One of my long standing customers part-exchanged an fairly uncommon loco yesterday. The model in question was a Tech-Cad Design BTH class 15 Bo-Bo diesel, and it came fitted with a Digitrax DH140 decoder. Well the thing was virtually uncontrollable with a 0-60 which would have made a Golf GTI envious, braking would have impressed a Formula 1 car and the noise wouldn't have been out of place in the Isle of Man during TT week.
I did all of the usual tweaks to starting voltage, acceleration and deceleration delay and was able to improve matters, but in the end I unplugged the Digitrax decoder and fitted my favourite Lenz Gold and immediately (without any fiddling to settings) the loco was transformed, and is now sweet as a nut!
So what? Well if all of the pundits are to be believed the major consideration when fitting a decoder is the number of function you'll need, but to me the most improtant factor is how well the loco runs when chipped, and experience of late suggests that the extra price of the top of the range Lenz decoders (Gold and Silver) is well worth paying even if you don't want all of the functions and facilities they offer.
John.