MRC 1810 Sound Decoder - Opinions Please

[eja]

I have been considering adding sound to a Kato (N) F40PH,

I contacted a well know DCC seller/installer and they are asking $260 for an ESU decoder, "sugar cube speaker and enclosure and installation.  That is a lot of money to put into one locomotive.

MRC's website says the Model 1810 is a drop in sound decoder for this loco and is on sale for $44.00. 

No I know you (supposedly) get what you pay for but that is a very large price differential.  Anyone care to comment if it is worth 44 bucks or a complete was of my money.  Anyone have experience with one in this loco.

Or can you suggest someone who will do this type of install for less.


Thanks....

[woodone]

What you will get with a $44.00 decoder- NOT MUCH. A waste of your $ and time. (IMO)
Sending you a PM. Later.

[jdcolombo]

I once tried an MRC 1800-series decoder.  The motor control was terrible by my standards, which admittedly are high.  The sound was OK if mated with a different speaker, but that negates the whole "drop in" thing.  Stock, it sounded terrible.

If all you want is some noise that vaguely sounds like a diesel, a sort of tinny-sounding horn and bell, and you don't care about slow-speed performance, then the MRC will be fine.  And some folks have used them and like them.  I don't.

The simple truth is that GOOD sound in an N scale diesel is expensive.  There's just no way around it.  Like most things, you get what you pay for.  If you do the sound installation yourself, the parts would run you about $110 ($90 for a LokSound decoder; $10 for a speaker w/enclosure; and another $10 or so for miscellaneous items such as keep alive caps, resistors, and such).   The labor sounds a little high to me, given that this model generally doesn't need frame milling to do an install; you could probably do this yourself.  See the following link for a tutorial by Rick Brodzinsky on putting a LokSound in an F40PH:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42629.0

John C.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I recently installed one. It's - ok. I think that most of the issue is with the speaker, which is anemic. I am planning on replacing it with an enclosed sugar cube to see if it improves things.
The front LED needs to be cut down to fit inside the engine. I also had to tweak the Kato motor contacts to fit the board.

The only other issue I ran into was the decoder does not support function mapping. So features are activated by different buttons than my (remapped) BLI and Loksound equipped engines.
This doesn't bother me because I use F40PH's independently of other engines in commuter and Amtrak service. Speed control is good.

Shop around. Some of these decoders can be bought for under $30.

[peteski]

I'm with John - that is a poor excuse for a sound decoder.  But just like with everything else, we all have different standards. Some people like caviar, while others are quite happy with imitation crab meat.   

[eja]

Thanks for the responses .. particularly the link with photos of a similar install. 

I need to be careful. This is obviously a rabbit hole.  If I do one, what do I do about the rest ?

[tehachapifan]

 
....I need to be careful. This is obviously a rabbit hole.  If I do one, what do I do about the rest ?

Ah, yes....it is a slippery slope indeed! That said, it is a fun ride!

[hminky]

Here are two videos with the MRC 1812 and a sugar cube:

Have a GP15-1 with the 1812 and find the stock sound good for N-scale.

Ease of installation is the key. Have three IRC SD40-2 so I don't expect much in N-scale sound.

Just hate a quiet layout.

Harold

[jdcolombo]

@hminky

You should expect more.

Here's an Atlas GP7 with a LokSound and an 9x16 "sugar cube"-type speaker in a custom enclosure (the cat meowing in the background is NOT part of the decoder!):

John C.

[hminky]

Most N-scale sound installs are above the skill levels of the participants in the hobby.

I used to be able to do all sorts of stuff but the first thing to go with age is steady hands, five years ago I could do this:



Article at:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/bachmann_4-4-0/sound/

Am sure even with steady hands most people can't do an N-scale sound install.

The MRC may be ehhhhhh! but at least it is sound.

Harold

[RBrodzinsky]

Thanks for the responses .. particularly the link with photos of a similar install. 

I need to be careful. This is obviously a rabbit hole.  If I do one, what do I do about the rest ?

Umm, look at taking out a second mortgage to pay for all the sound? 

Seriously, I went years with just a couple of special sound locos, and kept the rest silent. The. The ESU bug hit me, and the spending commenced. This loco is one of the easier conversions for LokSound, as my thread shows, and you will be much much happier in the long run. Plus, if ESU comes out with a new and better sound files, also easy to update them in the decoder.

[eja]

, if ESU comes out with a new and better sound files, also easy to update them in the decoder.

What do you need to do this ?

[peteski]

What do you need to do this ?

http://www.esu.eu/en/products/lokprogrammer/

[eja]

Still more $$$ ):>

[RBrodzinsky]

On the ESU Yahoo group, there is a list of folks all over the world who have the LokProgrammer and are willing to help others.