Sound Decoders for N Scale: MRC's Product Line

If there is one driving force making N-scale sound viable, it is Model Rectifier Corp. (MRC). Since 2007, the company has aggressively developed sound decoders to install in countless locomotive models. Here I will share the history of their rise to the N scale sound decoder market and insights into their pioneering product line.

MRC had been developing train control systems in larger scales for years. The company had been working with Athearn Trains to develop HO-scale sound decoders for Athearn to install at their factory. When Athearn tested the waters in N-scale, MRC got pulled in also.

"Originally, we had no plans of doing N scale until Athearn wanted us to," said Frank Verrico. "They approached us to do a decoder for the FP45/F45 [locomotive], and that was what evolved into the 1644 [sound decoder.]"

"Then we started working with Kato," said Frank. "They buy a lot of our sound decoders to install for the Japanese market."

MRC's work with Kato produced two early N-scale sound decoders, the 1644, for Kato's SD70MAC and AC4400CW, and the 1645, for their E8 or P42.

The 1645 sound decoder for Kato's E8 and P42 was one of the first N-scale sound decoders to hit the market. Reviewed in the May 2008 issue of MRN, this decoder performs brilliantly for such a pioneering product.

"I was pretty impressed by the way their decoders went into the E8s,” said John Sipple. "That was cool." (John and I co-authored a two-way review of Kato's E8 and MRC's 1645 decoder. I still run those sound-equipped E8s regularly.)

As MRC advanced into the N-scale sound arena, they faced the problem of limited space inside tiny model locomotives. Previously, modelers had removed metal from the locomotive mechanisms, a process referred to as "milling the frame." Before the sound decoder line could advance, the company had to overcome this hurdle.

"When we started working with N scale decoders, I struck up a conversation with John Claudino of Aztec Manufacturing," said Frank. "I had known Aztec since the ‘80s, when I was in N-scale. You needed the [locomotive] frames milled for even a non-sound decoder in the 80s."

"I sent him a couple of our 1636 and said, 'what can you mill the frame to make this fit in?'"

The 1636 worked, but it was a very difficult installation. Model Railroad News did a three-way review of an Atlas/Aztec/MRC sound installation in the July 2007 issue.

"Then people started complaining about removing the weight and all the work to install the decoder, and that’s when we really got into the drop-in decoders," said Frank.

With that decision, MRC hit their stride in the N-scale sound decoder market. The 1800 series of decoders began to hit hobby shops designed to literally "drop in" to a locomotive with no frame milling and minimal modification. A series of simple drop-in installations spread MRC's product line to bring sound to some of the most popular and common diesel locomotives in N-scale.

Sound for N-scale's best locomotives! By fitting into the space of Atlas Model Railroad Co.'s "medium length" locomotive circuit board, MRC's 1811 and 1812 put sound in the reach of many people. It is actually an 1812 pictured above, despite the printing on it.

MRC introduced the 1811 and 1812 decoders, covering most locomotives made by Atlas Model Railroad Co. (I have run these extensively, and I wrote about them in depth here.) These decoders made the 1636 obsolete. Decoders like the 1810 and 1827 brought sound to Kato's locomotives, and updated the sounds for the E8 locomotive, replacing the 1645 decoder.

"Especially with the N-scale decoders, we can’t keep ‘em in stock," said Frank. "As soon as they come in, we ship them out and it’s not long before they’re gone again."

The new decoders brought improvements, too. MRC's early decoders suffered from poor low-end speed control. The Digital Command Control (DCC) system for which the decoders were defined has up to 128 "speed steps" at which locomotives can run. MRC's decoders often did not respond to steps below 12, and sometimes would not accelerate from a dead stop until after step 18.

"I found the start speeds inconsistent due to the lack of Back EMF," wrote John in our co-authored review of the early 1645 decoder.

The term Back EMF refers to the use of pulses of electric power to turn a locomotive's motor at very slow speeds. This technology has recently come into common use in non-sound decoders, allowing modelers to achieve very smooth starts and stops. MRC implemented a simpler version of "kickstart voltage" on a few decoders, namely the 1806 and 1810. However, this feature was left off of the 1811 and 1812. Later releases, including the 1827, implemented full Back EMF, giving MRC's N-scale decoders cutting-edge slow-speed control.

"They’re getting more reliable," John said recently when I interviewed him for this article.

"MRC has been improving, particularly in N-scale," said Dave Peters.

A hobby shop like Trains N' Lanes sees countless sound-equipped locomotives come in. Competition can be stiff, especially in the pure sound quality of model trains in any scale. "I still don't think [MRC's sound quality] is anywhere near [Soundtraxx's] Tsunami," said Dave.

But sound quality makes no difference if the decoder won't fit. Not only is MRC steadily improving its products, but it stands alone in its business.

"There’s still no other manufacturer that makes N-scale drop in decoders," said Frank. "They know at Atlas that we’re the only ones who can get drop-in sound decoders, and they say we’re going to be on top for years to come because of that."

"It’s gotta be fun, too," said Frank, clearly remembering that his company is, after all, in the hobby business. "We try to incorporate play value into our decoders."

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