Do some manufacturers make a full function/sound board of the plug-and-play type that also has the speaker attached to the board? I'd swear I'd seen such, but it's entire;y possible I just dreamed it.
Mike
Both Loksound and MRC brilliance decoders come with speaker attached. However the speakers are on the end of the wires. So you'll still need a place to put the speakers.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
MRC recently announced a new decoder for narrow-body diesels that includes a board with a built in speaker. It was reviewed just recently in Model Railroad News, but according to the MRC website it hasn't been released commercially yet. In this pic, the speaker is facing down over the lead truck:
http://www.modelrectifier.com/search/product-view.asp?ID=8521
IIRC Soundtraxx used to make an HO "plug and play" decoder for Spectrum and Proto steam engines that had a built-in speaker. You just removed the dummy plug on the lightboard in the tender and plugged it in, the decoder and speaker were all one assembly.
MRC has some lightboard/speaker combinations designed for N scale engines.
Many thanks for the post and link. I'd sure like to know if they have a similar set-up in the pipeline for early EMD Geeps and E units. Could save me a bunch of bucks.
mreagant Many thanks for the post and link. I'd sure like to know if they have a similar set-up in the pipeline for early EMD Geeps and E units. Could save me a bunch of bucks. Mike
My guess would be they might do one for GPs but probably not for E units - at least in HO. In an HO F or E unit you have plenty of room for a decoder and a big speaker. The MRC speaker here is only 1/2", you can use a 1" in an E or F unit, in some you might even fit a 1" x 1.5" oval speaker.
Plus I don't know that it would save you any money?? Speakers aren't that expensive. The MRC decoder lists for $89.98; a Soundtraxx "LC" ("low cost") first generation EMD decoder lists for $65.00. A good speaker will run about $9 list (I'd recommend Tony's Train's speakers - the wires are already soldered in place) and an enclosure maybe $4-5. You're paying extra for the convenience of not having to find space for the speaker - although I've done several GPs and RSs with a Soundtraxx light-board replacement decoder and a 1/2" speaker and enclosure without any big problems. Plus as noted MRC decoders have some issues as far as how well they run the engines.
MRC's "Sounder" sound-only decoders are good if you have room for both a regular decoder and a sound one. They come with a 1" speaker and are usually around $25-30.