MRC Synchro Sound Box DC/DCC

I just saw an ad for the MRC Synchro Sound Box that has both steam and diesel sounds and can be used for both DC and DCC layouts. I would be using it with my NCE Power Cab system and possibly DC at shows. Any advice and information would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
John

John, Sounds like your first on this. You may have to get it and please post your findings. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

Hi Jim,
I remember seeing somewhere that Robert had played with this unit or a very similar one using DCC. I have seen it on sale for $50 so I may get it and fool around with it.

John

John

I have one of the diesel sound box units, and it works pretty well in iether dc or dcc. In dc, its pretty generic, and the sycronized sound to transformer response leaves a bit to be desired. In dcc the unit works well, and can be programed to act as a sound decoder for one selected/programed loco. Like and sound decoder its defualt address is 003, but can be changed to match a loco. On my NCE system, i was able to controll all of the sounds from the throtle once i had the unit programmed.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is enclosing the speaker into a air baffle. All speakers need to be proprly enclosed to get the bass sound from them.

For the $45 bucks they ask for the unit, its definatly worth buying to mess around with.... i liked mine.

Tony B...
Wasatch Z Club

Tony, can you provide a link. I want to get one too.

Sorry John, but i can't... i bought mine a year ago and can't remember where i bought it. I think you can go to MRC's web site and find it. If i rmember correctly, they were out of the diesel units for a while, but they may be bakc now.

Hope you find one.

Tony B...
Wasatch Z Club

John, Go ahead get the STEAM sounds. Then you won't have to listen to someone humming at you all the time. Cheers, Jim CCRR:laugh:

I bought one a year ago and it was no where near as successful as Tony's was. Mine had low-tech sounds, could not adjust the volume, speeds did not match (not even close) and, the addresses are limited to 127 max (fine for a Consist address).

What I ended up doing was using a normal sound decoder (QSI, etc.) and cloning the address to the loco. Then, I fed them into an audio mixer and a quality boom-box instead of the tiny pin head speaker. Now we're talking.

John,

I just ordered one from M.B. Klein:

www.modeltrainstuff.com/product_p/500-1025.htm

They are selling the steam/diesel DC/DCC box for $49.99 plus shipping. I eventually plan to position speakers around the layout and be able to switch between them so the sound is close to where the loco is.

John

Jim, I kind missed the chat's steam puff, but no way am going to get a steam engine.

John, let us know how it works for you. Somebody has to be the guinea pig.

jlundy46 wrote:

John,

I eventually plan to position speakers around the layout and be able to switch between them so the sound is close to where the loco is.

John

Hey John, The MRC sound box is like Jeff said a cheap little toy to mess around with. If you like it, and are ready for the next leap. then look at Sound Trax's new "Surround Trax" system that they premiered to the public at NTS this past summer.

I was lucky to get a private sneak peak at this new system last spring during one of my visiys to Sound Trax's office's in Durango.

Here's a link to the new system. www.soundtraxx.com/products/dcc/SurroundTraxxMAIN.htm
The system uses transponding in DCC to keep track of a particular loco or consists position on the layout, and moves the location of the sound accordingly. Check it out...

I'm waiting on Steve and his staff to cleanup a few development issues, and de-bug the system before i get mine, but this may be the answer we Z scale guys have been looking for. I gave up working on my Z soundcar due to the lack of good bass sound from the tiny speakers i had to use to fit in a box car. Basically the sound sucked.

The only problem with Sound traxx's new system is that it is only comatable with DCC systems..... sorry you DC guys are getting left in the past...... but DC is sort of the old power, and DCC is taking over the future.

Tony B..
Wasatch Z ClubB)

Hi Tony,
Thanks for the link. I also looked at the price at a couple of places and it is a little rich for my blood. Might be a good investimant for a club. It also said on one site that it is programmed to work with Digitrax transponding and other systems would be added later. Looks like a great system though.

John

John, you nailed it on the Digitraxx issue... Currently you can only use the system with one speaker on any system other than Digitraxx which kind of sucks. I use NCE, so this restriction is whats holding me back. Soundtraxx is working on a replacment unit to the current digitraxx transpoder detector to alow other DCC systems to use their ew sound system. Once they come out with it, you will be able to setup a full mulit speaker system with subwoofer with any DCC set. Untill then. i'm holding out...

I don't think the price tag is to bad considering what you get. the cost of six sound decoders alone would set you back the same amount of money, so thier pricing is good to me. I know the soundtraxx staff, and i'm sure they thought of this when they set their retial price.

You have to see it and hear it to believe it to.... the system is very bad-ass, and the variety and quality of sound is better than sound equipted locos in HO and O. The secret is in the sub woofer. that where you realy get the bass that makes a deisel rumble.

Tony B...
Wasatch Z ClubB)

Hi Folks this is my first post! I just purchased the 1025 MRC sound box for my briefcase layout. Any help in wireing it up would be Great. But I am told it is pretty straight forward. Z scale trains have been my passion off and on for a few years - or when I get the money to endulge. I am Glad to find a great forum to come too. Hope to be here for some time. Thank you-- Mythotto/ Ken

Ken, Welcome to ZCS. Many folks are interested in sound and I'm sure someone more qualified than me will be able to answer you questions. Take some pictures and post them of you layout. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

Mythotto wrote:

Hi Folks this is my first post! I just purchased the 1025 MRC sound box for my briefcase layout. Any help in wireing it up would be Great. But I am told it is pretty straight forward. Z scale trains have been my passion off and on for a few years - or when I get the money to endulge. I am Glad to find a great forum to come too. Hope to be here for some time. Thank you-- Mythotto/ Ken

Ken, Read and follow the instructions that were included with the MRC unit, and you will have it working in minuets. It's literally that simple..

Tony B..
Wasatch Z ClubB)

Thanks Guys- I will let you know how things go one it arrives. Any advise on fixing dead spots on the track? The briefcase layout I have is a Noch Winter kit. Not done by my me but very nice. Had to do some cutting of the case gasket to get my steamer around the curves. I will try to post pics soon. Also I picked up a Marklin Diesel that did'nt run when I tested it. Actually it smoked! Is my Diesel down and out for for the count?
Thanks for all the help/ This is a great forum. Ken

Ken, I invite you to ask your Marklin diesel issue in the European Diesel Forum. You have a better chance of getting the correct answer there. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

According to the UPS website, my Sound Box is to be delivered today so I will be playing with it tonight. I'll let you know how things go.

John

My sound box arrived and I hooked it up to run DC. It was very easy to wire and it does make alot of sounds. The engine sounds are keyed to the throttle. The sounds are much better if you put the speaker in a box. I was reading the directions and it is very sketchy about programming it for DCC and just has a table of CVs. It says to program it with the loco decoder number you will be running. Do you program it as an accessory? Here my inexperience with DCC is showing I'm afraid. I'm using the NCE Power Cab.

Thanks,
John