dcc on board vs. sound value

[bob kaplan]

  Just purchased a dcc on board Bachmann Consolidation.   Beautiful looking engine; but compared to the Sound Value engines that I have, it does not run as "nicely"...what ever that means.   The NCE throttle must be cracked quite a bit higher to start her moving and then the performance is not as smooth when it first starts to move.  I have been running her for several days, and once the first couple of days have past, there has been no real change in the performance.   I was hoping to add a speaker and sound decoder to the engine, since the sound value engine are really fine runners.   Will a different decoder change the performance or is the performance the way the engine just is?   Thanks for the insights.

[Trainman203]

I've had several engines like that.  The issue is all the decoder.  Replace the stock decoder with a nice Tsunami 2,  you'll never regret it. 

[Trainman203]

I should say though, that the Tsunami2 compared to Sound Value is like comparing a doctoral thesis to a kiddie book.  There are 63 whistles, 29 bells, 10 chuffs to choose from, plus at least 250 cvs to tailor to your wishes.  The default settings produce pretty good operation out of the box though.

[Bwells]

1st post here. The DCC onboard decoders are manufactured by Bachmann and have an ID of 101. The sound value decoders are manufactured by Soundtrax and have an ID of 141.  The Bachmann decoder is real hard to adjust the start voltage but they do work. Sound value is the next step up and then the Tsunamis at a high price.  Take your pick.

[Trainman203]

You get what you pay for.  Sound value is like having a carrot for lunch, Tsunamis are like having a steak .

[genetk44]

I may be reading the original post incorrectly but my interpretation of the original post is that the poster is saying that his Bachmann DCC sound-Value locos run better than his Bachmann non-sound factory DCC equipped locos. Which makes sense to me.

[bob kaplan]

Yup. that is what I meant gene

[Trainman203]

And I answered that right up front.  The discussion turned to sound value vs Tsunami.  If you've never been around, or on board, a live steam engine, sound value may work for you.  If you've spent a lot of time around them and in the cab like I have, it won't.  I've had a couple of sound value engines which I buy so they can operate until I can install a Tsunami or, now, a Tsunami2.

[Trainman203]

On both the econami and the Tsunami 2, motor control is beyond outstanding.  Almost any engine can be made to crawl smoothly like an ant.  Out of the box, the settings are pretty good at default but can be tuned  to go a foot in a hour, seemingly.

I like the Tsunami 2 for the 63 whistles.  There are about a dozen I like, compared to 3 or 4 on the econami. But then, I am nutsy-cuckoo about steam whistles.

[Trainman203]

Jon I remember, in the way-back, ALCO 1000 hp switchers on both the T&NO and the MOP.  Nothing could lay down more black smoke nor make more racket.  We loved them.

[ElectricFan]

I have Bachmann Sound Value equipped diesels and matching speeds with non-sound equipped Bachmann diesels for consisting purposes can be a challenge because the non-sound equipped Bachmann diesels don't seem to have the same settings for CV5 and CV6 as do other manufacturers or decoders.  The sound equipped diesels definitely run faster than the non-sound equipped diesels, so I wind up adjusting the sound unit's CV5 and CV6.  When I'm consisting Bachmann sound units with other manufacturers decoders/locomotives, I can usually adjust the non-sound units to match the Bachmann units.

I believe that this is because the Bachmann non-sound decoders have a lower top speed  setting (CV5), but I'm not sure how to adjust it -- I get readings for the CV5 of around 100, but I try to reset it to 255, for whatever reasonm it doesn't seem to take. 

This doesn't appear to be a problem in straight DC -- before my club changed over to DCC, there didn't seem to be an appreciable difference between manufacturers or sound vs. non-sound, but you can't get all the bells and whistles in straight DC, so that's not an option.

Also, don't sell Bachmann Sound Value short -- I've been retrofitting sound decoders in some of my older locomotives and dummies and there are at least two manufacturers (not named here for code of conduct reasons) that Bachmann beats out six ways from Sunday, but as others have pointed out, there is a gold standard sound decoder and Bachmann is not there, yet -- but then, again, I'm not sure they want to be. 

[Hunt]

. . .

I believe that this is because the Bachmann non-sound decoders have a lower top speed  setting (CV5), but I'm not sure how to adjust it -- I get readings for the CV5 of around 100, but I try to reset it to 255, for whatever reasonm it doesn't seem to take.

. . .

CV 5 cannot be programmed by design.

To date a  Bachmann HO DCC On Board locomotive is factory equipped with a  Bachmann manufactured two-function decoder that does not  support CV 5 or CV6.

Click Here f -  List of supported CVs are on second sheet. Also, note the CVs default setting.

Use 28 not 128 speed step mode when speed matching.

[Joe323]

Honestly even with out sound the sound value decoders are better.  Plenty of times I run my Layout late at night with the sound muted.