I've been researching upgrading some of my locomotives with a DCC sound decoder but am having trouble finding good resources on compatability and installation. I'm looking at upgrading my n-scale Kato SD70MAC and Atlas GP-40-2, both are installed with the appropriate Digitrax mobile decoders.
While digitrax has an all-in-one solution with sound, I have read some negative reviews on sound qulaity. I was looking into going big and investing in Soundtraxx but all of their installation videos and guides seem to be taylored towards either HO scale or trains that already have a sound decoder (replacement). The larger scales seem to always have pins to connect to while the Digitrax boards I have do not. Any advice?
to the forum. Initial posts are delayed in moderation.
TCS Wow sound has installation pictures. The decoders are very popular around here. I expect they might be more expensive than digitrax, but users are very happy with them.
https://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/1366
https://tcsdcc.com/installation/ho-scale/1344
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddyTCS Wow sound has installation pictures.
Did you miss the part of the thread title that said "N-scale"?
If I wanted sound in N-scale, which sounds really lousy, I'd buy a loco with the sound factory installed. Otherwise you're looking at major surgery.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
Digitrax has 2 sound decoder versions. 8 bit and 16 bit. The 8 bit had the sound issues. Remember, N Scale speakers are small, so the sound level will be low. Check out the bit size on the decoders for your locos. If you can find a 16 bit decoder, you will need to down load the correct sound file from Digitrax. You'll need a PR4 for that. Digitrax has a sound depot on their web site. If you decide to go this way, look for 16 bit sound files from John McMasters. Or try one of these, need to be hard wired https://www.digitrax.com/products/sound-decoders/sdxn136ps/: For better decoders, you will havce to hard wire one in. Loksound has a small decoder that should work in N Scale. Joe
carl425Did you miss the part of the thread title that said "N-scale"?
Possibly, I cannot access my links at the moment.
Evertime someone asks about a Kato engine it seems like it is almost always N scale so I must of assumed that those locos were N scale. I confess I've never looked under the shell of a N scale loco.
Any, apologies to the OP for the misinformation.