I am one of those HO guys, but have a question for a friend of mine (so take it easy on me). Can anyone suggest a sound decoder and speaker for a Spectrum K-27? If you have any suggestions for installation, that would be great as well. Thanks!!
I would recomend Pheonix sound it goes in the tender and comes complete you ask when buying what you want it to do and it is programed for you. Track power is best for this unit.
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Phoenix sound would be the best possible choice for this locomotive, but you'll also need a motor/light control decoder because the Phoenix is only sound.
You'll need a Digitrax, NCE, or other brand G-scale decoder for the motor control, and the decoder will need to have enough function outputs to control the desired sounds if the owner wants to have DCC control of the sounds.
The new Phoenix P8 would probably be the best choice.
http://rldhobbies.com/pb9soundkit-1.aspx
Track power, battery power, DCC?
Greg
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Sorry about that. Track power with a NCE DCC system.
Track power? QSI. Plugs right into the tender and you can be off and running. Their current "Magnum" board is in very short supply right now, but due to be replaced in June(ish) with their new "Titan" board. If you can wait until then, I'd do that. The price is supposed to be near the same, and the functionality vastly improved.
Later,
K
I run with track power and control...no DCC. Will the QSI work for me, or is there a better unit that will give me simple (but good) sound without having to embrace DCC? Thanks.
Yep, QSI works fine on DC, all the sounds etc. If you need to fine tune things, like chuff frequency, then you would want to take it to a DCC layout. Out of the box it will work fine, order the one with the special K27 firmware. It's in the top of the sound quality group. Plugs right into the socket.
I installed Zimo in 2 K27's.
The newest version is the MX695 and has 5 amps of motor control without needing heatsinks and has 14 watts of audio power to 4 ohm speaker.
These decoders can be set up for changing sound dependent on load vs coasting, something the Phoenix can not do. And for under $200 you get DCC motor control and sound. With the Phoenix, motor decoder would be separate. Phoenix is great for DC analog, but there are better choices when going to DCC, and less money is spent.
For a small engine look at the MX645 by Zimo, 2 amp, 30 volt, 3 watt audio decoder for HO and small G scale engines such as a rail truck, or field railway engine.
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