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One decoder or two?

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  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 1,206 posts
Posted by mfm37 on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 4:57 PM

A fellow club member had Tony's install a Tsunami Micro in his 2-8-2. It sounds real nice. BTW, that install is probably one of the hardest N scale Decoder installations.

Martin Myers

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Neenah, WI
  • 235 posts
Posted by sschnabl on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 3:55 PM

Thanks guys, for all your help.  I will probably only go with one this time. 

And Richard, I will have to give the Titan a listen before I choose.  Thanks for the heads up.

Scott

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: South Carolina
  • 1,719 posts
Posted by Train Modeler on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 3:14 PM

QSI's new Titan might not be a bad choice either.

Richard

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 12:54 PM

The only sound-only decoders I know of are from Digitrax.  By today's standards, they are kind of primitive.  They use 8-bit sound, while all the other major brands use 16-bit sound.  The output volume of some of them is so low that you can barely hear them.

If you buy a Tsunami or Loksound, you will only have 1 decoder and you will have both better motor performance and better sound.  On the other hand, it will cost more.

Other than price, there's no reason not to go with Tsunami or Loksound.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: City of Québec,Canada
  • 1,258 posts
Posted by Jacktal on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 12:45 PM

In N scale,space is at a premium and even one sound decoder with its speaker is sometimes a pretty tight fit,so the Tsunami or Loksound are probably your only options.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Neenah, WI
  • 235 posts
One decoder or two?
Posted by sschnabl on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 12:01 PM

I recently purchased an N scale Kato 2-8-2 to add to my fleet.  I have three others, and they all have TCS decoders inside.  I added sound to one of these units with a Loksound decoder some years ago.  So my question is, if I want to put sound in this new steamer, do I need to put in a motor decoder and a sound decoder, or will I be able to do it with just one?  This time I might try a Tsunami instead of the Loksound.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

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