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Medium priced sound decoders AKA AFFORDABLE ONES!

Jacko-Pat
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Posts: 271
 Joined: 2007-11-16
No votes yet

   Hello again, with another DCC question. Based on what I have seen posted on here, we have two extremes of sound decoders. Tsunami, loved by all and I believe to be OUTRAGEOUSLY PRICED. Then we have the MRC sound decoders, that from most reports seems to be junk and lowest priced. Where is the median priced sound decoder? The Tsunami costs as much as the locomotive (GS-4) does, well maybe 4 dollars shy of it. There has to be something good and in between those two. Seems the Soundtrax decoders are out of stock at a lot of places I have checked. What's the answer to this delimma?

Jacko 


‹ Whose system is the best bang for the buck? 4 Digit Addressing with Digitrax Control / MRC decoders-how to procedure ›

Submitted by Jacko-Pat on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 12:16.

woodone
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Posts: 104
 Joined: 2007-05-17
QUALITY

I am not sure there is any thing that meets your price range. Tsunami you can find for about $110.00. A new GS-4 from kato is about $150.00 Not sure where you are finding your pricing.

And just what decoder are you looking for from Soundtrax. They have several decoders in the DSD series ($75.00) and also there is the DSX series ($75.00). These are for HO scale so I don't think your are going to get one to fit into an N scale loco.  

As far as price. The Tsunami is worth the $110.00 plus change for the quality of sound and the speed control that they provide. That is just MO.

QSI has just come out with a new sound decoder, but again it is for HO. The word on the street is that Sound traxx has a new product in direct competition with this QAI decoder that will be on the market soon. Again all HO. 

Maybe when all the new HO stuff hits the market these guys will produce a N scale decoder too.

There is also LockSound micro sound decoders that will fit into N scale. Good selection of sound files that can be downloaded into the decoder. Got to be careful with LockSound as they use a 100 ohm speaker so you are some what limited to what speaker you can get, as most decoders use an 8 ohm speaker 



Fri, 07/11/2008 - 22:11

Jacko-Pat
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Posts: 271
 Joined: 2007-11-16
What's available

   Well Woodone, I only paid 129.00 for my GS-4. I saw a Tsunami listed for about 125.00 so that's where my "pricing" came from. $110.00 is still too high for my thin hobby budget. I am afraid of installing the MRC, only to find out that it is poopie head. I don't like having to redo things. I came from the computer industry (intel corp) there was a LOT of high level integration on the motherboards we worked on. Since I had to do a few "blue wire" mods I know about working down to SMALL. Hmmm 100 ohm speaker output huh. Well letseeee, 12 to 1 matching transformer should cover that.............

Jacko 



Fri, 07/11/2008 - 22:29

woodone
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Posts: 104
 Joined: 2007-05-17
12 to 1 transformer

Well that might solve the problem if you can find a place to install it along with the decoder and the speaker. Very tight fit to install just a Tsunami and a speaker along with a cap. The TSU LockSound unit is about the same size as a Tsunami.

I don't think ths sound is as good as a Tsunami. As a mater of fact I have a Locksound stuck in a spare parts box somewhere. I replaced it with a Tsunami.

Both units were close to the same cost.

BTW what soundtraxx units are you looking for?  



Fri, 07/11/2008 - 23:49

seanm
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Posts: 122
 Joined: 2005-01-08
Have seen the DSX's selling
Have seen the DSX's selling on ebay for $50.  No motor control, but good medium priced sound.
--

Sean McC

"No man is a failure ...

who has friends." -- Clarence



Sat, 07/12/2008 - 00:56

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