If you decide to stay operating in DC, what is the best sound decoders or sytems to use for steam and diesels? What accessories or equipment do you need to operate sound. Should you stay with just one system for all engines?
Appreciate any advice and thanks in advance.
Dave
Hi Dave,
I was real happy with my QSI Rev A decoders for the short time I was using DC. It takes a little getting use to because the engines have a "startup" cycle and don't just jump when you hit the throttle. The sound is great and there is enough functions with the DC throttle to keep you interested for a while (till the DCC bug bites).
Peter
I second the QSI recommendation.
It is best to stick with one brand if your are going to use DC, because the accessory controllers are unique for each brand (QSI, MRC, LokSound, etc)
So far I have ran Blue Line, QSI, Lok and the dreaded MRC decoder with DC. Will add I ran the MRC decoder on DC because it stopped working in DCC mode!
From what I have heard here at the house, they all sound the same rather it be DC or DCC. Best sounding has been a Lok in a PCM Y6-b and for $600.00 it better sound darn good, then the QSI then the Blue Line. Athearn Big Boy's (yes 2 of them) went to the RIP refund yard at the LHS. Blue Line do sound good, I hear a little static that no one else hears? Eyes are bad but I have great hearing.
For the money Blue Line, the BLI steam with the QSI then the PCM.
Far as control, I will go along with Dave about the Bachmann E-Z. I just retired my a month ago, it ran 3 BLI steam engines with QSI decoders. New or used around $25.00 to $50.00 with some shopping.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Hi,
I have 5 BLI paragon (DCC & Sound equipped) locos, and used them with the Quantum Engineer on my recently demo'd DC layout. IMHO, the sound was Outstanding!!! Four of the locos were steam, and the fifth was an RSD-15, so I tasted both types.
I'm 64, and this was my first experience with sound on my own layout, and I confess I "smiled" each time a loco fired up. In that regard (my limited experience) there could be others out there that are "better", but the BLI's were just fine for me!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Techinically all modern sound decoders would work. (MRC Brilliance, Loksound, Tsunami, and QSI) But I personally like to recommend a layout power supply of 14V->16V DC for best operation. Some locos are unable to achieve a decent mainline speed with only 12V, even with top voltage programming. I had this problem running my QSI locos on the club layout. Also when you set the top voltage to 12V, your throttle becomes "jumpy" because the train doesn't start moving till about 8V. That gives you about 4V of useable throttle notches. Any track minor voltage variation will cause the train to jump from one speed to the next.
WARNING: Some motors are only rated for 12V. So if you decide to run a loco with straight DC and NO decoder, be sure to check the motor can handle the higher voltage.
Of the 4, I like QSI the best for DC because you can buy a "black box" which allows you to operate most of the sound functions seperately for one engine. You can also program it to operate better on 12V DC. (But this is still less than ideal because throttle control becomes "tricky") If I remember correctly, the black box is compatible with Blueline engines from Broadway Limited.
Soundtraxx Tsunami has a nice OPTION of auto whistles and bells. For example it will automatically blow the horn/ring the bell when there's a speed up, or slow down, or a grade change, or starting, or stopping. While this doesn't replace the QSI black box, it's nice to hear engine automatically make appropaite horn/bell sounds on a larger layout.
I like the MRC the least. I will give you MRC has an EXCELLENT EMD prime mover engine sound. But there are tons of reports of constant decoder failures/burnouts. Also the command set on the MRC is EXTREMELY limited. So you can forget about consisting with different locos, or controlling specific functions.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
You did not indicate how large your layout is, or how many locos you have or intended to have with sound, or how many trains you plan to run at one time. So good specific recomendations may be hard to make.
I am a DC user, but I do like or use onboard sound. In fact I would suggest that layout based sound is the real future of GOOD sound in smaller scales. But the choices for that are limited at present, DC or DCC.
Having said that, I will agree with David and others, if onboard sound is what you want, and you are installing decoders and/or buying sound equiped DCC locos anyway, you should seriously consider just going with a DCC system.
Every cost analysis of DCC I have ever done has shown the decoder cost to be a major percentage of the cost. So if your going to do that part, then buy the Black Box or Quantum Engineer, than you should just go DCC.
Also, the poor throttle response alone of dual mode sound decoders operated on DC would stop me from using onboard sound in DC. Even the BLI Blueline locos have terrible throttle response on DC because of the sound unit. I actually remove the decoders from the few locos I buy because those locos are not available DC only without sound.
Sheldon
mobilman44 I'm 64, and this was my first experience with sound on my own layout, and I confess I "smiled" each time a loco fired up. In that regard (my limited experience) there could be others out there that are "better", but the BLI's were just fine for me!
Got to love the RSD 15, one of the best engines I have.
But sometimes, the sound is a little over powering even turned down. I still run my none sound engines more than the sound engines. It is soothing to watch a 3 engine consist glide around the bench.