MRC sound decoder for an HO Atlas Silver series U33C Engine

[Hawks Rule]

I have an Atlas U33C DCC ready loco and want to add sound to it.

I am interested in the:

MRC 00112706 HO Universal Sound Decoder, 16-BIT EMD 567 Plug in or the
MRC 00111703 HO DROP-IN SOUND DECODER, 16-BIT EMD 710.
My question is, will the (00112706) Plug in work with the existing 8
pin motherboard on the Atlas U33C or is better to replace the
motherboard with the (0011703) drop in decoder?

 

[BigDaddy]

I don't think MRC decoders are popular in this forum and that's the reason no one has answered.  I recall a post regarding their horn sounds. There is no documentation about which horn is which, even calling the company, they don't know.

I realize money is important and their low cost is the appeal.  If they were that much of a bargain with good sound, there would be more posts about them.  

[rrinker]

 Neither one of those is appropriate for the GE loco, they are EMD prime mover sounds.

 The thing about MRC decoders. If you look at the pictures, on the board you will see a little black blob. This is one of the main chips for the decoder. Those blob type things are somethign you normally only see on very cheap consumer electronics - mostly toys. Very few if any of the other decoder brands do something liek this, the entire decoder is made up of your typical IC 'chip' soldered to the board liek the others you see on the MRC board. Maybe there's nothign wrong with this, it does tend to reduce costs, but to me it has alwyas looked cheap and if shortcuts are taken to reduce costs, what other shortcuts did they take?

 I'm the one who posted about the horns. I picked up an MRC decoder just to try out, the specs said it has 20 or 30 horns in it. The instructions did say what CV to change to cycle through the horns, and indeed, there are multiple disntictly different horn sounds included on the decoder. But the instructiosn did not sya anythign like if the CV is 1, it's a Leslie A3, if the value is 2, it's a Nathan P5, etc. So I emailed MRC tech support and got a fairly prompt response - only that respnse was "we don't keep track of that information". Wait - they proudly claim that they were designed in New Jersey, so if you designed it, how can you not knwo what sounds and it what order they are loaded into the decoder? 

 It's not really one thing (the original MRC soudn decoders - well, those are a different story) with these newer decoders, it's just these multiple small things that keep raising red flags that basically tell you, you get what you pay for. There's a reason these sell for $35 or so, and other brands of sound decoders are closer to $100. Also don;t forget to add the price of a speaker and enclosure to these MRC decoders, they do not come with either. 

                                --Randy

 

[RR_Mel]

I’m quite happy with the MRC 1700 series decoders.  They come with a 8 pin NMRA plug that will plug into any DCC ready locomotive with the NMRA socket.   I have several of the 1730 EMD567 Prime Mover sound and will buy more over time.

 

I also use the 1731 Steam sound decoders.  Both have very good and realistic sound.  The 1730 & 1731 decoders do not come with speakers.  I buy some extreemly good sounding 4Ω 1" speakers off eBay and the 1700 series are 8Ω so two in series sound better than great.  Where I have only enough room for a single speaker a 4.7Ω resistor in series works pretty good.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-1-inch-4Ohm-4%CE%A9-1W-Full-Range-Audio-Speaker-Neodymium-Magnet-Loudspeaker/331551077718?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 

 

I have several other manufacturers decoders but prefer the MRC for price and operation.  They are simple to program and I have only had one problem with my entire MRC Prodigy system and that was a dead decoder out of the package which MRC replaced quickly no questions asked.

 

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[Hawks Rule]

Thanks to everyone for your opinions and input.

I have looked at Soundtraxx and am exploring their decoders as a possible option.

[tstage]

For diesel be sure to check out Loksound and TCS Wow.  And both offer superb motor control.

Tom

[wjstix]

I have to second what Mel said. I've added MRC decoders to maybe six or seven engines so far and I'm quite happy with the sound and ease of programming. To me, they're especially usefull for 1st generation EMD and Alco engines. Those only come with 4 horn sounds, but three are good representations of different single-chime "blat" horns that work well. I figure saving money using these decoders in my GP-7s and RS-1s will make it easier to buy the more expensive decoders for my 'oddball' diesels (like Baldwins).

Apparently the first MRC decoders weren't very good, and MRC has had a hard time overcoming the bad reputation that built up (ironically after decades of MRC being considered top-of-the-line for DC powerpacks). So far I've had one MRC decoder not work and it was replaced under warranty. By comparison, I've had four Tsunamis and three of them eventually failed - I even sent one back for warranty repair work and it failed again in a few weeks.

[RR_Mel]

tstage

For diesel be sure to check out Loksound and TCS Wow.  And both offer superb motor control.

Tom

 

Tom

 

I’ve seen the thing about superb motor control on many posts on the Forum, would you give me an example of what the difference is.  I have a TSC WOW 101 and quite frankly I can’t tell the difference between it and my MRC1700 series decoders other than the specific Cab Forward sound.

 

I’m not a rivet counter by any means but both decoders operate the motor the same way.  I haven’t tried them in a consist but I never run my steam in a consist.  They creep the same and both control the motor the same as far as I can tell running them off my Prodigy Advance².

 

The only difference I can find is the true SP Articulated sound and that costs $70 more per decoder than a non Cab Forward sound decoder.

 

I have the WOW decoder installed in a spare SP oil tender (no equipment number) and swap it to the locomotive I want to run with the SP sound.

 

I will add that not all of my Rivarossi Cab Forwards (19) have the same motor configuration, non have the original Rivarossi motor.  Some have Faulhaber 2224RS motors, some have a single Canon EN22, some have dual canon EN22 motors and one has a Phillips 9804.  All work great with either a MRC1731 decoder or the WOW101v3.

 

I also have a few Digitraxx decoders and they operate the same as the WOW as far as creep and normal run goes.

As for diesels I use the MRC1730 decoder with EMD567 sound.  I do run them in a consist but by using the decoders addressed with the lead locomotive equipment number.

 

I had problem early on with all of my decoders and Randy walked me through programming and that took care of the problem.  I couldn’t get the same pulling power from a DCC equipped locomotive as compared to DC operation and that was in the feedback programming.  Once I had that correct I can’t tell any difference in motor control with any of my decoders.

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[Harpo1me]

The nw MRC sound decoders have overcome their past reliability issues and have better motor controll that can equal Soundtraxx,but they cannot seem to get away from their original sound files in their diesel sound decoders.Yes they still do not have a GE anything sound file ,but rather use their Alco 244 since they figure a 4 stroke diesel recording is good enough. All they need is to upgrade their sound files now across the board and maybe add a tone adjustment.If they do that and keep the price point the same they probably would get my business since giving up a Franklin for a sound decoder is just insane for the cost to produce them along with the components is pennys on the dollar. We are getting good products if you want a high end sound decoder ,but are getting raped at the same time by the cost.MRC can make the competition squirm if they upgrade just a little.

 

[rrinker]

 Yup, Soundtraxx, TCS, and ESU are making 75% profit on their decoders. Thanks for the laugh.

                             --Randy

[Autonerd]

I bought an old Athearn Genesis SD45-2 with an MRC decoder at a show, and while it does work, it has a tendancy to lose its address and the speed doesn't change smoothly, making it rough to run with other locomotives. Also, the sound is pretty terrible, obviously short-looping samples, and volume control is problematic. I've decided to ditch it and replace it with something else.

I bought an MRC drop-in for an Athearn RS-3. It seems to run okay (it's a single unit for commuter trains), and the sound is okay, but getting the lights to work is giving me fits. The voltage coming out of the termials doesn't match what the manual says, and I keep blowing (incandescent) bulbs -- a real pain as the loco simulates a sealed beam with two bulbs well stuck into a plug.

I've come to the conclusion that as cheap as they are, the MRCs aren't worth the trouble. And believe me, it took a lot for me to come to that conclusion.

If you're looking for a value sound decoder, may I suggest the Digitrax SDXH166d? $75 list, $55-60 "street price", comes with a speaker, and it sounds decent. It has limited built-in sound sets, but if you know someone with a programmer you can upload others. I have one in a Bachmann Niagara and I am very happy with it. Biggest problem is finding a place for the bulky keep-alive capacitor under the hood of a diesel... I don't know if it can be cut out. 

http://www.digitrax.com/products/sound-decoders/sdxh166d/

I don't believe in the adage "You get what you pay for" is necessarily true; there are some fantastic bargains to be found in this hobby, but the MRC decoders are frogs, not princes.

Aaron

[NS6770fan]

Hawks Rule

I have an Atlas U33C DCC ready loco and want to add sound to it.

I am interested in the:

MRC 00112706 HO Universal Sound Decoder, 16-BIT EMD 567 Plug in or the
MRC 00111703 HO DROP-IN SOUND DECODER, 16-BIT EMD 710.
My question is, will the (00112706) Plug in work with the existing 8
pin motherboard on the Atlas U33C or is better to replace the
motherboard with the (0011703) drop in decoder?

 

 

I would like to recommend a decoder with GE prime mover sounds. I am not sure, but I think a GE 7FDL Prime Mover sound set from ESU.