Soundtraxx LC sound decoders

alexander

Member
hello

i am wondering what the quality of the LC decoders (am i right in assuming LC means "Low Cost?)
820002 DSD-100LC Diesel Economy

what do you sacrifice in the low cost? is it just a Generic sound, or, is the quality just bad?

thanks
Alexander
 

alexander

Member
'nother thing

is the Bachmann DCC system ok for a small layout (on 2 doors), who has acess to another dcc system to program the CVs?

thanks
Alexander
 

hminky

Member
"Low cost" is the key word. They are older technology, no back emf and other things, they don't have "smooth drive" so some locos will have a "dcc buzz". I found that the sound unless you have a big speaker, bigger than will fit in an HO locomotive, is muddled. I believe it is because it is 8 bit sound. The Soundtraxx Tsunami has 16 bit and there is a big improvement in the quality with small speakers.

Harold
 

alexander

Member
"Smooth Drive", "DCC buzz", does that mean, that it makes a buzz?
what do you mean by the sound is distorted?

thanks
Alexander
 

Stuart

New Member
HI..

The LC-100 deconder is OK.. It just don't have all the sound the better ones have. The Soundtraxx Tsunami don't do a Diesel sound decoder YET. Unless you will to buy the SOUND equiped locos then the LC-100 is a great deal. I have a few and find them OK. The buzzing sound can be one of 3 things. One: The volume is to high (easy fixed) Two: The speaker is to small (install a bigger speaker or add 2) and 3: Sometime the motor frequency may need re-setting (CV9 should fix it, set it too around 60-80.)

All in all the LC-100 is a great package and works great.
 

hminky

Member
alexander said:
"Smooth Drive", "DCC buzz", does that mean, that it makes a buzz?
what do you mean by the sound is distorted?

thanks
Alexander

The new DCC decoders have a higher frequency signal and don't produce a buzzing sound from the motor when they start out.

Harold
 

Moochie

New Member
Anyone heard the Tsunami lite loggng deoder? I have the Shay LC and it does have the buzzing sound. I was wondering if the lite logging would be a better choice for my new Bachmann HO Shay?
 

Fluesheet

Member
I have the Tsunami light steam decoder that i've just completed the phyiscal installation for (programming tweaking to come). This is my first Soundtraxx motor decoder, so I can't compare it to the LC - but it is hyper sonic, so there is no buzzing.
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
PLEASE, i don't want to burst your bubble, REALLY, I DON'T;) , but i noticed you want to put the sound decoder in a diesel, MY advice(and this is JUST MY ADVICE), stay away from the Soundtraxx LC decoders, and if you want sound engines,announce1 DEFIANTLY STAY AWAY FROM THE BACHMANN DCC SYSTEM!!! YOU CANNOT ADJUST CVs WITH THAT SYSTEM!!!:rolleyes: there are MANY better sound decoders out there today, and the same goes for lower cost DCC systems;) . you WILL thank yourself later for getting better then you have mentioned, BELIEVE ME;) . **AGAIN, just my advice. :) -Deano
 

alexander

Member
OK

I have acess to a DCC system that will program CVs at my club, and when i start on my new layout (i'll have 2, my little one on 2 doors and my "big" one) i'll get a better system, i'm leaning towards the NCE system.

i'll have a look at decoders too

Thanks
Alex
 

Jim Krause

Active Member
I have a Bachmann Shay with an LC series decoder. There are orange warning labels on and in the box, stating" Use only on a DCC system. Using with DC will cause severe damage to your locomotive. As someone said earlier "older technology".
 

Stuart

New Member
UP SD40-2 said:
PLEASE, i don't want to burst your bubble, REALLY, I DON'T;) , but i noticed you want to put the sound decoder in a diesel, MY advice(and this is JUST MY ADVICE), stay away from the Soundtraxx LC decoders, and if you want sound engines,announce1 DEFIANTLY STAY AWAY FROM THE BACHMANN DCC SYSTEM!!! YOU CANNOT ADJUST CVs WITH THAT SYSTEM!!!:rolleyes: there are MANY better sound decoders out there today, and the same goes for lower cost DCC systems;) . you WILL thank yourself later for getting better then you have mentioned, BELIEVE ME;) . **AGAIN, just my advice. :) -Deano


Hmmm, and why should we not use the LC-100 decoder???? I have a few in steamer and diesels and they all work great..

Stuart
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Stuart said:
Hmmm, and why should we not use the LC-100 decoder???? I have a few in steamer and diesels and they all work great..

Stuart
Stuart, I TOO had them:rolleyes: , then i spent a couple more dollars and got sound decoders like LokSound, MRC brillance, Digitraxx, etc. needless to say i have since taken out the LC decoders and replaced them with what I FEEL are FAR BETTER decoders;) . HEY, the LC decoders might be JUST GREAT, for you:thumb: . and thats FINE, NOTHING WRONG with that:thumb::D . but in MY OPINION(I'll say it again, MY OPINION), I think even MRC's cheap AD370(about $45.00) sound decoder outperforms the Soundtraxx LC decoders;). ALL the sound decoders i have mentioned run on DCC OR DC, and have ADVANCED lighting effects, AND, ALL except the AD370 have "back EMF". **SORRY FOLKS, but to me, selling someone on the LC series, just seems like you are selling them short, compared to "other" decoders that ARE available RIGHT NOW;) . BUT HEY... thats just MY OPINION;) . :D -Deano
 

alexander

Member
ok, i'll have a look at the MRC sound decoders


thanks for your advice. i'm leaning towards

Some form of sound decoder in my SD24
Some form of DCC (with sound maybe) in my SW1500
And, just for the sake of it, i'll try and DCC my Tycos (its not totallu undoable you know, i think i can wire it up)
Bachmann EZ Commabnd on my small layout, and a NCE system on my big layout

do you think this will work?

Thanks
Alexander
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
IF you ARE going to run sound engines on the layout that you want to get the Bachmann DCC system for,announce1 DON'T GET IT!!! take a look at the Bachmann controller, theres NO BUTTONS to make sound equipped engines sounds work:eek: :( . I'm NOT going to tell you what system to get, to avoid a war over witch cheaper DCC system is better;) . but for running sound equipped engines, STAY AWAY FROM THE Bachmann system;) . :D -Deano
 

Skammer

New Member
I have an LC-100 sound decoder in an IHC Hudson with FOUR 3/4" speakers in the tender (two facing up through the coal load, two facing down through the floor). It sounds great, although I had to fiddle with the CV's to make adjustments. And it can be LOUD, although I don't usually keep the volume up that loud unless I am running on our modular setup in a big noisy area.
 
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