Athearn challenger HO scale cv's?

[turbine71]

Recently purchased two UP challengers made by Athearn and the sound is less than iimpressive,specially the chuff etc when moving it sounds like a steam traction engine.

The instructions list all the cv's that you can change on the tsunami decoder but was hoping somebody has gone though this process to get a better sound from the model and can point me in the right direction as to which ones to change.

Thanks

[mlehman]

turbine71,

If you don't have a copy yet, the Steam User's Guide is helpful.

http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/tsunamisteam_users_guide.pdf

It looks like you have all the cool stuff to play with a full-on Tsunami does. The place to start is with the equalizer, CV 153 to 160, the volume controls for the master volume and individual sounds (CV 128-151) , and the reverbs (CV 161-172). Get those where you like them and it'll help you gain confidence messing with things.

Then there's the good stuff, the DDE effects, CV 177-188. These can be all over the place depending on your loco, etc. The manual goes into detail in Step 8 in the user's manual. I have a list somewhere of some suggested settings, so i fI find it I'll post it up. You really can't go wrong. Just don't change everything at once.

 

[peahrens]

I also purchsed the Challenger and Big Boy with Tsunami last year and will be interested in suggested settings.  I adjusted the whistle volume down a bit and one of the equalizer settings (increased equalizer CV157 500Hz somewhat) to get the chuffing to sound a bit better but I'd guess I'm so far off from settings that would be best that I'll await someone hopefully providing "good" settings.  I know I need to turn down the volume overall.

I presume that a good set of Challenger settings will apply to the Big Boy as I presume the speaker setup in the similar tenders will provide the same effect.

[mlehman]

Paul and turbine71,

I found my cheat sheet, composed by Steve Hatch of Railway Engineering. Remember that these were originaly designed for the Blackstone K-27. And even within runs of the same loco, there are variances in running qualities that mean you may have to fiddle a bit to take full advanatage. But they do make a good starting point. I use them in my Blackstone C-19s also.

Mike

I set the cv's in my Blackstone K-27's to make them chuff hard on
hills and back off to a light drift downhill.  I love this sound and
here are the cv settings so you can set yours too.

   You have to set an additional cv that doesn't show anywhere.
That is cv # 217.  You must put a 2 in cv 217 to turn on the motor
load connection to the BEMF. Then the DDE settings (12 of them)
will work.  I don't know why this is hidden but it is.
    I've never gotten a good answer out of Soundtrax about 217.
   Perhaps the settings are so sensitive that they decided to
just leave the DDE off.  anyway...put the 2 in cv217 first.

Have fun -- Steve Hatch

Then here are the DDE cv settings

       <CVvalue name="2" value="1" />
       <CVvalue name="3" value="35" />
       <CVvalue name="4" value="35" />

   CV 3 and 4 must be at least 20 for the chuff to work right

       <CVvalue name="10" value="40" />  <----- 10 or more turns on BEMF
       <CVvalue name="128" value="95" />  (master volume)
       <CVvalue name="131" value="45" />  (chuff volume)
       <CVvalue name="177" value="36" />
       <CVvalue name="178" value="30" />  <-- Chuff adjust ..10 to 90
       <CVvalue name="179" value="156" />
       <CVvalue name="180" value="69" />
       <CVvalue name="181" value="255" />
       <CVvalue name="182" value="255" />
       <CVvalue name="183" value="101" />
       <CVvalue name="184" value="70" />
       <CVvalue name="185" value="11" />
       <CVvalue name="186" value="88" />
       <CVvalue name="187" value="200" />
       <CVvalue name="188" value="90" />
       <CVvalue name="209" value="25" />
       <CVvalue name="210" value="20" />
       <CVvalue name="212" value="100" />   <-- BEMF on
       <CVvalue name="217" value="2" />

Those are the DDE and BEMF settings

After you put in these cv's then adjust cv 178.
Turn on about 50 forward. After the loco is at speed, then
press on the loco to slow it down (simulating a load) it should chuff
louder and harder. If it doesn't, then set 178 a little higher (1 or 2)
Keep doing this til it chuffs loud when you press on it.
   If it stays loud after you let go, then lower cv 178 a little.
    CV 178 is any thing from 15 to 90 depending on the loco so
use a little patience and try down to 15 and up to 90 if your not
getting the response.  They are all different so keep trying 178.
    You'll find it.  But little 1 or 2 changes....or you'll pass it.
     Once these are in your decoder, then you can set cv 188
up or down between 90 and 110 to get the smoothest slowest
performance you want.
    The loco will quiet it's chuff almost completely when going down
a hill with cars pushing it.  It will respond to heavier trains.
it will drift quietly (soft chuff) on the flat.

-Steve Hatch

[turbine71]

Thanks Mike for the info,will try changing a few cv's and listen for any improvement.

Not sure why the tsunami sound can be really good in the diesels that are so equipped but not too hot in the steam locomotives,I had a pair of B&O EM1's from bachmann with their sound and was not very impressed.

I just assumed bachmann had them build a watered down

decoder and that's why it did not sound very good.

 

Turbine71

[peahrens]

Thanks, Mike!

[mlehman]

Y'all are welcome.

turbine71

Not sure why the tsunami sound can be really good in the diesels that are so equipped but not too hot in the steam locomotives,I had a pair of B&O EM1's from bachmann with their sound and was not very impressed. I just assumed bachmann had them build a watered down decoder and that's why it did not sound very good.

Tsunamis tend to come pretty white bread. They get installed in a lot of locos, so keeping up with what's supposed to be available to the user is what the designers concentrate on. It's the user who gets to make them really perform. If you follow Steve's CV set-up and then play around with the settings, you'll find a definite improvement in sound.

Since the DDE and other goodies are available in this OEM variant, I'm pretty sure the same options are available for your EM-1. Give it a try once you get a handle on the Challenger and it'll probably be a lot easier with one adjustment project under your belt.