I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED MRC SOUND DECODERS FOR N SCALE F-M C-LINERS A&B AND WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN THE SOUND VOLUME. THEN MY WIFE GAVE ME A BROADWAY LIMITED IMPORTS SOUND EQUIPPED LOCO E UNIT FOR XMAS, NOW I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE MRC SOUND. THE B-WAY LIMITED QUALITY IS 100 TIMES BETTER. ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO INCREASE THE VOLUME ON MY MRC'S?
As you've already gathered MRC sound decoders aren't worth the money you spent on them. Think of it as a very big learning curve - i.e. Learn from your mistake! A quick search on these forums will bring up lots more articles moaning about MRC sound decoders. The best thing to improve them is to rip them out and put a Tsunami decoder in, (a sentiment you'll hear repeated in the posts to come).
Ian
P.S. Please, please take the Caps Lock key off, it makes it look like you're shouting. (If you have difficulty reading the normal print, try increasing the font size (in a button above the message body) when you're composing the message)
If you had been reading these forums before purchasing MRC sound decoders, you would have known what you were getting into. We had a club member who kept buying MRC decoders just because "they're cheap!" despite my warnings. He went through at least six MRC sound decoders within a year's time and not one of them lasted more than a few minutes. But they're cheap! Yeah, cheaply made.
When MRC first tried to get into the DCC market I purchased six of their original decoders because they offered special pricing, and we didn't have anything that was DCC equipped. Five out of six of those decoders were totally dead on arrival. The sixth lasted only about two hours before it went up in smoke.
And their quality has not improved over the years.
P.S.: Typing in all capital letters is regarded as shouting at us in Internet protocol, so please turn off your caps lock key.
cacole But they're cheap! Yeah, cheaply made.
I'm kind of curious about this. Did anyone ever post a set of photos depicting the "build quality" of sound decoders as such? A comparison between a MRC sound decoder and a Tsumami and/or QSI etc would reveal a few things I'd suspect.
Any MRC decoder I've seen seem to be very poorly assembled when compared to QSI or anything else I've seen--
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
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Olde WoodworkerANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO INCREASE THE VOLUME ON MY MRC'S?
OW,
Yes, swap it out for a better decoder...Seriously! A friend of mine installed an MRC decoder in a Stewart FT A-B locomotive of his. The distort was so bad that it sounded like a spaceship taking off. Very unpleasant sound. You'll do much better with a Loksound, QSI, or Tsunami sound decoder.
OW, as Chuck pointed out, ALL CAPS is generally reserved for shouting. It's also hard to read.
Tom
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Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
blownout cylinder Any MRC decoder I've seen seem to be very poorly assembled when compared to QSI or anything else I've seen--
MRC sound decoders are all made in China, probably from the cheapest possible source that MRC could find. LokSound are made in Germany. QSI, SoundTraxx, and Digitrax are made in the USA.
All other MRC decoders are also made in China. TCS, NCE and Digitrax are all made in the USA. Lenz, Roco, Bachmann, Atlas and others are made in Europe or England.
cacole blownout cylinder Any MRC decoder I've seen seem to be very poorly assembled when compared to QSI or anything else I've seen-- MRC sound decoders are all made in China, probably from the cheapest possible source that MRC could find. LokSound are made in Germany. QSI, SoundTraxx, and Digitrax are made in the USA. All other MRC decoders are also made in China. TCS, NCE and Digitrax are all made in the USA. Lenz, Roco, Bachmann, Atlas and others are made in Europe or England.
The sources are one thing but I'm thinking of the appearance here of the boards themselves. Take a photo of the ding MRC alongside the QSI/Lenz/NCE or what have you and then show everyone just how miserly the MRC decoders look.
From what I've seen in terms of Chinese electronics products--and they produce a lot of it and being no slouches at it---the outsourcing here must be using the lowest quality parts they can find---I think some part numbers I've fallen over in the one I got from our neighbour even had some EOL(end of line--discontinued items) on the board---and then hiring children ---
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When I still had the only MRC sound decodes I ever owned installed and working (if we want to call it that) in three Genesis loco's I had been in contact with one of MRC's lead technicians almost on a weekly basis.When I asked him why in the bleep! are there so many bleeping! problems with these danged things. He told me it seems like they never make them in the same place or by the same manufacture twice. They just go with whom ever is the cheapest bidder when ever the lot is do to be re-run. If anyone has ever had any first hand experience with Chinese electronics manufacturing like I have there would be no question as to why these things are total junk. A former employer sent a team over to China which I was part of to oversea and inspect production of a Hydrogen fuel cell that was being manufactured for the consumer market. Why because the accountants said manufacturing costs were so cheap we would make so much more money per unit. The first day at their "facility" which was the second floor of some factory building I asked to see where they assembled our products. (part of which was the assembly of two PC boards) Now here or any where else e in the world where they assemble electronics it's typically done in a clean room environment. They guy leads me down the hall to a big open room with women sitting at folding tables and extension cords strewn all over the floor soldering these PC boards. I did just as the CEO of the company had asked me to do and send him live streaming video of the facility as soon as we got there. When I got him on the phone he was speechless. If any electronics made in China actually do work it's purely an accident. What I did find out was a lot of company's have their locomotives built there yes is true but have their electronics manufactured else where.
I hope you only purchased one
blownout cylindercacole But they're cheap! Yeah, cheaply made. I'm kind of curious about this. Did anyone ever post a set of photos depicting the "build quality" of sound decoders as such? A comparison between a MRC sound decoder and a Tsumami and/or QSI etc would reveal a few things I'd suspect. Any MRC decoder I've seen seem to be very poorly assembled when compared to QSI or anything else I've seen--
It would be hard to tell just from pictures. The issues would involve the quality of the parts, the assembly process (and quality thereof), even the PCB they are soldered to. Plus there is the issues related to soldering.
Even with all that, you can't see the software that is being used to implement the decoder's functions. Some ideas can be gleaned from part numbers, providing they haven't ground them off or have unique custom numbers...
Besides, when you buy the finished product from whoever will do the work the cheapest, the quality of the parts and the finished assembly can vary dramatically between production runs and producers.
When you make them yourself, you have total control over parts and quality, especially if you make them from start to finish.
Someone did post a picture previously - the MRC decoder had a big capacitor just sort of hanging off the edge of the board, I don't think the leads even had any heat shrink on them. That right there is taking the cheap way out, the others have the cap either attached to leads so you can fit it wherever you find room, or else soldered securely to the board.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yeah, it´s funny how the Chinese Mfg´s have a habit of using the lousiest components known to man everytime they get the chance.
I know a person who is technical advisor for a very well known Radio control mfg, and when his company were at the HK toy fair he managed to get hold of the "top of the line" radio, made for the Asian market. After getting it home, he compared it with the CE version, and there was almost no components that matched between them! When testing it in the lab he immediatley saw why it couldn´t be sold in the US or Europe as the broadcast was so wide that it interfered on the 2 channels next to it!!
So yes, Chinese made electronics are CRAP!
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Original MRC in my Athearn SD60i
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That is what is needed. If ever there is a hint as to how cheaply made and the poor quality of material parts that is it. Most, if not all, of the parts on the MRC board are EOL( End Of Line). Very little is spent on the board even as it appears to be an older style as well
The Tsunami board is about 1/2 the size and is also using much more recent parts.
It is like comparing a Trabant 601 with a 2008/9 Charger--------
We contacted the furniture rep and said that majority of the assembly and finishing is done in China but the material is shipped from the US
Not meaning to jump off topic but that guy sold you a bill of good hook line and sinker.
Being the only DOT certified hazmat certified shipper for my company it was my responsibility to oversea our shipping department sending goods to China IE: Fuel, and some tooling pieces and a few key components.All of which were packed in wooden crates. They never made it off the DHL loading dock at JFK airport. It is illegal by Chinese law to ship any WOOD into their country. I was told the DHL rep you've got to be kidding me. He said no for precautionary measures agricultural protection. IE: bugs can borrow into and live inside wooden crates that could potentially reak havoc on Chinese agriculture. Could it actually happen who knows but the Chinese are paranoid about it happening. So they can put lead paint on Thomas trains and melamine in dog food and send it to us but god help us if we send them a wooden box.
Well it's happened the opposite way because we HAVEN'T been so rigorous in the past. Plenty of destructive insects in various parts of the US that aren't native and have no natural predators.
ive had no luck with mrc decoders it was so bad that i got rid of all mrc sound decoders and i have no sound at all in my n scale locos. and yes it sucks but its alot less headache. before the locos were stalling not running at all, it was a nightmare. dont know what else to do no one makes sound decoders for n scale at least not to my knowledge.
hobo9941 Just curious here. Since MRC decoders seem to work for a short time, would a heat sink help to keep them going. Like maybe coating both sides with resin, like they do auto parts.
Just curious here. Since MRC decoders seem to work for a short time, would a heat sink help to keep them going. Like maybe coating both sides with resin, like they do auto parts.
Probably not -- inferior components are used so nothing is going to prolong their demise.
Modelling HO Scale with a focus on the West and Midwest USA
alexstan I have a MRC sounder and it is great!!
I have a MRC sounder and it is great!!
Check back after you've had it for a couple of months if it lasts that long
Yup good luck with it.
cacole hobo9941 Just curious here. Since MRC decoders seem to work for a short time, would a heat sink help to keep them going. Like maybe coating both sides with resin, like they do auto parts. Probably not -- inferior components are used so nothing is going to prolong their demise.
A friend tried that trick--died anyways.
Like they are meant to.