sound system question

[florynow]

This may have been asked before ..... forgive me for being repetitious if so.

The "DCC/sound" systems (with all the sounds that engines make instead of "some"of them) that came in the 2-8-0, 2-10-0 and 4-4-0 .............  will they ever come back?  Or is "sound-value" the way of the future?

Simple question. Just a need to know.

PF

[Doneldon]

PF-

Neither Bachmann nor any other manufacturer has yet perceived a need to involve me in their future product plans but I would be very surprised if the so-called sound value configuration will become the rule. Indeed, I would bet that sound value itself will disappear rather than becoming the universal replacement for more full-featured sound and control systems. My reasons for saying this are two.

First, we have seen a rapidly progressing expansion of product features at lower cost in all aspects of technology, including model railroading. There is no reason to expect that this trend will do anything but continue to accelerate with the passing of time. Before long, it will actually be more expensive (engineering, building, advertising, inventory) for manufacturers to sell multiple levels of technology than a single, high level technology. Think about the last few automobiles or computers you have purchased. They have more and more performance, features, extras and technology with little or no price increases. For example, I drive a 2006 Hyundai Sonata Limited that I purchased in 2005 to replace a 1997 Toyota Camry XLE. The Sonata has six airbags, not two, an in-dash CD changer, electronic stability control, electronic traction control and more comfort than the Camry. Both cars have V-6 engines, ABS, moonroof, leather, alloy wheels and automatics. The Sonata gets better gas milage and has a 10-year, 100,000 mile warranty. And the cost? I paid (no trades involved) $4500 less for the Sonata than I paid for the Camry nine years earlier! Computers? Same story. The first hard drive I considered cost $2000 for 20 MB, or $100 per MB. Now you can buy a TB, a million times as large, for less than $100. And cheap PB drives are on the near horizon. Or, my first PC, with one MB RAM, low-res display and true slowness cost nearly eight times as much in 1985 as did the fairly high-end laptop I'm using right now. The same can be said of audio/video toys, appliances, medical instrumentation or a thousand other items.

Second, sound value isn't marketed as something for everyone; on the contrary, it is pitched as a slightly lower cost way to get into sound and DCC control. As such, it can more realistically be viewed as a promotional method to get people to try sound who might otherwise not spend the big price for a high end unit. This is analogous to trial-size products, coupons and samples, or even the famous Gillette marketing plan of "give 'em the razor free and sell 'em the blades." I believe that sound value is largely a marketing technique to involve more modelers with sound so they'll move up to the full-featured systems. NB that I'm not criticizing this approach; it's very common, and effective, in the marketing/advertising field.
                                                                                                                          -- D

[Jerrys HO]

PF

Yes you have mentioned it before, and yes I believe it is the future. I am not saying all locomotive's will have sound value  but I can see more being offered with it as it as stated by D as being a lower cost to get into sound and DCC.
As mentioned by other's and the Bach's administrator's, these loco's come DCC READY so you can upgrade to whatever you want.
I still believe other manufacture's will follow Bachmann's new and improved idea's for model railroading. The sound value loco's are selling at an enormous rate and the review's are astonishing. People young, old, experienced, newbie's, are loving them. As mentioned before ALMOST EVERYONE like's them.  

D

That was  a great analogy of how the world is evolving in the electronics era.
The only problem I have ( and this could be just me ) who need's all the extra feature's being added to vehicle's today. Have we become that lazy that we need a sensor to turn on our windshield wiper's,(installing a decoder of our liking) heated seat's because we forgot to put on enough clothing,(adding detail to our loco's to make them more like their prototype's) a sunroof that will sunburn the top of your head and leak all over your interior. You see where I am going with this....
Sonata vs. Camry? no comparison although Hyundai has greatly improved over the years they are still no comparison. Not to say they are not the next Honda line.
I could ramble on forever about this as I am a mechanic by trade but I won't.

Computer's are a different story.


Jerry

[Bucksco]

As stated many times in the past - The Spectrum line isn't changing. Spectrum locos were the only Bachmann locomotives that featured "Sound on Board" in the past and will always feature a full SoundTraxx Tsunami decoder. NOTHING is changing. In actuality a lower cost option has been added in the form of Sound Value locomotives in the standard product line.

[richg]

Digital technology in the model train hobby is continually evolving in case you are stuck at one point in time. Different companies have different thoughts on which direction they will go.
As I said before, no company will EVER please every modeler.
We are still boys and girls playing with toys.

Rich

[Pacific Northern]

This may have been asked before ..... forgive me for being repetitious if so.

The "DCC/sound" systems (with all the sounds that engines make instead of "some"of them) that came in the 2-8-0, 2-10-0 and 4-4-0 .............  will they ever come back?  Or is "sound-value" the way of the future?

Simple question. Just a need to know.

PF

Where do you get your information? The Spectrum steam engines with the Tsunami sound were never mentioned by Bachmann as being phased out and a replacement sound decoder brought in.

All of your discussions to date have been about the Standard (not Spectrum ) Alco 2-6-0. We all know your not happy with that decoder, but why bring in the other Spectrum Tsunami engines.