I thought I would update everybody on my MRC1913 sound decoder that I purchased at the Amhearst show this year. This is the HO scale model and I believe that the 1935 is the N scale version.
Well so far so good. I haven't run into any major issues to speak of but there are a couple of small things I want to mention.
First off, the sound quality is not bad at all when compared to Digitrax models. The MRC's are 16 bit sound while the Digitrax are 8 bit and it really shows. Also the volume is very acceptable and can be adjusted in several ways. The fact that it has the 22 different horns I feel is a waste of resources in the sound files area and could be put to better use by refining the sounds that are present. The selection of 8 different bells is acceptable and all are quite good. Ring rate is adjustable as well as volume. Exhaust volume is quite good and is also adjustable. Motor control is very good and there are the usual settings available for tweeking. The momentum is adjustable for both aceleration and deceleration with values of 0 to 63 as the useasble range. They have is set so that 1 = one second on up to 63 = 63 seconds to go from stop to full throttle or where ever the throttle is set. What I have done is set acel at 63 and decel at 15. This works out well to simulate the prime mover "working" to start a train by simply using the throttle in 128 speed step mode and turning it up full to get the train moving and backing down once rolling. There are several random sounds like pops and hisses, compressor turning on and of as well a being able to control some of those sounds. Also dynamic braking is usable by pressing F6, the prime mover notches down by 1 and the locomotive slows as you here the dynamic brakes come on. Nice feature I think. Now on to the individual prime mover sounds. There are 6 different prime mover sounds and all have associated sound to go along. For example the 567 does not have dynamic brake sounds but the 645E and 710 do. First prime mover sound is CV123=0 and is a EMD 645E. This in my opinion is very good and has very nice ramping from one sound step to the next. Probably my favorite sound of the 6. I use it quite alot when MU'ed with my dummy GP38-2. The next is CV123=1 and is an EMD 645 non turbo. This is also a good sound but lacks a little bit of the low frequencies needed, but overall is good. Next is 123=2 and it is the EMD 710. This is also a good sound file and works well. On to the last prime mover, the EMD 567. This is a fairly good sounding file but it also lacks the deep frequencies needed to emulate the classic 567 sound. All in all for the money, I think MRC has a very good product here that just needs refinement. I really believe that if they were to open up their eyes and allow JMRI integration along with the ability to upload custom files into their product things would improve for the significantly and would become a more viable alternative in the DCC sound market. I hope to post some much better videos than the last one I posted but that will come with practice.
Update 11/21/2013
Well it's been almost a year since I installed this decoder. Happy to report that it is working like a charm! A few things I need to correct about some of the info I stated above.
Quote:
.Now onto #'s 3 and 4, the Alcos. MRC failed here in my opinion as the sound is just like coming out of a tin can! Especially #3, the Alco 244. It starts out idling good but sounds like it "jumps" to notch 4 or 5 and skips 2 and 3 altogether. This is compared to my Bachmann RS3 with a Tsunami sound value decoder. #4 is the Alco 539 and it sound very tinny also. MRC claims to have recorded the 539 directly from a working locomotive but the sound in my opinion is poor.
I have since done more research on the Alcos sound, mostly on youtube, and after listening to a lot of alco 244 and 539 videos, I have to retract this statement. The sound is actually very close to the prototype as it operates.
This RS3 sounds pretty much how the decoder sound is. So I was incorrect about the 4 to 5 notch skip and had not done research. I just assummed that the sound was incorrect. This is also true for the 539 sound. So the Alco sounds are correct for the prototype. As for the 567 and 645 non-turbo sounds, they do lack the low frequencies needed to replicate those sounds accurately. I compared this at my local freight yard that still uses GP9s. (the 567 and 645 non turbo are very similar in sound)
I have since aquired a Walthers P1K GP15-1 with MRC decoder #1750 which is a drop in decoder for that model. It is of a 645 non-turbo and the sound is more accurate than the MRC #1913 that is in the CF7. It has more of those low frequencies needed to sound correct for the 645.
To sum things up, MRC has made some good decoders at an affordable price. Is the sound quality as good as the more expensive Tsunami and Loksound? The answer is no in my opinion but then again we are talking a decoder that can be purchased for half the price.
Will I purchase MRC decoders again? Probably, but I will be looking more to replace my locomotive fleet with factory locomotives with sound. Those locomotives that are not available with sound will be upgraded with better sound decoders as time and money permit.
That's all for now!
Nelson Beaudry, Principle/CEO
Kennebec, Penobscot and Northern RR Co.
