# Least expensive sound system for USA Trains starter set?



## Megalops (Jul 4, 2009)

My five year old will be getting a USA Trains SantaFe starter set for his birthday. We'll probably be following it up with a SantaFe Warbonnet (probably an F3A) engine and a ceiling mounted track system for Christmas. I know the first upgrade I'll be making to the starter set will be adding sound. What is the least expensive sound system I can add?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Least expensive would be the Dallee. You either like em or hate em. Me I prefer a good sound such as Phoenix . You get what you pay for. Later RJD


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## Russell Miller (Jan 3, 2008)

Wood whistles are cheap and work great ... at least for steam locomotives.
Russ


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I was thinking that a 5 year old can make all the sound one would want.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

MRC makes a very inexpensive diesel sound card. I've never tried it, but it's about as cheap as you'll find

MRC diesel sound 

Small Scale Railways also makes an inexpensive sound card with a bunch of diesel sounds

smallscale sound samples 


I have one of their steam sound cards and it's pretty good and has been very reliable


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I've used Dallee, about $100, Small Scale Railways, about $90 and Phoenix, about $250. I didn't much like the Dallee. The Small Scale board has no triggers so you can't blow the horn, but has nice sounds and is always making sounds appropriate to what I'm doing. http://www.smallscalerailway.com


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

The MRC card is $59, about as cheap as you'll find. Another option if you want to spend around $100 is the QSI card, which has very high quality sound, better than the small scale railways card or just a bit more.

Sound cards are expensive!


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

You might also like to investigate MyLocosound
I have used them and they have quite reasonable sound quality .


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I just want to echo, you get what you pay for. The F3 is a great running loco, most popular of all time (In the US). There is a marked difference in sound comparing the MRC and Dallee to something like the Phoenix or QSI. 

Here's my advice to a newcomer: Right now you are trying to keep costs down. What you may not realize is that you will probably have this loco for 10 years. A poor sounding sound system will probably get replaced after a few years, and no one will want your old sound card. A good sound system will be good for that whole 10 years. 

Regards, Greg


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## TheLordsServant (Jul 7, 2008)

I agree with what has been said. You can buy cheap sound systems, however, they don't sound very good. I'd put some money into a QSI. Phoenix will probably be out of the question, as they cost $250, though it's easily the best out there. Yes, the Dallee sounds alright, but it isn't that big of a difference to upgrade to a nicer sound system for only a little more money. So, to sum it up, here are some approximate prices for sound systems: 

MRC: $60ish 
Dallee: $80-$90ish 
Small Scale Railways: $100ish 
QSI: $140ish 
Phoenix: $250 

The Small Scale Railways sound systems I have heard are decent for the money, and out of the first three, it would probably be my pick. But, if I could make it work, I'd definitely buy the Phoenix. I realize how tight money is right now for a lot of people, and I realize that spending more money isn't always an option, and if it isn't, then that's fine. Check out the Small Scale Railways sound samples, many of them sound pretty decent, but I have not personally had experience with anything except the old Sierra sound systems, which were superb. 

The QSI is also an excellent choice, and sounds spectacular, but the installation isn't very straightforward on a USA trains engine, so I probably would not recommend it.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The connection to the motor and track pickups is very simple in USAT locos, you can use the existing connectors and buy matching ones for 1.50 each. 

But the lighting is a little tricky to change. But you could connect the QSI in and leave the lights alone, i.e. connected to the track as before. 

This would be simple, just like adding in the Phoenix. You can do this without cutting or soldering one wire. 

Right now, each truck has 2 connectors coming from it, one for track pickups, and one for the motor. 

What you will do is unplug those, and then buy matching connectors: (top ones on this page

http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mai...connectors

Connect the motor leads to the QSI.

Make a "Y" cable so you can connect the track pickups to the QSI AND back to the original plugs to the stock USAT board.


This will allow you to unplug it and return it to stock in seconds.

This way, the lights are run from track power, and the QSI will handle the sounds and the motor. You may not know this, but the QSI is one of the very few sound systems that actually "reads" the load on the motor and changes the sounds accordingly. Not even the "mighty" Phoenix does this. (There are other DC/DCC decoders like Zimo that do this, but much more expensive).


So this would be my recommendation. Be sure to buy the "magnum" adapter ($17) with the screw terminals. 

The all electronics connectors are sold as pairs, so you will need 2 for the motors, and 2 more for the track (you will actually get 4 male and 4 female), so order 4 of the CON-240 part.


I'll give you a hand if you get stuck. 


Regards, Greg


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## Megalops (Jul 4, 2009)

Thanks for all the great advice. I'm a ways away from getting to the point of adding sound. I'm just trying to put together some ideas for a wish list that family could use for buying presents for the little guy's birthday.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well if you wait long enough then maybe QSI will have there board ready for the USAT locos. More of a plug and play instead of all the wiring Greg is talking about. I'm hoping it will arrive soon as I have 6 USAT locos to add sound to. Later RJD


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