TCS sound decoders - Model Railroader Magazine

I have several TSC WOW decoders and I am very pleased with them, both with sound and with motor control. That does not mean that in some cases, I had to use other brand, because WOW simply could not provide what I expected. 

For example, in Trix Big Boy, I was amazed with smooth runing, i.e., motor control is superb. I made two videos, unfortunately not in HD, but I think you still can see smooth start and stop and hear excellent sound it can create (little too loud, I know). Video 1, Video 2. I think it is not possible to have better running than what I achieved by installing TCS WOW in that locomotive.

I like Audio adjust feature, it enables user to make most settings thru voice guided system, but CV adjustment is also possible, although more complicated. I also like gradual five step brake, a feature unique on the market, which is very useful and I think, realistic. 

There was one situation where I realized that TCS WOW cannot be used - with Trix Mixado, which has 16 mm coreless motor. I tried it with two different locomotives, and later with some other diesel locomotives I remotorized with coreless motor, the result was always the same - unpleasant, jerky slow speed preformance. I used Tsunami 2 instead, and problem dissapeared. I must admit I am very delicate when it comes to smooth running, and will go a long way to achieve what I want. 

I think every system has advantages and disadvantages. TCS WOW offers motor control that is self-adjustable, meaning there are no CV's that user can change to adapt decoder to particular motor - decoder manages this by itself, which is very covenient (compared to e.g. ESU, with eleven (11!!) CV's just for motor control, although ESU offers automatic adjustment too, but I think TCS WOW does it better). In most cases, with good iron core (mostly five pole) motors, this is excellent approach, i.e. motor control is really superb. But obviously, in some cases automatic adjustment has limits, and here a decoder with user adjustable CV's for motor control is better option. For very difficult cases, I would always use ESU first, if possible, precisely because of posibility to manually set CV's in charge for motor control. But on the other hand, if case is really "difficult" (e.g. old three pole motor with strong cogging), then I would rather replace the motor. 

Therefore I do not use just one decoder brand (I do not "standardize"), but use decoder that is in my opinion the best option for given locomotive. In some cases, you have to experiment, but I never was in situation to have a decoder that cannot find it's place in my locomotive fleet. 

Regards,

Hrvoje