Hello. I've been looking around on the market for sound and sound only decoders for HO scale. What are some good brands of sound and sound only decoders for HO scale that won't break the bank? Also, can sound files for one brand of decoder be used on another brand's decoder?
Freelancer with an interest in N&W, SCL, and other 70s railroads
The only sound only, with no motor control, decoder currently available is the Digitrax SoundBug.
No, sounds from one cannot be uploaded to a different brand. They all use proprietary formats.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Digitrax has several sound-only decoders, not just the Sound Bug. However, the SFX0416 has very low output volume, and I wouldn't recommend it. The Sound Bug is OK, volume wise. It produces "adequate" sound.
I suppose we should ask what you plan to do with the decoders, and what your constraints are. If you've got 3 or 4 nice engines, go with more upscale decoders for them. If you've got a fleet of 30 engines, then you might want to look at the new low-end models from Digitrax with sound and motor in one unit, for the same price as the sound-only Sound Bug.
I have 2 engines that I installed Tsunamis in. The decoders cost me more than the engines. And, as a wise man just said, they put a smile on my face.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have several Digitrax sound only decoders and find the sound to be very satisfactory. I guess that evaluating sound decoders like evaluating home stereo systems, it is very subjective. When I was younger I had a home stereo system which could blow the doors and windows off the house. My Digitrax sound decoders are set at about 1/2 volume. I use JMRI Decoder Pro for programing my decoders.
I have been developing sound for my Athearn SD40-2 fleet by taking the "guts" out of an older unit and putting a Digitrax sound only decoder in the locomotive. I then put the unit in the middle of a consist. Works great, and I don't need the extra power. I was getting ready to purchase additional Digitrax sound only decoders which retail for about $50. The problem is that Digitrax just came out with the SDN165D which is a full function motor/sound decoder for a retail price of about $40. I also have several locomotives with digitrax DH165 decoders which have a plug for a sound bug. I may just replace the entire decoder with the new sound decoder.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
My intentions are to add a sound only decoder to my Atlas C-425 which already has the Digitrax DH165AO motor decoder in it. This is somewhat of an experiment to see whether or not sound does make a difference. It is my only and first engine ever to be equipped with a DCC decoder and there's no other DCC engines. I want to see whether sound is a neccessity or not.
V&A1533 My intentions are to add a sound only decoder to my Atlas C-425 which already has the Digitrax DH165AO motor decoder in it. This is somewhat of an experiment to see whether or not sound does make a difference. It is my only and first engine ever to be equipped with a DCC decoder and there's no other DCC engines. I want to see whether sound is a neccessity or not.
This is a very complex issue. If you want to hear sound, you need a sound decoder. If you do not want to hear sound then leave the loco as is. End of subject.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Just a thought....
This isn't a blanket statement against teens, but many of us that are over 30 enjoy sound because we had opportunities to spend quite a bit of time around prototype locomotives. There were more active rail lines, more trains, and unlike today, many rail yards and railroad related facilities were more "open" to railfans. As a result, a lot of us had opportunities to see and listen to locomotives idling, expelling air, throttling up and down, receiving maintenance, struggling at full throttle, etc. It was a "cool thing" to hear the differences between the sounds of GE U-Boats vs. the sounds of EMDs. Or hearing the baritone tapping chant of a 567 powered 1st gen EMD and then hearing the distinct turbocharged whine of a 2nd generation EMD, such as a GP40-2. So now a lot of us "old folks" over 35 enjoy recreating those visual and "audio" memories.
Today, good railfanning opportunities still exist but are far more limited, depending upon where one lives. I certainly can no longer just walk on to CSX's huge Uceta Yard in Tampa anymore like I did back in the 70s when it was under the SCL banner. Back then the workers always smiled and simply said "Hi!". Today I'd be arrested! That's why I'm always glad to see and read about young people that are railfans and modelers.
So the question for you is are you trying to enhance your model railroading enjoyment based on recent railfanning memories, or are railfanning opportunities limited and you're just curious about the sound experience?
If you haven't yet and if you live close enough to an active rail line, I would suggest that whenever you can, take some trackside trips and pay close attention to the sounds you hear from locomotives (horns, throttling, pop-off, standard braking, dynamic braking, idling, etc). This can help sway your decision as to whether or not you'd like to go with sound.
High Greens
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
V&A1533I want to see whether sound is a neccessity or not.
Well, the trouble with this is that you may end up making a different decision based on which sound decoder you choose. If you put in a Sound Bug, you will say, "Yeah, that's nice, but I can live without it." On the other hand, a Tsunami, QSI or LokSound system will leave you thinking "Wow. I've got to have this."
My Sound Bugs are in old Athearn meat grinders with low-detail shells from the 1950s. My high-end steamers have QSI. Proto diesels have LokSound, QSI and Tsunamis, and I just put a Tsunami in an IHC Mikado. That addition turned a run-of-the-mill engine into a star.
If you have an LHS which will let you run and listen to engines, that might be a better way to evaluate different decoders. A train show or club is another option. If you can meet with other modelers, you'll probably get more of an opinion and less of a sales pitch.
I don't work for a decoder manufacturer, by the way, so my opinions are just opinions. But, I do like people to be happy.
I am actually only 14, but I'm interested in sound and the enhancement it offers to locomotives. I don't live that far from the Canadian National's Halton Sub Mainline, which runs on a bit of a grade through where I live. The station that's used for VIA and GO trains is about 2 miles from my home. I've watched trains with my dad there quite frequently, but usually the train trips to junctions and other spots is interesting. The problem I face is that I'm trying to recreate a time in railroading that I never experienced and in two states that I've only been through once. 1969 is really a good era for me since it allows for alot of variety when it comes to diesels. I think sound will be fairly important to me as I go along. The only problem I have is trying to afford such a sound decoder like the soundtraxx tsunami and the QSI Quantum. They're very nice, but I only have a DC layout right now. My friend has a DCC railway, so it gives me a place to see the magic of DCC. He has 2 Kato AC4400 with sound and an A-B set of F-7s from the Athearn Genesis line with sound. They sound great, but cost a fair amount.
You might be better off to get an engine with factory-equipped sound. Adding sound to an engine isn't all that hard, but I know it took me a couple of tries to get things "just right". I'd hate to see you decide you don't like sound because you didn't properly enclose the speaker or something like that.
I have a steam and a diesel engine equipped with MRC Sounders and they both work fine. Some folks have had trouble with MRC motion decoders but I'm happy with the Sounders. The sound isn't as good as a Tsunami, but it's very good and relatively inexpensive.
One downside of using a sound-only decoder is you have to have room for both the sound decoder, the motion decoder, and the speaker. With Atlas engines, I like to use a "drop-in" lightboard replacement sound and motion decoder. That way, the decoder takes up no more room than the lightboard did, and I just have to find room for the speaker and enclosure. (You can always remove the Atlas factory-equipped decoder and put it in another engine by the way!) Atlas type lightboard decoders work in many other engines too.
A 1/4" round speaker will go pretty much everywhere, a 1/4" by 1/2" oval one will fit in many diesels and give you better sound.
I'm planning on going to my local hobby shop sometime soon to hear the different brands of sound decoders. I might go with your advice and buy an engine which already has sound installed. I just have to figure which model I would like.
The OP already has a 165A0, so a soundbug will screw on and other than changing the sound from steam to diesel, could concieveably be done.
of course it would not be the correct sound, and changing and configuring could be difficult, but there would be no soldering, and it would at least have a medium quality of sound.
Try going to YouTube and listening to sound decoders there, not really completely accurate sound reproduction, but it will give you a rough idea.
Would it be a good idea to buy a BLI RSD-15 for my first sound engine?
I have a BLI SD9 and two BLI Hudson steamers all with factory sound. The DS9 was not DCC so I installed a Digitrax DH123 and now they all run and sound great. I was a kid when the NYC ran the hudsons and other steamers, so I know how enchanting and mesmerizing they can be. The BLI sound systems are incredible and now I want sound in all my engines (about 30 of them) but can't afford it. So, I will try the Sound Bug or the new Digitrax sound/motion decoders to see what they will do for me.
Sound has made my model railroad experience 1000% better.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!