This New DCC Decoder changed my model railroad plans

[@derekalexander4030]

Thanks for the info, Jimmy.

[@BriansModelTrains]

Thanks for sharing your information and impression on the new sound decoders.

[@tammylovescats]

Nice! Thanks for the video.

[@edwardaudet8367]

Wow that is wild, as soon as I get the trains I'm trying to get decoders in, I'll have to look into this. Thanks Jimmy

[@mattlawson7779]

Comparing different sound decoders might make a cool episode

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

🤔I may be working on that!

[@isaiahfurrow7414]

That Atlas loco would be about perfect for me if it was available in the right road schemes.... where can I find more info on that? The main hold up for me to decide between HO and N scale for my permanent build, is finding the kinds of locomotives I want in the right railroad schemes... so much more available in HO...

[@YourLocalRailfan]

I’d say go with HO

[@VintageRoadRail]

Adding the speaker to me is the biggest pain for DCC ready locomotives. I wish all manufacturers would prefit the speaker to make them truly DCC ready.

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

Atlas BLI and Rapido have preinstalled speakers as standard on their DC models

[@Phantom0507]

i feel weird cause i don't have any interest in adding speakers to my trains, (i'm newer to the hobby so this might change). i honestly just enjoy the sound of the motors running and the wheels running over the unijoiners.

[@TheNorthwestWind]

that thing is beast

[@manderschannel2275]

Jimmy. Rookie DCC question, but can I use that digitraxx decoder for my atlas dash 8 B unit? Or do I need a different decoder. Note: it’s new like the sd9s

[@odeooo16]

I doubt I buy one but here's to hoping the healthy competition drives esu prices down a bit.

[@trainencounters586]

The new Atlas SD45s have a next 18 socket. This decoder won't work for that, correct?

[@cbirailroad]

Jimmy I am confused. With the Atlas, you said you installed the new sound decoder in an Atlas "silver" series. However, isn't the silver only DCC READY? According to Atlas, I need to start with a "gold" series DCC without sound, which is already really pricey. What am I missing here? -Ron

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

These are Atlas Silver series locomotives. Silver and Gold Series are divisions of their mid tier “Master” line. Silver and Gold series locomotives are identical except the Gold series comes with an. ESU Loksound decoder and Silver is DCC Ready. Newer Atlas Silver Locomotives should have speakers preinstalled.

[@cbirailroad]

@@DIYDigitalRailroad I see. So the new Digitrax is a DCC decoder WITH a sound module. Got it. Then is the E24 plug a dinosaur? Only for GP7/9 and SD7? Seems no one else makes it, and all the other Atlas stuff seems to be DCC/sound or just DC.

[@KadenWastaken]

Question: I have a table that is roughly 4 x 2 ft long, what scale would you recommend for it?

[@IMRROcom]

Where is the non sound version with a E24 connector.

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

I’m guessing that it is coming. They have a non sound of their next18 which recently came out too.

[@davidstokes8441]

Users of sound decoders need to accept 1/87 scale sound as well as 1/87 size models. What do I mean by that? In my experience visiting layouts and exhibitions is that the volume is over the top. Hink about it, most people are at least 3 feet from the layout which equates to 300 feet away from the track. When you were last beside a real railway, when did you here the sound of the loco - maybe a 10 feet away? The 1/87 sound should be barely audible when running a model, and then only come into the picture at maybe 6 feet away, real soft, and by the time it gets to you it should be hearable but not blasting my eardrums. My thoughts anyway, for what they are worth.

[@michaelcudby787]

Thats correct, sir. In n scale the sound is even more softer, so, theoretically, you would not here an n scale loco at normal distances.You have to put the sound volumn into perspective.

[@HumancityJunction]

Does this decoder have a dynamic brake feature?

[@charlesravert8781]

I don’t think the quality of sound compares. I guess if you want sound on the cheap it would work. I have too much invested in my layouts to go cheap.

[@doublediamondrailroad5949]

Yeah sound a little tinny

[@jrisner1951]

Wow!

[@bearabletable7527]

Whats a good/budget/wont break the bank DCC decoder with sound for an N scale ATLAS Dash-8-40B? Cant find info anywhere, If someone can help me. that'll be greatly appreciated!

[@dirtthunder1638]

Disappointed thet Digitrax has not done a standard non-sound E24 decoder.

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

I'm definitely somebody who doesn't get the benefits of a ridiculously expensive decoder if I can get something that's pretty close for half the price. Sure, the sound quality might not be the same, or this nuance or that, but a lot of people really just don't care. Just sound is good. Some running sound, a bell, a horn, maybe notches? How often is somebody going to use the sound of dynamic brakes, or even know what it sounds like, or thing "oh, this is the 2010 sound and not the 2021." Esepecially in N scale, it just isn't worth it for most people.

[@coreytrevor5890]

This would be a lot more significant if Digitrax had more and newer sound projects in their sound library. There is nothing newer there than around 2013 and those were done by a third party. Digitrax themselves seems to be out of the game of recording and producing new content. The sounds you were showing in this video sound very much like all their old 2007 and 2008 recordings but converted to 16 bit instead of 8. I can't imagine consisting these with a ESU decoder which has things like brakes and drive hold. Some Atlas engines with ESU sound are going for $150-180 which is a bargain considering the V5 chip itself is over $100.

[@modelrailwaybackshop]

Over a $100? Where you getting your decoders from man, I have been getting them for $90.

[@coreytrevor5890]

Not much difference between 90 and 100 bucks. Seen some Gold Train masters going for around 160. And GP40-2W with an ESU V5 clearing out for 128.95. You can make an N scale engine sound entirely acceptable with a proper sealed enclosure which few manuf. have figured out. Those old 2008 Digitrax sound files are truly awful whether 8 or 16 bit. They could at least have recorded a selection of horns that sound more convincing. I do agree that having sound is better than not, but why don't they make any effort at refreshing their files?

[@thesheq5023]

So the sound decoder just sticks on to other decoders!?

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Unfortunately no. That would be cool. This is a new sound decoder for the E24 connector, which previously was only available through ESU for over $100.

[@modelrailwaybackshop]

​@DIYDigitalRailroad not true, it's only $90 for the ESU Nano that has the E24, wherever ya'll getting them have been ripping you off.

[@A.J-TrainS]

Nice ^^

[@IMRROcom]

Modern decoder are the pick up problem of model trains. I want a pick up to move 1 tone a dirt, Well we do not sell this type of pickup, we have this pickup that you can take out on the town for the date and can move a 1/4 tone of dirt. But do not scratch the bed if you want to maintain resell value in your luxury truck, I just want a work truck to move dirt... We do not sell those any more as we know you will want to own this luxury truck.

[@edmijares1011]

moores law at work

[@woozleboy]

It is probably just the mic setup recording the audio for the video, but these sound overdriven and distorted on the treble, giving it a poor quality output. Still, $50 is better than nothing.

[@isaiahfurrow7414]

Do u think maybe it's the speaker,or possibly just lowering g the volume a bit on the loco would sound a tad bit better...? I'm not a stickler for having the specific sound for the engine, partly as I don't know what it should even sound like for prototype correct sound... I just like having a horn, bell, and some engine sound for a couple of my engines... so thos kind of price opens up possibly a lot more roadmames and loco models for me, which is part of the reason I've held off on going g with N scale... n scale fits my space better, but I have so many more loco options in HO....

[@G_de_Coligny]

Still believe it’s better to sonorise the layout more than the train themselves…

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

Are you saying you're rather have the sound coming from someplace else rather than all the locomotives? So you've got one coming past you or going through a crossing and you're blowing the horn or hearing it notch up/down and it just comes form some other speaker rather than the loco itself? Would you even be able to make notch up/down sounds happen without pushing a separate button on something else?