QUOTE (34C @ 12 Jan 2008, 04:50)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>It would be interesting to get other opinions on DCC decoder choice. I am now using Zimo MX63 with the design of motor in this loco. Particularly once well run in, some examples start on so little current that minimum output from a Lenz Gold is actually too great for a 'creep' into and out of motion. It is always necessary to remove capacitors to eliminate an effect similar in appearance to cogging over the first half dozen speed steps (128 step).
**** A friend on this list reported to me he'd done a test with ESU, Lenz and new back EMF TCS decoders - So following his reaction, I did a direct comparison in a Hornby Princess, Bachmann 9F & Bachmann Jinty.
I'd already dropped Lenz long ago as I had seen a trend to mid term failure of the golds (they run warm to hot very often too) and
my current favourite when I did the test was the ESU lokpilot as of all the back EMF decoders it needed the least adjustment to accommodate varying motor types.
the result: (all cpacitors removed, all decoders hard wired. The only loco adjustment needed was on the pickups of the Jinty as they were not well "set" at the factory).
The Lenz Gold as 34C intimated had some difficulty in the first few speed steps - this could be tweaked a bit with the back emf and lowering Vmid and Vmax but not completely eliminated. Where it was close to eliminated and the slow running "best", the decoder also had trouble finding "stop", going from slow forward to slow backward in one step - so some compromise was always needed.
The ESU LokPilot and the Zimo and the TCS were all EQUAL at lower range speed control - however it became clear that the TCS needed NO adjustment in any of the loco's tested to bve at its best, where the others all needed just a little tweaking.
This has since been borne out with customers reactions to hundreds of installs and sales. Total delight that they can both save about 1/4 to 1/3 on the price of the decoder and get the best possible result.
I should say that I now focus on ONLY ESU and TCS decoders although I can access and sell all four brands with no problem...
Selling lower cost decoders yields less cash in the till for me -so its not logical business wise.... but I always sell ONLY products that I am 100% happy with and so with both my modellers and resellers hat on, I very happily recommend the TCS above all of the more expensive brands AND I use them in my own loco's too!
Richard
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