I just want to pass along a very disappointing experience with Phoenix Sound. Starting last December when I received one of Phoenix Sound’s new SM-18 DCC / Sound board as a Christmas Gift for use in my Bachmann C-19. The SM-18 is supposedly designed to plug right into the C-19 main pc board and use all the functions of the C-19, lights, optical chuff, etc. I plugged the board into the C -19 socket and right out of the box it failed to function properly, after several emails and calls to Jim at Phoenix we fixed the functions but there was a memory retention problem, when power was shut off and then turned back on the board returned to the non functional state. I was told to do a hard reset by lifting one side of the loco and tender off the rails when power was on, this worked but again when powere was turned off the same result. I was told to send the board back to Phoenix, it was returned after 2 weeks witht he same problem. I was sent another board and right out of the box it failed the same way. I was then told by Jim at Phoenix that he would send me a Revised Version of the SM-18 when it became available, that was in early February 2020, then the virus hit and the lockdown. After many many emails and voice mails to Jim at Phoenix which were never replied to, I finally was contacted in early October 2020 via email informing me that a new board would be sent within one week, that turned into 3 weeks. I received the new revised board and right out of the box it failed also, no motor control, no sound during running, no cab or firebox lights, no optical chuff function. I contacted Jim at Phoenix via email with an itemized list of the problems and he said he was to call me on October 26th to resolve the issues. That never happened and from then till now December 10th, no communication at all from Jim, no replies to numerous emails and phone messages, not one word. I am stuck with a non functional DCC board that costs over $200 and I am throughly disgusted with Jim for not being a man of his word and and with Phoenix Sound for not backing their product. I will never purchase another item of theirs and would highly not recommend them to any other modeler.
I use the Zimo MX699 decoder which has supercaps for dirty track sections, smoke heater and fan control, many programmable light controls, 6 amps (10 amp peak), 24 volt (30 volt peaks), 10 watt audio, 4 servo controls (can drive the phoenix uncoupler directly) remote volume controls and starting at $180.00
For small single motor engines I use the HO MX645 decoder (P22 version in the Stainz) and get 1.8 amps, 24 volts 3 watt audio, 2 servo controls.
For Bachmann there is the plug-in MX697 at $195 at Trainli.com. For the Climax and Shay there is an additional lode code needed at $35 for sound files written by a A person that visited the US and recorded the real sounds.