Your wait is over, there is now a review posted by Dana Kawala on the reviews section of this site. And the verdict: It sounds more like one diesel engine than the three in the actual prototype.
Why am I not surprised?
The functioning of the prototype, with the multiple engine startup and shutdown, is like no other diesel locomotive, so to duplicate that isn't just a matter of sticking appropriate sounds in existing code. The code needs to be modofied to generate the approriate events to trigger the sounds properly. Not a trivial task. Probably why we haven't seen a Genset decoder from anyone else yet - they are trying to do it RIGHT.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Not unlike we'd expect from MRC. Did he mention the build quality? Did it change or did they just put new sounds in the old package?
Springfield PA
Here's the link
http://mrr.trains.com/News%20and%20Reviews/Product%20Reviews/Staff%20Reviews/2011/01/Model%20Rectifier%20Corp,-d-,%20Digital%20Command%20Control%20decoder.aspx
The board is SMT and looks almost like a tsunami. Quality looks good but I wonder how it does.
I hadn't bothered to enlarge the decoder picture when I read the article - but I haven't seen those blobs of epoxy on the board in AGES - a lot of early electronic toys used to do that, like those original Mattel Football LED games. I thought the days of that were long past, now that surface mount is mainstream. At least the capacitors are soldered to the board and don't hang off the end by the leads like those older MRC decoders. I never really heard anyoen complain about the actual sounds from MRC decoders before, it was always an issue of biuld quality. Now it looks like it's put together better but the sounds are lacking.
Is that their way of saying ignore what you see or hear this is what it actually is?
It seems to me like PWRS just repeated the claims made by MRC in their advertising copy, which has always made MRC decoders sound like the greatest invention of all time.
For the record, this is what the NRE Gensets are supposed to sound like:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw89SjyHhgo (CSX units in Harlem River Yard, NY)
This is what the MRC sound decoder sounds like:Factory Settings:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXJHFdq9X_A (sounds like an Alco 539)Optional Diesel Sound:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTQ2YAyjKGs (sounds like a EMD SD45)
Note that neither one sounds like the CSX units. Of course, did MRC in their wonderful praise of themselves ever say their product uses recorded Genset sounds?
Paul A. Cutler III
Wow, once again MRClueless blows it. Not even CLOSE to the right sounds, and of course no 3 prime movers starting up and shutting down per the prototype. And at a premium price for the decoder, too.
Their PR person is the equivelant of Bagdad Bob. Telling you something opposite of what you're actually observing.
Soundtraxx has a diesel truck engine decoder, I think for the goose. But, they don't advertise it as correct for the Gensets. In reality this one will be a little tough to do to please us.
1. The prototype can run at various speeds with from 1 to 3 engines. Whether 1,2 or 3 really depends on load. So the recordings and algorithms will need to be worked out, and that takes time.
3. These units aren't loud--intentionally quiet by design. So, it won't be nearly as loud as that SD40/Dash9 we're used to hearing. I am already preparing myself for a paradigm shift, even with good speaker installation.
Richard
Right, this is why the near instant MRC announcement a month or so ago made me skeptical. No way would they get all the nuances of the multiple engines right. I HOPE someone else is workign on doing it right, even though it has no place on my layout I'd consider one as I find the whole concept really neat. It appeals to the engineer in me.