I have a project in mind that requires a "sound only" decoder and am thinking about the SFX0416 as being possibly the only option I have.Is it reasonably good?Or do I have other options?I plan on installing sound in a dummy N scale loco.Thanks.
I have two of them. They are adequate. I'm not happy with the very low sound level, even with the volume cranked up all the way.
They come with a 1-inch round speaker. Yes, it's nice of them to provide a speaker, but this one is so big that it won't fit in many HO locomotives, let alone N-scale.
They are, however, programmable with the Digitrax PR2 and PR3 units. These are the only units that will program SFX decoders, to my knowledge. While downloading a "sound project" from Digitrax is fairly straightforward, constructing custom projects may not be, depending on your comfort zone with computer stuff.
To program the SFX 0416, you will need to temporarily put a light bulb or other load on one of the function outputs, used for lighting. Otherwise, the PR2/3 will not be able to sense the presence of the decoder correctly. This decoder has several lighting outputs, which is nice if you're going to use this in a dummy engine. (One of mine is in a dummy F7B.)
If you're going to put this in an engine with another decoder, it would be best to use a Digitrax. Otherwise, you will need to program the two decoders separately, as they will get in each others' way, electrically. They run fine together, but programming must be done one at a time. I have my other SFX decoder in a trolley with a Bachmann motor decoder, and I have to disconnect that one to program the SFX unit.
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Thank you very much M.Beasley for the infos.It is what I hoped for but wanted to have a better opinion.Being "adequate" is acceptable to me as I don't expect the very best sound out af a N scale setup,mostly due to speaker size limitations.But still,I wish to give it a try.The SFX 0416 decoder is small enough to be fitted into an N scale loco but it's speaker leaves no possibility at all for this purpose even in a dummy loco so I'll have to find a much smaller one.I'm thinking of Soundtraxx's 3/8" one but I'm a little worried that it would be too small to be worthwile.However,there's only one way to know.
I don't even think of milling frames on neither of my Kato SD's or AC4400's as I want to keep them straight DCC.These are fine running engines and I don't want to modify them.However,I have a pair of pre-DCC Kato SD45's that I wouldn't mind tampering with by replacing the traction gears and motor by a sound setup.They'd have their own adress so that they would add sound to any combination of may be odd consist I may wish to assemble.Putting sound in all my locos would be too expensive to start with and with the reputation of MRC decoders,it's out of the question.Thanks again.