Does SoundTraxx make non-sound decoders?
TCS or LokPilot would be a better choice for the improved motor-control.
Tom
That may or may not be an advantage.
Example:
I bought an Athearn Genesis GP40-2 with factory-equipped Tsunami sound. I also bought another Athearn Genesis GP40-2 (different road number) without sound.
Then I plugged a Soundtraxx MC2H104OP into the non-sound loco. It’s stock running characteristics exactly matched the sound-equipped loco’s. No speed matching or trim adjustments were necessary. And those running characteristics were perfectly fine.
If I later decide to use speed tables, I can just copy the same table into both of them (JMRI makes that super-easy).
So if one is trying to match an existing decoder, another brand may NOT be the better choice.
While I would still prefer the better motor-control, you make a good point, Steve.
Tom
Tom
Could give me some idea what makes the TCS or LokPilot a better choice for the improved motor-control. I have a TSC decoder and I can’t tell the difference in motor control between it and my MRC decoders.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Since the ScaleTrains sound equipped tunnel motors come with Loksound decoders, it’s a no brainer to use the Lokpilot in the two I bought that are DCC ready.
I am like Mel, tell me the differance you see between a LokSound and say a Tsunami2?
what is better-or worse between the two?
As you can see they are called mobile decoders.
SoundTraxx came up with them some years ago because some had issues matching locos with other decoder brands. Suppose to have same running specs as the Tsunami. I had read that somewhere.
Rich
Mel,
ESU & TCS decoders allow me to start out my locomotoves at <1sMPH on speed step 001 and the incrimental transition is very smooth. Most of the time this is right out of the box (no tweaking needed) and starts & stops of 0.5sMPH (and <) are not uncommon.
The Tsunami decoder starts, OTOH, were more abrupt in my experience - i.e. 3sMPH and >. Since I have a number of switchers and want smooth operation switching my yard, abrupt starts and stops is not acceptable.
While I do enjoy sound, motor-control is more important to me. And, given the choice - motor-control wins hands down. A locomotive that sounds good but lurches as it moves out from the station (or when pulling a cut of cars in the yard) ruins the sense of realism for me.
In all fairness, I don’t have any experience with the new Tsunami 2 decoders and have not seen them in operation. So, my opinion may change should I have the opporunity to try them sometime. Even so, I’m quite happy with TCS and ESU decoders so I’m not in any particularl hurry.
Tom
I, too, have several “semi-permanently” M-Ued engines that I have Loksound and Lokpilot combinations in. It is especially helpful since the Loksound decoders have a startup delay, i.e. the prime mover increases RPM, then you hear a short air letoff, then the engines begin to move. The delay is programmable and you can program the same delay into the non-sound Lokpilot to exactly mimic the movement of the sound units.
Good Luck, Ed
My intermediate experience suggests that the difference in decoder motor approach can matter significantlt in some special cases. My extreme case was a Bachmann doodlebug conversion to a NWSL special truck motor (I forget it’s designation) that ran most crazily at first on my LokSound Select install.
It was all about motor / BEMF tuning.
For the Tsunami’s I have on some Athearn Genesis steamers I can tweak (using some web available guidelines) BEMF variables to attain decent slow sleek operation with some trial and error efforts.
But the Doodlebug was a special challenge, and the Select has a CV54 feature that “autotunes” the loco by running ahead 4-5’ and self automatically optimizing CVs 52-55, basically auto-tuning a P/I/D controller.
I’ve found, as others, that most locos do not need to try the auto-tune on the Select but would note that the Doodlebug was a special case, so I conclude the importance of motor control capability is dependent on the loco. I have long read that the TCS and LokSounds had better capability (when useful) than some others on average, so my bias is towards them. What I do not know is if the motor only LokPilot (which does have CV54) has the CV54 auto-tune feature described in the Select manual.