# range of sound/motor decoders in large scale?



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I've been using QSI and have been quite happy with it, but I've also been looking around to figure out what else is available. I think this is it:


QSI
ESU Loksound XL305

Massoth EMOTIONxls 

Zimo MX690s 



Is that the full range? Anyone have any experience with these?

ESU's sound samples, on their website, sound really excellent to me. Zimo's website is comically bad and hard to navigate, and I haven't been able to find sound samples.


Also I don't suppose there's a dealer who carries all of these, is there?


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## Axel Tillmann (Jan 10, 2008)

To be a little more detailed on the ZIMO site:

*MX640 or its younger cousin MX 642*
We are using this for a variety of G-scale applications inclduing LGB's little switcher engines, 2 axle engines, draisine (including the VW bus). It is a powerful little decoder with 1.2A permanent power and 2A peak power.

*MX690S and MX 690V*
The MX 690V is all of the 690S plus:
regulated power output adjustable from 1.5V to 15V (default 5V) .8A on the regulated power output
14 instead of 8 physical function outputs.

All the sound file examples can be found ZIMO Sound Apps. Every engine that has a speaker symbol next to it will paly a sample.

A lot of the American (and Swiss) sound apps are coming from a provider SoundDesign and you can click on in the following link in the column "Fahrzeugtyp" to hear the sound samples.
SoundDesign American Sound Apps and here SoundDesign RhB Sound Apps


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have used the Zimo and it solved a problem that the QSI could not handle with a pittman motor. 

I have the 690V and the programmer. 

RJ has the 640 in his VW bus, and we did some programming on it, the Zimo has a ton of programmability. 

I have an ESU select on order. 

Regards, Greg


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

That's about it, right? 

How is the ESU XL305? It's rated for three amps. But it's expensive


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

lownote, 

Check out the Digitrax website.. The DH465 with a Soundbug should work OK.. Price for the pair is not bad either.. They also have some new sound decoders for HO & N scale that will work with single motor bricks of Aristo-Craft & LGB.. Hope this helps.. 

BulletBob


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

The ESU XL is quite expensive. I've never used it because of the cost. However, if it works as well as it's HO sized brethren, it would probably be better than any of them. The HO ESU sounds and works better than the Tsunami or QSI, at least in the Goose version. 

Unless Digitrax has made some significant changes to their sound decoders, they won't sound as good as the others. I've used several Digitrax HO sound decoders and they do just ok, not great. However the price is quite good.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I forgot to ask, Mike are you asking for motor/sound G scale combinations? 

Or DCC sound alone? 

Big difference in the list. 

Regards, Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, Massoth also makes one called the LS, which is suitable for single motor applications (1.5A), and is less money than the full blown XLS. They are also starting to make a sound only decoder eMOTION S, which is programmable with all the same XLS sounds and has a SUSI interface. 

Keith


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I was thinking sound/motor combined. I'll add the Massoth LS and the Digitrax to my list, with caveats. The loksound select, as far as I can tell, is only offered with diesel sounds? 

John's Hobbies has good prices on both ESU decoders. Hmmm 

The Loksoundxl3.5 is $184, which is 40-50 dollars more than the QSI. Is it $40-50 better, or is the difference just the result of it being import costs/Euro conversion?


I'm juts thinking that the big advantage of DCC is interoperability, so I ought to take advantage of it


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Is it $40-50 better 

I would also think about how much (if anything) you have to spend to be able to program it (and that includes downloading different sounds not just CV's), and are you happy with the sound? Can you control the voltage on the output pins etc.? 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The Loksound select is really for HO, about an amp or amp and a half from what I remember.. 

If you keep the discussion to "G" scale, like around at least 3 amps, then you have a smaller list to deal with. 

Go into HO land and there's a lot more available, but other than a few rail trucks and other unusually "light" loads, you need to stay in G scale. 

The select will be available in lots of sounds (look on the site), but only 3 diesels were out last time I checked, more on the way, it's a very new product. 

Regards, Greg


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I was thinking more about the XL305 than the select. At some point I'd like to try them all, just to see what works best. The sound samples on the ESU site sound really great


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, 

The Digitrax DH 465 is a 4 Amp decoder & with the Soundbug unit is under $100.00.. I will be installing this decoder in several of my locos.. Will also use some of the HO decoders with the Soundbug on my smaller locos.. We are getting warm weather so will be getting out & running trains.. 

BulletBob


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## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

Lownote, I use QSI/G-WIRE on over 18 engines with a NCE G-Wire Pro Cab, with 5 engines that also include 18v 5 amp hour Li-Ion batteries and a switch for track or battery (for visiting others railroads). The only problem I had was at the farthest point (about 220') going into a tunnel I would loose control and sound activation for about 20' not a big problem. Called NCE and told them and they sent free of charge a flex 5" 1/2 antenna and what a differance now I can control all from my neighbors deck (about 310' away). Now that Greg Elmassian has helped me get the light to stay on on the NCE controller I have the best of all worlds. Sound, day or night running, visiting others layouts and easy control. Jake


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## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

That was a 1/2 wave antenna they sent. Jake


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