Dapol factory fitted DCC sound announcement

[Alex3410]

Via Facebook

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[Mountain]

Well. They are being honest about it. I would imagine that it is the hire of a locomotive for each model that costs a lot, never mind the decoders themselves.

[Paul-H]

I wonder why they went to all that expense when all they had to do was do a deal with one of the many sound producer who probably already had the sound set produced ready to go. I thought that's what they did with their class 68, wasn't there stories about Legomanbiffo doing the sounds for the 68.

Paul

[Alex3410]

It would be interesting to see the percentage of models sold with & without sound

It could have been an easy decision if the sales are low, especially if they would all move over to buying the non sound model anyway

[Paul-H]

I know with the few I bought I went with the DCC Ready version and the put sound from one of the well known sound producer in as that worked out cheaper than buying them sound fitted and I will be doing the same with the class 50 when it becomes available next yesr.

Paul

[D605Eagle]

I wonder what the % are of people who run DC, DCC and DCC sound now?

[Bigmet]

Whatever the ratios may be in their sales, DCC ready/DCC fitted/DCC sound, they say that the DCC sound sales are not financially viable for them, unless they get the full profit margin on the sale. To me that implies relatively small sales of DCC sound, over which they have to spread the up front costs of having the recordings made and processed for loading onto the chosen decoder. (Dapol I should think buy in this service from one of the several established sound specialists.)

What it says overall is that cash flow is uncomfortably tight at Dapol. They want to compete with the other manufacturers in offering premium 'fully loaded' models with lights and sound, but are financially squeezed by doing so.

It's a little desperate in my opinion, because the businesses they propose squeezing are retailers: Dapol are attempting to take all the margin on the highest margin product in their range. Any well organised retailer is going to have their sound supplier lined up to offer an alternative when the various announced locos arrive, and customers will be able to gauge for themselves where the best value is obtained.

[dubdee1000]

Perhaps there is a thought that sound has moved on, with tts at one end and biffo em2 at the other. Why spend £120 extra when you can spend £150 extra and have something that sounds amazing or £30 extra and something that sounds a bit like a locomotive. I think they're well off out of it.