Large Scale Central

Brand New LGB 28446 RhB Ge 4/4 Glacier Express Loco

Electronics DCC
#1

Hello All - I recently sold a brand new LGB 28446 with mfx/dcc onboard sound decoder to a customer. When he tested it on his roller wheels test stand with his Massoth 12 amp command station/12 power supply/wireless Navigator digital system, he’s getting some low level popping sounds from the sound decoder. He set the locomotive’s decoder as follows:

CV50=0 All protocols off except DCC; CV29=34 28/128 steps, 4 digit address, analog off.

In the Massoth Loco config I set: 28D for speed steps, Parallel functions.

Marklin Inc USA has requested he ship the locomotive to them to check out but I expect they’ll have to return it to he Marklin Factory for repair.

This loco is from the Marklin factory’s latest production run in 2021. Has anyone else experienced these popping sounds from a Marklin produced mfx/dcc locomotive? The issue has been referred to the LGB/Marklin factory for assistance, but in the meantime, I wanted to see if anyone else has experience this issue and what was done to resolve it. Note: I am an LGB Dealer and Authorized LGB Service Cen

LGB Trains | Old Dominion Railways | Repairs & DCC Installs | United States

#2

My customer reports some additional testing results with the popping sounds distortion he’s getting from his brand new LGB 28664 RhB Glacier Express locomotive.

Reset the decoder CV8=8 to the factory defaults, the popping/crackling stopped. Then reconfigured using the following:

CV50=0

CV29=34

CV17=194

CV18=111 (address to 623)

Results: The popping came back; so he reset the decoder again and started testing the sound after each CV change. Results: The CV50 settings for the decoder’s protocols. Next, he started trying each value for CV50 to see which protocol is causing the popping sound. CV15 is the default with all protocols; so then tried 3, still had the popping. When set it to 7 it seemed to stop but I heard 1 or 2, but they were far fewer. Then setting it back to the factory default, CV15, which enables MFX, the popping sounds stopped. So it appears I’ll need to leave the MFX protocol on to prevent the popping distortion sounds.

My Comments: Marklin has designed in additiional protocols into their newest locomotive’s onboard sound decoders: mfx, mm, dcc, analog dc, analog ac. Marklin recommends in the locomotive user’s manuals to turn off the protocols you don’t use, such as mfx/mm, for both their older mfx/dcc and their newest mfx/mm/dcc onboard sounds decoders, but for at least this dcc user, to do so causes sound distortions. Perhaps Marklin has designed in too many protocols into their newest onboard sound decoders!