I've just installed an MRC Sheer Brilliance #0001643 sound decoder into a Kato SD38-2 and I'm a little concerned about it.
The unit started up no problem when power was applied but it suddenly starts creeping along the track when your not looking. I noticed the lights also flick from front to rear and back again. The volume levels are also very low compared to Atlas Gold loco's I have. I thought the default volume would have been fairly high. It responds on its default adress #03
The other more worrying aspect is that the decoder gets seriously warm in a fairly short time after power up, although it does overall appear to function correctly, apart from the aforementioned
I bought the decoder on Ebay a little while ago and can't contact the seller for advice. I only have an Atlas Commander DCC controller so can't adjust the appropriate CV's in respect of the sound volumes.
Anyone out there able to offer some advice on this, in particular the "hot" problem
The consensus on this forum has been to stay away from MRC sound decoders. I have not personally owned one, but most of the guys here tell me they're crap. I'm sorry you purchased one before doing some homework.
I've used Soundtraxx with great success, and I buy all my locomotives with QSI sound.
Hi Driline,
Funny you should say that. I was kind of getting that feeling myself. I've not an awful lot of experience in the "decoder field" yet so I guess this is part of the learning curve. (To fast and slightly derailed at this point)
Maybe frying it would be the best end to it then.
Thanks for the fast response. It'll be interesting to see some more responses. Could get quite humorous. If I'd bought two I could have made my wife a pair of earings out of them
Regards
Dave
Dave, Take your MRC decoder out in the back yard and put it out of its misery.
One or two shotgun blasts should do the trick!
My guess is alot of people are trying to unload these decoders on ebay for cheap. Hopefully you didn't pay too much. I paid about $50 US dollars for my soundtraxx decoder and a speaker. I prefer to buy my engines with sound though. Stay away from some athearn models as they also use these crappy MRC sound decoders. David Bedard can tell you which models.
Sorry folks, I ain't got a gun.
How about 5 minutes at full power in the microwave will that suffice.
Or I could sit it on the rail at work and see what it looks like after 100 ton of class 66 and a thousand tons of coal has passed over it doing 70mph. I'll keep the speaker and the 8 pin plug though. The decoder cost me £28.00, that's around $55 so it wasn't that cheap. However, that said, I've had a lot of good stuff really cheap from Ebay and this is the first that's been crap. Learned a lesson anyway, so not all lost.
Sound decoders over here are rather expensive. The QSI and Loksounds are around £50 to £70, thats like $100 to $140, so the MRC thingy was rather tempting at £28.
Whadya think guys
Dogmatix wrote:Anyone out there able to offer some advice on this, in particular the "hot" problem
That is a lot of work for an MRC decoder though.
I waited until others posted before making a tease that perhaps you learned why the seller sold the item on ebay.
No wonder you could not get in touch with seller. =) If I sold one of those, I be ignoring emails myself he he he.
I say rust it good and leave it outside of the locomotive shop. Wait until someone stops, looks at it and goes hmmm...
Don't worry about teasing, I'm pretty thick skinned.
In fact now I think about it I'm pretty thick, full stop, for buying that without checking with good people, like yourselves, to see if they are any good.