DCC and Sound

[gbaseball1]

Hi,

Im just starting to get into sound for DCC locomotives. I do not know how to hard wire decoders into my locomotives so I just get DCC ready engines. Ive recently been looking at Athearn DCC ready RTR engines and I would like to purchase one and put sound in it. I was wondering if there were any decoders that have regular DCC functions as well as sound functions. If so, which decoders would you recommend or if not do I buy a regular DCC decoder and then a separate sound decoder? Or would it be better to buy a locomotive that already hass DCC and sound equipped?

Thanks.

[johncolley]

With the many decoders with and without sound available now it is easy to go either way, Check out the websites for Digitrax, Soundtraxx, and any others that interest you. Digitrax has some with sound that are just replacements for the existing board in the loco. Others require a little more adaptation. None of us are born knowing it, so get into a club where someone can guide you through the first one. before you know it you will be the one guiding the "Newby" Have fun. john 

[locoi1sa]

  It is always easier and mostly cheaper to buy the locos factory equipped with sound. Most HO scale locos can be sound equipped. As for which is easier is up to the installer. It is better to buy a sound, motor and lighting decoder all in one. Having separate sound, motor, and lighting decoders can cause programming and room inside the small spaces problems. Sountraxx, Loksound and QSI are your best bet for an all in one decoder. Once you have the locomotive you can ask an experienced installation shop for the best fitting speaker and decoder alternatives for it. Tony's, Lichfield station, Traintech LLC and others will guide you to the best route.

      Pete

[richg1998]

Your best bet is a loco with sound factory installed for best cost.

Do a search for:

Athearn  DCC sound Tsunami sound

Atlas DCC sound. QSI sound in the one diesel I have.

BLI DCC sound.

Bowser/Stewart. Tsunami. There might be some around with LokSound that is a good sound decoder. I have some.

Bachmann DCC sound- Steam only. Tsunami sound

Check Walther's for DCC sound locos.

Those site will tell you the specs for the locos with documents for the sound. Take your time and read the specs carefully.

Store all the links in Favorites as you will need them.

I would put the links but never know which ones will offend someone.

THEN, when you know what you might like, ask here for sites with good prices and service.

Rich

 

[gbaseball1]

I think I am going to go with a MRC sound only decoder and add it to my Athearn DCC ready engine that already has a Digitrax decoder installed in it. This will work right?  I just need to connect the two wires on the MRC sound decoder to the two track power pick up points and I have sound and dcc right?

Thanks everyone

[mobilman44]

Hi!

I've been an MR for almost 60 years, but only into DCC for two, so I'm still on a learning curve.

What I highly recommend is to buy locos with sound installed until you are ready and willing to tackle it on your own. 

Installing a DCC decoder is typically not that big of a deal, although there are locos that make it much more difficult than others.  Installing sound is a whole different matter. 

The most difficult part - IMHO - is to find a good place for the speaker (don't forget the enclosure - a MUST).  Steamers often have tenders that will easily hold them, and you can use motorless B units (as in F or E type locos) for them as well.   When you start to put sound in stand alone locos that have motors in them, well the job suddenly becomes a whole new level of difficulty.  That is not to say it can't be done, but it is typically a job for the well experienced.

Moneywise, at best installing your own sound is a break-even deal, as compared to buying a loco with sound.

All that being said, I would definitely pursue a goal of installing my own sound, but only when I feel confident that I can do a good and proper job of it.