw on there was about $68

[Anonymous]

If you have a hobby lobby near you,check it out. I took the 40% off weekly coupon they run each week off the internet,on their website.With the coupon the totol cost of the sound unit was 46.00 with the tax included. It's a poor man's sound system that sounds good. Easter

[dwiemer]

One idea that you may want to add, try a Niles switch. This is a device that you hook inline from the main controller, the speaker jack goes into this and then you can add 4 sets of speakers with switching abilities so that you can vary the amount of added "noise". Just a thought.
Dennis

[Anonymous]

J.Fred Muggs,
What do you consider to be a large layout where this sound system would not be effective? I was thinking about purchasing one for an 8 X 12 foot O gauge layout.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by joncoy

J.Fred Muggs,
What do you consider to be a large layout where this sound system would not be effective? I was thinking about purchasing one for an 8 X 12 foot O gauge layout.

That would be a good size but I don't think I'd go beyond that. The speakers can be positioned under the layout or on the sides to give you good sound effects. It's a great system for the folks running postwar, conventional without sounds, HO and N scale. I've seen them sold for $40 to $60 on eBay and by some online hobby dealers.

[dwiemer]

Picked one up today at Hobby Lobby. Used the 40% coupon from on-line and went to the store. With tax, it is under 40.00.
Dennis

[brianel027]

For most folks who do not have large layouts, the MRC Sound Station is just fine. I'm sure you could add other speakers - I haven't played around with it in that respect. But simply putting the speakers near the front of your layout will give you the general effect.

No, Railsounds it isn't. You can't totally activiate sounds in synch, and there are some other minor limitations. But given the price and the operation (by pushing buttons) it is a wonderful crowd pleaser and definitely a kid pleaser. What easier way to involve company or kids by allowing them to push buttons for sounds as the trains make their way around the layout? Anyone with kids knows they love pushing buttons.... no need here to worry about them accidentally pushing a wrong button and derailing a train or dumping a load in the wrong place.

No more "Don't press that button! That loco costs over $1,000.00!" And we wonder why kids are interested in the hobby? As Homer Simpson would say "D'oh!!!"

Try visiting a layout with several Railsounds (or of the like) equipped locos running at the same time... the sounds can quickly become irritating rather than enjoyable. For all it's limitations, the MRC Sound Station is one of the more neat and overlooked products of the last few years. An absolutely wonderful way for a family or a budget minded modeler to have sound without breaking the bank. One price - sound for everything.... not a bad deal if you ask me.

There are also 2 sound stations now available: one with the typical selection of train related sounds and the other with background/nature sorts of sounds.

[Anonymous]

Ol Red luvs Lionel but ain't impressed with Railsounds and Trainsounds. Some dude was drinking moonshine when them sounds was recorded. Mister Jerry needs to tune his recording equipment.

[cnw1995]

Forgive me for reviving ths thread, but I forgot to mention I've had great luck with the old MRC sound unit - I have to find the box for the model number. It has chuff or diesel sound that works in relation to the speed of the engine on the rails, a slide bar for whistle or diesel horn that kids (and big kids) just love to use - just two wire hook-up to the track and it comes with a speaker to install in your own home-made baffle box - so I've used a bigger one.

[jimhaleyscomet]

Here is a link to the different units.

http://www.modelrectifier.com/products/trainSound/soundSystems.asp

Jim H