Hi all,
A Soundtraxx Tsunami-750 micro decoder will fit in the tender of this loco, along with a 1/2" speaker and baffle. You'll need to get the 'heavy steam' version, as the sounds in this decoder can't be changed by the user. I've done this install myself, and have posted a write-up of it here.
EDIT: I forgot to mention, the page I linked to has a video at the bottom demonstrating the finished results, with all the hardware and programming in place.
Hope this helps,
tbdanny
The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, OregonThe Year: 1948The Scale: On30The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com
The SFX 0416 is a disappointing decoder in terms of volume. I've got one, and I can hardly hear the trolley that it's in, even with nothing else running.
Do you need the function outputs on this decoder for locomotive lights? If not, you could consider swapping it for a Soundbug. The Soundbug has no function outputs, but it is a lot louder than the SFX 0416.
If you're patient, Digitrax has announced two new SFX decoders, one of which is designed for N-scale installations. These are both sound and motor decoders. Look for the ad in the last couple of issues of Model Railroader. The catch here is that these decoders have been announced, but nobody has them yet, and they weren't even on the Digitrax web site when I looked last week. There is no shipping date in the announcement, so it's likely to be a while. No one has seen or heard these yet, by the way, so we don't know how the volume level is. I would hope that Digitrax wouldn't make the same mistake with their new line as they did with the SFX 0416.
These are all user-loadable decoders, so if you want anything other than the generic diesel or steam sounds that come with it, you'll have to arrange to download the decoder.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Replace the 32 ohm speaker with an 8 ohm one. It will be more than loud enough. Quality is another issue - even with a steam loco tender you can't fit a very large speaker in N scale, and there will just be no low frequency reproduction. BTW, is the speaker in an enclosure, or just fastened in the tender? With no enclosure volume and sound quality will both suffer.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Unfortunately, your only other choice for N scale sound is MRC, and their decoders have over 50 percent failure rate. No matter what you do, speakers for N scale have to be too small to produce good sound, and there's no way around that.
About your only other option is a sound decoder (Tsunami or QSI) under the layout connected to a larger speaker and given the same decoder address as your locomotive. But then the sound is in a fixed position that doesn't follow the train.
I am so dissappointed, is there any I can do other than swapping out the decoder, I tried changing CV58 (master volumn) from 9 to 15 but it didn't do anything to the sound.
I called Kato, and they confirmed to me that SFX416 is used for the sound with DZ125 for motor control in such a small loco.
I purchased a Kato Kobo HO scale locomotive and replaced the Digitrax SoundFX decoder because they have a too weak power amplifier. If the N scale model also uses the SoundFX decoder, changing only the speaker will not help.
Go to the Digitrax web site and download the manual for your decoder and it will have a listing of all CVs that are supported. There has to be a motor and light control decoder in the locomotive in addition to the SFX416, so yes, you can change CVs 3 and 4.
I think you may be mistaken about the decoder type that is in the N scale Kobo. My Kato Kobo HO scale model had a Digitrax SoundFX that was motor and light control and sound all in one. I don't see how they could fit two separate decoders into N scale.
Can the speaker came with the Digitrax SFX416 be swapped out for a better one, would that imrove the sound, if so what would you recommend for a 3/8" speaker. I have this Kato N scale GS-4 with SFX416 installed directly from Japan by their Kobo shop, not knowing how horrible this decoder is. I know I should have done some research before purchasing it. Anyway if someone can give me some directions as how the volumn and the sound can be improved, is swapping out the speaker the answer.
Can CV3 and CV4 be changed to control the momentum since this is a sound only decoder?